Cheesbrough Tracy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 320288 Inspection date 21/02/2011 Inspector Diane Turner

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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 has been registered since 1998. She lives with her husband and two children aged 16 and 13 in a semi-detached house in the village of Swillington, which is situated on the outskirts of Leeds in West Yorkshire. All of the ground floor of the childminder's home and the bathroom on the first floor are used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play to the rear of the premises.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for five children under eight years at any one time, three of whom may be within the early years age group. The childminder is also registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 13 children on roll, five of whom are within the early years age group. They all attend on a part-time basis.

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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

Children are cared for in a very welcoming and calm environment were they settle well and become part of the family. They are treated as individuals and their needs are met very effectively through the good communication that is established and maintained with their parents and carers. Children are offered a good range of well-planned activities which support their learning well. As a result, they develop good skills for the future. All of the required documentation is in place; however, this occasionally lacks the necessary detail. A number of effective ways are used to monitor and evaluate the service, with areas for development accurately targeted.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure the record of children's attendance includes all of the necessary detail.

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the early years provision

The childminder gives high priority to safeguarding children. She is confident in her ability to recognise the possible indicators of abuse and she knows who to refer any concerns to. The childminder understands fully that children will not learn successfully unless they feel safe and secure within their environment. She ensures any potential risks to the children's safety both in the home and on outings are minimised effectively. For example, when out in the community the children wear a badge detailing the mobile telephone number for the childminder in case they become lost. Every month the childminder practises the emergency evacuation This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 procedures for the home with the children to ensure they know what to do in the event of a fire or emergency and she rigorously follows good hygiene procedures to promote the children's health.

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the early years provision

The childminder is committed to providing good quality childcare. For example, since her last inspection she has reviewed all her policies and procedures and has updated certain aspects of her documentation, such as the procedures for recording accidents. However, she does not ensure the record of children's attendance includes their full name. The childminder has attended a good number of training courses relating to the Early Years Foundation Stage and has recently gained a Level 3 qualification in childcare, effectively using the process as a means of evaluating all areas of her practice in depth. Areas for future improvement are clearly defined. For example, the childminder plans to further enhance the children's learning outdoors as a result of ideas she gained from a recent training course.

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the early years provision

The childminder pays good attention to promoting equality and diversity. She recognises and values the uniqueness of each child and ensures that she is fully informed of how their individual needs can met. The childminder actively supports the children in learning about their own traditions and the wider world, skilfully relating the activities to the children's own experiences of living in another country, for example. The childminder enables the children to choose what they would like to play with from the good range of resources and she has good links with the local playgroup which some of the children also attend. For example, she has a reciprocal agreement for the sharing of resources and information about children's progress and she is able to remain at playgroup during the session to support those children who may benefit from this.

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the early years provision

The childminder engages well with all parents and ensures they are well informed about all aspects of the service. For example, they receive copies of all the policies and procedures and detailed contracts are drawn up with regard to the business arrangements. Daily diaries are used as an effective two-way communication tool and by regularly asking parents to complete a questionnaire the childminder ensures their views are heard. Recent questionnaires show parents are very happy with the service, stating that the childminder offers a friendly, flexible service and that they have peace of mind knowing that their children are happy and settled in her care.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder supports children's learning and development very well. For example, she offers them a good balance of free play and activities led by herself which enables them to learn in different ways. The childminder clearly establishes the children's starting points in their learning and makes continual observations of their responses to the activities. These, along with photographs and examples of the children's work, are used successfully to monitor and track their progress in all areas. The childminder demonstrates that she is proud of the children's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 achievements and that she is keen to share them with their parents.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a very caring manner and develops good relationships with the children. They in turn respond very positively to her and clearly feel safe in her care. The children relate well to other members of the childminder's family and take delight in sharing in family events, such as, the arrival of a new fish tank and fish. The children know what is expected of them within the home and, as a result, they behave very well. For example, they know to put on an apron before messy play and to help tidy away the toys after use. From an early age the children explore a variety of mediums and have good opportunities to use their imagination and to be creative. For example, they use glue and shiny paper shapes to decorate sea creatures as they help to make an underwater frieze for the wall. They delight in exploring the texture of the materials and show good control of their small muscles as they use small tools, such as glue spreaders.

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and outcomes for children

Books play a very important part in the setting and, as a result, the children develop a love of reading. For example, they become fully immersed as they listen to stories read by the childminder and they enjoy using felt cut-outs to create their own stories. The children delight in singing rhymes and, through imaginative play, they learn valuable life skills. For example, they take care of the dolls, feeding them and tucking them into the pram as they pretend to take them for a walk. The children have valuable opportunities to explore their local environment, for example, they go for nature walks in the woods and enjoy observing horses in a nearby field.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder gives good attention to encouraging the children to understand the benefits of physical activity and to adopt healthy habits. For example, they are able to play with a good range of toys in the outdoor area and regularly visit the nearby park to run around and use the large play equipment. They take part in numerous activities that promote healthy eating, for instance choosing what fruit they would like for their snack and following recipes from other countries when they bake a fruit cake that is eaten in Africa. The childminder is very successful in teaching the children to follow safe and responsible practices. For example, she shows the younger ones how to use the stairs safely, teaches them road safety when out in the community and explains why they must not run indoors. 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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