Copestake, Sandra Jane

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY380177 Inspection date 04/02/2011 Inspector Jenny Read

p.1

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.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the childminding

The childminder has been registered since 2008. She is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives with her teenage son and eight-year-old daughter close to Cheltenham town. The ground floor of the house is available for the childminding with one upstairs bedroom available for sleeping. The main areas used include the open-plan sitting room and dining area, kitchen and downstairs bathroom facilities. There is an enclosed rear garden with grass and patio areas for outdoor play. The family have pet cats and rabbit.

p.4

Description of the childminding

The childminder may provide care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time. She currently cares for three children in the early year's age group on a full and part-time basis, all year round. She provides before- and after- school care and some holiday care for three children in the later year's age group. Additional care is provided for two children over eight years before and after school during school term times and occasional holidays. The childminder has completed unit 1 of the Level 3 Diploma in Home-based Childcare qualification.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children's health, safety and learning have improved because the childminder has sufficiently increased her knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and shows greater understanding of her roles and responsibilities to promote positive outcomes for children. Children experience a greater range of activities that encourage their learning and development and details of their progress is shared more effectively with parents to help involve them in their children's care and education. Processes for self-evaluation are developing helping the childminder to have an accurate understanding of the strengths and some areas of weakness of the provision to take suitable steps to improve it. As a result, satisfactory measures are now in place to address the many actions from the last inspection.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 provide explanations to children about safe practices to help raise their awareness of potential dangers and hazards during play and daily routines  develop further parents and children's involvement in helping to evaluate and inform the quality of practice  update the complaints procedure to ensure it includes accurate contact details of the regulator. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.4

the early years provision

Children's health, safety and welfare are generally well met because the childminder has increased her knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and of the policies and procedures, which support their care. Most of the policies and procedures contain suitable detail, although the complaints procedure has not been up-dated to reflect the current contact details for the regulator. The childminder is clear of her roles and responsibilitys in relation to child protection issues and has sound knowledge of the procedures to follow if she has any child welfare concerns. Records and documentation that support children's care and the safe and efficient management of the childminding are now all in place and are generally well maintained. Each child has a named folder with all their personal records, to allow easy access and maintain confidentiality. Health and safety checklists and use of the Gloucestershire risk assessment forms are now up-dated

p.5

the early years provision

and are beginning to identify more of the risks to children, to help provide a safe environment, inside, outside and on outings.

p.5

the early years provision

Children are now making steady progress in their learning. The well-organised resources help encourage children's independent learning as they readily access toys for themselves from the labelled boxes on the low-level storage units, and books from the low shelves. This is helping the children to make decisions and begin to plan their own play and learning with useful support and encouragement from the childminder. Children's individual needs and backgrounds are valued to help support their integration within the setting. This encourages the children to learn about their own and others cultures. During Chinese New Year children decorated lanterns and tried some Chinese food to help increase their awareness of the wider world. The childminder is learning some key words in children's home language to help her understand what the children are trying to say and is working well with parents to help up-date the list and ensure correct pronunciation.

p.5

the early years provision

Generally positive relationship between parents and the childminder help ensure children's needs are met. Parents are now kept generally well informed about the setting and their children's achievement, wellbeing and development, because clear and accessible channels are in place to encourage communication. Parents review the policies and procedures with the childminder at the initial meeting and take them home to read at their leisure. The informative daily diary/learning journal, which includes a summary of children's day, photographs with short annotations of the learning taking place linked to a specific area of learning, and a next step, is enabling parents to see what their children have been doing, how well they are achieving and how they can support their children's learning at home. Whilst no children currently attend other childcare settings, the childminder has clear understanding of the importance of developing the links to support children's

p.5

the early years provision

Whilst the childminder has not devised or implemented her own systems for self- evaluation, she has made suitable improvements since the last inspection to address the many actions raised. Clear action plans, devised with support from the Local Authority, has enabled the childminder to begin to focus her efforts on This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 priorities and take appropriate steps to improve practice and outcomes for children. These also highlight future plans to extend the risk assessments to ensure they robustly identify all hazards inside, outside and on outings and how the planning and assessments will be extended to ensure they assess children's progress more effectively and are specific to children's identified next steps. Children are involved in making decisions to some extent, however, opportunities to actively gain their views and those of their parents to help inform important

p.5

the early years provision

decisions about the provision have not yet been fully explored.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are happy, broadly content and willingly take part in an increasing range of suitable activities. The activities have more purpose because observations are completed more routinely to help track children's progress. They are also being used to help inform assessment and begin to identify adequately children's next steps to help them build on what they already know and can do. As a result, the childminder has increasing knowledge of children's individual needs ensuring the planning relates more to their interests and individual learning needs. This enables the children to develop new skills and experience some new play ideas that are tailored to help extend their play and learning further, such as singing head, shoulders, knees and toes and ring a ring a roses to help the younger children learn about their body and to move in different ways. The childminder evaluates the adult-led activities more effectively, adapting and providing alternatives if they

p.6

and outcomes for children

are not successful. Following some children's expressed dislike of getting their hands messy, the childminder put some paint into a food bag for the children to squeeze and develop their sensory experiences in another way.

p.6

and outcomes for children

The childminder is flexible and now provides a suitable balance of adult-led and child-initiated experiences that enable children to make choices in their play. There is sufficient challenge and extension in children's play through useful support, such as 'turn it round', 'do it from the top' and by adding to the resources available during activities. By adding the water wheel in the sand and a variety of different pots and implements, children explore the sand further, feeling it in their hands and using the spoons and spades with increasing control and co-ordination as they fill and empty the different containers. Children are becoming more creative in their play and are beginning to use toys to represent other things, such as using the dolls little milk bottle to pretend to put eye drops in his eyes.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are appropriately supported in their language development, through modelling of new language, such as 'that's a star and that's a circle', narration of their play and having fun singing familiar songs and rhymes with the instruments. Children enjoy looking at books independently and practise their early mark making with the magna doodle. They begin to learn about shape and positioning as they attempt to put the different shapes away in the correct slot. They smile happily, showing pride in their achievements, clapping and cheering with the enthusiastic childminder to help promote their self-esteem and confidence in trying new things. They investigate the numerous electronic resources, including musical This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 instruments, trains and a broad range of cause and effect toys that help introduce the younger children to information and communication technology from an early

p.6

and outcomes for children

age to help them develop skills that will help them in the future.

p.7

and outcomes for children

Children's health and safety are generally well met. They wash their hands before all meal times and appropriate hygiene routines are followed for nappy changing. Children keep well hydrated because they are able to help themselves to their beaker of water when they are thirsty. Children benefit from a good variety and balance of healthy, nutritious meals, which help give children the energy to play and learn. Options are provided for some children who have a limited diet, trying to introduce small amounts of new food to help the children feel included and part of the group. Whilst the childminder is generally vigilant of safety issues when children are playing, explanations are not given to help raise children's awareness of the consequences of their actions on their safety and wellbeing. Occasional practice of the escape plan is helping introduce to children safe action to take in an emergency. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.7

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.8

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

p.8

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.8

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

p.8

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9