Childminder in Worcestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 204536 Inspection date 13/05/2011 Inspector Jacqueline Nation

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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 1996. She lives with her husband and three children aged 16, 14 and 10. They live in a rural village near Droitwich. The childminder occasionally works with an assistant. There are local amenities, such as schools, parks, shops and pre schools within walking distance. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding purposes and this includes access to bathroom facilities. First floor rooms are not used. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outdoor play. The family have a dog, cat, two rabbits and chickens, and a fish pond in the garden.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time. She currently has six children on roll, four of whom are within the early years age range. All children attend on various days.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and the National Childminding Association 'Quality First' quality assurance scheme.

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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 thrive in this welcoming family home where they are well cared for by this experienced and dedicated childminder. The childminder provides many good opportunities for children to learn and develop in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Every child is welcomed and supported because the childminder recognises their uniqueness and individuality. Highly effective partnerships with parents ensure children's needs are met and their protection assured. The childminder has completed a formal self-evaluation. She is reflective, intuitive and committed to improving the quality of her service.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure the children's daily record of attendance is maintained effectively  update the record of risk assessment to include any assessment of risks for all outings undertaken with the children.

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the early years provision

Safeguarding children is given high priority because the childminder has a good understanding of child-protection issues. This includes her duty to record and report any concerns and sharing her procedures with parents. Criminal Record This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Bureau checks are completed and provide reassurance for parents that adults in the household are deemed suitable to have contact with children. Children play in a safe and well-organised environment and the premises are secure. Risk assessments are in place and regular checks are carried out to ensure the steps taken to minimise potential risks to children are effective. Whilst children are kept safe on outings the childminder has not updated her risk assessment record to include all the places she visits with the children. The childminder has a range of written policies and procedures which underpin her practice and are shared with

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the early years provision

parents. All of the required recording procedures and parental consents are in place to ensure children's health and wellbeing. However, the children's attendance register is not always completed efficiently. All documentation is stored to ensure confidentiality.

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the early years provision

Children are happy and relaxed as the childminder offers warm and affectionate care that supports their welfare and learning. The childminder's home is very welcoming and promotes a child-centred approach which enables children to be self-assured, independent and secure. A good range of resources are easily accessible to children. A range of interesting posters are displayed on the walls and the outdoor area is used most successfully. The childminder demonstrates a positive attitude to inclusion and is committed to treating all children equally. Children's individual needs are well considered by the childminder who understands and values their unique personalities. The childminder offers children a wealth of experiences in the home and wider community. Children learn to appreciate diversity and begin to develop respect for themselves and others by engaging in a wide range of activities. This helps them to learn about and

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the early years provision

understand the society in which they live and the wider world. They make cards for special occasions and learn about different festivals and celebrations throughout the year.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from excellent partnerships with parents. The childminder gathers a range of useful information from parents at the initial meeting using an 'All about me' form and has highly effective procedures in place to help children settle into their new environment. The childminder has introduced a 'New parents' folder and this helps parents to find out how the childminding provision is organised. Parents are very well informed about all aspects of their child's achievements, wellbeing, progress and development through daily discussions and the use of a daily diary. A newsletter also keeps parents informed about future activities and up-to-date with events at the setting. This, linked with the information in the diary, helps parents to continue their child's learning at home. The childminder recognises the importance of partnership working with other agencies to ensure early intervention is successful and children get the support they need. She has developed practical

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the early years provision

links with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage such as the local school and Pre School group and this helps the childminder to support and strengthen children's learning. Parents speak very positively about the childminding provision and state that they are extremely happy with the excellent care provided for their children.

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the early years provision

The childminder is a reflective and intuitive practitioner who demonstrates a commitment to continuous professional development. She has completed a formal self-evaluation and constructive steps are being taken to evaluate the quality of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the provision. The childminder takes into account the views of children and parents and adjusts her practice accordingly. The recommendation from the last inspection has been implemented effectively and the new initiatives put into practice have been very successful. They fully support children's care and play and partnership working with parents.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress within the Early Years Foundation Stage as the childminder has a secure understanding of the framework. She understands how children learn through play and provides a good range of resources and activities that fully supports their enjoyment and achievement. Planning and assessment systems are good. Children's starting points in their learning are recorded and the childminder uses the practice guidance well to monitor children's progress towards the early learning goals. Observations help her to plan the next steps in children's learning and parents are engaged in this process. Children's progress and achievement is detailed in individual 'learning journals', together with a lovely range of photographs and some of the children's work. Children are very content and thoroughly enjoy the time they spend in the childminder's care. The childminder knows the children well and she is fully aware of their individual

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and outcomes for children

interests and play preferences. She ensures children's thinking skills are encouraged by asking questions and this helps them make links in their learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children show an exceptional understanding of the importance of following good personal hygiene routines. These routines are established at any early age to enable children to take ownership of their personal independence at a later stage. Children understand the importance of healthy eating and observe and care for a variety of plants such as potatoes, beans and tomatoes. Children have very good opportunities to engage in a wide range of physical activities. They love playing in the delightful garden and enjoy local walks. All children show a strong sense of belonging and feel safe within the setting. This is due to the high quality adult interaction, caring and nurturing relationships and the exemplary organisation of daily routines. Children develop a good understanding of keeping themselves safe through discussions with the childminder about road safety, observing house rules, and considering how to use equipment in a safe way. Children's behaviour is very

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and outcomes for children

good and sensitively managed by the childminder. The childminder gives children gentle reminders and encourages them to think about the consequences of their actions. Plenty of praise and encouragement from the childminder helps build up the children's confidence and self-esteem. Effective systems are in place to support children's welfare needs, including information about individual dietary needs and parents' preferences.

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and outcomes for children

Children respond well to the calm, patient childminder and peaceful atmosphere within the home. They are encouraged to develop independence skills, good manners and make decisions about what they would like to do. Children's communication skills are fostered very effectively. They have regular opportunities to listen to stories, look at picture books and sing their favourite songs. They practise their mark-making skills, and love hand printing, manipulating dough and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 exploring the properties of sand and water. Children enjoy using the wide range of role play resources. They talk to their parents on the telephone and engage the childminder in this discussion. They like playing with dolls, play food and dressing up. Children are beginning to display their knowledge of numbers and problem- solving. They count spontaneously, are beginning to construct with bricks and

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and outcomes for children

count the number of eggs they collect from the chickens in the garden. Children thoroughly enjoy cooking activities, baking cakes and cooking pizzas and this provides additional opportunities for children to be involved in weighing ingredients. Children learn about the importance of fresh air and physical exercise because of the very good focus on outdoor play. They benefit from playing in the garden using a wide range of equipment such as sit-and-ride toys, cars, scooters, swings and slides. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is supported well through a range of experiences. They enjoy observing wildlife in the garden and investigate a range of electronic resources and this helps develop their interest in technology. As a result of these experiences, children make good progress in developing skills to support their future learning. 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 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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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