Childminder in Leicestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY359661 Inspection date 25/05/2011 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 registered in 2007. She lives with her husband and two year old child on a farm in the Melton district of Leicestershire. Her husband is registered as one of her three assistants. Minded children use the ground floor of the house for play, with access to the first floor as needed. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. Rabbits and the farm dog are kept as family pets. When working alone, the childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of five minded children aged under eight years, including two in the early years age range. When working with an assistant, she is registered to care for a maximum of nine children under the age of eight years, five of whom may be in the early years age range. There are currently five children under the age of eight on roll, all in the early years age range.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is also registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register to care for older children. The childminder and one of her assistants hold recognised early years qualifications at level 3.

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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 are confident in their relationships and readily engage in a wide range of stimulating experiences in this welcoming family home where resources are particularly well used to promote their outdoor learning and healthy lifestyle. The childminder has developed excellent partnerships with parents, so effectively underpinning the strong arrangements to take account of each child's individuality. Overall, the well qualified and strongly motivated childminder has a very good understanding of how to implement the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to promote children's welfare. She shows a high commitment to further developing her existing skills and knowledge and is establishing effective and systematic methods of evaluating her practice in order to further build on the existing high quality of her service. Consequently, there are strong arrangements to support children in making good progress across all areas of learning.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the ongoing reappraisal of the children's environment and activities to constantly reassess and best manage potential hazards arising from children's changing skills, such as their growing ability to climb on boundary fencing  develop further the existing use of self-evaluation procedures to more consistently pinpoint specific targets for further development and identify how these will further enhance the existing high quality of the provision. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

There are many strong features within the organisation of the childminding service which help to promote children's welfare and development. The childminder has established a range of comprehensive policies which are shared with parents and so effectively underpin arrangements for children's welfare, for example, in the event of sickness. Required records are methodically maintained to demonstrate that relevant clearance checks have been undertaken to assess the suitability of adults caring for children and to identify all necessary information regarding children's individual personal, care and contact details. The childminder and her assistants demonstrate a high level of commitment to promoting children's welfare and safety through their attendance at training on issues, such as health and safety and child protection. This helps to ensure that there is a clear understanding of what child abuse and neglect are, and of how to implement agreed procedures

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the early years provision

in the event of any concerns about a child or any allegation of abuse. Risk assessments are undertaken regularly to underpin a range of sensible precautions which help to promote many aspects of children's safety within the home and on outings. The childminder and her assistants work well as a team together to ensure that children are consistently well supervised during their play, rest and mealtimes. However, current systems do not yet fully ensure the ongoing reappraisal of children's environment and activities to constantly reassess and best manage potential hazards arising from children's changing skills, such as their growing ability to climb on boundary fencing.

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the early years provision

The childminder has been extremely proactive in developing available space and resources to fully extend children's learning, particularly through their outdoor play. For example she has successfully obtained grant funding to provide an all- weather play surface and retractable awnings outside, so enhancing opportunities for outdoor learning in all weather conditions. This is further promoted by children's ready use of waterproof coveralls to enable them to freely explore and investigate different substances, such as bubbly water, and mud mixtures. Children are extremely knowledgeable and proud of the vegetables they are growing in raised beds, such as potatoes and carrots. They make use of very well presented displays of aspects of insect and plant lifecycles to make links in their learning when discussing how things grow, or what is happening to the mini-beasts in their bug house. The childminder makes excellent links between indoor and outdoor

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the early years provision

learning and resources. For example, children use kitchen equipment, such as blenders to make fruit smoothies or parsnip soup.

