Childminder in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY361842 Inspection date 23/05/2011 Inspector Jan Burnet

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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 2007. She lives in a village location close to Banbury with her husband and two children aged nine and four years old. Children play in the sitting room, designated playroom and dining area of the kitchen. They play outside in a fully enclosed garden. There are toilet facilities on the ground floor and a first floor bathroom is also registered.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for five children aged under eight years at any one time and of these, two may be in the early years age group. The childminder is currently caring for four children in the early years age group and of these, one attends school full-time. She also cares for five older school age children, and of these, two are aged over eight years old. The childminder walks with children to and from the local school.

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Description of the childminding

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 satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder meets each child's learning and development needs effectively and promotes their care needs generally well, although, not all safety issues are fully addressed. The childminder ensures that all children are valued and included and information obtained from parents helps her to identify and address children's differences. However, there are limited opportunities for children to learn about diversity. The childminder is aware of her strengths and areas of improvement and she is using this awareness to review her practice. Her commitment to continue to monitor and extend her practice within her childminding supports the development of children's care and learning appropriately.

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further?

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

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further?

 make sure the risk assessment covers everything with which a child comes into contact; with specific reference to low-level glass and the gas bottle in the garden  develop systems for promoting and valuing diversity and difference.

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the early years provision

The childminder ensures that children play in a warm, welcoming and inviting environment. She is aware of her responsibilities with regard to supervising children in her care and welfare requirements are being met. A written risk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 assessment identifies how most potential hazards have been identified and addressed. However, potentially children's safety is compromised because a gas bottle for the barbeque is accessible in the garden and because the childminder is not sure that low-level glass in and around internal doors is safe. Necessary checks for childminder and her husband have been completed and she ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted. The childminder is aware of her responsibility with regard to protecting children from abuse. She provides a safeguarding policy for parents and makes sure that they

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the early years provision

are aware of the Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

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the early years provision

The childminder recently completed a paper copy of the Ofsted self-evaluation form and she explains how this has made her more aware of the benefits of self- evaluation. Priorities for improvement are to make more time for writing observations, to plan more outdoor activities that are suitable in all kinds of weather, make more use of the internet to promote children's awareness of other cultures and to attend more training courses. The childminder values help and support from other childminders and has been offered support from her local authority development worker. There were three recommendations raised at the time of the last inspection and all have been satisfactorily addressed. The childminder was asked to prepare a log book for recording any complaints and, although, there have been no complaints, the childminder is able to provide complaint record forms. She was asked to consider what to do if child protection

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the early years provision

allegations are made against herself or a member of the household. This information is now included in the safeguarding policy. The childminder was asked to improve opportunities for young children to be involved in creative play. Outcomes for children have improved because they now enjoy a range of creative play activities.

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the early years provision

Information provided for parents and obtained from them is thorough. The childminder makes sure that parents are aware of a full range of policies and procedures, training certificates, Criminal Records Bureau clearance forms and insurance details. The childminder seeks the views of parents verbally and in a questionnaire. Parents are asked for their views on what they like best, if their child's needs are being met, what recommendations they have that would improve the childcare and if they would recommend the childminder to other parents. Information obtained from parents includes comprehensive detail on their child's individual needs. In discussion, the childminder explains how she will ensure that the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with English as an additional language are met. She will do this by agreeing with parents how they can work together to meet these needs. The childminder ensures

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the early years provision

that resources for children at different stages of development are very good and some of these reflect diversity well. However, opportunities for children to learn about other cultures, beliefs and traditions are limited. The childminder is aware of the benefits of establishing and maintaining positive links with other childcare providers to ensure coherence of care and learning for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy and learn in a stimulating environment. The childminder is aware of each child's stage of development over the six areas of learning and ensures that at her home and at groups each child is challenged effectively. A folder for each child begins with comprehensive information from parents on their child's learning. The childminder records observations in the folder, identifies the areas of learning that she has observed and records next steps plans. Personal, social and emotional development is strong. The childminder ensures that children feel emotionally secure by building good relationships and children are happy and settled. Young children play happily alongside older children or with the childminder. Older children understand that it is not always possible for younger ones to behave as they do with regard to sharing and turn taking.

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and outcomes for children

Young children count and learn shapes and colours as they play. Favourite toys are building beakers and shape sorters. The childminder encourages them to recognise different sizes as they build and to match shapes. Older children count with one on one correspondence and they learn to recognise numbers and letters that are significant to them. They identify the number that represents their age and the sounds of the letters in their own name. Books are always easily accessible. Young children like to look at picture books with the childminder and older children choose favourite story books. Manipulative skills develop well as children play with safe small toys and make marks in different ways, for example, in play dough. Pencil control develops well as children choose to draw and colour-in.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn how to keep themselves safe. They know that they must hold hands or hold onto the buggy when out walking and they learn how to cross the road safely. They are aware of good hygiene practice and talk about the healthy food in lunch boxes that they bring from home. They develop skills and confidence as they play ball games and on large physical play equipment at the childminder's home and at the park. Children develop an awareness of their own growth needs in relation to other living things as they are currently growing sun flowers, sweet peas, peppers and tomatoes. 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 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 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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