Childminder in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY288281 Inspection date 13/04/2011 Inspector Beverly A Kemp-Russell

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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 2004. She lives with her husband and two children aged 19 and 17 in Caistor, Lincolnshire. The whole of the childminder's house is used for childminding purposes and children have supervised access to the first floor. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time; of these, no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding four children in this age group, all of whom attend on a part- time basis. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register, and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder walks and drives to local amenities and attends the local groups. The family has a dog and two guinea pigs as pets. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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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 provides a warm, caring and inclusive environment where children's views are actively sought and respected. She knows the children extremely well and meets their individual needs by providing for their natural interests. She has established good working relationships with parents and works closely with them to ensure children's individual needs are well-met. Activities are varied and cover all areas of learning for children of all ages and stages of development. Records are mostly comprehensive and well-maintained. The childminder has a strong capacity to maintain continuous improvement and is committed to improving her service for children and families.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide further opportunities for children to begin to learn about the cultures and beliefs of other people  improve observations and assessments to ensure children's next steps are clearly identified.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a clear knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children procedures and has attended training in child protection. This knowledge is underpinned by a clear policy which is shared with parents. She understands the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 importance of informing Ofsted of any changes and all adults within the home have undergone checks to ensure their suitability, which further safeguards children. Risk assessments are in place to ensure that hazards are identified and minimised and daily checks further improve children's safety. The childminder supervises the children carefully and ensures the toys and materials they use are safe and appropriate for their ages. She teaches children to take acceptable risks, allowing them to try things for themselves in a safe and secure environment. The childminder is well-organised, as clear documentation and good record keeping

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the early years provision

promotes the safety and welfare of the children and underpins the good quality care offered. All these factors contribute to the childminder safeguarding children effectively.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of child development which enables her to provide very good quality care. The childminder organises space and play resources effectively to meet children's needs. She has a good understanding of children's individual abilities and this enables her to provide play experiences and activities to support each child's growing skills. The childminder has sound strategies in place to care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder has made an effective start to reflecting on and evaluating her practice, to ensure that children have good quality experiences and can make good progress in their learning and development. For example, she has identified what minded children enjoy and has built on this, for example, by providing an interesting and varied range of books.

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the early years provision

Written policies and procedures are well presented to share with parents so that they know about the childminding provision. Daily written information is shared with parents so that they know about their child's day. The childminder has good relationships with parents. She gathers clear information from them so that she knows about children's individual interests and needs and can provide consistency of care. The childminder is sensitive to children's individual personalities when settling them in her home and this ensures a smooth transition between home and the childminding setting. She is developing links with other providers, such as local pre-schools and toddler groups, enabling them all to work together to support the learning of children whose care is shared.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a good understanding of how young children learn and this enables her to provide an interesting range of experiences and activities to support each child's learning and development. She organises her service to ensure that children receive individual attention appropriate to their needs. Informal planning is in place and is flexible so that it can be adapted to focus on and extend children's interests. The childminder observes children at play and is developing a record of children's progress. However, the information gained from her observations and recorded in assessments does not clearly identify the next steps in each child's learning. Parents have opportunities to contribute to these records in order to share what they know about children's progress by daily verbal communication and sharing the progress records. 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 very confident communicators. The childminder encourages their language skills through highly effective interaction. She models clear language as they attempt to copy sounds and words, without discouraging their efforts so that they can develop their growing skills. Children have lots of opportunities for mark making. For example, they use a wide range of media when creating pictures to take home. Children learn about nature as they plant seeds in pots and in the garden and water them to help them grow. Children's emotional development is promoted as they develop secure, trusting relationships with each other and the childminder. She is sensitive to their needs, taking their individual personalities into account as she joins in their play when appropriate. The childminder interacts wonderfully with the children and they respond warmly in return.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop their early literacy skills because the childminder ensures they have lots of good quality experiences to promote these skills. For example, children have access to a wide range of books which they thoroughly enjoy. Children cuddle up on the sofa, joining in with stories and picture books. This helps to foster children's enjoyment of books and they understand that print carries meaning. Children learn about number and colour through everyday activities and gain awareness of weight and measurement through baking activities as they weigh ingredients. These simple activities lay firm foundations for children's future learning. Children demonstrate an awareness of their own cultures when celebrating Christmas and birthdays but there are limited activities and resources for children to begin to learn about others cultures and beliefs. Children enjoy time at social groups, such as Doodlebugs and Stay and Play, which gives them

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and outcomes for children

opportunities to socialise and develop relationships within their own community. The childminder has sound strategies in place to care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is fully aware of her responsibilities to safeguard children. She helps children to be aware of keeping safe, both in the home and on outings. For example, regular fire evacuation drills are carried out so that children know what to do in an emergency and demonstrate their understanding. Children enjoy varied opportunities for exercise; for example, they practise their physical skills as they play in the garden on large play equipment and enjoy trips to the local park. This helps them to develop good muscle control, feel relaxed and develop a sense of overall well-being. Children behave well because the childminder has clear boundaries to help them understand about responsible behaviour. She uses clear instructions and gentle reminders which helps them to learn about sharing resources and taking turns. The childminder works closely with the parents who provide all food for their children to encourage a healthy attitude towards meals as

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and outcomes for children

well as ensuring that all children have independent access to drinks. 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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