Childminder in Southampton

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY343752 Inspection date 21/07/2010 Inspector Jacqueline Munden

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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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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 2006. She lives with her husband, and two school age children in the Bitterne area of Southampton. All areas of the ground floor and one bedroom are used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The family have guinea pigs.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time, of which three may be in the early years age group. She is also registered to provide overnight care. The childminder is currently caring for four children aged under eight years, all of which are in the early years age group. She also provides care for older children. The childminder provides care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA). She holds a relevant level 3 childcare qualification.

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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

All children are welcomed and fully included in the extremely warm and inclusive environment the childminder provides. The excellent relationships forged with parents and others involved in children's care ensure their individual needs are met, which enables them to make consistent and significant progress in their learning and development. All aspects of their welfare and learning are fully promoted due to her meticulous organisation and strong commitment to continuously improve her skills. This and the comprehensive methods used to constantly review her provision demonstrate an outstanding ability to make continuous improvements to benefit children.

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further?

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

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further?

 continuing to develop the outdoor environment to further enhance children's enjoyment and learning.

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the early years provision

The excellent organisation of the childminder, and the very effective use of the comprehensive policies and procedures that underpin her exemplary practice, ensure that all children are fully safeguarded. She has recently updated her This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 training in child protection and has a clear understanding of how to respond should she have a concern regarding a child in her care. All the appropriate records and parental consents to promote children's health and welfare are in place. She and members of her household are suitably vetted and extremely thorough risk assessments are conducted within the home and for outings with effective measures being taken to minimise all possible risks.

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the early years provision

The childminder goes to great lengths to ensure all children feel valued and included as she promotes equality and diversity in children's play, learning and care. She is knowledgeable about children's family backgrounds and cultures, which ensures she fully supports their individual needs. For example, she provides dual language books and uses key words in the children's home language to help them settle. Children with additional learning and development needs are supported very effectively. This is accomplished through working extremely closely with parents and others involved in their care, such as Portage. Daily diaries and regular discussions ensure information is shared with parents, who report they are extremely happy with the care their children receive. Accurate written records of children's progress are shared with parents who are regularly invited to be involved in their children's learning and to plan for the next stages in their development.

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the early years provision

The childminder has developed very effective systems to work with and share information with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage that children attend, which provides continuity in their care. Children benefit immensely from the accessible and stimulating learning environment in which they play and explore. They freely select from an extensive range of superb resources, which promote their learning and understanding of the wider world and those living in it. For example, toys that promotes positive images of those with disabilities. Children enjoy using the garden as part of their regular play experience; the childminder has recently installed a covered area to enable children to play outdoors and benefit from fresh air in all weathers. Although this is an area to develop further to enhance children's enjoyment and learning.

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the early years provision

The highly skilled childminder continuously strives to improve the care she provides by reflecting on her practice and evaluating her provision. She is committed to increasing her skills through attending training. The childminder actively takes part in schemes initiated by the local authority such as 'Every Child a Talker', which has an extremely positive impact on the children she cares for as well as other childminders she mentors. She continues to sustain the required standards to hold a recognised accreditation awarded by the NCMA. Comments and ideas are sought from parents and children to help her successfully identify areas for development making necessary changes to benefit children. For example, children offer suggestions for activities for the summer holidays, and routines have been adjusted to ensure all children can benefit from the planned visits to the library as parents requested. This demonstrates an extremely positive attitude and

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the early years provision

a considerable ability to continually improve outcomes for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children thrive during their time with the childminder who is adept at tuning into their individual needs. The childminder has adapted and extended the system provided by the Local authority to record children's progress. This now provides detailed written accounts of children's achievements showing and tracking the progress children make since starting with her. They are linked the early learning goals. This is supported by photographs, examples of children's creative work and comments from parents. The childminder uses her in-depth knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance and how children learn to great effect, when making plans for the next steps in children's progress. She has an extremely clear understanding of what she needs to provide and do to help them achieve the targets including those with additional needs. This knowledge and her enthusiasm for children to achieve ensure all children make outstanding progress.

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and outcomes for children

Children engage in a wide range of stimulating and interesting planned activities both in and outside the home, which help them learn and develop excellent skills for the future. For example, they build muscles and enjoy being outdoors as they learn about the natural world and growing healthy foods as they tend the childminder's allotment. They learn to use tools safely as they dig and hoe the soil. As the seasons change they find the produce such as courgettes and tomatoes grow, are harvested and then eaten. For example, vegetables are used to make savoury scones that children eat. From this, children develop self care skills as they learn the need to wash their hands before cooking as well as how to cook nutritious foods. They learn how to use scales to weigh the ingredients and recognise that words have meaning as they follow recipes. Children equally enjoy developing their own play ideas from the resources that are freely available to

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and outcomes for children

them. They are all fully included and can take part in all the activities provided. For example, easy grip chalks enable even very young children to make marks. Ample resources allow all those attending to join and play together. For example, all children present enjoy racing the model cars and have wheeled, sit on vehicles that meet their developing needs.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder engages and interacts with the children exceptionally well and uses every opportunity that arises to help them learn and develop their language skills. For example, as they play with the train set, she asks what number is on the train they use. As she reads stories she asks them questions about what they see and gives them time to respond and express themselves. Children explore different media in their creative play such as paint for foot printing and modelling dough. As they use different tools to shape and mould the dough the childminder describes the affect they have using new words to extend their vocabulary. For example, 'I have made a dimple'. This has an extremely positive affect in their language development as children show enormous confidence and skills in conversing with others. They develop their use of numbers and counting as they sing along to songs and rhymes such as '1, 2, 3, 4, 5, once I caught a fish alive.' The

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and outcomes for children

childminder extends their learning by asking, 'what comes next?' The childminder gets down to the children’s level and joins their play which they thoroughly enjoy. They excitedly gather round the low level chalkboard as the childminder leads This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 them in singing 'The wheels on the bus go round and round'. She draws circles on the board circles as they sing 'round and round'. Children laugh as they 'stand up and sit down', joining in the next verse. Children show they are learning to share very well as they take turns with a remote controlled car. They press buttons to make it move and use directional language as they describe which way they are making the car travel. They show great care for each other as they get another car for children younger than themselves to ensure they can join in their games. Children enjoy using the garden for physical play such as riding small bikes and

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and outcomes for children

digging in the sand tray. They have a wealth of opportunities to develop their imaginary play both indoors as they use the role play clothes and outdoors as they play with model dinosaurs in a den behind a large bush in the garden.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to be very independent during the daily routines, such as eating and dressing due to the time and encouragement offered by the childminder. They are very happy and cooperative as they help to tidy up, making space for different toys they want out. They are willing helpers at lunchtime, pouring the pasta into the saucepan. Children learn effective procedures to keep healthy and safe. They dash off to wash their hands before preparing food and brush their teeth after lunch. They are learning the purpose of following instructions to keep safe by not entering the kitchen when the cooker is being used and by taking part in regular fire drills in the home. This involvement and the close a caring attitude of the childminder towards all the children in her care, has a significant impact on children's sense of well being and of feeling safe. Therefore they develop high levels of self-esteem. 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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