Childminder in Worcestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY394884 Inspection date 25/02/2010 Inspector Valerie Fane

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Type of setting Childminder to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 2009. She lives with her husband and children aged four and one years in Malvern Link. The whole of the property is used for childminding. Accessibility to the premises is up one step. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family has a cat and some fish.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than one may be in the early years age range. When working with another childminder at the same address they are registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than four may be in the early years age range. There are currently four children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children settle very well with the childminder and thoroughly enjoy her very well- resourced home. They make good progress because she fully understands how children learn best through play and provides them with an interesting selection of toys and planned activities that meets their individual learning needs well. Children's awareness of other cultures is fostered extremely well because they are encouraged to speak French as well as English. The childminder also provides a very wide range of resources and activities that very effectively supports their understanding of other cultures and diversity. The childminder has a very strong commitment to providing high quality childcare and she has made many improvements since registration. However, she has not completed a detailed overall self-evaluation to confirm that all of the Early Years Foundation Stage welfare requirements are met and as a result there is a minor omission in her

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 keep a record of the risk assessment that includes when it was carried out, any action taken and the date of reviews (Documentation). 11/03/2010 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 improve the systems for the organisation of the setting by developing the use of self-evaluation to support ongoing improvements.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded because the childminder has a secure knowledge of the possible signs of abuse and the procedures she would follow if she had concerns about a child in her care. She has attended two training courses on this subject to reinforce her knowledge. Children receive care in a home that is safe and secure because the childminder has completed a visual risk assessment to identify a comprehensive list of daily safety checks that she completes effectively. She is very safety conscious and has made adaptations to the premises, such as an additional fence in the garden, to ensure children's safety. However, there is no record of the overall risk assessment as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage welfare requirements.

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the early years provision

Children thrive because the childminder has a very clear vision to provide an excellent standard of childcare. This includes providing children with the opportunity to learn to speak French and to have the best possible opportunities to develop their learning through play. She is constantly looking for ways to develop her practice and she provides facilities that are very well resourced with an excellent range of toys that also supports children's awareness of our wider society extremely well. She is fully committed to attending regular training in a wide range of subjects to develop her knowledge and she is just beginning to work towards an appropriate Level 3 qualification. Other plans for the future include the development of a vegetable plot in the garden and a grant application to fund more play equipment such as a large sandpit for the garden and low-level tables for the playroom. The childminder is beginning to use a formal self-evaluation

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the early years provision

document to ensure that she is developing all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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the early years provision

Children enjoy continuity of care because the childminder works closely with their parents or carers. She provides a very flexible provision and works very hard to meet the particular needs of different families. Children are able to continue their learning at home because the childminder provides parents with a very detailed written diary to support her verbal comments about what children have been doing and learning. She encourages parents to use the diary to provide her with additional ongoing information about what children have been doing at home. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support because the childminder obtains and uses information from other professionals to support her understanding of children's particular needs. If children attend other Early Years Foundation Stage provision the childminder works closely with the other provider to ensure that they share information about children's welfare and

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the early years provision

learning needs. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their time with the childminder and develop a close relationship with her. They self-select confidently from the very wide range of toys available and also enjoy well-planned activities. They make good progress because the childminder observes and assess their development and identifies their learning priorities so that she can provide play opportunities that support children to take these next steps in their learning. Children behave extremely well and are enthusiastic learners. This is because the childminder is an excellent role model so she gives children lots of praise for good behaviour and backs this up with appropriate use of reward stickers for older children.

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and outcomes for children

Children's emerging language is supported very well and, if parents wish, children can learn two languages. If children are under the care of a speech and language therapist the childminder makes contact with the therapist so that she can support children to do the required exercises to support their language development. Older babies learn to name parts of their bodies in both French and English and all labels around the playroom are written in both languages. Children ask to do drawings and develop their mark-making skills using age-appropriate pens to draw pictures. They chat to the childminder about their picture and she encourages other areas of their learning by talking about the shapes and pictures children have drawn. Babies explore different textures such as play dough. They feel the texture of the dough, make a snail and then try to use different tools to make hair styles with the dough. The childminder gives children room to try to work out how to use the tools

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and outcomes for children

for themselves but provides support when necessary.

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and outcomes for children

Older children enjoy a wide range of activities. They learn the names of shapes by making a 'shape robot'. They make an aircraft out of Lego, count how many people they have put in it and use it for small world play. They show sustained concentration as they make spiders and masks for Halloween. They use electronic toys such as the butterfly game and have fun pressing the knob to release the butterflies and trying to catch them in the nets. Activities such as these also support children's development of skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children's home culture is valued well by the childminder and all children see pictures around the home that support both their own and other cultures. The childminder encourages parents to come in and share their culture with all minded children. Children take part in activities to celebrate festivals from different cultures. For example, at Chinese New Year they talk about the 'Year of the tiger' and make tiger masks.

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and outcomes for children

Children gain a very good awareness of healthy lifestyles. They spend plenty of time outside because the childminder has appropriate clothing to keep them warm and dry in all weathers. They walk to and from school and go to the park or play in the snow in the garden. When it is wet they enjoy energetic games indoors such as a special game of 'Snakes and Ladders' where they have to do a physical challenge if they land on certain squares. Children's particular dietary needs are met and they eat healthy meals and snacks mainly provided by the childminder. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 They take part in activities to support their awareness of healthy eating. For example, they go shopping to buy fruit for a fruit salad and learn to use knives safely to chop the fruit into different shapes to make the salad. The childminder has recently moved house and part of her ongoing development plan includes

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and outcomes for children

building raised borders in the garden for the children to grow their own vegetables. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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