Dobby, Gillian

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY334676 Inspection date 28/10/2010 Inspector Susan Ennis

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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 registered in 2006. She lives with her husband and four adult children in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. There is level access to the premises. The family has one dog.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder provides care on each weekday during term-time and school holidays. She is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of three children in the early years age range when working alone and six children when working with her assistant. She is currently minding nine children, some part-time and some with flexible care arrangements, in this age range. She also offers care to children aged over five years and this provision is registered on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently no children on roll in this age group. Children on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register share the same facilities as those on the Early Years Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and belongs to the local childminding network.

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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 offers a safe, secure and welcoming environment in which all children thrive and where their development is consistently promoted. Her flexible planning ensures that the children's interests are followed and that they enjoy their time with her. The childminder builds trusting relationships with parents often caring for the children from a very young age together with their brothers and sisters. Through self-evaluating her practice, the childminder has a clear picture of her strengths and areas for improvement. She is therefore able to make effective changes to improve the daily care and experiences for the children she looks after. She demonstrates a high commitment to her childminding and is enthusiastic about making and sustaining improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the use of information gathered about children's learning to enhance their good progress towards the early learning goals  ensure that fire safety equipment is in working order. This refers to the position of the fire blanket. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Effective safeguarding policies and procedures ensure that children are well protected. For example, the childminder has a good knowledge of child protection, having attended additional training to update her knowledge, and has the required contact numbers in place for dealing with concerns should they arise. She also ensures that anyone coming into contact with the children is suitable to do so and has arranged emergency cover with another childminder should she ever not be able to care for the children herself. The childminder uses clear and practical procedures, such as daily safety checks and robust risk assessments for monitoring the environment. This ensures that children can move around freely and with confidence. She also regularly practises the fire drill with the children increasing their knowledge of the action to take in an emergency. However, as the fire blanket is not correctly situated, children's safety is potentially affected. The

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the early years provision

childminder also has effective and well thought out procedures for taking the children out and about. For example, each outing is fully risk assessed and children are made aware of their own safety by learning to hold hands or onto the buggy.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a genuine enjoyment for her work and regularly attends further training to improve her knowledge and the outcomes for the children. She also meets together with other childminders sharing ideas and good practice and regularly seeks parents' views about her practice. She is proactive in following up any comments that they make, such as sending them all a copy of the daily routine when some feed back that they are unsure about what their child is doing during their time with her. The childminder evaluates her daily practice and makes continuous plans for the future, such as investing in some large hand held timers for the children to hold so that they can fairly turn take. She would also like to learn some nursery rhymes in Africaan to teach the rest of the children in the setting. She effectively completed the self-evaluation form before inspection and plans to update this regularly to further monitor and improve her practice.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good understanding of anti-discriminatory practice, enabling her to provide a service which is inclusive for all children and families. She works closely with parents to ensure that she understands each child's background, needs and beliefs. For example, she is trying to learn some basic words in the children's home language. The childminder effectively helps children learn and understand about the society in which they live and the wider world. Following a recent trip to Brazil where she helped build a school, the childminder made a photo book of her experiences which the children enjoy looking at and like pointing her out being 'Bob the Builder'. They also experience tasting different foods such as Chinese noodles and celebrate festivals such as Diwali as they arise.

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the early years provision

Children's individual development is well promoted because the childminder has effective procedures in place to support, monitor and evaluate their progress. The wide range of available resources is well used and the inclusive, child-friendly environment is conducive to children's learning. Low-level storage enables the children to freely select which toys they want to play with and as they have all been attending the childminder's for quite a while, they are all confident in asking This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for certain resources to be got out for them to play with. The childminder also provides added stimulation and interest by borrowing some resources, such as a bouncy castle from other childminders.

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the early years provision

A close and trusting partnership with parents, carers and others involved in the children's lives ensures that all relevant information is shared and a consistent approach given. Organised documentation ensures that parents are fully informed about the childminder's policies and procedures detailing her working ethos and good practice. Daily interaction, text messages, newsletters and the sharing of the children's learning journals all help to keep the parents effectively informed about their children's day and involved in their developmental progress. Some parents have even borrowed the childminder's dog to help them make the decision about purchasing one of their own.

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and outcomes for children

Children are consistently offered a wide range of opportunities that support them in making good progress across the areas of learning and development. The childminder flexibly plans activities around the children's interests and free play choices. For example, following on from finding apples in the garden the previous day, the childminder plans a cooking activity with the children. Each child is given an apple and asked to wash it. The childminder then extends their thinking by asking for suggestions of things that taste sweet. Other than sweets the children eventually think of sugar. The childminder then gives clues to other ingredients by asking 'what do we put on our yoghurt?'. Children enthusiastically shout out 'honey'. The childminder then gives them the honey, some sultanas and raisins and asks them to stir them all together. Some found the whole experience too tempting and were encouraged to stop eating the fruit by the childminder saying 'I

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and outcomes for children

can still see your mouth moving'. The childminder cuts holes in the apples making the children aware of the sharp knife she is using and then encourages the children to fill the hole with the honey mixture. Younger children are given more hands-on support as they enjoy the feeling of the honey sticking their hands together. The children's creative skills are then developed as they are given cloves to make faces on the apples before their creations are put in the oven to cook and be eaten later. The childminder has developed effective procedures for observing and assessing the children. She records their initial starting points and development by using learning journals, photographs and the Early Years Foundation Stage development sheets to demonstrate their progress. However, although some next steps are identified, this is not consistent and it is difficult to see how these are fed into planning or when they are achieved by the children.

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and outcomes for children

Therefore children's progress is not optimally promoted.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder uses her good knowledge of child development to adapt the activities to ensure that all are involved and to draw out the learning experiences from everyday activities. For example, whilst having snack children develop their sensory and language skills by discussing and identifying the dried fruit on offer. They are encouraged to try the dried banana and to describe what it tastes like. The childminder then encourages their problem-solving skills by putting so many This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on a plate and asking each child how many they would like and how many are left. She then develops their thought for others by asking if the distribution has been fair. Children state that it is not fair as they have four and others have less. They are congratulated for spotting the difference and asked how many more the other children need to make it all equal. They all then enjoy eating the fruit that they

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and outcomes for children

Children's emotional development is well promoted as they develop secure and trusting relationships with the childminder and their friends. The childminder acts as a positive role model and assists the children in learning and making the right decisions. For example, children are encouraged to share resources and the childminder sensitively explains that they cannot take back an item once they have stopped playing with it. She also encourages the children to help each other, such as asking one child to show another how to use some printing stamp pads.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health and hygiene is actively promoted as the childminder takes active steps to minimise the spread of infection and develop children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle. For example, she is meticulous about washing her hands after blowing a child's nose and children know to wash their own hands after using the toilet. They are also developing their physical skills as they use their hand and eye co-ordination to hit balls hanging from a tree and use their creative skills as they act out the story of 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Children are becoming aware of their own safety as they discuss road safety and are taught how to hold a pair of scissors correctly. 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 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 2 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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