Home Childcarer in Leicestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY288368 Inspection date 23/05/2011 Inspector Alison Edwards

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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

This childminder was registered in 2004. She lives with her partner, who is registered as her assistant, and two children aged 11 and 13 years in a house on a residential road in Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. Minded children use the whole of the ground floor, with access to most of the first floor as needed. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. A rabbit, aquarium fish and chickens are kept as family pets. Whether working alone or with an assistant, the childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of six children aged under eight years, including three in the early years age range. She is validated to receive funding to provide early years education. There are currently seven minded children under the age of eight on roll, including six in the early years age range. The childminder is also registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register to care for older children.

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Description of the childminding

She holds a recognised early years qualification at level 3.

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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

Children show very high levels of enthusiasm and enjoyment in this very welcoming family home which is extremely well organised to promote their care and learning. The well-qualified and highly motivated childminder works extremely well with parents and other relevant professionals to support each child's individual needs. Consequently, children develop excellent levels of confidence in their relationships with others and are highly motivated in their play so are establishing an excellent basis for their future skills and learning. The childminder has worked extremely effectively to establish her current excellent standards and is equally committed to further enhancing the quality of her provision.

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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 the existing systematic use of self-evaluation processes, to continue to accurately identify the strengths of the existing provision against clear and objective criteria in order to accurately pinpoint ways to enhance this further.

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the early years provision

The childminding service is organised extremely well to support children's safety and well-being. The childminder makes excellent ongoing use of comprehensive risk assessments to underpin the practical precautions taken to minimise potential hazards to children. For example, she takes full account of external expert This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 guidance when identifying arrangements for children's access to the poultry, or when identifying very clear procedures to best promote their well-being in extreme weather conditions, such as heat waves. The childminder has fully updated her training on safety issues, such as food hygiene and child protection. Consequently, she has a very clear awareness of how to act in children's best interests in the event of any concerns about a child, or any allegation of abuse. The childminder has experience of working in collaboration with other agencies to support the care

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the early years provision

of children identified as in need. She actively encourages children's confident awareness that it is their right to decide who to hug or kiss, and shares relevant information about issues, such as 'stranger danger' with children and parents. A comprehensive range of regularly-reviewed policies and records very effectively underpin the safe management of children's care, for example, by carefully documenting contingency arrangements for the management of any emergencies. Children readily develop excellent levels of purposeful independence and sustained concentration as they freely use the stimulating range of very well-presented indoor and outdoor resources to extend their own interests and skills. For example, younger toddlers spontaneously use readily-accessible chunky chalks in the garden to create recognisable symbols and pictures on the paving slabs. Older children make complex links in their learning as they spontaneously combine use of large

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the early years provision

cartons, creative materials, small tools and pretend play resources to create and decorate a large rocket ship, before counting down and blasting off to the moon for a picnic. Children show excellent levels of interest and care for their environment and the creatures in it as they talk knowledgeably about the differences between the foliage of the carrots and potatoes which they are growing, or as they discuss how to best help the 'bumble bee' whose wings have got wet in their water tray.

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the early years provision

There are excellent arrangements to work in partnership with parents and other agencies to support children's welfare and development. A very informative and readable welcome pack provides extremely useful information to prospective parents about the childminding service. The childminder is proactive in seeking parents' and children's views about their experiences. For example, she encourages children from a very young age to talk to her about their preferred activities, stories and friendship groups, both when with her and elsewhere. Consequently, she is able to take excellent account of their views and incorporate their suggestions in her planning for activities, meals and outings. The childminder has been proactive in developing links with local agencies supporting children and families with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities. She also participates in a local childminding network, and a 'Healthy Tots' programme, so

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the early years provision

ensuring that she is extremely well informed on current best practice in children's care and nutrition. The well-qualified childminder already critically and systematically reviews her practice, taking careful account of the views of parents and children, and of the outcome of local authority assessments. She has effectively addressed the single recommendation from her previous inspection by establishing clear records, identifying any transfer of care, for example, to other early years settings such as pre-schools. The childminder shows an excellent capacity for further development. For example, she makes extensive ongoing use of local training and advice to enhance her existing skills and knowledge, for example, on ways to promote learning through outdoor play. She takes well- targeted steps to improve specific outcomes for children. For example, she has This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

very effectively developed young children's confident familiarity with everyday technology through their use of a range of items such as a digital camera and child-friendly laptop, obtained through a successful funding bid. However, the childminder is not yet fully confident in identifying the existing strengths of her service against clear and specific criteria in order to objectively evaluate the quality of her provision and to accurately pinpoint ways to enhance this further.

