Childminder in Devon

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 154010 Inspection date 04/10/2010 Inspector Judith Harris

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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 1999. She lives with her husband, who is her co- childminder and two teenage children, in Teignmouth. Children have access to the dedicated play areas in the childminder's house and the fully enclosed front garden area are for outside play. The childminder walks or drives to local schools and facilities to take and collect children. When working alone, the childminder is registered for a maximum of six children aged from birth to eight years. When working with her co-childminder, they may care for a maximum of 12 children at any one time. The childminders currently have 44 children on roll, of these, 13 are in the early years age range. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The family has two dogs.

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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

The childminder works effectively with her co-childminder to provide an exceptionally caring and exciting environment in which children's individual welfare and learning needs are very successfully met. Children progress exceptionally well in all areas from securely identified starting points. The successful relationships that the childminders build with parents and with other settings that children attend ensure that children's needs are effectively identified. The childminder and her co-childminder make exemplary use of self-evaluation and reflective practice to effectively drive the continuous improvement of the provision.

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further?

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

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further?

 further the develop the children's learning journeys to ensure all observations are dated providing a secure record of children's development

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the early years provision

The childminder's exceptionally well organised systems include procedures to ensure that all adults working with the children have up-to-date checks and remain suitable. All visitors to the childminder's home are properly identified and supervised. The effective safeguarding children procedures are in place and provide accurate information in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines. A comprehensive range of risk assessments is effectively carried out on all areas in the childminder's home and for all outings with the children to ensure This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 that safety and security are maintained at all times. The emergency evacuation plans are in place and regularly practiced with the children.

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the early years provision

The extensively well organised systems ensure that all required records and documentation are available and successfully provide all necessary information for the ongoing support of each individual child. The childminder is highly effective in sharing all relevant records with the parents, including any accident and medication records and daily information about activities and events. Clear procedures are in place to successfully gather information about each individual child from their starting points. These records ensure that children's learning and development are exceptionally well supported. Children's individual records are used to ensure that their diverse needs are extensively well met and inclusion is successful across all areas of learning. The childminders work together to ensure that they are highly effective in the use of resources including their own time and individual skills. Children are provided with an exceptionally wide range of toys

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the early years provision

equipment and resources in the childminder's home. Well planned and highly creative use is made of all facilities in the local area.

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the early years provision

The exemplary use of self-evaluation and reflective practice allows the childminder to accurately identify the strengths and weaknesses in the provision and to develop clear and achievable action plans to drive continuous improvement. The childminder's extensive commitment to continuous professional development is supported by attending training and workshops and comprehensively developing her understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The well developed relationships with both parents and other provisions are further supporting the childminder to meet children's individual and diverse needs. The childminder provides questionnaires for both parents and children to complete, which provide information which is checked against the childminder's self-evaluation. Highly effective links with local schools and pre-schools provides a clear and complete picture of children's learning and interests and support a smooth transition.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy, confident and exceptionally well settled in the stimulating and comfortable environment of the childminder's home. Children are carefully nurtured through the warm and close relationships they have with the childminder, supporting them to feel secure to make choices from the extensive activities and resources provided. Children's individual learning and development is comprehensively supported through the highly effective systems used to gather information for each child. The childminder uses a versatile range of observations and assessments that are carried out by her and her co-childminder. These include individual observations of specific activities, and both planned and spontaneous observations throughout the day. Each child's folder includes an age-appropriate check list for the areas of learning that children's individual achievements are checked against. This allows the childminder to ensure that that all areas of

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and outcomes for children

learning are successfully supported for each child. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children play in the dedicated play space in the childminder's home. Here they are able to choose safely and independently from a wide range of toys, equipment and resources that are stored to allow the children to have direct access to them. Children's learning and development is carefully and successfully supported by this qualified and experienced childminder. Her interaction with the children is animated and enthusiastic and she makes positive use of all planned and naturally occurring situations to challenge and extend the children. In the garden children are playing freely and instigate a game using chalk to draw a roadway on the paving stones. Using their imagination children extend and develop this game using the ride on toys to drive along the roadway. The childminder actively

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and outcomes for children

encourages the children to develop the game talking to them about road safety which they are clearly very aware of. The children go on to discuss the safety issues and talk about being sure to walk safely on the pavement and cross the road safely at the crossing. The children clearly delight in the high levels of independence that inspire them to develop a complex and involved game. Through the well-planned and flexible daily routines it is clear that children have an abundance of free play time in which to explore, discover and experiment through play.

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and outcomes for children

Children sit together for lunch with the childminders, this is a social time and the children talk about what they have for lunch and what activities they have taken part in this morning. Children take part in an extensive range of activities and experiences that are appropriate for their ages and stages of development. They have extensive opportunities to be creative, using a range of resources and tools, and have access to role play equipment and dressing up clothes that support them to develop their imaginative skills. Children are learning about the wider world through regular visits to the local area and looking at different languages. The childminder's planning includes activities that teach children about celebrations from different cultures. Children have access to a ball pool and soft play area which they can use freely. Children have extensive daily outdoor play in the childminder's garden, at parks, at the beach and at a range of local facilities.

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and outcomes for children

Through the effective deployment of their time the childminders are skilfully supporting children of different ages, ensuring that the youngest children have appropriate interaction and resources and that the older children have appropriate activities and experiences. The childminder uses lots of open questions and praise to help extend children's learning and successfully develop their language and problem-solving skills. The activities ensure that children's skills are extensively supported across all areas of learning. The childminder's planning includes a flexible daily routine that they are confident to change to meet children's diverse needs.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is enthusiastically embracing the Early Years Foundation Stage and continues to develop her comprehensive skills for planning, and carrying out a creative range of observation and assessments. Each child has a learning journey book which contains an exciting mix of photographs of the children at play and examples of children's work. The photographs are accompanied by short statements of the learning that is taking place and accurate links to the early learning goals. These records are then effectively used to develop an individual spider chart plan for each child which centers on the unique learning interests of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the child. The childminder uses these charts to provide ideas for activities and experiences for children's individual next steps across all areas of learning. The childminder uses the extensive range of information she collects for each child to

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and outcomes for children

ensure she builds an in-depth knowledge of the child and is able to meet their unique needs.

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and outcomes for children

Children are carefully supported to learn good basic hygiene skills through the use of good hygiene routines. Children are offered a good range of healthy and well balanced meals and snacks through good partnership with parents. Children have access to drinking water in their own individual cups at all times. The childminder takes detailed information about any special dietary restrictions and works closely parents to ensure children's individual dietary needs are met. Children are exceptionally well behaved, and the extensive levels of independence and abundance of free play time successfully support children's positive behaviour. The childminder's in-depth knowledge of each child is highly effective in supporting her to monitor situations and step in swiftly to prevent children from becoming upset or frustrated. Distraction and redirection are used with the children across the ag e range to effectively support them to develop skills for self-control.

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and outcomes for children

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 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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