Parkside Pupil Referral Unit

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 124527 Inspection date 23/03/2011 Inspector Nicola Hill

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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 1992. She lives with her husband, one adult child and one child of secondary school age in a detached house in Fleet, Hampshire. The property is close to local schools and amenities and there is a park nearby. The ground floor of the house is used for childminding, with toilet and sleeping facilities available on this floor. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The family keep fish and have a dog as a pet.

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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 provide care for a maximum of six children under eight years, of these, three may be in the early years age group at any one time. She currently has seven children on roll aged between 16 months and seven years.

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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 benefit from being cared for by an experienced and dedicated childminder. They engage in an outstanding range of valuable first hand learning experiences and share warm, friendly relationships with the childminder and their peers. Inclusive practice is positively promoted and the childminder has good partnerships with the parents, which helps her to understand children's individual needs. Partnerships with other professionals involved in the care and education of the children is outstanding. The childminder demonstrates good capacity for continuing improvement as she regularly attends training, although the system for reflection of her practice is not fully developed.

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further?

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

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further?

 further promote children's literacy skills by developing more systems to show that print carries meaning  update the record of risk assessment to include identification of hazards for all outings/trips children go on  develop the use of reflective practice and formal self-evaluation to identify strengths and priorities for development that will continuously improve the quality of the provision for all children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The childminder takes appropriate steps to promote children's safety and well- being. For example, all adult members of the household are vetted, and the childminder has a clear and confident understanding of child protection procedures. She ensures her knowledge is kept up-to-date by regularly attending training on safeguarding. The childminder has a clear risk assessment system in place for her home and garden, which safeguards children. She gives the highest priority to ensuring that children are well supervised by herself at all times both in the home and on outings. However, whilst the childminder keeps children safe on outings, she has yet to update her risk assessment to include all the places she visits with the children. All other documentation for the safe and efficient management of the provision is in place and maintained accurately.

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the early years provision

The childminder is committed to improving her practice and has addressed the recommendations set at her previous inspection. She is clear about her plans for the future and embraces training opportunities, advice and guidance to enhance her practice. Recent improvements include the relocation of the pond in the garden to ensure it is now totally inaccessible to children, and an increase in resources reflecting positive images of diversity and disability, which helps develop children's understanding of a wider world. Although the childminder has a clear vision for the future, the self-evaluation process is not fully utilised to inform the overall review of practice.

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the early years provision

The childminder's home is well organised with easy access to a wide range of suitable age-appropriate toys and resources that children freely select to initiate their own play and learning. The childminder takes great care to create a stimulating, child-centred setting with colourful posters on the walls and displays of children's work, which adds to their sense of belonging. The childminder relates to children and understands their individual needs exceptionally well. She is well aware that all children have differing needs and personalities and has a positive attitude to meeting the individual requirements of all the children in her care. Through the use of a wide variety of multicultural resources, fun activities and discussion, including the childminder's positive role modelling, children are encouraged to learn about the wider world and to respect differences.

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the early years provision

Children settle with ease and feel secure because the childminder dedicates time to get to know them and their parents. Parents receive copies of all relevant information about the childminding service, including all policies and procedures which inform the childminder's practice. Children benefit enormously from the warm and friendly relationships that are established between the parents and the childminder. The daily exchange of information, both verbal and written, ensures that children's ever changing needs are consistently supported. Parents comment extremely positively on the service they receive. They feel the childminder provides a good combination of education through reading, writing, arts and playtime, and state they are very pleased with how their children have settled and how happy they seem. Parents are kept fully informed of their children's achievements and progress as they access and contribute to their children's developmental records

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 every month. The childminder is highly committed to working in partnership with others and has taken a proactive role in establishing effective working relationships with other providers delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage to children who also attend her setting. Well established channels of communication have been set up with local schools the children attend. The childminder has a 'record of partnership' between the school for each child, which shows targets set by the school and how the childminder plans to support these at her setting. This ensures consistency and successfully promotes the children's learning, development and welfare.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder's understanding of child development is evident in every aspect of her care for children and influences the way in which she plans for children's play. Children are able to make choices about their play and join in enthusiastically as there is a stimulating range of both adult-led and child-initiated activities, which are interesting, fun and develop their curiosity, creativity and imagination. The childminder plans her activities around children's individual needs and interests, which helps to keep the children so well motivated. Each child has an individual short-term plan, which is informed by regular observations and reviewed each month. It is clear to see how well children are making progress towards the early learning goals as the childminder records her observations, planned next steps, photographs and evidence of children's artwork in well presented individual development files for each child. The childminder actively seek parents' views

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and outcomes for children

about their child's abilities before the child starts at the setting, and continually works together with parents to assess their child's ongoing achievements and progress.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very eager to learn, concentrate well and readily make decisions on where and how they want to play and explore. The childminder interacts very well with the children in their freely chosen play and she is warm and caring towards them. Investigative play is encouraged and children are given time to explore activities at their own pace. Older children spend some time making models out of construction bricks and proudly show off the end results, developing high levels of confidence and self-esteem as the childminder praises and values their achievements. Younger children choose to draw with chalks at the easel, and help themselves to the treasure basket, feeling the texture of a wide range of materials and developing an awareness of their senses through touch, taste and hearing. Older children are articulate and confident speakers, whilst toddlers gurgle and babble to the childminder, who always responds, showing them she has listened.

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and outcomes for children

However, children are not fully encouraged to develop an understanding that print carries meaning. Children thoroughly enjoy playing outside in the sunshine with the balls and wheeled toys. They laugh as they chase bubbles around the garden, and older children comment that the bubbles are in the shape of a circle. All children have very good opportunities to explore different materials and express their creative ideas. For example, they make collages, play with shaving foam, plant flowers and paint using a variety of tools such as large and small brushes This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and straws. The childminder also provides many opportunities for children to develop social skills and increase their understanding of the world around them through varied trips, for example, taking children to local garden centres and animal parks, the local pond, soft play centres and toddler groups.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning to keep themselves safe as they regularly practise the emergency evacuation procedures. They know what is expected of them and can demonstrate a clear understanding of how to stay safe. For example, following a recent visit from the Fire Safety Officer, children talk confidently about how to evacuate the building, and how they must walk and not run. The food provided by the childminder is highly nutritious and freshly prepared, which promotes children's good health. Children help themselves to drinking water from the dispenser in the fridge door, and are developing a very good understanding of healthy eating by taking part in cooking activities. For example, they make healthy pizzas and fruit salads, and fruit crumbles using blackberries they have picked themselves. The childminder has completed food hygiene training and has also registered with her Local Authority Environmental Health Department to further ensure children's

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and outcomes for children

health and safety. All children show a strong sense of belonging. Their behaviour is exemplary and they respond very positively to the praise and encouragement that is given throughout the day. The childminder consistently provides children with the necessary resources, activities and opportunities they need to help them gain important skills for the future. 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 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 2 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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