Sherratt, Victoria Ann

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY343184 Inspection date 28/06/2010 Inspector Jeannette Waring

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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 lives with her two daughters, one of whom is adult and one of whom is 10 years old. She also has an adult son who no longer lives at home. The family live in a three bedroom house in Charlton, local schools, pre-schools, parks and shops are within walking distance. Children use the ground floor of the house for their play space and there is a garden for outdoor play. The family have two cats.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder has been registered since 2006 and is included on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for a maximum of six children under the age of eight years. Currently she is caring for a total of five children, all of whom are in the early years age group and attend on a part-time basis.

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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 are cared for in a safe, comfortable and well organised home setting. Appropriate policies and procedures underpin the childminder's work and help to promote children's health, safety and well-being. The childminder provides children with a good range of activities and outings which promote their learning and development in all areas. There are strong partnerships with parents in place, including good two-way communication regarding children's individual needs. This promotes inclusion, ensures children have good continuity of care and provides good support for children's learning. However, partnerships with other settings are less well-established. The childminder reflects on her practice and is able to identify her strengths and areas where she would like to make further improvements to her service.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 develop the observation and planning system further, ensuring that observations of children at play are clearly linked to the early learning goals and are used to identify children's next steps  extend partnership working with other settings, such as the school or pre- schools children attend, in order to ensure that children have good support for their learning, as well as good continuity of care

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the early years provision

The childminder ensures children are safe and protected from harm. She regularly up-dates her safeguarding training and reviews her policies in order to ensure that This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 her knowledge and practice complies with local guidelines. Her clear safeguarding policy is shared with parents. Daily safety checks and good supervision ensure that children are safe within the childminder's home, and comprehensive risk assessments are reviewed regularly and appropriately recorded. Clear risk assessments for all outings are also fully documented. Good procedures relating to children's health are in place and the childminder ensures that her first aid training is always up-to-date, enabling her to provide good care for children in the event of an accident.

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the early years provision

The childminder makes sure that she is aware of, and complies with, any dietary restrictions for children in her care and menus show that children enjoy a range of healthy meals and snacks. Children who speak English as an additional language or who have special needs are clearly supported in consultation with their parents. This helps children to feel settled and secure and effectively promotes inclusion in line with the childminder's equal opportunities policy. Books and toys reflecting positive images of a variety of families, cultures and backgrounds are on offer and help all children to feel valued.

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the early years provision

A good range of toys and resources are provided, many can be accessed freely by children from storage units in the lobby. To extend the range of resources further the childminder has developed a resources catalogue with two other local childminders. Children are able to look through the catalogue and request toys which the childminders pass between them. Each day the childminder sets up both her indoor and outdoor play space with a range of activities which children are able to choose from. This helps children to make choices and develop their independence.

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the early years provision

The childminder has very good arrangements in place to promote effective partnership working with parents. A daily contact book, which is used by both the childminder and parents, ensures good continuity of care. Because the information extends to information on activities and achievements parents are able to contribute to children's development records and are kept informed of progress children make with the childminder. Parents value the service provided by the childminder and comments on letters left for the inspector include praise for: good information sharing particularly in relation to children's learning and development, the childminder's reliability and flexibility and the healthy meals and snacks provided. The childminder has also established good links with other local services such as the Sure Start centres and the local authority support services. Some links have been established with other settings children attend but as yet these do not

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the early years provision

include information sharing relating to children's learning and development.

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the early years provision

The childminder clearly enjoys her work with the children and she demonstrates a good commitment to on-going training and development. She is able to reflect on her practice and uses meetings with local authority development staff to discuss her service and identify areas for improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy, settled and secure in the childminder's care and they enjoy the activities on offer. Because the childminder ensures that the activities she provides cover all six areas of learning, are appropriate to children's stage of development and include a good balance of indoor and outdoor play, children achieve good outcomes. They learn how to stay healthy and keep safe. For example, they understand that they should wear a hat when out in the sun and that they need to wash their hands before eating or after petting the dog. They are also learning about road safety as they enjoy activities provided by the Traffic Club, and as the childminder reinforces these messages when taking them out and about in the local community.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a strong sense of belonging within the setting because the childminder is careful to support their emotional well-being and because she includes children in family events. For example, children who are new to the setting and ask what time their mummy is coming for them they receive sensitive reassurance from the childminder, who explains what they will be doing up until home time and offers a comforting cuddle. When the childminder's family decided to purchase a puppy children felt included as they went with the childminder and her family to visit the puppy at the kennels, they also enjoy visiting a local stables where the childminder's daughter goes riding.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has put in place an observation, assessment and planning system to support children's learning. She records her observations of children at play and many of these are illustrated with photographs and/or examples of children's art work and links are made to one or more of the six areas of learning. However, currently links are not made to specific early learning goals. Activities are planned around topics and themes but the childminder also incorporates activities to support specific outcomes for individual children. For example, she uses activities from a booklet she obtained on speech and language training, 'Small Talk - developing communication through fun and games' to support children who are developing their communication skills. In addition she takes account of children's likes, dislikes and interests when planning activities and outings.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy almost daily access to outdoor play in the childminder's garden. The garden is divided into two parts. There is a large patio area for all-weather play which the childminder sets out with a range of activities each day. On the day of inspection children enjoyed pretend play with dolls, buggies, shop and home corner props. This area is fenced off from the grassed area, which contains a range of large apparatus including, swings, slides, wheeled toys and a full size trampoline, where children can develop their physical skills.

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and outcomes for children

Children are well behaved, polite and friendly. The childminder has clear rules and boundaries and, as a result, children quickly learn what is expected of them. Children are learning to share and take turns and the childminder helps children to think about the impact their actions have on others. Activities planned to celebrate community festivals help children to explore elements of their own and other This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 people's culture, and the childminder encourages families to share elements of their culture, language and traditions with the setting. This helps all children to feel valued and encourages children to respect one another's differences.

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and outcomes for children

Children are able to move freely between the planned activities making independent choices, they are also able to select some resources for themselves from the storage area. They play together well and are able to concentrate as they explore activities, for example, as they organise their play with the small world figures or tuck the dolls up in the buggy ready to take them shopping when playing in the garden. Children also enjoy regular singing times with the childminder and as the inspector approached the house on the day of inspection the childminder and children could be heard happily singing along to a nursery rhyme disc. The childminder uses singing time to introduce children to numbers and simple calculation as they explore number rhymes together. Opportunities for problem solving are offered through construction toys and small world play when children are encouraged to sort, set and match objects according to type and size.

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and outcomes for children

Children also benefit from outings in the local area, They regularly visit toddler groups and drop-in groups at local Sure Start centres. They also visit parks and places of interest locally with the childminder and often meet up with other local childminders and this provides children with good opportunities to socialise with others. 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 2 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 3 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 2 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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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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