Bartle Tracy Joan

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 209727 Inspection date 12/10/2011 Inspector Diane Ashplant

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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 1991. She lives with her husband, mother and father-in-law and two children aged six and nine years in the village of Knypersley in Staffordshire. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time and is currently minding a total of six children of whom three are in the early years age range. The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children and attends other early years settings. The family have a pet dog.

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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 happy and well occupied in this welcoming family environment where their care, learning and development are generally well supported. The childminder provides an inclusive setting and works closely with parents to ensure children's individual needs are well met. She has attended a range of training to maintain continuous improvement and is beginning to use systems for evaluating her provision. Documentation for the efficient management of the provision is in place and mostly well organised. There is a good partnership in place with parents and strong links with others further support outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 review the risk assessemnt in relation to garden safety and also include procedures for fire evacuation and record details in a book of any problems encountered and how they were resolved  promote further the good health of children by minimising the risk of cross- infection, with regards to handwashing procedures.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded as the childminder has a clear understanding of her role and responsibilities to protect children from possible harm or neglect and how to pass on concerns appropriately. She has attended recent training to further develop her awareness and knowledge in this area. She also carries out other procedures to safeguard children such as safe collection and is aware that all adults around children must be either appropriately checked or fully supervised. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 She maintains a generally safe and secure environment both inside and outside and monitors this through her visual and written risk assessment procedures. She effectively adds to her risk assessment when things change, such as work to the tree house or the building of a log store in the garden. However, her checks for hazards in the garden are not fully effective and there is no written fire evacuation

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the early years provision

procedure or log which means children's safety may be compromised. The childminder has attended a range of training to support continuous improvement and has systems in place to evaluate the effectiveness of her setting. These include written testimonials from those who recognise the many benefits of her service and also annual visits from the early years development worker. All required documentation for the safe and efficient management of the setting is in place and mostly well maintained. The childminder has ordered a new set of record books to maintain a more efficient organisation of her paperwork.

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the early years provision

The childminder provides a welcoming and relaxed environment where children have easy access to a wide range of resources and regularly use outdoors to extend their play experiences. She works closely with parents to find out about children's needs before they start and to support them as they continue in her care. She has had experience of working with children with special educational needs and/ or disabilities and understands the need to liaise consistently with parents and involve support from other professionals if required. She has close links with the school and regularly talks to the teachers and exchanges information though her communication book to support children who also attend early years provision there as well as her setting. Children are invited to events at the school like the rhythm and rhyme session which helps their later transition.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents is strong and information is shared through daily discussion and the use of a daily diary if they wish. There is a range of policies which parents read through. Children take work home and parents are encouraged to view their development folders with photos and records of activities enjoyed. This helps to keep them involved in children's learning and development. The childminder uses different local amenities like the library and the park and attends the local toddler group to provide children with a wide range of play and social experiences.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled in this environment where they make positive relationships with the childminder and her family and where their welfare, learning and development are well supported. Children are learning about safety as they receive regular reminders about safe play, such as not using the trampoline when it is wet and slippery or not throwing things incase someone gets hurt. They learn about fire safety through taking part in regular fire practises and talk about the green cross code when out walking, and then have role play sessions about road safety in the garden. Their health is promoted through lots of exercise and physical play as they use they equipment like the climbing frame and swing boat outside, enjoy walks in the fresh air or dance to the music inside. They are encouraged in healthy eating, choosing from a selection of fruit from the bowl when they went This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

and or helping themselves to a drink from the jug which is always accessible on the kitchen surface. Children are encouraged in daily routines like blowing noses and taking shoes off when they come in from outside. Although they have regular reminders to wash their hands, the use of a shared towel does not effectively minimise the risk of cross-infection, therefore, this does not fully protect children's health. Children are learning to behave well as the childminder provides clear and consistent guidelines and a calm and positive example to follow. They are encouraged to share toys and to take turns while the childminder gives them appropriate explanations as to why this is necessary, using distraction and praise effectively to divert potentially challenging situations. Children benefit from attendance at other early years settings where they have different play and social experiences or they enjoy visits to the park or the shops. They have a range of

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and outcomes for children

resources to develop their understanding of the wider world and also engage in activities around particular celebrations like Chinese New Year.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a good balance of free choice and adult involvement and resources are easily accessible to promote independent play. This means children confidently access, for example, the dressing-up clothes and contently enjoy imaginary play with the dolls and the pushchairs. The childminder naturally engages with children in their play, sitting on the floor to play the conker game or sharing a favourite book. Children are developing their problem solving and reasoning skills as they build towers with the bricks, construct buildings and then decide which furniture goes in which room. Children enjoy trying to throw conkers into different coloured pots and then start to count how many succeed. Children happily choose a favourite book from the book box or develop their language skills through songs and nursery rhymes. Learning is made fun with the use of, for example, fingers puppets to count how many current buns are left. Children

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and outcomes for children

engage in different craft activities as they draw, paint, make nature collages or search in the sand to find the dinosaurs. Children are learning about nature as they help to grow and tend plants such as strawberries and sunflowers, measuring to see whose is the tallest, or explore the undergrowth is search of frogs and other mini-beasts.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder gets to know children well as she takes her time with them, giving them individual attention as she engages in their play. She observes them, taking note of their preferences so she can plan around these. She records her observations, both spontaneous and more detailed around photos of activities enjoyed, and uses these to monitor their progress and identify their next steps. These are collected, along with examples of children's work, in their folders or, more recently, logged on the computer and parents are encouraged to view these so they keep involved in their development. 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 3 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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