Childminder in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY404950 Inspection date 22/06/2010 Inspector Mauvene Burke

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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 2010. She lives with her husband in the Pollards Hill area in the London borough of Croydon. The childminder's adult step-son also lives on the premises. The whole of the ground floor is available for childminding, this includes use of the living room, kitchen/diner as well as the bathroom and one of the bedrooms on the first floor which is used for sleeping. Outdoor play space is available with a patio area and lawns. The family has a dog.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time, three of whom may be in the early years age group. There are currently two children on roll in the early age range and she also offers care to children aged over five year to 11 years. The childminder is registered to provide overnight care. The provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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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 home is well organised to enable children to choose from a range of resources and to be actively engaged in interesting play activities. The childminder knows each child's individual needs well, which ensures that all aspects of their welfare and learning is promoted. The strong partnership with parents and carers is a key strength of the setting and contributes significantly to meeting the needs of the children, enabling them to make good progress given their ages and starting points. A firm commitment from the childminder to evaluate and monitor the provision results in a service that is responsive to family requirements as well as the individual children. The childminder demonstrates a positive approach to continuous improvement, building on her strengths to improve outcomes for children in her care.

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further?

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

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further?

 use the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage to help to identify children's next steps in their learning and use this information to inform planning for individual children  further develop the partnership with parents by ensuring that they are involved and share in their child's learning. 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 demonstrates a very professional approach to her childminding and ensures that all of the required policies and procedures are in place, up-to- date and reflect current practice and that of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has conducted comprehensive risk assessments on her home, garden and for all outings taken with the children, which ensures children's safety at all times. She is highly committed and positive and is willing to respond to professional advice and attends additional training to further develop her practice and outcomes for children. She makes first-class use of self-evaluation in order to identify clear targets that will help to further develop her commitment to the outcomes for children. These take into account the views of children and parents/carers and clearly identify the strengths and weaknesses of the setting. Resources in this setting are well deployed and support children's learning. The environment is

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the early years provision

conducive to children's learning. Space is organised well and the children move from one room to another often taking with them the resources they are using, for example, wheeling the trolley suitcase.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good awareness of the Early Years Foundation Stage and offers a range of activities which cover each of the six areas of learning. She has started to make observations and assessments of the children but has not identified the next steps in children's learning in order to inform her planning for individual children. She has identified this as something which needs to be improved in the future.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a highly positive relationship with parents and carers and relationships are extremely well established. The childminder uses the information she receives from parents at the beginning of each placement to assess children's starting points and to record progress for each child, but systems are yet to be in place to ensure that parents become fully involved in their children's learning. Nonetheless, there are clear and accessible channels for parents and carers to communicate with the childminder on a day to day basis. For example, the childminder uses a communication book which she has for each child detailing what the children have done during that day. Parents are encouraged to take this home and write in anything they think will be useful for the childminder. In addition to this, the childminder emails parents with any relevant up- dates/changes and she regularly sends photographs of the children engaging in

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the early years provision

various activities to parents'/carers' to their email address. Parents spoken to and feedback seen confirms that parents are more than happy with the service that the childminder provides using statements such as it being 'excellent' and that the childminder is 'competent, fun loving and very creative, I feel completely self assured of my child's safety whilst with the childminder'. None of the children currently attending the setting attend any other settings delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage, but the childminder demonstrates an awareness of the need to liaise with these settings should the matter arise.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a very good understanding of her role and responsibility in promoting equality and diversity. Policies in place clearly identify the setting's aims This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and objectives and are clearly being implemented. She has a good knowledge of each child's background and individual needs and is pro-active in ensuring that children attending are aware of their own cultures and that of others. For example, children are encouraged to use chopsticks to eat their meals and children's names are written in Chinese and clearly displayed. Although there are no children attending the setting who require extra support, the childminder demonstrates an awareness and commitment to working in partnership with outside interagency teams to ensure that each child gets the support that they need.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very settled with the childminder and feel exceptionally secure with her, there is lots of physical contact. They are confident to explore the setting and are willing to try new things out. The childminder continually interacts with the children, engaging them in conversation and promoting their language and communication skills well, as they talk about everything that they are doing. This results in children being active learners and being able to think critically. The childminder has set up a good system to observe and assess and plan children’s play but has yet to develop the systems to use these to identify children's next steps and plan for their individual developing needs.

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and outcomes for children

There is a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated play within this setting. The childminder is something of an expert in allowing children the freedom to change or adapt focused activities any how they choose. For example, the childminder introduces the suitcase which is filled with dressing up clothes and bags. However, the children have other ideas of how they want to use the suitcase. They calmly re-zip the case, put on a pair of 'high-heeled' shoes, grab the mobile phone and set off on a journey with the trolley suitcase in tow. Children confidently express their own needs and relate well to each other as well as with the childminder. They are very interested and involved in their play and behave well. The childminder is a very good role model. Children are gaining an understanding that print carries meaning as they 'read' books by themselves and when using the flashcards. They enjoy story time and participate in familiar stories and nursery rhymes. They are

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and outcomes for children

gaining an understanding of size when the childminder asks them to pick up the small case and then the large one.

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and outcomes for children

The welfare of the children is promoted effectively through the childminder's high level of commitment and good knowledge of requirements and guidance. The childminder ensures that children are provided with a healthy range of snacks and meals. Drinking water is freely available to ensure children stay hydrated. Established routines for hand washing ensure that children adopt good hygiene habits. They learn how to keep themselves safe as they frequently practise emergency evacuation procedures to become confident with escape routes and routines. The childminder has an exceptionally unique way of conducting her fire drills by the use of a simulated cut out picture of a fire which is placed in a different room each time there is a fire drill. Depending on where the picture is will result in a different exit route. Children are also learning to keep themselves safe when out on the road, via the 'zebra crossing' and 'traffic lights' the childminder

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 has set up in the garden. Photographs of the children show them strapped in buggies, strapped in the highchair and again in car seats. Each child receives good attention, strong praise and warm encouragement from the childminder. 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 1 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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