Childminder in DudleyOfsted inspection, 20 Jul 2011

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 255680 Inspection date 20/07/2011 Inspector Patricia Dawes

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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 1997. She lives with her husband and adult daughter in a house in Kingswinford. The whole ground floor of her house and the upstairs bathroom are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The family have two cats, a rabbit and some fish as pets.

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Description of the childminding

This provision is registered by Ofsted on the early years and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Registers. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time. There are currently two children on roll in the early years age range. Older children are also cared for before school.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder holds an appropriate early years qualification. She makes use of local facilities such as, parks, shops and the library and also attends a toddler group on a regular basis. She receives support from the local authority.

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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 make good progress towards the early learning goals and enjoy their time in this welcoming, homely environment where their individual needs are identified and addressed in line with parents' wishes. All of the required information is gathered and maintained to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Most documentation is maintained and all relevant policies and procedures are reflective of practice and suitably implemented. The childminder has effective partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals where systems have been appropriately developed, so they have regular communication to promote consistency of care. The childminder shows commitment and capacity to improve the quality of her care through reflective practice and has a system to record identified areas for improvement.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 request written parental permission at the time of children's admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 22/07/2011 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 offer opportunities for children to use a range of tools safely, encounter creatures, people, plants and objects in their natural environments and in real life situations  improve the two way flow of information with parents to promote a shared understanding of children's individual needs and involve parents in practical ways to support their child's learning and development

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded as the childminder has a sound awareness of child protection issues and procedures. She is clear about what she would do in the event of any concerns about a child. She has all the relevant information to be able to take the appropriate action if necessary, including a duty of care statement which parents acknowledge and sign. All household members are known to Ofsted to enable appropriate checks to be undertaken. All records are stored appropriately to ensure confidentiality. There are systems in place to record children's attendance, accidents and medication, parental consent to seek emergency medical treatment and information regarding legal contact and parental responsibility for the children; however these are not always in place for every child attending. Risk assessments are conducted and recorded, however the record does not contain sufficient information to clearly demonstrate identified hazards

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the early years provision

and how these are minimised. All of this has the potential to compromise children's safety and well-being.

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the early years provision

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals because the childminder gathers useful information on children's individual needs. She is pro- active in promoting inclusion and effectively supports all children in their learning and development. Most documentation is maintained and all relevant policies and procedures are reflective of practice and suitably implemented. The childminder has appropriate and detailed records of some children's personal details, however not all legally required information is in place such as, parental consent to seek emergency medical treatment or advice. This has the potential to compromise children's safety in the event of an emergency. The childminder has effective partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals where systems have been appropriately developed, so they have regular communication to promote consistency of care. The childminder shows commitment and capacity to improve

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the early years provision

the quality of her care through reflective practice and has a system to record identified areas for improvement.

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the early years provision

The childminder is enthusiastic, friendly and caring and helps children to feel secure and at ease in the setting. They are happy to play independently and the childminder is always close at hand to offer support. The childminder makes good use of the space available in her home. Children choose from a wide variety of age-appropriate resources available to them. They are able to direct their own play and enjoy a varied day, with regular outings to a local park, playgroups and play venues to explore the local environment. This helps children develop their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 independence, social skills and confidence. The childminder demonstrates a positive attitude to inclusion and offers a warm welcome to all children. There are adequate resources available to children that reflect positive images of diversity. The childminder utilises the local toy library to extend her range of resources. As a

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the early years provision

result, children are developing their understanding and learning about a wider society.

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the early years provision

The childminder works closely with parents from the outset, gathering key information about children's individual care needs, however information regarding their interests and development is lacking which means children may take longer to settle and progress. The childminder ensures parents are kept fully informed about their child's daily routine and achievements. This she does through regular daily discussions and photographic learning journals. The childminder recognises the importance of working with other professionals and is making appropriate links with the nursery in order to meet the needs of children and support children's continuity of care and learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder reflects on her practice and makes changes as required to benefit the outcomes for children. For example, she has gained a Level 3 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in childcare. She has undertaken some formal self- evaluation of her provision, and has identified her strengths and some areas for improvement. She is committed to improving her practice and has a clear vision for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children receive good levels of support to secure their progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder is effective in her interaction as she has a clear understanding of where children need support. She records useful and relevant information about what children can do, and also information about what their next stage of learning is and what support they need. The childminder then successfully uses this information to plan either adult-led activities or support children's learning through free play. Information is recorded and shared with parents, who have yet to add their comments to assist the childminder to make improvements.

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and outcomes for children

Children are comfortable in the environment and move around freely. Children are developing their language skills as they are encouraged to join in conversations during play. They extend their vocabulary by sharing their thoughts and experiences and through encouragement from the childminder to learn new words. Routine activities such as singing nursery rhymes, reading stories and making marks enhance children's communication skills. Children develop an understanding of numbers and shapes through daily routines and play, such as matching and sorting shapes and colours, singing number rhymes and counting everyday objects like cars and trees while walking to school. They expand their simple calculation skills and learn about differences in size and pattern during cooking activities and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 categorising toys according to size and colour. Children are developing their skills

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and outcomes for children

for the future as they learn to use a good range of programmable toys. This gives them opportunities to acquire basic skills in operating simple equipment.

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and outcomes for children

Children use imagination and express their thoughts while using a good range of art materials to develop their creative skills, for instance making cards and pictures to celebrate different festivals. They learn about music, rhythms and movement as they regularly listen to familiar songs and rhymes in the childminders home. Children's knowledge, awareness and understanding of the wider world are promoted well. They are able to access a good range of resources that reflect cultural diversity and disability and the environment has colourful pictorial displays depicting other cultures and languages. Children enjoy visiting the local park daily or visiting playgroups to use and experience larger equipment, which all helps to develop their physical skills and promote a healthy lifestyle. Children's understanding of caring for the environment is limited. They have yet to take part in activities such as planting and caring for flowers, bulbs or vegetables, however

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and outcomes for children

Children's behaviour is excellent. They are happy and confident, as the childminder uses a positive and consistent approach to managing behaviour which takes into account children's levels of understanding and maturity. Children's health is promoted well. They knowingly follow good hygiene practices, such as washing hands before eating, after toileting and messy play. They are aware this is to protect them from 'germs'. All children enjoy the benefits of nutritious and well- balanced foods and drinks which the childminder provides. Pictorial displays of healthy food options encourage children to talk about their favourite foods and why these are 'good for you'. Children learn to keep themselves safe through practical daily routines such as practising fire evacuation procedures. The childminder's also offers guidance on the dangers of traffic and strangers when out in the community or using scissors and knives safely in the home.

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and outcomes for children

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 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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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