Childminder in Suffolk

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 250940 Inspection date 19/07/2010 Inspector Jacqueline Mason

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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 1999. She lives with her husband and their two children aged 19 and six years. They live in a house in Brandon, Suffolk. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding along with downstairs toilet facilities. An upstairs bedroom is used for sleeping children. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register to care for no more than three children on the early years register at any one time. She is also registered on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder currently cares for three children in the early years age range, providing full-time, part-time and after school care.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder 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

The childminder provides a stimulating and welcoming environment which helps children to be happy and settled in her care. She has a generally good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage to help children make effective progress in their learning and development. The childminder has a thorough knowledge of each child's interests and needs to make sure that they are fully included and their needs are met. She has effective links with parents and is aware of the need to develop partnerships with others who provide care for the children. All policies and procedures are in place for the effective management of the provision and to ensure that the health and safety of all is promoted. The childminder is enthusiastic, committed to improvement and has positive plans for the future that are focussed on improving outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop activity planning to deliver personalised learning and development that helps children get the best possible start in all areas of learning  develop and maintain a regular two-way flow of information with others who provide care for the children to support the continuity in their care and learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and consequently children are well cared for and effectively This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 supported. She has a good awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse to help her recognise when children might be at risk. She knows how to report concerns in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines. Comprehensive risk assessments are carried out to ensure that children are able to play safely indoors, outside and on outings. The environment is conducive to learning with toys and resources being set out before children arrive to foster a sense of belonging.

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the early years provision

All necessary policies and procedures are in place to ensure the effective management of the provision and these are shared with parents to enable them to make fully informed decisions about their children's care. Children's dietary needs are met by their parents as they provide lunches for their children. Snacks are provided by the childminder and these promote healthy eating. Children have ready access to drinks to ensure that they do not become thirsty or dehydrated.

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the early years provision

Each child's individual needs and routines are recognised and catered for because the childminder has developed effective and trusting partnerships with parents and consults with them to meet children's needs. The views of parents are sought to ensure that they are happy with the service she provides. The childminder has issued them with questionnaires and they report that they are confident and reassured by the care she provides for their children, and feel included in their children's learning and development. Comments include gratitude to the childminder for '...making me feel a part of it [child's day] even though I'm not there'. The childminder has obtained necessary written parental permissions to help protect children's well-being. She is aware of the need to make effective links with others who provide care for the children and this is in an early stage of development.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good awareness of the strengths of her provision and the areas for development. She evaluates her practise critically and is committed to improvement, having made far reaching and effective changes since the last inspection. The childminder has attended relevant training. She has identified other relevant training courses that she would like to attend and is provisionally booked onto them. This will help further develop her childcare skills and knowledge and contribute to the continuing promotion of better outcomes for children.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder supports the play and learning of children well. She is actively engaged in their play and responds well to their interests, for example, providing hats, bags and shoes in response to their interest in dressing up. This helps children to learn with enjoyment and challenge and provides opportunities for the childminder to extend children's vocabulary and introduce mathematical language such as big and small. The childminder recognises when children are losing interest in an activity and readily encourages another. Children play imaginatively based on their own experiences, for example, role play with the pretend kitchen. The childminder is careful to encourage children's sense of community, talking to them about their family and, during pretend play setting a cup for family members saying 'a cup for Mummy, a cup for Daddy'. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is able to talk knowledgeably about the children in her care and careful observation and assessment enables her to identify the next steps in their learning. She ensures that all children are included in activities and is aware that sometimes activities are too advanced for younger children. As a result of this she is beginning to develop activity planning to ensure that all children's needs are met, through identifying the learning intention of an activity and how they can be adapted to take into account children's individual stages of development. She is enthusiastic about progressing her knowledge of teaching and learning and this enthusiasm ensures that children are able to make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a stimulating and welcoming environment which helps children to be happy in her care. A varied range of toys are set out before children arrive and this helps them to settle quickly. A flip-pad of photographs of the toys available is provided in order that children can ask for anything that they want to play with that is not out. Consistent routines are followed to foster a sense of belonging. The childminder talks to parents about children's individual routines and follows these to promote continuity of care. Children receive lots of attention from the childminder and they are treated with genuine warmth and positive regard. They confidently go to her for cuddles and she provides support with activities to help them persist and succeed in activities.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning to keep themselves safe because the childminder talks to them about road safety when they are on outings. Through these outings children are also learning about the wider world and the childminder promotes positive images of culture, gender and disability through talking honestly with them and providing resources such as books and play food that reflect differing cultures and backgrounds. Outings include visits with other childminders and trips to local toddler groups where children are able to develop their social skills. The childminder has effective arrangements for managing children's unwanted behaviour that are appropriate to their age and level of understanding. In this way children are developing positive attitudes to others. Positive behaviour is encouraged and praised. Trips to the local park encourage physical development and children understand and adopt healthy habits such as hand washing and make

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and outcomes for children

healthy choices about what they eat and drink. 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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