Childminder in Leeds

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 320740 Inspection date 16/05/2011 Inspector Melissa Patel

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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 2000. She lives with her husband and their two children aged 17 and 14 years in Halton, which is a residential suburb of Leeds. The playroom, dining kitchen and ground floor cloakroom are used for childminding purposes and there is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminding provision is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years, of whom three may be in the early years age range. She is currently caring for six children of whom five are in the early years age range, attending on a part-time basis. The childminder walks to the local nursery to take and collect children. She attends local toddler groups on regular basis. The family has a small dog. The childminder has links with other early years provisions.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The Early Years Foundation Stage is promoted highly effectively. This ensures children are extremely motivated to learn and they are safe. They experience a very broad range of activities that provide challenges for them indoors and outdoors. Highly skilful input from the childminder results in children's individual needs being met extremelly successfully. Partnerships with parents are excellent in promoting children's welfare overall. The childminder has established some successful partnerships with other early years provisions where children also attend, to support children's welfare and learning. The systems for monitoring the provision promote continuous improvement extremely effectively overall, and therefore the outcomes for children are excellent.

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further?

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

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further?

 extending further the current systems in place to support partnerships with all other settings where children also attend.

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the early years provision

Systems to protect children are excellent, because the childminder has a high level of understanding with regard to safeguarding children. Documentation to support the safeguarding of children are accessible and extremely detailed, and the childminder researches information to keep up-to-date regarding safeguarding issues. All persons living in the home have suitable background checks. The home This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 environment is organised extremely safely. The resources are maintained to an excellent standard to support children's learning, progress and welfare, and they are used highly imaginatively to provide challenges for children. The childminder supports equality and diversity exceptionally well, this is supported through the excellent arrangement of images and resources within the environment, demonstrating a strong commitment regarding valuing the individuality of people.

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the early years provision

This helps narrow the achievement gap so that all children have very good chances of progressing well.

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the early years provision

Partnership working with the parents works extremely well in supporting children's learning and welfare, through ensuring that relevant on-going dialogue is shared. Documentation, such as policies and procedures to demonstrate the excellent operation of the provision are available to the parents, and parents sign the procedures. The parents' views on the provision are included extremely well through the use of questionnaires. The childminder includes the parents by asking them to comment on the development profiles to further extend children's learning. Information is also available separately regarding the different cultural celebrations children participate in at the setting, and displays are prominent to keep parents extremely well informed about the themes children participate in. Written information available from parents as part of the inspection process is highly positive with regard to the care and development of their children whilst at

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the early years provision

the provision. The good links overall established with other early years provisions where children also attend ensures a good support to children's learning and welfare needs. However, links are not yet fully developed with all the provisions that children also attend, to maximise support to children, although in these situations the childminder has worked extremely closely with the parents regarding the children's transition.

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the early years provision

The monitoring systems are highly effective. The childminder has a very strong commitment to reviewing her provision to ensure that children are continually engaged in stimulating and fun activities that meet the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements extremely well. This results in the children reaping the benefits of high standards of care and education, and, therefore, the outcomes for children are extremely good. There were no recommendations raised at the last inspection. However, the childminder has promoted on-going continuous improvement by updating her childminding provision in line with new regulations to support children exceptionally well. For example, the new systems devised to promote children's learning and development are extremely effective in planning to extend children's individual learning priorities, resulting in their individual needs being met continually. Resources and safety has been maintained to a high standard and the

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the early years provision

childminder continues to update her training to support children. These improvements support children highly effectively.

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and outcomes for children

Children have excellent experiences to help them progress towards the early learning goals, because the childminder is very experienced and highly skilful in planning and supporting children in their play. For example, as children happily This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 explore the environment, the childminder extends the children's skills by asking them to name colours and to compare different shades of blue. They develop skills for the future extremely well as they fix and assemble train tracks competently. They experiment with toys that require their thinking skills to work out how to operate them, such as mobile phones, and toys that require twisting and turning. Children also have supervised access to a lap top computer. Communication skills are developing extremely well. For example, children constantly talk and enthusiastically ask questions, supported by the childminder whom listens to

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and outcomes for children

children and consistently challenges their thinking by asking children to name shapes, why they need to wash their hands and to explain how toys work. Children are learning through their senses exceptionally well, and the childminder is very skilfully helping children overcome some of their inhibitions regarding some aspects of creative play. This is observed as they explore soft tapioca mixed with water. They make shapes and discuss the long line they have drawn. Children thoroughly enjoy feeling the bright red spaghetti in their hands as they press and pull it. They are also learning new words with these activities.

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and outcomes for children

All children, show an extremely strong sense of security and belonging within the provision. For example they confidently move around the environment, responding well to the childminder's requests, such as to tidy up and choose which colour apron to put on. Children regularly smile and their behaviour is managed in an excellent manner through all activities. For example, they receive praise and reassurance consistently for their achievements, supporting their self-esteem extremely well. Children are learning highly effectively about keeping themselves safe. For example, the children move around the environment safely and they handle resources carefully. They demonstrate very good knowledge about road safety, according to their age and starting points, and they regularly practise the fire evacuation procedure.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has an excellent understanding of how children learn through play. She has detailed knowledge of the children's individual needs, and through observing them and working in close partnership with the parents she makes plans to extend their learning progress exceptionally well. For example, children's learning is consistently challenged to ensure that they understand the names of colours, develop counting skills and skills for the future exceptionally well. They also make excellent strides with creative development through experimenting with different media. In addition, the observation records are detailed and keep track of children's learning in an excellent manner.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning the importance of healthy living extremely well. For example, they enthusiastically demonstrate through their communication and behaviour, how they have enjoyed themselves outdoors. They regularly go out in the garden and out in to the community, receiving fresh air and exercise. Children have extremely good opportunities to develop their physical skills and they are challenged. They use a range of resources, such as sit-and-ride toys, balls and tents, often bringing tents indoors if the weather is extreme. They choose their snack from healthy food options. For example, they eat healthy snacks, such as bananas and strawberries. Children freely access drinks, such as water and milk. Sometimes the parents provide dilute juice. The parents provide the children's main meals. Children are cared for in a hygienic environment. The children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

demonstrate excellent knowledge regarding the importance of hand washing and why. Children use labelled individual hand towels to limit the possible spread of any germs. This also supports children's understanding of familiar words as they find their towel. Children learn to care for the environment extremely well. For example, they are learning the importance of re-cycling through regular practice. Children's good health is also extended at the provision. For example, children who struggle with teeth cleaning practice are encouraged to clean their teeth at the childminder's.

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and outcomes for children

Children are cared for in an extremely inclusive environment. For example, the children's individual needs are taken excellent account of through daily routines, planning activities and partnership working. The room layout welcomes diversity exceptionally well through the many positive images and resources, such as text, books, posters and a large toy wheel chair is prominent. This helps children value the differences in peoples lifestyles extremely well. In addition, children celebrate a large range of festivals, such as the Chinese New Year. Children try out varied cultural foods and there is excellent photographic evidence showing children enjoying participating in festivals. The Chinese New Year celebration is currently the year of the rabbit. As well as becoming very involved in the festival the childminder has used the opportunity to extend children's learning about the wider world extremely well. For example, the children learn about rabbits, through books

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and outcomes for children

and visit a local farm. 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 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 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 1

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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

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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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