Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY283461 Inspection date 29/03/2011 Inspector Dianne Andrews

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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 2004. She lives with her husband and children aged 22, 21 and 18 and 12 years. They live in a detached house situated on a main road in Broughton, close to local shops, schools, the park, the library and toddler groups. The whole of the ground floor and a first floor bedroom are used for the purposes of childminding. An enclosed rear garden is available for outside play. The family have two pet cats.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for up to six children aged under eight years. There are currently five children on the register who are in the early years age range and attend for various sessions. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder offers care during school term times only.

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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

The childminder is well organised in the majority of areas, provides an enabling environment and has a good knowledge of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder's effective working relationships with parents and her clear assessments of children enable her to gain a good understanding of each child's developmental needs and interests. She uses this information well to ensure that their needs are consistently met and they are offered appropriate support and activities that promote their development. Her thorough self- evaluation procedures support her in building a clear overview of her practice and implementing improvements, thereby maintaining a service which is responsive to children's needs.

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further?

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

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further?

 review the risk assessment to ensure that it is comprehensive and covers anything with which a child may come into contact to ensure children's safety and well being  maintain a record of visitors including their name, purpose of their visit and the times of their arrival and departure. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The steps taken to safeguard children are robust and effective. The childminder has attended recent training in child protection procedures to refresh and enhance her knowledge. She ensures that parents and carers are also well-informed through the written child protection policy, which is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current guidelines. Suitability checks are completed on adults in the household to confirm they are suitable to have contact with children and emergency cover arrangements with another registered childminder are in place and agreed with parents.

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the early years provision

Insurance and registration certificates are prominently displayed for parents to refer to. The daily register, accident and medication records and procedures are completed as appropriate to promote children's well being. The childminder checks the identification of visitors, but does not maintain a record of the details of their visit.

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the early years provision

The childminder is vigilant and effectively supervises children in her care. All children are taught to be safety conscious as they recognise and talk about danger. Toddlers benefit from well-organised routines to help them become secure and confident in the setting. Pre-school children are able to identify hazards in the environment and have an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Risk assessments have been completed to show how many identified risks, in the home and when on outings, have been minimised. However, the record does not cover everything that children may come into contact with in order to confirm how their safety is maintained in every area.

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the early years provision

The premises are spacious and welcoming and children achieve well because of the setting they are in. Resources are of good quality, are clean and well maintained. Children are encouraged to instigate their own activities; some resources are easily accessible, stored in labelled boxes in the lounge and others are chosen by the children through the use of a book showing photographs of the rest of the available toys and games. The range includes different toys that support children to understand and respect diversity.

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the early years provision

The childminder is experienced and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to reviewing and improving her practice. She utilises practical self-evaluation processes to help inform the continuous review of her work and implements changes that improve the outcomes for children. Parents are involved in the process through the completion of questionnaires to show their analysis of the service they receive, they make comments such as 'each week our child informs us of different places they have been and we can see how she has developed further because of this' and 'the childminder is very good at recognising my child's needs and pleasingly provides and adapts activities to suit my child on a daily basis.' Daily diaries are provided for the parents of the youngest children, which parents appreciate. They include information about activities undertaken, care routines followed and useful explanations about the stages children have reached. Written

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the early years provision

documents are also supplemented by the use of text messages, sent throughout This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the day to reassure parents that their children are settled and happy.

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the early years provision

Parents' receive photographs of their children at play to keep them informed and involved in their learning. They share their children's learning journals regularly and have opportunities to contribute their comments to the profiles to promote continuity and consistency. Children thrive because the childminder understands the benefits of partnership working; where necessary she liaises with other carers and agencies to ensure that she has a good understanding of children's individual care and learning needs.

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and outcomes for children

Children are comfortable and able to relax in their surroundings, developing their confidence and self-esteem through the childminder's expert interaction and support. This means children settle quickly into her home and become fully included within the setting. The childminder forms warm and close relationships with children and provides consistent care in partnership with parents.

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and outcomes for children

The daily routine is flexible to ensure that children's individual care needs are met. Through observations and assessments the childminder develops a clear understanding of each child's stage of development; a wide range of activities and experiences that children enjoy are available to promote their good progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder is able to engage them in activities and support their learning well through encouragement, praise and effective role modelling. Routines include a pleasing balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities. Children benefit from a variety of learning opportunities in the home, garden and within the local community. The childminder is skilled in recognising and harnessing opportunities to challenge and develop children's thinking, so feeding their enquiring minds.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very settled and confident in the spacious environment; their independence is promoted as they develop their own activities. They play imaginatively in all areas of the property, creating a shop in the playhouse and making connections in their experiences; they mimic the supermarket's use of a scanner on the till as the 'shopkeeper' loads the purchased items into the 'customer's' trolley and asks for the shopping to be paid for. They negotiate roles and characters with older children helping and directing their younger playmates. They learn to play together, to socialise, to share and to respect others, and as a consequence they become active and inquisitive learners and develop effective skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

At the local childminder and toddler groups children take part in a range of planned activities. They make cards for special days such as mother's day. They This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 mark the start of spring and learn about the wider world as they join in the celebrations of the Hindu festival, Holi. They make pictures using white and coloured icings to signify the throwing of paint. Through the use of resources such as jigsaws, books and play people they learn to appreciate and value similarities and differences.

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and outcomes for children

Children choose books and share them with the childminder. Their competent language and communication skills are encouraged well as they discuss aspects of the story. They practise the use of new vocabulary as they mimic words and phrases the childminder uses in their play. They are keen to make marks and practise their developing writing skills while using an interactive screen; they trace over 'light dots' to form shapes that they recognise and name, and are reassured by the toy's positive response to their success. They explore media and materials and while making creations and manipulating playdough, they mix two colours together and begin to recognise the effects of their actions as the blue and yellow merge to make 'green.'

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and outcomes for children

Children's use of mathematical language and concepts throughout the day is encouraged effectively by the childminder. They begin to match number and quantity as they count the number of pieces the banana is cut into at lunch time. They are challenged to solve problems as they decide whether the pieces would need to be 'smaller' or 'bigger' in order to make 'more pieces'.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to keep themselves safe as they take part in emergency evacuation drills and respond to the childminder's gentle reminders about not running in the house and her use of stories to reinforce safety messages. While in the garden, children benefit from the fresh air and exercise, developing their physical skills using the range of resources available to them. They are keen to take measured risks, such as swinging 'high up to the moon' on the swing, while holding on tightly or by climbing up the small slide's steep chute. They do this confidently in the knowledge that their carer is supporting their actions. Their physical development is enhanced through the activities made available at a local children's gymnastic session, where they have fun with others practising their balancing and coordination skills using a range of age-appropriate equipment. Children's good health is also promoted effectively as they follow appropriate hygiene routines;

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and outcomes for children

washing hands before eating lunch and learning the reason why the routine is in place. They sit together to enjoy the lunches they bring from home and discuss the healthy contents, for instance, the flavour of their fruit yoghurts. They access regular drinks to ensure they remain well hydrated throughout the day. 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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