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the early years provision

The childminder has highly positive relationships with parents. Parents' views are fully considered when planning changes to the setting, such as the recent development of an outdoor play provision. The childminder and her assistants also take careful account of children's suggestions and views, for example, when planning for local walks and outings. Display boards and very informative parent packs ensure that that there is an excellent shared understanding of arrangements for children's care. The childminder seeks detailed information from parents about children's specific care, dietary and cultural needs, so helping her to meet these This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 effectively. Extremely effective arrangements are in place for the childminder and parents to work in partnership to support children's development. For example, recently introduced 'day books' are used extremely well to make links between

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the early years provision

children's changing interests and experiences at home and at the childminders. Very regular and systematic reviews of children's progress take full account of parents' own observations and identify very clear suggestions for ways to support the next steps in children's learning. There are well-established links with other local early years settings, such as shared outings and visits, so contributing effectively to children's experiences. The childminder has undertaken a range of training, focussing on ways to promote continuity and inclusion in children's care and learning. Consequently, she is well-informed on the value of close liaison with settings, such as, reception classes to which children progress in order to support their progress, and agencies, such as health professionals to support the identification and inclusion of any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder uses posters, play people and books to help children

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the early years provision

learn about people's individual differences and similarities, for example, with regard to their homes and how they live.

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the early years provision

The childminder has effectively addressed the single recommendation from her previous inspection by ensuring that parents counter-sign records to acknowledge administration of medication. She and an assistant already hold recognised childcare qualifications at level 3 and the childminder shows a strong commitment to the further development of her professional skills by undertaking degree-level training. The childminder participates in a local childminding network and acts as a mentor to other local childminders, so helping to share good practice ideas. She channels her assistants' enthusiasm and skills to good effect, for example involving them in the development of various techniques, such as viewing video-clips to review the effectiveness of the current arrangements for children's care and learning. Consequently, the childminder has established effective and systematic methods of evaluating her practice. However, these are not yet used to full effect

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the early years provision

to consistently pinpoint specific targets for further development and identify how these will further enhance the existing high quality of the provision.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder's successful involvement in a 'healthy tots' programme has helped to promote extremely good arrangements to promote children's healthy lifestyle. For example, children enjoy an extremely nutritious and balanced diet, incorporating an extensive range of fresh fruits and vegetables and taking close account of current best practice guidance regarding the relative benefits of different sorts of proteins, such as fish, white meat or processed meats. The childminder also takes extremely careful account of children's individual dietary requirements, for example, when managing particular allergies during outings and trips. Adults are very conscientious and skilled in helping young children understand and implement effective hygiene routines. The childminder has an excellent understanding of the value of stimulating and varied outdoor activities in promoting children's sensory and physical development. For example, they greatly

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and outcomes for children

enjoy the adventure of exploring tunnels made by shrubs or living willow hedges. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 They identify different sounds as they listen as well as look to try and find each other in hide and seek games. They investigate and explore different substances and ways of moving as they act out their own 'Bear Hunt'. The childminder and her assistants take extremely careful account of children's changing physical skills and interests, so enabling them to plan extremely well for excellent levels of challenge and progression in this area.

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and outcomes for children

Children readily develop good relationships with others in this welcoming setting. For example, they greet familiar adults with pleasure, and confidently approach them to involve them in play. Children begin to successfully negotiate and cooperate with each other in self-chosen activities ,such as simple pretend-play in the home corner. They greatly enjoy identifying themselves and other minded children as they look at photographic displays of earlier activities and events. The childminder and her assistants help young children learn to take account of others needs and to act responsibly. For example, they explain how to handle sand carefully to avoid hurting other people's eyes and faces. Children readily learn how to use small tools and equipment safely and independently, as when using tape dispensers and children's scissors in their creative play.

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and outcomes for children

Adults have established strong arrangements to track and review children's changing skills and interests. This enables them to effectively identify the next steps in children's learning, and to plan a variety of opportunities for children to explore these within their practical play and first-hand experiences. For example, children extend their interest in how things work as they create sounds and lights using 'cause and effect toys' or as they explore everyday technology through the use of toy microphones or digital cameras. They develop their practical understanding of quantity and number as they count out spoonfuls of ingredients to make scones. They begin to solve simple problems as they decide how many sausages are left when singing about the one that 'goes pop and the other goes bang'. Children enjoy stories, such as 'Handa's Surprise', helping them to anticipate and retell a sequence of events. They confidently enjoy extending their individual

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and outcomes for children

mark-making skills using varied materials such as cornflour 'gloop', chunky chalks or crayons. Displays of children's independent paintings and drawings effectively help children understand that their own imaginative ideas and creativity are valued. 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 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 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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