Childminder in Darlington

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY415738 Inspection date 07/06/2011 Inspector Pauline Pinnegar

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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 August 2010. She lives with her two children aged six and eight years old in Darlington. The whole of the ground floor and all of the first floor, apart from one bedroom, are used for childminding. There is an enclosed garden to the front of the property available for outdoor play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family has two pet dogs.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of three children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years range. There are currently two children attending within the Early Years Foundation Stage, both of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. 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 offers a warm and friendly welcome to all children and their parents. She demonstrates a positive attitude to providing an inclusive environment for all children in her care. The range of resources made available to children, along with visits to other amenities, ensure they have the opportunity to make satisfactory progress in each area of learning. The planning of activities and observing of children are being developed, as are links with other early years providers for children who attend more than one setting. Most documentation required to promote the safe and effective management of the setting is in place. The childminder is beginning to use self-evaluation as a means to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 carry out regular evacuation drills with children and record details in a fire log book of any problems encountered and how they were resolved  update the record of risk assessments to include any assessments of risks for outings and trips  obtain adequate insurance cover when transporting children in a vehicle  develop the experiences and resources for children to learn about their own and other people's cultures in order to understand and celebrate the similarities and differences between them in a diverse society  continue to develop systems for planning activities and observing children, including matching observations to the expectations of the early learning goals and details of children's next steps in their development, and involve This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 parents and other early years providers in this process.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a sound understanding of child protection issues, including procedures to follow should she have any concerns. She understands her responsibility to protect children, and all adults living on the premises are vetted. This helps to safeguard children. The childminder organises her provision suitably. She has a range of written policies and procedures, including child protection and complaints, and uses these effectively to inform her practice and contribute to safeguarding children's welfare. Suitable systems are in place to record children's details, medication and accidents. The childminder completes risk assessments for her home and garden, and keeps a written record of these. This helps keep children safe inside and outside of the home. However, although risk assessments are completed prior to all outings and trips, the written record does not reflect this detail. The childminder has developed an evacuation procedure which is displayed;

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the early years provision

however, the procedure does not include a practice drill with the children to raise their awareness of what to do in an emergency situation. The childminder has written consent from parents to take children on outings but she does not have adequate insurance cover stipulated on her written policy when transporting them in a vehicle to fully ensure children's safety.

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the early years provision

The childminder has basic systems in place to evaluate the care and education she provides. She gains verbal feedback from parents to give her a broader view of her childminding service. She has started to reflect on her practice by completing the Ofsted self-evaluation form. She recognises her main strength as being the good relationships she has with children, which results in them being settled and happy. The childminder is also realistic in identifying the need to continue developing her knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder makes adequate use of her time, space and resources. The indoor and outdoor environments are suitably resourced. All children have easy access to a range of toys and equipment which help them to make sound progress in their learning and development. However, resources which reflect positive images of diversity are very limited. This means they have less opportunity to understand

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the early years provision

and celebrate the similarities and differences between them in a diverse society.

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the early years provision

The childminder does not currently care for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities; however, she demonstrates a positive attitude towards ensuring that all children are included at the setting. Parents are suitably informed about the provision, the activities provided and routines through daily conversations and the use of a daily written diary. The childminder is in the early stages of developing ways in which to involve parents further in children's learning. She has tentative links with other early years providers for children who attend more than one setting. However, relationships are in their infancy and do not fully ensure children receive continuity in their care and learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children are settled and very much at home in the childminder's care. The childminder is friendly and demonstrates warm relationships with the children. Children enjoy the regular hugs and kisses they receive and the childminder ensures that they get the most from their learning as she gets down to their level and plays with them. The childminder gathers relevant information from parents before children begin; this helps her to plan appropriate activities for children's individual interests. She has started making some occasional observations of children during their play and linking these to some of the areas of learning. However, as yet these are not used to inform planning for children's next steps. Consequently, while children are making satisfactory progress in their learning, they are less well challenged.

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and outcomes for children

A satisfactory balance of child-centred and adult-led experiences ensures appropriate challenge for the children's age and stage of development. The childminder's good understanding of their individual personalities and circumstances promotes suitable behaviour management. Children begin to share and socialise with their peers through attendance at local community groups. Information and communication technology is made available to support children's learning, for example, when they explore interactive and 'cause and effect' toys. This helps them to develop skills for the future. Children enjoy using their imagination as they pretend to be fire officers and make the noises of the fire engine. Their communication skills are fostered, resulting in some nice interactions between themselves and the childminder. A reasonable range of age-appropriate books are available for children to enjoy independently or with the childminder and

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and outcomes for children

this is complemented with trips to the local library. Children have a growing understanding of the living world as they plant vegetables, such as beetroot and cress. A variety of creative activities, including painting, cutting and sticking, promote children's self-expression while having fun. Children explore early mark making as they create pictures using large chalks and felt tip pens. Children's mathematical thinking is encouraged as they construct with building bricks, counting how many bricks they have used.

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and outcomes for children

Children are appropriately supervised and safety equipment is in place to ensure their well-being is promoted. Routines, such as tidying away toys from the floor, encourage children to take responsibility for their own safety. They access some opportunities for large physical play, for example, when using climbing equipment and sit-and-ride toys at the toddler group. Their balance and coordination is nurtured as they access a range of equipment in the garden and at the local parks. The childminder's flexible routine incorporates time for quiet play and rest, enhancing children's well-being. Children are encouraged to enjoy generally healthy snacks and meals, including fresh fruit and sugar-free drinks. They are beginning to understand simple health and hygiene practices. These include washing their hands before snack. The childminder implements suitable procedures for nappy changing to ensure the personal care needs of the very young are met.

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and outcomes for children

Children do not generally attend if they are sick, which enables the childminder to protect others from illness. 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 3 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 3 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 3

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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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