Childminder in North Somerset

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY414864 Inspection date 17/01/2011 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 two children aged 17 and seven years on Locking Camp, Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset. The whole of the property is used for childminding purposes. There is a fully enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. The family have a pet rabbit. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight at any one time; of these, three may be within the early years age group and of these one may be under one year. The childminder is currently caring for five children, of these, four are within the early years age group.

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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, relaxed and settle easily with the childminder. The childminder meets children's individual welfare needs appropriately. They have a warm, child- friendly and safe environment in which to play. Children make satisfactory progress overall in their learning and development but systems of assessment require improvement. The childminder establishes sound partnerships with parents and carers. The childminder demonstrates the capacity to maintain steady and continuous improvement as she has begun to evaluate her practice and has a positive attitude towards doing so.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve further the environment and resources which reflect diversity in society to help children learn from the earliest age to value diversity in others provide children with further opportunities to develop their understanding of problem solving and numeracy to improve the skills they develop for the future  develop further the use of observation, assessment and planning to match the observations of children to the expectations of the learning goals and to clearly identify next steps in development  develop systems of self-evaluation further to form an accurate appraisal of the provision so that every child receives and enjoyable and challenging learning and development experience. 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 has a suitable understanding of her safeguarding responsibilities. She has a sufficient knowledge of the possible signs that would give her concerns for children's welfare. The provider has carried out a competent assessment of risk of the premises and of outings. She takes robust steps to protect children from potential hazards with in the home. She is vigilant at all times for their safety. For example, sleeping children are visually checked regularly as well as through the use of a monitor. All adults at the premises have been suitably vetted.

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the early years provision

The childminder suitably promotes equality and diversity as appropriate levels of engagement with parents and carers result in a sound knowledge of children's backgrounds, leading to clear identification of babies' and young children's care needs and individual preferences. The childminder is aware that she has a limited number of resources that reflect diversity and plans to develop the range of toys further. There is a sound exchange of day-to-day information with parents through a diary book and through the time set aside for discussion. This contributes well to the continuity of care for children; however, information about children's overall progress is not regularly shared and reviewed with parents. The childminder is well organised overall and has all the required documentation to promote the safe and smooth running of the setting. She works closely with parents and manages the initial processes and settling in procedures well. Parents comment positively on the

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the early years provision

overall service provided by the childminder. 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.

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the early years provision

The childminder has begun to evaluate some areas of her practice and has identified a number of steps to bring about improvements in outcomes for children. She has already evaluated how easily children are able to access her toy resources and has changed the storage of these to be at low-level and updated her book resources. As a result, children now have easy access to a broad range of resources that they are able to select for themselves. The childminder has begun to develop the documentation she uses to support children within the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has sought advice from other professionals to help her with this and is motivated to make further improvements as she becomes more familiar with its use.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a secure understanding of child development. She has made a creditable start in her use of the Early Years Foundation Stage to support children's progress. She makes regular observations of what children do and has begun to identify some of their next steps in development. Although many elements of the process are secure, this information is not always used effectively to then plan the activities that will take children forward and this limits the progress that they This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 make. Children benefit from the homely environment that the childminder creates. They enjoy their time with the childminder because she is focused on their needs and skilfully interacts with them. Children settle easily because the childminder has a comprehensive settling in procedure to ensure that children and parents are comfortable with the transition from home. Children learn to separate easily.

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and outcomes for children

Young children show through their body language that they are happy safe and secure. For example a child, although tired, relaxes and settles to sleep and upon awakening is happy to be provided with close contact from the childminder until ready to take a more active part in play. Children clearly show that they have a secure attachment to the childminder. Children are provided with suitable variety and an adequate range of activities for them to enjoy and achieve. They make satisfactory progress in their learning and development overall and across each area of learning; however, opportunities for them to develop their understanding of numeracy and problem solving in a broad range of contexts, are less well encouraged. This is because their progress in this area is less well assessed; hence, they are slower overall in acquiring this type of useful skill for their future lives .

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and outcomes for children

Children express choice of activity and make choices within activities and so are able to make a positive contribution towards their day. They have their wishes valued and grow in confidence as a result. Children make suitable progress in their communication skills in general. They make their wishes known and begin to vocalise and imitate adults, repeating the words that they know often. The childminder keeps up a dialogue with them and asks questions to get them to think and to make their play meaningful. For example she introduces different language when playing alongside children. As a result, they develop their communication skills in order to progress their future learning. They have easy access to a broadly suitable range of resources from which they self-select; however, they are slower to learn about the diversity of the world around them because there are few resources to reflect this. In free play activities they explore and learn at their own

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and outcomes for children

pace; for example, they explore how small toy trucks fit together and happily chatter to themselves about their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very safe and secure in a child-friendly and homely environment that is kept free from potential hazards to children. They learn about keeping themselves and each other safe well because the childminder is vigilant and helps them understand from an early age about what is safe. For example, they set themselves small physical challenges such as when climbing into a pedal car in the garden and learn how to avoid becoming stuck through guidance from the childminder and through trial and error. They cooperate with tidying away the toys before others are taken out. Children are encouraged to follow appropriate hygiene routines and suitably develop their personal hygiene skills. As a result they gain in independence and begin to learn about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. They eat well and are encouraged to develop their tastes. 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 2 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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