Marston Green Infant Academy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 140733 Inspection date 26/04/2011 Inspector Sonjia Nicholson

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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 was registered in 2001. She lives with her husband, eight year old son and adult daughter in a house on a residential estate on the outskirts of Aylesbury. It is within walking distance of local shops, a play park and schools. Children have use of most rooms on the ground floor with sleeping facilities situated on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed paved garden available for children's outside play. The family have a variety of pets including three cats, two lizards, a hamster, chinchilla and rabbit.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for a total of six children under eight years; of these, not more than three may be in the early years age group. There are currently nine children on roll, four of whom are within the early years age range. The childminder occasionally works with an assistant and on these occasions her registered numbers increase to seven children under eight years. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. She holds a CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Home-based Childcare.

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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 enjoy their time in this friendly, welcoming home where the childminder knows them well and provides a good range of activities both indoors and outdoors to meet their needs. The childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to improving her service. Since her last inspection she has gained a level three qualification which has increased her childcare knowledge and she has attended several other short courses, including safeguarding children. The childminder has also met the recommendation raised to provide children with more opportunities to learn about diversity. They have celebrated more festivals such as, Chinese New Year where they dressed in red clothes and tried traditional snacks such as, prawn crackers.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop partnerships with other early years practitioners in order to ensure coherence and continuity for children  formalise the systems in place to make sure all areas of learning are covered and use information gained from observations to assess children's progress. 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 has a good understanding of her responsibility to safeguard children. She has attended further training to increase her knowledge and has all the necessary documentation to hand including her own policy and a copy of the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures in the event of having a concern about a child. Children play safely as the childminder has conducted a risk assessment of the home and identified potential hazards; as a result she makes sure electric sockets are covered, a stair gate is in place to prevent access to the utility room and the dishwasher is emptied after use to avoid accidents. As a precaution in the event of a fire, safety equipment, including a fire blanket is available in the kitchen and smoke alarms are fitted on both levels of the home; the childminder has also invested in a carbon monoxide detector for added protection. She has thought about an evacuation plan and practises this once a

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the early years provision

month with the children so they learn how to leave the home quickly and safely; details are recorded for future reference. Children remain safe when out and about with the childminder as she has carried out risk assessments for all places they visit such as, the play park. She helps children learn about road safety when walking and if travelling in the car provides appropriate seats for their weight and height.

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the early years provision

Children have access to a good range of toys and resources that cover all areas of learning for example, one child demonstrates her ability to play imaginatively and mimic real life situations as she pushes a buggy and takes her 'baby' for a walk in the garden. Children self-select from the toys which are mostly stored at their level in the conservatory; this room provides plenty of space for them to play freely on the floor with the large dining table used for creative activities. All toys appear to be in good condition and are suitable for both boys and girls. Children are learning about diversity through planned activities, for example, they celebrate Christian festivals, such as Easter and Christmas, and the childminder incorporates other events, such as Chinese New Year into their learning. Children are recognised as individuals by the childminder; she is aware of their differing family backgrounds

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the early years provision

and often talks positively about this and her own family to the children. Children are learning about the different roles men and women have in society through visiting a construction site, pharmacy and school and meeting a police officer, lollipop person and member of the Salvation Army Church. The childminder has a confident approach and is well-organised when working with the children. Through the self-evaluation process she has recognised what she is doing well and identified some areas for improvement, these particularly relate to observation, planning and assessment where she is less secure in her knowledge. She is keen to make improvements and intends to pursue more short courses and workshops now she has completed her level 3 qualification. The childminder endeavours to keep up to date with current practice through reading publications from the National Childminding Association which she finds very useful and by talking to

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the early years provision

The childminder is known to staff at several local pre-schools and schools; she passes on details from staff to parents but has yet to establish a system of sharing This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 relevant information about children's targets for learning or progress in order that they receive a coherent learning experience. She does however, develop good relationships with parents and provides verbal feedback to them at collection time; they are also able to see their child's observations at any time. Parents are asked to complete a questionnaire annually; this was last done in January of this year and the results are very positive. Parents feel children enjoy their time at the setting and take part in lots of hands-on activities, especially craft and baking. They say children are happy and always have a lot to say about what they have done once at home. Parents like the variety of toys and feel there is plenty of room

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the early years provision

for physical exercise. They feel the childminder provides a welcoming and safe environment. The childminder acts upon parents comments for example, one parent wanted to know more about the weekly activities so the childminder has introduced a sheet to show what the children have been doing; this means parents feel more involved in their child's learning. The childminder maintains all the necessary documents and stores them confidentially but some records such as, risk assessments and parents' questionnaires are not dated.

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and outcomes for children

Children have fun with the childminder and enjoy her involvement in their play for example, she sits on the floor with them to thread with buttons and then at the table for a painting activity. Children relate well to the childminder and are at ease in her company; they demonstrate they feel safe as they confidently explore the environment and are clearly familiar with the daily routine. Children are developing healthy lifestyles during their time with the childminder. They wash their hands before meals and snacks and have ample opportunities to gain exercise and develop their physical skills in the childminder's garden and at the local play park on large equipment. Children eat food provided by their parents which the childminder stores appropriately and presents attractively for them; she encourages them to eat savoury food before any sweet items and ensures they have regular drinks so they are not thirsty.

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and outcomes for children

Children's language development is encouraged by the childminder at every opportunity. She chats freely to them, asking questions to make them think for example, recalling a recent holiday. Children learn skills for the future through activities such as, cooking where they make pizzas and cakes, count the buttons as they thread them onto laces and help peg out the washing. Their independence is particularly encouraged by the childminder who asks them to go to the toilet, wash their hands and find their coat and shoes by themselves. Children have time to practise these self-help skills and feel a sense of achievement when they are successful for example, a child zips up their own jacket and receives lots of praise from the childminder. Children's interests are well-known by the childminder for example, she sets up a painting activity so a child who likes butterflies can make butterfly prints with her hands; this also provides a chance for her to recognise

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and outcomes for children

and name colours which the childminder has hi-lighted as a target for learning. Children make a positive contribution to the setting as they play cooperatively together and tidy away the toys after use. They go out and about with the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 childminder where they gain new experiences and learn about the world around them for example, to a local manor house and regularly feed the ducks at the nearby lake. Children participate in a good range of activities but planning is done very informally which means the childminder cannot always be sure all areas of learning are being covered or that useful information gained from observations are used effectively to plan for individual children. 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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