Leicester Community Academy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 132781 Inspection date 23/08/2011 Inspector Timothy Butcher

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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 1993. She lives with her husband and teenage children in Keynsham, Bristol. The whole of the ground floor of the property is used for childminding except for a rear bedroom and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight at any one time, of these three may be in the early years and of these one may be under one year. The childminder is currently caring for three children within the early years age range. The childminder walks to the local school to take and collect children. The family have rabbits and also fish in a tank.

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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

Children are happy, relaxed and settle with the childminder who ensures that they have their individual care needs suitably met. The childminder has an appropriate knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and children make satisfactory progress in their learning and development although the assessment system requires further development. They have a homely and suitably safe environment in which to play. The childminder establishes suitable partnerships with parents although review processes have yet to be fully implemented and wider partnerships are under developed. The childminder demonstrates the capacity to maintain gradual and continuous improvement although her system of self- assessment lacks some rigour.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the system of observational assessment to more closely identify children's next steps in development and to use this information to inform the planning of their play and learning experiences  develop systems of self-evaluation further to help form an accurate appraisal of the settings effectiveness to further extend children's learning and development  develop wider partnerships with other settings who also provide care to the children that are minded to provide greater continuity of care and learning for children when this becomes appropriate  review the procedures for sharing information with parents so that they become well informed about children's achievements and progress. 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 has a satisfactory understanding of her safeguarding responsibilities and children have their welfare appropriately protected. The childminder carries out an adequate assessment of risk of the premises and for taking children on outings; and as a result, children enjoy a suitably safe environment in which to play.

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the early years provision

The childminder suitably promotes equality and diversity because she has a sound knowledge of each child's background that results in the clear identification of children's needs, care requirements and home routines. There is a suitable exchange of day-to-day information with parents through time set aside for discussion. This contributes to the continuity of care for children. Some information about children's overall progress is shared, although not always comprehensively enough and not on a sufficiently regular basis for parents to be well informed about the progress that their children are making. The childminder is aware of the need to establish partnerships with other settings who also provide care to the children that she minds when this becomes appropriate.

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the early years provision

Resources are sound, fit for purpose and able to support children's all round development. An adequate range of toy resources are put out for children and others are stored in boxes to be accessible. Some of these boxes have written labels for ease of access for older children. However, this is not an aid for younger children. The childminder uses the available space well to provide activities to be of interest to children and to achieve some of the planned goals in their learning and development. Further attention is required to link the planning and provision of activities to match the identified goals in children's learning and development. The childminder makes regular use of groups and visits out to provide variety and additional activities for children.

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the early years provision

Some reflective practice takes place as seen through the training that the childminder has undertaken; and toy resources have been improved to the benefit of children. The recommendations from the last inspection have each been carried out. Policies and procedures have been updated and support the safe and smooth running of the provision although some require further work. More searching analysis is required to make the process of evaluation more rigorous and to make future actions more effective in improving the outcomes for children. Children are currently making satisfactory progress.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a suitable understanding of child development, which she uses to help children make satisfactory progress in their learning and development across each required area of learning. The childminder has an adequate knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and a growing understanding of how to apply This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 it. The childminder makes suitable observations of what children do and identifies some of their next steps in development accurately. Information about children's progress is gathered inconsistently. There remains room for improvement in this area, to more consistently identify children's next steps in development; and to better use the information to plan activities to help children progress more quickly.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from the warm interactions with the childminder, who provides lots of cuddles and close contact. They demonstrate that they are settled, feel safe and show a suitable sense of belonging through their smiles, responses and the relaxed way they go about their play. They build sound relationships with the childminder, who is kind and attentive. Children enjoy and achieve because they are able to make some choices from the resources put out for them and begin to show a positive disposition towards learning. They are suitably adventurous and enjoy finding out what they can do, for example they confidently attempt to sit on the booster chair, testing their climbing skills as they do so. The childminder brings the seat to floor level and provides simple explanation about being safe. Thus children from an early age are suitably prompted to think about safety and are beginning to understand how to keep safe in the setting. They have an adequately

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and outcomes for children

safe and child-friendly environment in which to play, for instance, safety gates are in place to prevent them straying into areas unsupervised.

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and outcomes for children

Overall, children secure the early skills they require in order to progress their learning and make satisfactory progress in their language, literacy and numeracy skills. The childminder keeps up a conversation with children to suitably stimulate their responses and to develop their communication skills. They begin to vocalise and to imitate those around them, repeating back sounds. They listen to nursery rhymes and enjoy books together at story time. Children develop their matching and coordination skills using puzzles that provide suitable challenge. They begin to learn about shape, colour and number when handling construction bricks. Written observations show that they make marks in a broad range of creative activities both within the childminder's home and at toddler groups with paints, play dough and crayons. Younger children have suitable resources to help them learn the fundamental skills in the use of information communication technology such as

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and outcomes for children

Children appropriately learn about the world around them. The childminder makes discerning use of visits out to the park and to local groups to ensure a balanced range of experiences for children. They enjoy suitable opportunities to get fresh air, to develop their physical skills and to be active. They learn about nature and how things grow over time such as when planting sunflowers from seed; and begin to explore capacity and texture as they scoop, pour and fill containers of soil. Young children's health, physical and dietary needs are adequately met because the childminder is well organised. They benefit from secure care routines because the childminder ensures there is a useful two way exchange of information each day about the care arrangements. The childminder undertakes sensible procedures that protect children from the spread of infection, such as, through suitable nappy changing routines. They cosily sit with the childminder to use feeding cups and

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and outcomes for children

show upon waking that they are happy and content. 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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