Childminder in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY422722 Inspection date 01/08/2011 Inspector Mary Henderson

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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 2011. She lives with her husband and two children in a house in Chester. The whole ground floor a first floor bedroom of the childminder's house are used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time. There are currently two children on roll within the early years age range. The childminder collects children from the local school and attends toddler groups on a regular basis. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. 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

There are good relationships between the childminder and the parents and their children. Relationships between the childminder and other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage are also strong. Risk assessment is good and all indoor and outdoor areas and outings are used to extend children's learning across all areas of their development. Most systems to evaluate the provision are in place. Most systems to ensure children's continued achievement are also in place.

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further?

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

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further?

 use observations to plan for children's next steps across all areas of their learning and development  ensure all parents are fully included in the self-evaluation procedures of the setting.

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the early years provision

Positive relationships between the childminder and the parents and other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage are fostered well, which promotes inclusion for all children on roll. The childminder makes good use of all available space, equipment and resources to ensure children can make choices about the activities they want to involve themselves in. The childminder has devised profiles on the children which include observations of children's learning and development. However, not all observations are used to plan children's next steps in their development across all areas of their learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The childminder has a good understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The self-evaluation systems in place include input from the children and the identification of the provision's strengths and areas

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the early years provision

for further improvement. However, the parents are not yet fully included in the procedures.

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the early years provision

Risk assessment systems include all indoor and outdoor areas and all outings undertaken by the children. The children are safeguarded well because the childminder has a good understanding of the policies and procedures to be followed. All adults are suitably checked and vetted.

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the early years provision

Engagement with parents is good. There are verbal and written two-way exchanges of information to ensure each child's needs are identified and met. Parents have free access their child's developmental files and, therefore, information about their child's ongoing progression over time. Parents also have free access to the written policies and procedures of the setting.

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and outcomes for children

Children observe, find out about and identify features in the place they live and the natural world. Regular outings to places of interest enhance all aspects of children's learning and progression. They enjoy visiting the local nature park where they look for insects and notice the changing seasons as they look at plants and trees. They also like to visit a venue where they play mini golf, chasing the ball, feeling the texture of the surfaces and the bark and talking about their findings. The childminder takes the children to the local library to support their current and ever-changing interests, choosing story and reference books to take back to the setting. Children enjoy visiting the park where they look at nature and feed the ducks. They also like to visit the local children's centre and attend childminder groups to play with different resources, involve themselves in creative and home corner play and socialise with peers and adults around them. This supports their

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and outcomes for children

personal, social and emotional development. While on local walks the children notice shapes, letters and numbers around them in their environment.

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and outcomes for children

The children recognise the importance of keeping healthy and those things which contribute to this. They are provided with a well-balanced diet which includes lots of vegetables and fruit and they help themselves to drinks of water throughout the day. Children know to wash the germs off their hands before eating and after visiting the toilet, doing so independently or supported by the childminder, depending on their stage of development. The children have an awareness of why they need to be physically active because they talk about the benefits of activity on their bodies. This is extended as they plant, grow and harvest their own vegetables, eating them raw and cooked at meal times. Opportunities for children's physical play is good as they move freely between the indoor and outdoor areas as they wish, accessing their trikes and other physical equipment and running around in the fresh air. The children have good opportunities to use large and small

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and outcomes for children

equipment, such as slides and climbing frames, because they enjoy regular outings to the local parks and to soft play barns where they can jump, run and be freely This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 active with their peers.

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and outcomes for children

The children find out about and use information and communication technology and programmable toys to support their learning. They enjoy playing with various battery operated toys, pushing the buttons and watching the lights flash. Children's problem solving is fostered as they count in everyday routines and as they build with construction toys and put tracks together for their trains and cars.

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and outcomes for children

Children use a range of tools and equipment as they enjoy their creative activities. They paint with brushes, cut and roll the dough and make marks with pencils and crayons. Children behave well and have a high regard for their peers and the childminder. They show good levels of feeling safe and secure in their environment as they seek comfort and praise from the childminder and as they independently make choices about what they want to do. They are also introduced to visitors to the setting, which further supports their sense of feeling safe in their environment. The children learn about keeping safe as they learn to cross the road on outings and become involved in the fire evacuation procedures of the setting. They laugh and have fun with their peers and the childminder, showing a good sense of belonging to the setting.

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and outcomes for children

Children have a developing respect for their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people. They play with a good range of toys and resources that depict positive images of diversity, including dressing up, playing with various dolls and small world people and reading story and reference books. Resources also reflect positive images of disabled people. 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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