Childminder in Brighton and Hove

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY404451 Inspection date 10/05/2010 Inspector Jacqueline Patricia Walter

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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 twin children age seven. They live in Hove, in East Sussex and are close to shops, parks and transportation links. Most of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. She has two cats and a budgerigar as family pets.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children under eight years, of these no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding one children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years and is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

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 are safe and secure and enjoy their learning. Well developed knowledge of each child’s needs, good quality interaction and a well organised learning environment, ensure that the childminder successfully promotes most aspects of children’s learning. A good planning and assessment system, which provides stimulating innovative experiences, and acknowledges children’s interests and individual learning needs is implemented well, which means that children make good progress, given their age, ability and starting points. Appropriate systems are in place to develop links with other agencies and the partnerships with parents are good overall. This makes sure that the needs of all children are met, including any need for additional support. The drive for improvement and self-evaluation is good, ensuring that issues for future development are identified and promptly acted on.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide further opportunities for children to make friends, respect others and tolerate others' differences  further develop systems to encourage parents to be effectively involved in their children's learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder has good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children. She is fully aware of signs and symptoms that may present themselves and confident in the procedures to follow when concerns are raised with children and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 adults. All the required documentation is held appropriately and she provides an effectively organised child-friendly learning environment that helps children develop skills in independence. For example, space is organised into quiet and general play areas, which the children can access freely. Children can also good develop choice and decision making skills by selecting their own activities from an extensive range of resources in an attractive range of boxes, which have both words and pictures that describe their contents on them.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates through discussion, an appropriate understanding of inclusion regarding supporting children with English as an additional language or children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has devised appropriate systems to develop links with other settings and agencies that are involved with children, but as the children she cares for do not currently require this, she has not yet implemented them. Partnership with parents is good overall. There are effective systems in place to share information on the setting. For example, the childminder has written up her policies and procedures to ensure clarity and continuity. She has a poster displayed explaining the Early Years Foundation Stage and gives parents a welcoming pack which contains lots of general information on the setting. Information on children’s care and progress is shared well overall through daily diaries being completed and development files

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the early years provision

being shared approximately every two weeks. However, there are limited opportunities for parents to share information on what the children are learning or doing at home and to be involved in their children’s learning in the setting.

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the early years provision

The childminder's drive for improvement is good. Although she has just started caring for children in the last eight weeks she is very motivated into seeking further improvement. For example, she has attended further training courses, such as the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Makaton sign language. These in turn, have allowed her to develop her understanding of the early years framework and successfully encourage young children’s communication skills. In addition to this, she has booked further courses, such as Food Hygiene, Music Matters and Treasure Boxes, to develop her knowledge and understanding. The childminder has also welcomed and implemented advice from the local authority support staff, which has in turn successfully increased children’s safety and provided a monitoring system, used to check that learning is promoted successfully. As a result, the childminder ensures continuous improvement.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a very good understanding of how children learn which in turn motivates and encourages children in their learning. She actively contributes and effectively extends their learning by asking open ended questions, encouraging them to be independent and explore what is available. As a result, children are interested and spend time focusing on their activities. The childminder promotes communication language and literacy with young children well. For example, she always explains what she is going to do and uses sign language and introduces new words and sounds, which she repeats several times. This results in young children, in particular, developing good skills and confidence in communicating This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 with others. She knows the children well and plans and provides activities to meet their individual needs. For instance, when children show a dislike of messy

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and outcomes for children

activities she plans innovative ideas to encourage their skills in exploration and investigation. She provides jelly and small figures and then sensitively and slowly adapts the activity so children find it intriguing and purposeful, such as hiding the figure in the jelly and asking the children to find it. As a result, their curiosity is aroused and their confidence is encouraged, which in turn leads them to start to investigate and explore. Children have access to an extensive range of resources and equipment that reflect all areas of learning. They are able to extend their understanding of the wider world well through first hand experiences, such as visiting the beach and a local lagoon. However, at present there are limited opportunities for them to develop understanding and skills in cooperating with peers, making friends and respecting and tolerating differences in others.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder values and respects children. She includes them in some decision making within the setting, for example, in choosing when to access their drinks, and as a result they are developing a good a sense of belonging and confidence in expressing their wants and needs. Children's development is also supported well through a clear assessment system which includes written records being made of what they can do and understand and the possible lines of development, which are clearly linked to the six areas of learning. This information is then used effectively to plan activities that support their learning and enable individual children to make good progress towards the early learning goals. For example, after the childminder noting children’s interest in bubbles, the children were able to thoroughly enjoy developing their physical skills in her garden by catching or popping bubbles. The childminder promotes children’s safety both inside and outside the setting well. For

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and outcomes for children

example, records are made of all visitors, smoke alarms are vacuumed to ensure the sensors are kept clear of dust and children are kept within sight at all times. Children are able to develop a good understanding of keeping themselves safe and healthy through participating in evacuation drills, discussing the dangers and risks regarding road safety and by playing board games that encourage knowledge of both healthy foods and junk food. They are actively encouraged to develop good habits and behaviour, through the childminder implementing clear effective strategies. For example, she uses lots of verbal praise and cheering for both effort and achievement and is a good role model herself, encouraging polite social interaction, such as please and thank you. As a result, children are learning to develop good habits appropriate to good learners, their own needs and those of 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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