Childminder in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY420656 Inspection date 02/08/2011 Inspector Janice Walker

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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 2010. She lives with her partner and three children aged 19, 17 and 14 years old in Lincoln. The home is within walking distance of local facilities and the childminder takes and collects children from local schools and pre-schools. All areas of the premises may be used for childminding purposes, although, this mainly takes place on the ground floor with toilet facilities available within this area and sleeping facilities on the first floor. There is an enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play. The family has two pet dogs.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and the voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for a maximum of six children aged under eight years at any one time, three of whom may be in the early years age range. Currently, there are four children on roll, all of whom are in the early years range. She provides care all-year-round. The childminder has a vehicle available for her use and 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 good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a warm and welcoming child-friendly home where each of them is supported and valued as an individual. The childminder's detailed range of policies and procedures help to ensure that children are safeguarded and their welfare promoted. She provides a wide variety of interesting activities and experiences and is developing systems of monitoring children's progress. Effective partnerships with parents have been established which contributes to continuity of care and learning experiences for each child. The childminder is in the early stages of using self-assessment as a vehicle to promote continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the use of self-evaluation in order to identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development that will improve the quality of the provision for all children  improve the systems for monitoring children's progress in order to be fully sure that they are making progress towards each of the early learning goals improve the systems for sharing information with other providers where the care of children is shared, to ensure that children receive an integrated approach to their care and learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The childminder provides a safe and secure environment for children. Comprehensive risk assessments help to ensure that possible hazards are identified and minimised, both indoors and outside of the home. She has a clear understanding of her responsibilities regarding child protection supported through her attendance at relevant training. Clear systems are in place to enable the childminder to respond effectively to emergency situations and robust procedures help to ensure that adults are suitable to be in contact with children. The childminder has made very strong start to her childminding business. A comprehensive and well-considered range of policies and procedures contribute to the safe and efficient management of the provision and all documentation is meticulously organised and ready to hand if needed. The childminder effectively promotes inclusion. She knows each child well and creates an environment which

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the early years provision

is warm and welcoming to all and she ensures daily routines take into account the individual needs of children attending. Good use of space enables children to eat in comfort and rest undisturbed. Well-organised toys and resources mean that children are able to make their own selections regarding their play and they freely move around exploring and investigating their chosen equipment.

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the early years provision

The childminder establishes warm and friendly relationships with parents. They receive a comprehensive range of information about the setting through a range of written documentation, including information about the childminder, her experience and other family members, along with her policies and procedures. They exchange detailed information about their child on a daily basis which means that the childminder is able to respond effectively to their rapidly changing needs. They are very well informed about their children's achievements and progress through the observations and photographic evidence in the children's daily diaries. Through her communication with parents, the childminder gains an awareness of what children are doing in other settings they attend. However, systems for sharing information with these other providers are not yet fully effective in ensuring that children receive an integrated approach to their care and learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder strives to keep abreast of current good practice through her strong links with other local childminders, along with information and support from other relevant childcare organisations and professionals. She makes good use of reflective practice to identify the strengths and areas for improvement within her provision, although, the process of self-evaluation is not yet robust enough to ensure the continuous improvement of her service as a whole.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a secure knowledge of how children learn through play. She gathers some useful information from parents at the outset. This enables her to respond to their individual needs and also helps her to establish starting points for their learning and development. She undertakes continual observations, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 meticulously recording children's interests and achievements. She regularly links observations to the six areas of learning and uses this information to identify clear next steps for their ongoing development. There is not yet a secure system in place for ensuring that children are making progress towards each of the early learning goals. The childminder provides a comfortable environment where there are a wide selection of toys and activities. Resources, such as, books, small world figures and posters reflect children's backgrounds and the wider community and

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and outcomes for children

help to raise children's understanding of the world in which they live. Planned activities, such as visits by a relative using a wheel-chair and visits to groups accessed by children with special educational needs and/or disabilities support this well.

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and outcomes for children

Children begin to develop their independence skills as they freely move around their play space selecting the toys they want to play with. They have fun playing with play dough, as younger children enjoy exploring the consistency and practising their fine motor skills as they manipulate the dough in different ways. Older children design with a purpose and show their finished products with a real sense of pride. The childminder provides high levels of support, introducing new vocabulary as children play and encouraging them to explore mathematical concepts, such as, size, shape and colour as they explore. Children particularly enjoy sand play in the garden, they pour through sieves, fill different sized containers and investigate the effect of adding water to the sand, developing their hand and eye co-ordination and discovering aspects of the natural world as they enjoy their play.

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and outcomes for children

Very high standards of cleanliness within the home along with good health and hygiene routines help to minimise the spread of infection. Young children follow routines which promote a healthy lifestyle, including daily times outdoors for fresh air and physical activity and weekly outings to the local music and movement group. Arrangements for meals are negotiated with parents and the childminder ensures each child has adequate food and nutritionally balanced meals. Children remain safe due to the childminder's competent practice, such as good security measures and vigilant supervision. Young children gain a sense of security through the warm relationships they develop with the childminder. They seek comfort and reassurance when they feel less secure and confidently express their needs and wishes, such as wanting more food or to move indoors. Daily routines, such as crossing the road or moving to the side of the cycle track when there are

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and outcomes for children

oncoming bicycles, support children in learning about possible dangers and how to stay safe. The childminder's ongoing encouragement and appropriate use of praise and reward encourages children to behave positively. Through her gentle support, young children begin to learn to look after their toys and play materials and to share and take turns. The wide variety of activities and experiences are supporting children in becoming well equipped with the skills they need in order to secure future learning. 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 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 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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