Gardner Sharon Lesley

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 504839 Inspection date 29/09/2011 Inspector Hazel White

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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 1980. She lives in the Coventry area of the West Midlands with her husband and two children aged 17 and 13 years old. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family has a bearded dragon and a guinea pig.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. There are currently six children attending. Five are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The majority attend on a part-time basis. The childminder 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 play in a homely environment where care is tailored to meet their individual needs. The childminder has a clear understanding of the learning and development requirements and as a result, children are making good progress in their learning. Exceptional partnerships are in place with parents and the childminder is beginning to liaise with other early years settings. Safety is addressed well and clear systems are in place to protect and promote children's welfare. The childminder demonstrates a positive attitude and commitment to continuous development, although, systems for self-evaluation are still being developed.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further communication methods between settings to help ensure that children's needs are met and there is continuity in their learning  use self-evaluation to identify strengths and priorities for development that will improve the quality of provision for all children.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded well because the childminder has a good understanding of her role and responsibilities in protecting children from harm. This includes reporting any concerns and sharing the child protection policy with parents. Effective vetting procedures are in place to ensure that adults in the household are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 suitable to be in contact with the children. The childminder conducts comprehensive risk assessments and they clearly demonstrate what action is taken to minimise risks to children in all areas of the home and on outings. Consequently, this has a positive impact on children's well-being. The childminder maintains ratios at all times. Children benefit from familiar daily routines and flexible planning allows them to follow their own interest and ideas. They have good levels of supervision and enjoy the individual attention that they receive. The

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the early years provision

childminder's home is exceptionally well-organised and very welcoming. Children freely access an abundance of toys and activities which are attractively stored at a low level. This successfully develops their independence. They are encouraged to develop an understanding of each others' differences as they have access to dolls, books and role play resources which reflect our diverse world.

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the early years provision

The childminder works exceptionally well with parents and relationships are open, honest and trusting. An informative pack of policies and procedures provide parents with detailed information about the childminder's service. The childminder encourages parents to share in-depth details about their children's individual needs and development from the onset. Effective settling-in arrangements ensure children settle quickly and are happy to be left. Parents are kept up-to-date with their child's progress because they have easy access to their individual learning journeys. In addition, they have a daily dairy and a wonderful photograph album which captures the children's involvement in various activities. All required written parental consents are obtained and consequently, children are cared for according to their parents' wishes.

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the early years provision

The childminder is aware of the benefits of establishing and maintaining positive links with other professionals involved in the care and education of the children and is beginning to develop systems to ensure coherence of learning, as well as care. She is committed to providing a good quality service to children and their families. For example, she has vastly improved the outdoor area so that children can benefit from exercise and fresh air in all weathers. Recommendations raised at the last inspection have been addressed. Records are confidentially kept and highchairs replaced to further ensure children's safety. Although, she regularly reflects on the service that she provides, a process for evaluating the strengths and areas for improvement of the setting has not been fully implemented.

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and outcomes for children

Children are settled and content in the childminder's care. They have an extensive range of resources and activities which help them to make good progress in their learning and development. Toys are very easily accessible and children have excellent use of the garden. The childminder plans a good range of topics and themes to ensure children learn and have fun. For example, they visit the train station, discuss different types of transport and whether or not they move along the ground, on a track or in the air. The childminder makes frequent observations of children's play. These are linked well to the areas of learning and effectively used to plan for the child's next steps in their learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The childminder joins in with the children's spontaneous play and talks to them sensitively to encourage their language development. Books are accessible and

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and outcomes for children

well used. Children develop their physical skills as they learn to hold crayons and paint brushes and manoeuvre wheeled toys. Shape sorters and construction sets help children to problem solve. Children are able to express themselves as they play with role play equipment. They enjoy pretending to make cups of tea and write shopping lists before taking their dolls for a walk. Children are encouraged to be creative and experiment. They learn why some objects sink in water and others float and how applying heat to food changes the consistency.

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and outcomes for children

Children are able to make choices about their play and explore their environment independently. Visits to the local park, children's centre and various groups teach children about the community and the wider world. Books, play figures and multi- cultural dolls promote positive images of race, gender and ability. In addition, they examine the texture of noodles and perform the dragon dance in celebration of Chinese New Year. Children learn to play together and socialise and the childminder talks to them about sharing and being kind to each other.

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and outcomes for children

Children have daily opportunities to play in the garden and be in the fresh air. Their physical skills are enhanced as they access a range of climbing equipment and wheeled toys. They examine and identify ladybirds and centipedes as they walk across fields and show great interest in the childminder's bearded dragon. Well-established daily routines ensure that children develop good hygiene practices, they are reminded to wash their hands before meals and snacks and when returning from outdoor play. Drinks are readily available and children receive healthy meals and snacks which their parents prepare. Children are developing a good understanding of how to stay safe. For example, whilst out walking, children learn how to walk safely on the pavement and learn about road safety as the childminder talks to the children about the highway code. They practise the fire evacuation procedure regularly and are aware of the boundaries that are in place

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and outcomes for children

to keep them safe. 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 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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