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and outcomes for children

Children are extremely secure and confident in the childminder's care. For example, from an early age, they are very purposeful and independent in exploring their surroundings and finding out what they can do. The childminder is extremely sensitive and responsive in taking account of children's own emotions. For example, she quickly recognises a toddler's distress when a favourite soft toy is accidentally splashed with water. She promptly comforts him and helps him manage his feelings by involving him in finding and using an appropriately-sized towel to care for and dry the toy after his 'swim'. Children develop excellent levels of independence, for example, as they chop fruits to prepare their own fruit salad. From an early age, children gain an excellent awareness of how to act safely and responsibly, for example, as they enjoy simple computer programs linked to road safety issues. Children develop excellent cooperation and negotiating skills from an

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and outcomes for children

early age. For example, the childminder successfully fosters young toddlers' successful participation in turn-taking and matching games. Children enjoy independent access to an excellent range of books and play things, reflecting a variety of lifestyles, experiences, abilities and cultures, so helping them to readily recognise and respect many aspects of diversity.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder makes excellent use of relevant materials and advice from organisations, such as the British Heart Foundation, to ensure that she is very well informed on how to promote children's healthy lifestyle. Consequently, children enjoy a very nutritious and balanced diet, incorporating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, together with healthy proteins such as oily fish. They show excellent understanding of many aspects of health in their spontaneous play. For example, they talk knowledgeably with the childminder about the significance of a 'temperature' when using a toy thermometer in 'doctor' role play, and confidently explain that bandages are useful to keep a 'poorly' toe or finger clean and protected. From an early age, children develop excellent independent hygiene routines. For example, they spontaneously sing their hand-washing song, helping them to understand the reasons and duration for thorough washing and for

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and outcomes for children

carefully selecting their own individual towels for drying when they have 'got rid of the germs'. The childminder's very sensitive awareness of each child's individuality enables her to very successfully promote their growing confidence in their physical abilities, for example, in overcoming an initial apprehension of climbing and balancing activities.

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and outcomes for children

Very systematic arrangements are in place for the two-way flow of information about each child's initial and changing abilities and interests. Consequently, the childminder, parents and any other early years settings which children attend, such This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 as pre-schools, have an excellent current shared understanding of the next steps in each child's development and of ways to promote these. The childminder is extremely skilled in fully engaging children at different stages of maturity in an excellent range of well-planned experiences, helping to fully extend their progress across all areas of learning. For example, she very successfully builds on toddler and pre-school children's existing familiarity and enjoyment in a caterpillar story. Skilful discussion promotes younger children's ability to recall and retell the sequence of story events. This is also used very effectively to prompt pre-school

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and outcomes for children

children to reflect on, and make links in, their ideas and experiences. For example, children explain and predict how the caterpillars which they are keeping themselves have spun their own chrysalises before turning into butterflies. Children of varying ages show very high levels of motivation and concentration as they spontaneously decide to play a caterpillar-matching dice game. The childminder very effectively supports them in extending their individual numeracy and problem- solving skills, for example, by variously matching picture clues, numerals or 'spots'. Children show excellent levels of competent familiarity with everyday technology, for example, as they use digital cameras to record favourite aspects of their time with the childminder. They know that their creativity and experiences are highly valued because the childminder makes extensive use of very well-presented displays of their independent paintings and drawings, as well as photographs

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and outcomes for children

which they have printed themselves, often captioned with their own independent writing. 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 1 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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