Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY309822 Inspection date 25/03/2010 Inspector Naomi Brown

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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 has been registered since 2005. She works alongside her husband who is also a registered childminder. They live with their three children who are aged nine, 13 and 17 years in a house in South Oxhey near to Northwood. The house is within walking distance of local shops, schools and parks.

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Description of the childminding

Children have access to the whole of the downstairs area, which includes a conservatory used for additional play space. There is a downstairs cloakroom. Children do not generally access upstairs except to sleep. There is a secure garden for outside play. There are no pets in the household.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time of which three may be in the early years age group. She works with a co-childminder. When working with another childminder they may care for a total of no more than nine children under eight years; of these, not more than six may be in the early years age group. Currently there are 10 children on roll, eight of which who are in the early years age group, who attend on a part- time basis.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is involved with the Hertfordshire Childminding Forum and a committee member for the East Region.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are extremely well safeguarded and cared for due to the childminder's meticulous management of documentation that always considers their needs at its core. The childminder's strong values and clear commitment to continuous improvement ensure that all children's individual needs are met at all times. They make excellent progress in her care. The childminder has established a close working partnership with parents, which helps ensure that the needs of all children are continually met. The childminder clearly values each child as an individual through her highly inclusive service which helps them to feel thoroughly secure and welcome in her home.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 continue to develop the process of self-evaluation. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The childminder's excellent organisational skills ensure that she is effective in providing a safe, welcoming and stimulating home environment where children thrive. Her comprehensive policies and procedures are followed well as she cares for the children each day. Rigorous risk assessments and systems for ensuring that adults who come into contact with the children are suitable and effective in keeping children safe.

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the early years provision

The childminder has extremely strong relationships with parents, carers and others who care for the children which underpins excellent continuity of care for all children. The childminder uses information gained from these relationships to plan activities which enhance and consolidate the children's learning and development. Highly detailed learning journeys give parents and carers very accurate information about their children's achievements and information gleaned when the children start at the setting ensures that starting points are sensitively recorded. This contributes towards plans that are highly focussed on each child's individual needs. All documentation is rigorously maintained to ensure that all aspects of children's welfare and learning needs are met to a very high standard at all times. Parents have access to all documentation about the setting and their children which helps them to have a clear picture of the childminder's firm commitment towards

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the early years provision

The childminder consistently meets children's welfare, learning and development needs very well through her strong focus on inclusive practice. The childminder's enthusiasm for learning ensures that her service is continually improving which has an extremely positive effect on outcomes for all children. Self-evaluation systems demonstrate the childminder's highly accurate vision of her service, although there is room for further development to increase the rapidity of improvements. Feedback the childminder acquires from parents and children is clearly used to further develop her practice for all children.

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the early years provision

The childminder's mature attitude towards safeguarding all children in her care, coupled with extremely comprehensive policies and procedures ensure that children are protected at all times. The childminder has arranged her home with a very clear commitment towards keeping children safe and careful practising of fire drills with discussions afterwards teaches children to understand steps they can take to protect themselves. This firmly underpins their safety while they are with the childminder.

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and outcomes for children

Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the setting as they experience an extremely varied range of activities that are carefully tailored to meet all of their learning and development needs. Highly accurate observations and assessments of children that are clearly linked to their starting points allow the childminder to plan an extremely This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 varied and rich curriculum that is tailored to the needs of each child. Children's individual choices are clearly used to inform planning and the childminder considers their views at every stage. This contributes towards the excellent progress that children make towards the early learning goals. Plans comprehensively cover all areas of learning and offer an extremely good balance of adult-led and child-initiated play, both indoors and outdoors.

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and outcomes for children

Children are able to take ownership of many aspects of their personal care, which contributes to their very clear understanding of healthy lifestyles and their capacity to develop skills for the future. For example, all children are given the opportunity to put on their own coats and all except the youngest children attempt to use a range of fastenings. They are aware they can ask for help when they need it but the childminder gives them plenty of time to attempt to do things for themselves. Children wash their hands for mealtimes without prompting from the childminder with older children assisting younger children in this activity. This cooperation between all children is a definite theme in the setting as children play together extremely well. For example, one child is putting on a pair of dressing up shoes. Another child approaches and wants to try the shoes so they help remove shoes and socks so that they can try on the dressing up shoes. Children also play a lively

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and outcomes for children

game with a ball, rolling the ball to each other and exclaiming with great excitement when they catch it.

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and outcomes for children

Children have further, excellent opportunities to enhance their physical development, both with small and large muscle activities. They have free access to a very well stocked outdoor area and delight in using the small trampoline and play a lively game of hide and seek in the climbing frame. Older children enjoy playing with the sandpit and are able to explain that a toy ambulance is broken because it has 'sand in the siren'. Children then tell the childminder how to fix the ambulance, demonstrating their exceedingly well developed problem solving abilities.

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and outcomes for children

Behaviour in the setting is exemplary. Children are very kind to each other and older children are consistently aware of behaving safely around younger children. For example, an older child reminds younger children to take care on the steps. The childminder and her husband with whom she co-minds support children extremely well and they clearly feel very settled and secure in their home. Great care is taken to consider all aspects of children's individual backgrounds and circumstances and this ensures that all diversity in the setting is celebrated. A wealth of activities and resources enable children to learn about other cultures and religions and celebrations of different abilities and cultures enable the children in the setting to be inclusive and respectful in their own behaviour. Exemplary practice by the childminder results in highly effective outcomes for all children who attend. 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 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

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

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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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Annex B: the Childcare Register

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

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