Childminder in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY286577 Inspection date 01/03/2011 Inspector Janet Armstrong

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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 June 2004. She lives with her husband and two children, a son aged 11 and daughter aged five years in a three- bedroomed semi-detached house in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. All areas of the home are used for childminding purposes, with a living room, dining room, kitchen and downstairs bathroom used as the main accommodation. Rest and toilet facilities are available upstairs. There is an enclosed back garden available for outside play. The family have pet fish, a dog and hamster.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of two children under the age of eight years. There are currently two children on roll in the early years age range who attend on a part and full time basis. The childminder holds the Introduction to Childminding Practice certificate and City & Guilds Certificate in Family and Community Care. She has completed the intermediate phase of Dorset Quality and Improvement Scheme.

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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

Young children are well cared fo at this homely family orientated home. They receive good levels of reassurance and support to help develop their self-esteem and confidence. This is due to the childminder's secure knowledge of their individual care and learning needs, gained through her positive partnerships with parents that encourage consistency and continuous care for the children. This means children are very happy and settled. The childminder ensures children access a good balance and range of opportunities to promote their learning. She is able to make changes to the service she offers through attending training and linking with other professionals, although her self-evaluation systems are not fully effective in helping her to prioritise and secure changes to her practices.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop use of the records of assessment to show the progress children are making towards their key next steps, and link their learning and progress to the steps within the six areas of learning. Develop these systems so that they also encourage and allow parents to contribute towards their child's learning journey  develop self-evaluation systems to help evaluate all areas of practice and the impact they have on the children and families to prioritise and secure improvements This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's safety is promoted well. The childminder has a secure working knowledge of child protection issues and the correct procedures to follow should she have a concern about a child in her care. She attends regular courses to ensure her knowledge remains up-to-date. Effective risk assessments of the home, garden and any outings supports the childminder well in ensuring children are safe as they play. She offers positive levels of supervision to enable young children to explore independently and learn about potential hazards around them.

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the early years provision

The childminder organises her home and time effectively to ensure young children are well cared for. Regular routines means that they are secure in what will happen next. This helps them to settle quickly, for example, when going for a sleep. Children have access to a good range of play provision to support and promote their interests and learning which they can generally access independently. Good use of the space within the home ensures children's care and learning needs are well catered for, with a quiet and comfortable living room that encourages children to use their imagination and engage in role play, and a dining room for opportunities for messy activities.

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the early years provision

Young children have a positive introduction to diversity and difference through access to a good range of play provision. The childminder frequently uses the 'toy library' to extend her own provision so that children learn about disability and differences in the world in which they live. The childminder's positive behaviour management and good example, means that children are learning to form positive relationships with others.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good range of written policies, procedures and documents in place to support her in meeting the individual needs of each family she minds, although not all reflect the positive practices she follows. There are strong partnerships with parents through effective communication, which means that both parties are well informed about specific needs. Parents have free access to their child's records of assessment, and able to verbally share what they know about their child, although the current arrangements for recording information does not enable them to record and contribute towards their child's learning journal. No children currently attend other early years settings, although the childminder is aware of the need to form links with them should the occasion arise.

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the early years provision

The childminder is committed to providing good quality care. She attends regular training to update her skills and knowledge and gain child care qualifications. She links with other childminders to share good practice and receives support from the local authority. This helps her to make changes to the service she offers. She uses a basic self-evaluation system that helps to her to consider aspects of her care. However, these are not fully effective to enable her to reflect on the practices she follows in detail and the impact they have. For example, whether nappy changing procedures fully promote children's health, or whether written policies fully detail This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the effective procedures she follows.

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and outcomes for children

Young children have a good introduction to leading healthy lifestyles and keeping safe. They enjoy daily physical activities that enable them to gain control and co- ordination of their bodies whilst enjoying the fresh air, and eat home cooked, nutritious meals prepared by the childminder. They learn about potential realistic hazards around them in their daily lives to help them adapt their own behaviour, for example, to be aware of and careful around hot drinks and to use the stairs safely.

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and outcomes for children

Young children are very happy and at home under the childminder's sensitive and loving care. She gives them lots of reassurance and cuddles that helps them to settle.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder promotes young children's communication and language development well. She constantly talks to the children about what they are doing and encourages them to repeat new and familiar words. Young children enjoy looking at books with the childminder. A two-year old studies the pages carefully, looking at the pictures in detail. The childminder points to different parts of the pictures, talks through what they see and the child listens intently. The child copies some words and finishes the sequence of one, two, 'three'. Young children enjoy learning new songs and sing parts of what they remember, mimicking the actions as well.

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and outcomes for children

Young children are encouraged to become independent. For example, two-year-old children are encouraged to make choices in what fruit they eat at snack time. They are learning to feed themselves using a spoon and their fingers, and how to use the stairs safely under supervision.

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and outcomes for children

Young children have good opportunities to engage in role play, with access to good range of resources to act out familiar and new roles, such as caring for baby, taking them for a walk, feeding them and putting them to bed.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder ensures that children receive a good balance and range of activities that stimulate learning, support their interests and help them make progress through the six areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a secure knowledge of where the children are at in their learning and what their key next steps for learning are. Photographs and written observations of the children as they play record the learning. However, these learning journals do not effectively reflect the childminder's knowledge and what she is doing with the children to help them make progress in their key next steps. 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 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 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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