Childminder in Bath and North East Somerset

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY269787 Inspection date 07/09/2011 Inspector Mary Daniel

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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 has been registered since 2003. She lives with her husband and their two children aged 10 and seven years in a detached house, situated in Paulton, Bristol. Children have use of a lounge/diner, conservatory and toilet facilities downstairs and a bedroom and toilet facilities upstairs. There is an enclosed garden available for outdoor play activities at the back of the premises. The family has one cat as a pet. Ofsted has registered the childminder on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of five children aged under eight years, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age group at any one time. There are currently 13 children on roll, of whom six are in the early years age group. Overnight care is not included within the registration. The childminder is accredited to provide nursery education for three- and four-year-old children. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association

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Description of the childminding

and 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 are extremely well cared for by the friendly, experienced childminder, who clearly understands their overall individual needs. She uses this knowledge very effectively to enhance and support their learning and development through a variety of meaningful and exciting play experiences. Friendly relationships with parents and other settings are formed and help to encourage continuity in most aspects of children's well-being. Self-evaluation is continuous and clearly helps the childminder in identifying most areas to improve, which effectively promotes outcomes for all children. Consequently ongoing improvements are well supported.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the opportunities for parents to share information on their children's developmental starting points, to fully support the initial planning of activities  develop further the systems for sharing information with other providers that children attend, to promote ongoing continuity in the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework for every child This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is effectively supported as the childminder attends ongoing training, and is knowledgeable about issues that may affect their well-being and procedures to follow should any concerns arise. Children are keen to explore the exciting play environment, which provides a great variety of play opportunities carefully aimed at supporting their individual interests and needs. Children are consulted on the use of their play areas and as a result space, toys and resources have been reorganised to support their particular ideas and needs. The childminder also uses local resources well to provide children with further exciting learning experiences. For example, they visit a nearby farm and also attend toddler groups where they can meet with their friends and develop their social skills. Children's safety is monitored through ongoing risk assessments, which help to minimise accidents. Safety measures, such as stair gates, door jammers and a fireguard,

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the early years provision

help to create a safer environment for children and risk assessments are also completed for any outings they go on. Every child is treated equally and each play activity is planned so it can be adapted to meet their specific needs and encourage their participation. The childminder has a positive approach to promoting diversity, for instance, through use of multi-cultural play resources, activities and discussions with the children. Consequently, they learn to respect the needs of others.

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the early years provision

Parents are very happy with the provision offered to their children and say the childminder provides a 'warm, safe and creative environment' in which their children are happy and settled. Parental involvement is encouraged, for instance, in contributing to their child's termly progress summary, although ways of enabling them to share more information on their child's developmental starting points are limited. Parents are kept very well informed of their child's day through use of daily diaries, emails and newsletters. Relevant written parental permissions are obtained, for example, for taking children on outings or for administering sun cream. This promotes continuity in their care. However, ways of sharing information on how children's learning and development is supported within some other settings they attend are not yet fully implemented.

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the early years provision

Recommendations set at the last inspection relating to hand washing routines and confidentiality have been suitably addressed and the childminder continues to effectively improve her practice through her ongoing training and strong systems of self-evaluation. As a result, the provision offered to children is continually changing to effectively meet and support each child's individual ideas and needs.

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and outcomes for children

Children make significant gains in their development as the childminder clearly This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 understands their individual ways of learning and supports their particular interests in play extremely well. For example, children who enjoy role play happily take their dolls with them on a favourite outing, such as a bus ride, and also buy tickets for them too. This is a fun way of helping children to learn about caring for others and effectively promotes their knowledge and understanding of their world as they explore a different environment and meet the bus driver who helps them. Children's communication skills and early mathematical awareness are also very well encouraged as children ask for their tickets and help to give out the different coins needed to pay for them. Planning systems are regularly reviewed for effectiveness and activities are firmly based on children's interests. These systems

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and outcomes for children

are highly effective in encouraging their participation in play. For instance, an interest in the seaside is followed up with children having great fun helping to make a wonderful seaside display with pictures, books and a seaside shop area. This theme is effectively extended to encourage their imaginative and creative learning skills as children enjoy making junk modelling surfboards or a speedboat, in which they go for a pretend ride across the sea. They have fun buying and selling things in their seaside shop and learn about suitable clothing to wear as they find a variety of sunhats and dress up in a wetsuit. Children's fascination with mini beasts in the garden leads to a range of interesting planned activities. For instance, they discover how these creatures live, paint pictures of them, make model spiders and read a story on bugs and insects. As a result, children are extremely well supported in developing their future skills in each area of their

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and outcomes for children

learning through their participation in a range of stimulating and purposeful play activities.

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and outcomes for children

Babies starting to crawl show great curiosity in exploring the range of different textures and sensory resources in the play areas. They spend time carefully picking up the pieces of dried pasta and putting them in and out of small plastic bottles and pots. They smile at the sound of the pasta dropping into the bottles and this activity effectively encourages their concentration and coordination skills. Babies show clear delight in rolling the colourful bottles filled with water and glitter, and watch as these move back and forth. They start to join in with the dancing and action songs their older friends enjoy, which helps them develop more control of moving their body in different ways. Children have lots of exciting opportunities to develop their number awareness, through singing songs or looking for numbers and shapes in the natural environment. For example, they count the five branches of the five tree that they see on their walks. Children respond extremely happily to

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and outcomes for children

the childminder who has a quiet, calm and friendly approach, using her skills very effectively to help each child achieve in their learning. As a consequence, children quickly gain confidence and interest in their play and are settled in the childminder's care. The childminder makes regular observations of children at play and uses these effectively to help her identify their next steps of development by building on their existing skills. As a result, children make significant progress and are provided with play activities they enjoy and that appropriately support and challenge their current abilities.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very well encouraged in developing an awareness of healthy living. For instance, they are provided with nutritious and balanced meals and are encouraged to be involved in cutting up fruit for their snacks or vegetables to go in the vegetable pie for their dinner. They go to the shops to buy some of the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 vegetables for their cooking and also grow their own, such as tomatoes, pumpkins and potatoes. This supports children very well in learning about foods that will help them stay fit and healthy. Children often go for walks and outings, which provides them with opportunities to develop their skills in running, climbing and jumping, and enables them to be out in the fresh air enjoying their play. For instance, they visit a nearby farm and walk around the maize field exploring the crops, which are very tall. They also go to a favourite park where they can learn to take risks safely

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and outcomes for children

as they develop their balance and coordination skills in their games. Children are encouraged very well in learning how to behave as the childminder has appropriate expectations. For example, on their walks she talks to children about where it is safe to cross the road and the importance of listening and looking for cars. This helps children to start developing an appropriate sense of keeping themselves safe. She also supports them well in managing their own feelings through her clear explanations of why certain behaviour is not acceptable. Children are praised often for their efforts and this helps to boost their self-esteem and encourage them in feeling secure and happy within the childminder's care. 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 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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