Croftlands Junior School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 112198 Inspection date 16/03/2011 Inspector Melissa Cox

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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 childminding for 25 years. She lives with her husband and grown up daughter in the Chineham area of Basingstoke, in Hampshire. Children have access to the whole of the downstairs of the house with the main bedroom used for children to rest or sleep. The childminder has a fully enclosed back garden that she uses for outdoor play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for up to six children under the age of eight and she is currently caring for three children on the Early Years Register. The childminder supports children with who have English as an additional language. The provision is also registered on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder has a level 3 Diploma in home based childcare. The family have no pets.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are making excellent progress in their learning and development as the childminder tailors activities to the individual child and children enthusiastically enjoy a wealth of stimulating play experiences. Children benefit greatly from the childminder's commitment to maintain exceptionally high standards in all aspects of her childcare and in particular her commitment to attend regular training courses to ensure that her practice is completely up-to-date. Highly effective partnerships between providers and parents ensure children's individual needs are extremely well with most information about children's progress being effectively shared.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 allowing parent's to actively contribute further to their children's learning by incorporating experiences from home.

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is fully safeguarded due to the childminder's excellent understanding of child protection procedures, and potential safety hazards are clearly identified and acted on. She implements a range of rigorous procedures to ensure that children are protected and supervised at all times that include the vetting of all adults in the household and regular visitors to the house. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Comprehensive risk assessments and health and safety policies not only protect the children and keep them safe but also allow them to take managed risks and learn about their personal safety and that of others without causing anxiety. Highly efficient records are kept that accurately support these health and safety practices.

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the early years provision

The childminder also makes excellent use of resources within the local environment and beyond to promote equality and diversity and children's understanding of the wider world. She effectively and efficiently organises her time and resources to ensure children's individual needs are met. Children thrive because the childminder works very closely with their parents or carers to ensure that she is fully informed about their families and all aspects of their needs. Comprehensive information is shared between the childminder and parents right from the start. A detailed welcome pack keeps them very well informed about policies and procedures and regular two-way communication ensures they are actively involved in children's learning and development. They provide the childminder with detailed information about their child and the childminder uses this alongside her own observations to identify children's starting points in all areas

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the early years provision

of their learning and development. This means that care is very much tailored to children's individual needs and ensures that she is proactive in seeking out further guidance if she feels children have any additional support needs. The childminder is developing ways to get parent's to actively contribute further by encouraging them to share experiences from home. Children who attend other Early Years Foundation Stage providers benefit from excellent continuity of care because the childminder works very closely with the other provider to exchange information about planning and about children's personal development.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates her ambition and drive for improvement in the service she provides with great enthusiasm. She is clearly dedicated to the children in her care and professional development takes high priority with on-going training effectively consolidating the childminder's knowledge and understanding of children's care, learning and development. The childminder strives for continued improvement and is fully aware of her key strengths and areas she wishes to develop further. She has addressed the recommendations from her last inspection by attending an advanced child protection training session and evaluating her hand washing procedures.

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and outcomes for children

The high quality of the provision is due to the exceptional knowledge, communication and interaction of the childminder, whose confident, respectful and extremely focused approach, fully captures children's interest and enthusiasm for learning. Excellent relationships with children are evident as they snuggle into her for a cuddle and laugh as she plays games with them. The childminder fully embraces children's ideas and encourages them to take the lead within their play. They play a dynamic role in their learning, and show high levels of independence, curiosity, imagination and independence. Children frequently offer ideas and respond to challenges with great enthusiasm. They are extremely well behaved, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 form close friendships and enjoy the involvement of others within their play. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are exceptionally cooperative, and clearly

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and outcomes for children

understand what is expected. The childminder embraces children's own ideas for turn taking and sharing. Older children are very considerate of younger ones when they are playing and also learn to be responsible for their own behaviour because the childminder helps them to understand how other children feel. Children have good opportunities to form wider friendships through regular visits to toddler groups, which help them develop their social skills when they start school.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder skilfully ensures children get the most from learning and development opportunities during each activity. Whilst completing puzzles they are helped to develop their pincer grip as they manipulate the pieces, coordinate hand movements to get them to fit, problem-solve and recognise numbers, letters and shapes. Conversation is free-flowing and the childminder models clear language to encourage children's communication, language and literacy.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder supports all aspects of children's learning and development extremely well. She provides a framework of planned activities that thoroughly covers all areas of learning but is entirely flexible to adapt this to follow children's interests and learning. She observes and assesses children's progress and has a very clear understanding of each child's level of development so that she can support their next steps in learning through their chosen activities. Exceptionally detailed observations of children's progress are used effectively in practice to plan everyday activities. The childminder makes excellent use of photographs to identify and interpret children's individual achievements. Children enthusiastically comment on all the activities they have undertaken as they look at photographs of past experiences and recount their adventures chasing a squirrel on a walk, or climbing and sliding at the park.

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and outcomes for children

Children communicate exceptionally well with each other and have a wide range of vocabulary. This is evident as they talk freely during their play and actively engage with the childminder and each other. This is due to the open ended questions the childminder asks, which encourages children to remember, say and extend what they know and understand. Adult-led and child-initiated activities are well-balanced to encourage children to be active learners. The childminder understands that each child is unique. Children are encouraged to develop a sense of their own identity and culture and innovatively-planned and resourced activities based on all the areas of learning, effectively promote children's learning and development and ensure their individual needs are met. Children show great enthusiasm for mark making, which is evident as they ask to do drawing activities and talk about their creations. They can recognise their names and those of their friends on name

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and outcomes for children

cards and are able to confidently name the link sounds to the letters of the alphabet while doing a puzzle. Matching games, such as dominoes, shape peg boards and planned activities, help children develop their concept of shape and number. Home made activities such as a number flash card game help older children to develop their understanding of number recognition and they name the numbers with ease, counting them out in both English and Polish. Children who speak English as an additional language flourish with the childminder because she finds out all about their home background from their parents and values the linguistic diversity by providing frequent opportunities for children to develop and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 use their home language in their play and learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children enter into imaginative play, as they interact and laugh with each other as they play with the dolls and act out everyday routines. Children feel safe due to their good knowledge of simple rules that exist, such as not hurting each other or themselves. They know what to do in the event of a fire and this is further supported by a visit from the local emergency services as part of the topic work.

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and outcomes for children

Children's understanding of healthy living is consistently promoted through their everyday experiences with the childminder. They enjoy daily trips out to provide fresh air and exercise. They receive a well balanced and varied diet of healthy foods, which are carefully planned to suit their individual needs. There is much discussion with children about healthy foods and lifestyles to increase their overall understanding and knowledge further. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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