Castle Academy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 144483 Inspection date 12/10/2011 Inspector Jill Nugent

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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 registered in 1993. She lives with her husband and one adult child in a house in the Cambridge Heath area of the London Borough of Hackney. Children have access to a secure garden for outdoor play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for a maximum of four children aged under eight at any one time. Currently she is minding two children, one of whom is in the early years age group and one on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. She 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

The childminder provides a welcoming and relaxed environment for children where they enjoy a variety of interesting play activities. She promotes children's welfare effectively so that children keep safe and healthy in her care. She enthuses children through her friendly interaction, taking many opportunities to move them on in their learning. The childminder works closely with parents in order to meet children's individual needs appropriately. She is committed to the continual improvement of her practice through the help of professional advice and extra training.

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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 next steps to focus future planning around suitable learning opportunities for children across all areas of learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder's documentation is very well organised and provides a good framework for her practice. She has effective procedures in place to promote the safeguarding of all children in her care. She regularly updates her training in safeguarding and knows what to do if she has any concerns relating to child protection. She maintains a record of the ongoing risk assessments of the premises and organises regular evacuation practices. There are various safety measures in place in her home so that children feel safe and secure. All documentation relating This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 to health and safety is well maintained. The childminder is vigilant concerning children's safety on outings and she teaches children how to keep themselves safe.

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the early years provision

There is a good working partnership with parents which contributes to children's well-being. Parents receive useful information about the childminder's provision and are asked to share information about the development of their children, when new to the childminder's care. As a result she is able to offer suitable learning experiences for children to support their skill acquisition and move them on in their learning. She shares children's learning profiles with parents to encourage them to become involved in their children's progress. She creates photographic records of events and people in children's lives to strengthen her links with the family. She is aware of the need to work in partnership with other professionals and providers to provide continuity of care for children at all times. The childminder uses self-evaluation effectively to help her reflect on her practice and highlight areas for further improvement. She has joined the local childminding

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the early years provision

network and has benefited from the support of the coordinator in developing her paperwork and aspects of her childcare practice. She makes the most of opportunities for further training and has attended a wide range of courses to increase her knowledge and understanding of child care and development. She promotes an inclusive environment and spends her time with the children, either arranging outings to playgroups or enhancing children's play at home. Children have plenty of space to move around in her home, choosing from a variety of good-quality and attractive resources.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very happy in the setting. They are well behaved and develop close relationships with the childminder, often recalling events they have enjoyed together, such as a shopping trip. They like to make their own choices, thereby becoming independent learners. The childminder offers very good support, encouraging children to be active and creative in their participation. They are able to follow up their own interests and often have fun with the childminder as she takes their lead, turning play situations into learning experiences. For example, children show much interest in books, puzzles and imaginative play. The childminder engages them in conversation, asking open-ended questions to encourage them to think and reflect. She makes good use of songs and rhymes to develop their communication skills in an enjoyable and fun way.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is adept at building on children's experiences to reinforce and extend their learning. For instance, when playing games or reading stories, she involves children in talk and self-discovery. Consequently children gain much self- confidence and are keen to try different activities. They gain useful skills for the future, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy, and an awareness of the wider world. The childminder creates individual learning profiles for children which provide attractive visual records of their learning over time. She notes observations This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 of children's learning in different situations in order to plan their next steps. However, she is not yet using her observations fully in order to identify a wide range of next steps to help her support children's progress across all areas of learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very well settled and feel secure in the childminder's care. They are reminded about her rules for health and safety, for example, sitting down when eating, so that they understand how to keep themselves safe. They play together harmoniously but also benefit from the individual attention of the childminder, for example, when other children are at school. The childminder offers a variety of healthy foods at snack and mealtimes so that children are increasingly aware of how to keep healthy. Children enjoy outdoor play and visits to local parks where they find out about the natural environment. They have good opportunities at the local children's centres to learn about keeping healthy and safe through a variety of activities, for example, making pizzas. In addition they have exciting learning opportunities on trips to museums, the library or city farm. 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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