Childminder in Rotherham

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY411415 Inspection date 11/04/2011 Inspector A Howard

p.1

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.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 2010. She lives with her husband and one child aged four years. They live in Firth Park, on the outskirts of Sheffield, close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The whole of the childminder's home is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed play area available for outdoor play. Care is offered Monday to Friday all year round. The family have three cats as pets. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time and is currently minding seven children in the early years age range. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder provides exceptionally high quality care and education for the children who attend. Children clearly thrive and make rapid progress in this loving, family environment that truly recognises their uniqueness and individuality. Exceptionally strong relationships are established with parents as the childminder works closely with them to support, guide and nurture their children. The childminder demonstrates an outstanding commitment to continual improvement through her own professional development by attending training and her strong evaluation of the service.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 enhance the process of self-evaluation to provide a stronger direction for the future development of the service.

p.4

the early years provision

Children are fully safeguarded due to the excellent systems in place to protect them. The childminder has an excellent awareness of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and the correct procedures to follow should she have any concerns. She records first class information about existing injuries and discusses these with parents, showing that safety of the children in her care is always her first priority. The childminder ensures all members of her household are suitably checked and ensures that details of any visitors are rigorously recorded. Completion of very robust risk assessments of the premises and any outings enables children to freely choose activities and to make new discoveries within This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 very safe boundaries. The childminder makes exceptionally good use of the space available in her home to provide an extremely clean, welcoming environment for

p.4

the early years provision

children. Resources are well-organised, accessible and clearly labelled with pictures as well as words to support children in making independent choices about their play. The childminder provides a wealth of exciting learning opportunities which inspire children's imagination and encourage them to learn in a fun way. Very good daily opportunities for outdoor play are integral to the way in which she provides an enjoyable and challenging learning experience that is tailored to meet children's individual needs. This encourages children to be very active learners and has helped the childminder to identify that they behave quite differently inside and out. Children participate in a very wide range of activities that help to develop their appreciation of the wider world. They explore different festivals through artwork, stories and factual books. They see posters and photographs of people from around the world and of different abilities, and access a wealth of toys and

p.5

the early years provision

resources that promote positive images of diversity, using these in everyday play situations. Clever use of activities linked to children's interests, such as the World Cup football competition, are used as vehicles to support children's awareness of other cultures. The use of children's family trees and the use of a globe to plot where extended family members live is another interesting and innovative way in which the childminder successfully helps children understand, respect and value those who are different to themselves.

p.5

the early years provision

Partnership with parents is superb as the childminder discusses every aspect of their child's learning and development with them. Exchange of information is clearly two-way and ongoing. As a result, parents feel they do have a voice and play a vital role in their children's care and development and that their views are important. The childminder keeps parents fully informed, for example, through daily conversations, notices, newsletters, questionnaires, children's journals and meetings. Parents state that they could not ask for any one better to look after their child and that the smile on their child's face when they arrive is enough to let them know that they enjoy their time and are happy. They describe it as a lovely warm, homely environment and find the wonderful newsletter very useful. The childminder demonstrates a very strong commitment towards working in partnership with other providers and has some very positive links in place to share

p.5

the early years provision

information to help promote children's welfare. The childminder has an ambition for excellence. She has a clear vision for the future and has significantly enhanced skills which she uses to promote children's welfare and to support their learning and development. She uses self-evaluation very robustly to identify her excellent strengths, commitment to her work and children's progress, however, she does not record so rigorously areas for improvement.

p.5

and outcomes for children

The childminder's comprehensive understanding of children's individual needs ensures that a challenging learning experience is provided for all children. Very good systems are in place to observe and assess children's progress. Children's learning records very clearly show excellent progress. Children choose from an extensive range of interesting resources and natural materials. They follow their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 interests with persistence and concentration and have confidence to try new activities by themselves. Children have opportunities to explore and investigate the natural world and a range of sights, smells, sounds and textures. For example, they plant and tend flowers, fruits and vegetables and study the birds that visit the garden. They observe natural objects in an interest box, such as sea shells and sponges with a magnifying glass. Children have extensive opportunities to explore

p.5

and outcomes for children

nature and study the lives of mini beasts first hand. They visit the Sure Start allotment close by to gain skills for the future, learning about the world around them as they are involved in growing and caring for plants. This is an excellent learning environment where children can play in the fresh air and develop their physical skills in a variety of ways. Children see an abundance of numbers displayed within their care and learning environment and count confidently during everyday routines. Through matching the cups and saucers and doing simple puzzles they are beginning to solve problems. The childminder engages in high quality adult-child interactions to encourage, support and extend children's speech and language development. When the children play, conversations freely flow, which helps to develop spoken language and enhance vocabulary. The environment is exceedingly rich in signs, symbols, notices, words and books to

p.6

and outcomes for children

support children in developing confidence and a superb disposition to become competent in communicating. Very young children enjoy activities where they can feel sensory objects and noise-making toys. They smile and respond in delight as they listen to stories full of their favourite characters. They thoroughly enjoy creative play and their artistic efforts are displayed prominently or are presented in children's observation files. This helps them to feel pride in their achievements and provides an invaluable record of memories for parents.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are learning through practical experiences about sustainability and how to eat healthily. The childminder cooks all meals from fresh wholesome ingredients and plans the menus carefully to suit all children's needs. Children enjoy pasta with mackerel, leek and potato soup and chilli con-carne and rice. The childminder uses wonderful innovative ideas to help fussy eaters making rice cakes into faces with cucumber, tomatoes and cheese. Children help with the preparation of meals and understand why some food is healthy and others are not. The innovative use of the 'Eat well' plate introduces children to portion and size different groups of food. This helps children to understand how to keep themselves healthy from a very young age. The childminder is highly proactive in encouraging children to learn about being safe and what is dangerous. Documentation shows children learn about fire evacuation, stranger danger, safety in cars and when out walking.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children feel extremely safe in the setting and know what is expected of them so behaviour is excellent. They feel very good about themselves and show respect for others and resolve potential conflict easily. The childminder is an extremely calm, caring role model, showing utmost concern for each child. This setting is an extremely happy place for children and all the efforts of the childminder go into ensuring that every child is given excellent opportunities to achieve to their full potential. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.6

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.7

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

p.7

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.7

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

p.7

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.8