Childminder in Oldham

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 505088 Inspection date 12/10/2011 Inspector Barbara Wearing

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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 1994. She lives with her husband and adult child in Coppice, near Oldham. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding, with toilet facilities located on the first floor, and there is a fully enclosed rear and front garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for six children at any one time. She is currently minding three children under five years during the day and two children over five years, before and after school and in the school holidays. There are four children over eight years whom she minds on a part-time basis. The childminder is registered on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She walks to local schools to take and collect children, attends the local toddler group and takes children to the library and park. The childminder is working towards an endorsed quality assurance scheme.

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Description of the childminding

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 are confident, happy and busy and are warmly welcomed into the childminder's home. The childminder has attended training and developed various areas of her provision that have improved outcomes for children and ensured that the majority of the requirements are met. However, some required documentation was not available at inspection. An adequate choice of toys and resources are freely accessible to children. The childminder is highly skilled at interacting with children, supporting them to make choices in their play and asking questions to extend their learning. Therefore children make good progress in all areas of learning.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure all required records are easily accessible and available for inspection by Ofsted (Documentation) 02/11/2011

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further?

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

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further?

 increase the range of freely accessible toys and resources accessible to children, increasing their opportunities to independently make choices, consolidate their learning and practise their skills  ensure that the uncollected child policy shows action to take if unable to contact parents or emergency contacts This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  formalise processes for self-evaluation, taking into account parents' and children's views and ensuring areas for improvement are identified and to ensure all requirements are met.

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the early years provision

Appropriate measures are in place to promote children's safety and welfare. The childminder has a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures, which she updates through regular training. She is aware of her responsibility to inform the relevant agencies if a child is not collected and she is unable to contact parents or emergency contacts. However, this is not reflected in her uncollected child policy. Her husband and son who are both named as assistants, have undergone necessary checks. Most necessary records are in place and available at inspection. The childminder is in the process of sharing her updated policies and records with parents. These include renewed consent forms. However, she is unable to find evidence of current completed permission for emergency medical treatment. A record is kept of all medications administered to children, including parents' signature as evidence they have been informed of this. However, the childminder

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the early years provision

does not retain a copy of written permission from parents for the administration of medication. Therefore, all necessary records were not accessible or available for Ofsted at inspection. This is a breach in the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Thorough risk assessments are carried out for areas of the home used for childminding and for outings. These identify possible hazards and show action taken to reduce the risk of accidental injury.

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the early years provision

The childminder shows a strong commitment to the continued development of her provision and has gained a thorough understanding of the early learning goals. This is demonstrated in her skilful interactions with children. However, her informal self-evaluation has failed to identify gaps in the documentation that she retains. Good partnerships are established with parents, other early years professionals and other early years settings that children attend. These ensure that all children, including those with special education needs, are given support to enable them to make good progress from their individual starting points. Feedback from parents is very positive. They are able to approach the childminder with any issues or suggestions and these are taken on board. They appreciate the two-way sharing of information and feel their children are making good progress and greatly enjoy their time with the childminder.

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the early years provision

The childminder organises the day well. This ensures that all children's needs are met and that they engage in a wide range of stimulating activities, promoting all areas of development. Children are confident within the childminder's home and freely access an appropriate range of resources. The childminder supports them in accessing further toys to extend their play. For example, children decide they would like to make a den before doing the planned potato printing. The childminder asks if they would like anything to put in the den and gives them a selection of dolls to play with. Children then use their imaginations as they talk to and care for their 'babies'. Toys and resources reflect our diverse society. These promote children's understanding of similarities and differences amongst people This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 within the local and wider community. Children benefit from visits to carefully

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the early years provision

chosen early years groups, including physical play sessions and messy and creative art play sessions.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has worked hard to develop her observation, assessment and planning systems. These demonstrate her in-depth knowledge of the children and her good understanding of how children learn and of the early learning goals. Children's individual progress books show a personal account of their time with the childminder and of their achievements. These are shared with their parents. Tracking sheets are shared with other early years settings that children attend, ensuring they work together to enhance learning for children. Weekly plans detail activities and show how the childminder will support individual children, based on their interests and current abilities.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop good problem solving, reasoning and numeracy skills. In response to children noticing shapes on a wall outdoors, the childminder provides a potato printing activity with different shapes. As children's numeracy skills progress the childminder provides more challenging activities, such as, sorting different quantities of objects and encouraging children to count and calculate. Children's knowledge and understanding of world is promoted. Some children show a fascination for the progress of buildings at a local construction site. They then become engrossed in making their own buildings at the childminder's and enjoy a visit to the completed show home. Children are involved in recycling, developing good habits that promote sustainability.

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and outcomes for children

Children are confident and assertive in making their needs and preferences known. The childminder is positive in her behaviour management. She has clear and reasonable boundaries for children and calmly reminds them of these when appropriate. She is a positive role model for children and they learn to value themselves and each other. Children chat eagerly throughout the day, to each other, themselves and the childminder. The childminder listens carefully, encouraging them to extend their language as they describe past events and ask questions. Older children who attend before and after school freely access writing and mark making materials from a storage box. Younger children can only access them with the help of the childminder.

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and outcomes for children

Healthy lifestyles are promoted. Children spend time outdoors on a daily basis. Older children walk to and from nursery or school and they go on regular trips to the local park or cricket club. They enjoy a session at a local children's centre where they climb, balance, ride bikes and scooters. Home cooked, healthy meals and snacks are provided and fresh drinking water is freely accessible. Children develop skills to keep themselves safe while allowing them opportunities to take reasonable risks. The childminder praises them for strapping the doll in the buggy and reminds them that the knife she uses to cut the potato is sharp. She studies the play road map and talks in depth about the highway code to children who showed a great interest in road markings on their way home from nursery. 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 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: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 ensure records are kept, and retained for a period of two years, of any medicine administered to any child who is cared for on the premises, together with a record of parent/guardian/carer's consent (Records to be kept) (also applies to the voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 02/11/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the compulsory section of the report (Records to be kept). 02/11/2011

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