Childminder in Islington

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY222771 Inspection date 17/10/2011 Inspector Maria Conroy

p.1

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.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 2003. She lives with her children who are aged 14, 13 and five years, in Islington, in the borough of Islington. The family live on the second floor of a block of flats, accessible by both stairs and a lift. The lounge, bathroom and kitchen are the main areas used for childminding. There is no garden, but the childminder takes children to the local parks.

p.4

Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time; of these, no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding one child in the early years age range. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, children are happy, very settled and the childminder is becoming familiar with their individual needs and interests. She has begun to identify her strengths and weakness; however, the process of self evaluation has yet to be fully established, as a result not all areas for future development are identified. They include the development of the observation process to use the information obtained to plan challenging activities and the use of open ended questions to make children think for themselves. The childminder is keen to make further improvements to enhance the overall quality of the service she provides

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 pose carefully framed open-ended questions, such as 'How can we...? or 'What would happen if...?' to encourage children to think for themselves and extend their learning  develop further the process of observing children to assess the progress they are making and to plan their next steps through challenging learning experiences  develop systems for self-evaluation as the basis of ongoing review and quality improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.4

the early years provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of how to protect and safeguard the children in her care. She shows a suitable understanding of the steps to be taken should she need to liaise with the relevant agencies. She has undertaken a training course in safeguarding, which has helped to update her skills and knowledge in this area. Policies and procedures promote equality and diversity and are shared with parents when they place their child; this ensures that they are familiar with the practices the childminder has in place. Risk assessments are undertaken on the premises, both indoors and outdoors, which enables the childminder to put preventative measures in place to protect children.

p.5

the early years provision

The childminder is keen to make further improvements to enhance the overall quality of the service she provides. She has begun to identify her strengths and weaknesses. However, this is still in its very early stages and has yet to be fully developed in order to identify all areas for improvement. She seeks feedback from parents as she verbally communicates with them on a regular basis and has obtained positive references from them. The childminder has attended a number of training courses since her previous inspection. This shows sufficient commitment to maintaining continuous improvement.

p.5

the early years provision

The toys and equipment are well organised at a low level to enable children to make independent choices of what they want to play with. They are attractively set up for children on their arrival, encouraging them to participate in the activities provided. The childminder sits with the children and actively engages in their play. However, she is less confident about asking open-ended questions to make children think for themselves. The play area is attractively decorated with various posters, children's work and the childminder's certificates, making it a welcoming and inclusive environment for both children and parents.

p.5

the early years provision

The childminder has developed a positive relationship with the children and their families. She encourages the children to settle well by spending time with them and participating in their play. The childminder has found out about children's individual needs, including health and dietary needs from parents, and ensures she is meeting those needs at all times. She has begun to incorporate resources that promote positive images of diversity, such as dolls of different cultures, books and posters. The childminder keeps parents updated verbally on a daily basis, ensuring that they are aware of what their child has been doing. Parents have access to policies and procedures and have signed all the relevant consent forms. The childminder has an awareness she must work in partnership with other professionals, however the children have yet to begin their placement in another setting. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.5

and outcomes for children

The childminder has a suitable knowledge of the learning and development and welfare requirements and Early Years Foundation Stage. She has developed policies and procedures which support her daily practices. The childminder has begun to undertake the process of observation, to help her find out what the children like to do. However, this is still in its very early stages and she has yet to identify children's next steps in their learning, to support her in planning challenging activities to promote their individual learning needs.

p.6

and outcomes for children

A range of activities are provided to promote the six areas of learning. Children's progress in communicating, literacy and skills relating to information and communications technology are suitably promoted. They have use of a variety of toys and enjoy listening to stories; they count the animals and are beginning to recognise shapes through activities they participate in. This promotes the skills they require when they move on to school. They enjoy making music with a variety of instruments, including guitar, bells and shakers. Children use their imagination when they play with the animals, as they give them their dinner and they feed their baby with her bottle to stop her crying.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children have developed a sense of security and belonging as the childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment. They are learning to understand boundaries that are in place to keep them safe; for example, they practice fire drills, enabling them to become familiar with the process. Children are learning to have a healthy lifestyle; they are provided with regular opportunities to play outside in the local park, where they have the opportunity to engage in a range of physical activities. Children are encouraged to follow hygiene procedures, such as washing their hands before and after they eat their food.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are developing their confidence and building strong relationships within the setting. Children are learning to respect their environment by taking part in tidy up time, where they put the toys away in the well-organised storage systems. Children receive regular praise from the childminder, who speaks to them in a gentle, reassuring voice, giving them a sense of security, enabling them to participate in the learning environment. Their art work is displayed on the wall, giving them a sense of achievement and promoting their self esteem. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.6

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.7

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

p.7

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.7

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 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

p.7

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

p.7

Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

p.7

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

p.7

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.8