Queen's College, London

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 101157 Inspection date 21/03/2011 Inspector Jenny Read

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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 1984. She is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and adult daughter and grandchild in the Wymans Brook area of Cheltenham. The whole of the house is registered for the childminding. The main areas used include the sitting room, kitchen, entrance hall, and upstairs bathroom facilities. There is an enclosed rear garden with grass and patio areas for outside play. The home is within walking distance of local shops, a play park and Gardeners Lane School and family centre. The childminder is registered to care for six children under eight years; of these not more than three may be in the early years age group, at any one time. There are currently three children on roll in the early years age group. They attend on a part-time basis, all year round and occasional weekends. Three children attend in the later years age

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Description of the childminding

group, before school, during school term times and occasional holidays. Additional care is provided for three children over eight years, after school during term times and occasional holidays

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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, content and readily engage in play and activities. They benefit from easy access to a generally good range of toys and resources and daily access to outdoors to widen children's experiences. Systems for observing, planning and assessing children's learning are evolving as the childminder increases her knowledge of the learning and development requirements; she is suitably place to maintain improvement. The friendly and positive childminder uses her experience of childcare to support and encourage children's inclusion in the setting. Generally positive relationships with parents and easy channels to communicate keep parents up-to-date about important issues regarding their children and main events taking place.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 obtain necessary information from parents in advance of a child being admitted to the provision, about emergency contact details (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 29/04/2011

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop further the observation and assessment systems to establish children's next steps for their learning and development and track their progress towards the early learning goals.

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the early years provision

Children play in a bright, warm and comfortable environment. They use a generally good range of resources and confidently use the play spaces inside and outside to support their learning suitably. The childminder identifies dangers within the premises through suitable risk assessments. She maintains supervision maintain children's safety. She identifies potential hazards relevant to the different children attending to ensure suitable security and control measures are in place. The childminder has satisfactory awareness of safeguarding issues and acceptable knowledge of the procedures to follow with any children for whom she may have welfare concerns. Records and documentation to support children's care are kept confidential and most contain appropriate details. Emergency contact details are not in place for all children attending, to enable the childminder to use in the event of an emergency with a child's health, safety or welfare. This is a breach of a

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the early years provision

The childminder is motivated to further improve her provision. She is beginning to initiate systems to self-evaluate the quality of the provision and improve outcomes for children further. She is starting to use other quality checks, such as the Gloucestershire Quality Improvement Network for Childminders check sheets, to identify most of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. This is enabling the childminder to focus her efforts on key priorities. She recognises developing assessments and planning to track and monitor children's learning; developing her knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and inclusive practice, and establishing more robust methods for self-evaluation all require futher attention. Systems to include parents and children in helping to evaluate the quality of the provision are not established.

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the early years provision

Children are beginning to gain an understanding of diversity. They benefit from occasional access to resources, such as books and play people that reflect positive images of other cultures. Speaking with parents to learn key words in children's home languages, values children's background and is helping to support their integration. This enables the childminder to provide appropriate support and raises other children's awareness of other languages spoken. The childminder is aware of her responsibilities to work in partnership with other childcare providers. She has established close, friendly relationships with parents and is very flexible in meeting their work demands. She takes account of their wishes effectively about important issues regarding their children's care. The sharing of children's learning journeys, daily diaries and a two-way exchange of information on arrival and collection, provides parents with suitable information on how well their children are achieving,

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the early years provision

about their well-being and development. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children are active, inquisitive learners and are making sound progress in their learning. They are content, settled and willingly take part in activities. They actively make choices about the activities they engage in, beginning to share responsibility for decisions about routines and their play. The childminder actively encourages children's decision making by offering choices in all aspects of their care, such as offering different options for snack. Purposeful interaction and clear routines are helping the younger children to develop a sense of security. As a result, the children are confident and feel safe to express their feelings and to try new things, such as tasting a pear at snack time. Skilful interaction and narration of children's play, asking purposeful questions and readily encouraging children to think for themselves is actively encouraging their language development and learning appropriately.

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and outcomes for children

Children know and comply with safety, health and care routines through capable support and encouragement from the childminder. They practice the escape plan every two months, helping them to become familiar with appropriate actions to take in an emergency. The children are developing independence in their personal care and adopt good personal hygiene routines. They stand on the wooden block at the sink, wash their hands with soap, and dry them with the paper towels then dispose of them in the bin with some encouragement from the childminder. They enjoy physical activities, both indoors and out. They develop strength and balance as they use the large slide and begin to negotiate obstacles with increasing control as they pedal around on the tricycle. Children have fun dancing and moving in different ways as they stretch, balance and develop co-ordination and rhythm.

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and outcomes for children

Observations are beginning to highlight children's achievements. Assessments to track children's progress and identify children's individual next steps are evolving. Planning systems to ensure children take part in a balance of activities that radiate from their individual next steps, across all areas of learning, inside and outside, are not in place. Children enjoy looking at their individual learning journey diaries. These include photographs and an occasional brief summary of the activity or learning taking place, and these are occasionally linked to an area of learning. This demonstrates the childminder's growing awareness of Early Years Foundation Stage Practice Guidance and the six required areas of learning. The childminder uses her experience to suggest ideas and use purposeful questioning, such as 'How many have you got''' to help extend the younger children's play with small balls. They count how many balls they have got in their tins, then develop their

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and outcomes for children

play further using the metal tins as drums to make music. This is encouraging the children to count for a purpose and use the toys creatively and for different purposes. This helps them gain useful skills for their future lives.

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and outcomes for children

Children are beginning to show an interest in their surroundings. They smell the flowers in the garden and show curiosity in the bugs they find. They use household recyclable materials to build and make models and show interest in the recycling lorry. Further discussion about recycling is introducing children to learning to care This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for their environment. Children enjoy exploring their senses using different media and materials. They investigate the wrapping paper, listening to it crinkle as they squash it, wave it and put it on their heads. The children are happy and build strong relationships with each other. They are kind and helpful, beginning to help their friends get ready to go outside, exclaiming 'I help' and 'Here you go' as they fetch the doll and push chair for them. They have close bonds with the childminder and respond positively to her frequent praise and engagement in their play. As a

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and outcomes for children

result, children know generally how to behave. They smile and laugh together as they excitedly roll the balls back and forth and try to throw them into the tins. 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 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

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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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