Childminder in HackneyOfsted inspection, 3 Aug 2011

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 402855 Inspection date 03/08/2011 Inspector Jane Davenport

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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 2001. She lives with her husband, her 18-year- old son and her 14-year-old daughter in a three-bedroom house in the Victoria Park area of the London Borough of Hackney. The whole of the ground floor, one bedroom and the bathroom on the first floor are used for childminding purposes. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for six children under the age of eight, of whom three may be in the early years age group. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She currently has five children on roll in the early years age group. The childminder has a pet cat. She shares the running of two local childminder drop-in groups and attends other community groups, parks and toy and book libraries on a regular basis. She is a member of the National Childminding Association and the Clapton Park

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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 feel settled and secure and good safeguarding measures result in their safety and welfare being assured at all times. An excellent range of well-deployed resources and an exciting programme of play opportunities ensure children are making very good progress. The childminder is considering the best way of reflecting this progress in the children's observation folders. Highly effective partnerships with parents and other providers contribute to consistent care and seamless transitions. The childminder reflects effectively on her practice and is committed to making ongoing improvements in the service she provides.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the current systems for observing and assessing children's progress and continue to use them to identify learning priorities and plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child.

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the early years provision

Children at the setting are safeguarded well. The childminder has a clear understanding of her role and responsibility in protecting children from harm. She demonstrates a good awareness of safeguarding issues. She has a competent knowledge of the procedures to follow to ensure prompt action is taken should she This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 have concerns about any of the children in her care. The childminder is vigilant and safety conscious. She has appropriate safety measures in place and has undertaken informative risk assessments for the premises, garden and each type of outing.

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the early years provision

The childminder provides a fully inclusive service for children and their families. She knows individual children very well and is aware of which stages in their development they have reached. She uses this information well to provide relevant learning opportunities, additional challenge and support. An excellent range of resources is deployed imaginatively indoors and out. Toys and equipment feature natural materials, many positive images of wider society and are stored in a way that makes it easy for children to access them. Boys and girls are encouraged and supported equally. For example, when they choose dressing up costumes. Children learn to understand and respect what other people believe, for example as they celebrate Chinese New Year or learn about Ramadan.

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the early years provision

High quality interactions ensure parents are kept very well-informed about their child's participation and progress at the setting. Parents are very happy with the care provided; written comments mention the happy family atmosphere and high levels of support. One parent is particularly happy with the progress their child has made in their language development and confidence. Engagement with other providers is excellent and this means there is a shared approach to children's care. Parents make it clear to other providers that the childminder is a very significant partner in their children's care. She has been recognised for her commitment to forming effective three-way partnerships which benefit each child according to their individual needs and circumstances.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a good capacity for maintaining continuous improvements. She is reflective about her work and has completed the Ofsted self- evaluation tool in which she has identified some realistic areas for her ongoing development. She is proactive in seeking out relevant training opportunities to enhance the care she provides for children. It is clear to see how she has implemented the knowledge she has gained from the many training courses she has attended since her last inspection. The childminder is a member of the Clapton Park childminding network and jointly runs two local childminding drop-in sessions, where she shares ideas for best practice with other local childminders. In July 2011 she was awarded a certificate from the Hackney Learning Trust in recognition of her outstanding contribution to childminding networks in Hackney.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very settled and happy in the childminder's friendly and welcoming home. They are making very good progress towards the early learning goals because the childminder implements the Early Years Foundation Stage framework very effectively. She provides a wealth of activities and learning opportunities to promote their development in all areas. Parents complete a 'my inclusion passport' form for their child when they first start to attend which helps to establish their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 starting points. The childminder then makes effective observations and assessments of children's progress, including informative photographs and monthly reviews of children's overall development. However, the current system is not always easy to read and use as it requires some cross referencing and does not show clear links to learning intentions or the next steps to specific observations.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is considering the best way of addressing this.

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and outcomes for children

The garden is seen as an extension of the indoor learning environment and children enjoy participating in many activities in the fresh air. They use their imaginations very well during role-play in a space next to the play house where a cloth has been draped to create a shaded den. They use shopping baskets and play food to pretend to go shopping, name many of the different fruits and vegetables and then put the kettle on to make tea. One child happily sings 'Polly put the kettle on' and then makes the song more personal by using her friends' names instead of Polly's. As children's imagination flourishes, so does their language. The childminder encourages their language and thought processes by asking them open-ended questions about what they are doing. Young children recognise the initial letters of their names on labels. They are beginning to understand how other people communicate by learning and demonstrating the

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and outcomes for children

Young children's problem-solving skills are well-established. They are learning mathematical concepts and language. For example, as they estimate which bucket of sand is heavier by holding one in each hand. They also consider the difference between halves and quarters of their apples during snack time and compare two- and three-dimensional knitted fruits. A magnetic colour maze effectively supports children's developing knowledge and understanding of the world. It serves a dual purpose as children discover the properties of magnets and also learn their colours as the magnet drags the different coloured beads into the appropriate paint pots. Children demonstrate very good concentration skills as they play with the threading cards, expertly threading the coloured strings through the holes to make pictures of a duck, butterfly and dog. They relish physical activity, both indoors and out. For example, they dance and move their bodies to music. They hop, twirl

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and outcomes for children

and jump as high as they can when they sing, 'zoom, zoom, zoom, we're going to the moon.'

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is a good role-model who provides clear and consistent boundaries for children and encourages good manners and respect for all. She reinforces good behaviour with rewards and praise. Consequently, children behave very well. They are polite and say 'please' and 'thank you' to one another. They interact and share naturally, without having to be told to do so, and show care and concern for one another. For example, at the sand tray in the garden a child is told, 'good sharing' when they push some sand over to their friend and say, 'here is some more sand for you.' When one of the children begins coughing at the snack table another asks with concern, 'are you all right?' and pats them on the back. Children also gain an increasing awareness about caring for their environment and sustainability. They help to plant, pick and wash their potatoes, runner beans and tomatoes and enjoy eating them at snack time or for their lunch.

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and outcomes for children

Children's good health is supported well through the provision of balanced snacks and meals and effective hygiene procedures. They are learning how to keep This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 themselves safe. They practise the emergency evacuation procedure on a regular basis and learn the Green Cross Code supported by good props, such as a reclaimed lollipop 'stop' sign. 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 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 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 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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