Childminder in Bath and North East Somerset

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY406294 Inspection date 07/10/2010 Inspector Tim Butcher

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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 assesses 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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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 and child aged two years in Paulton, Bath and North East Somerset. The whole of the property is used for childminding and there is an enclosed garden for outside play. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary part of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than two may be in the early years age range. The childminder also cares for children over eight years of age. The childminder walks or uses a vehicle to take and collect children from local schools. She attends the local toddler groups and takes children to the local park and library.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are happy and enjoy their time with the childminder. They have their individual needs appropriately met. They have a suitably warm, safe and homely environment in which to play. Children make satisfactory progress in their learning and development. The childminder demonstrates the capacity to maintain steady and continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the analysis and assessment systems further in order to match the observations of children to the expectations of the learning goals and to more clearly identify the learning priorities for each child  develop the analysis and assessment systems further to use the identified learning priorities for each child to plan and provide activities to improve the outcomes for children; and track and evaluate their progress  develop further children's easy access to play materials within the home and provide greater opportunities for them to self-select  develop systems of self-evaluation further to establish quality improvemnt processes that are set against robust and challenging quality criteria.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a suitable understanding of her safeguarding responsibilities. She has a sufficient knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 has well written information to help her follow the appropriate procedures should she have a concern about a child. The provider has carried out a competent assessment of risk of the premises and for taking children on outings. She takes suitable steps to protect children, such as through the use of a safety gates to prevent children from going upstairs; and smoke detection is in place. All adults at the premises have been suitably vetted. The childminder suitably promotes equality and diversity as levels of engagement with parents and carers are established and this results in a good knowledge of each child's background, and a clear identification of babies and young children's

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the early years provision

care needs and individual preferences. There is a good exchange of day-to-day information with parents through a diary and through the time set aside for discussion. This strongly contributes to the continuity of care for children. Information about children's general progress is shared and parents are encouraged to add their comments to the learning journal. Parent's report positively on the overall service provided by the childminder. They say that she works closely with them to establish routines for children. They comment positively about the range of activities and visits out provided for children. The childminder is aware of the need to establish wider partnerships with other settings who also provide care to the children that she minds, when this becomes appropriate. An adequate range of resources are currently made available to children and a selection is put out for them from which they easily self-select. Other resources are

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the early years provision

boxed and stored but are less readily accessible to them. The childminder makes regular use of childminding groups to augment the range of experiences provided to the children that she minds. Although the childminder does not yet use a systematic process of self evaluation, she has been pro-active in improving the outcomes for children. She has sought the advice of other professionals and has made a creditable start in developing her practice. She has introduced a number of changes to her systems of observation and recording and is consolidating her knowledge of the overall assessment process. She intends to further develop these processes and the resources that she makes available to children.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a secure understanding of child development and a sound and developing knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children make satisfactory progress in their learning and development. The childminder makes regular and detailed observations of what children do and has begun to identify some of their next steps in development. Although many elements of the process to track and plan for children's progress are sound, the childminder does not yet have a cohesive process overall. As a result currently information is not always used effectively to plan the activities that will take children forward and the analysis sometimes lacks rigour. This limits the progress that children make. The childminder intends to develop her systems further to help the process of assessment and planning. Children benefit from the homely environment that the childminder creates. Children settle easily because the childminder has a clear understanding of their

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and outcomes for children

care needs and replicates their home routines as closely as she is able. Parents This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 report positively on the efforts that the childminder makes to establish routines for children. They enjoy their time with the childminder because she is focused on their needs and skillfully interacts with them. As a result children are emotionally secure and begin to develop confidence in the childminder's home. They are beginning to be confident enough to explore independently and to separate from the childminder, such as, when at toddler group. Children exercise some choices about the activities that they engage in and sometimes share responsibility for decisions. Children display a sense of belonging because they have safe environment in which to play that is free from hazards and because they form positive relationships with the childminder and with her child. They demonstrate

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and outcomes for children

that they are happy and content through the warm interactions and responses when in the childminder's home. Parents report positively on the relationships that are established. Children practice taking turns, such as with play dough resources; and have suitable opportunities to name and to count such when matching the colours of the lids to the pots of play dough. There is a suitable balance of adult led and child initiated play. Children experience some good quality activities and the childminder ensures through her regular use of toddler groups that children have variety. As demonstrated by photographic observations, children have suitable opportunities to make marks, such as, at toddler group where they enjoy and explore with paints. Children move freely between rooms and explore the toy resources that are put out for them. Not all resources are made easily accessible. For example, although children have adequate access to books in general, the bookshelf has other stored

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and outcomes for children

materials in front of it which makes self-selection more difficult for children. Although the childminder has just a few resources that reflect diversity within the home, she ensures that children begin to gain a suitable awareness of diversity through the activities and experiences they participate in at toddler group. Children make appropriate progress in communication and numeracy and are supported well to develop their cooperation skills. Overall children generally secure the skills they require in order to progress their learning. Children are provided within a suitable range of activities and experiences to meet their needs. Children are beginning to show an understanding of healthy life styles. They are supported to extend their tastes and to eat healthily. They are strongly encouraged to follow appropriate personal hygiene routines and are generally keen to wash their own hands at the kitchen sink, such as after messy play and before meals.

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and outcomes for children

They relish the opportunities to be outside each day to get fresh air and to test their physical skills with small challenges that they set themselves. The childminder takes children regularly to the park, out for walks and to toddler groups; and as a result they make satisfactory progress in their physical development. 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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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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