Childminder in Wakefield

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY422698 Inspection date 24/10/2011 Inspector Shazaad Ashad

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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 2011. She lives with her partner in the Rothwell area of Leeds. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. The bathroom is located on the ground floor. There is an additional diner kitchen and lounge on the first floor available for children attending after school. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than two may be in the early years age range. There are currently eight children on roll and of these seven children are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder works with an assistant. Care is provided on alternative days through the week. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to eight years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder has a recognised childcare National Vocational Qualification at level 4.

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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 settled in the childminder's care. The environment is fully inclusive and children are effectively supported. Consequently, they are making good progress in their learning and development. A comprehensive range of documentation is in place to support her service and to keep parents effectively informed. Partnerships with others are developing and are generally sound. The childminder has evaluated her practice and has identified some further areas for development. She demonstrates very good commitment to her own development.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the use of self-evaluation to maintain improvement in the setting  build upon the links established with other settings providing for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure that the education provided compliments the education received at other settings.

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the early years provision

The childminder is very aware of her responsibility to protect children from harm. She knows the appropriate procedure to follow if concerns are raised about a child's well-being or welfare. She has local and national safeguarding guidance in This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 place to use for support and referral. She has also attended a level four training course in safeguarding and the common assessment framework. She ensures that appropriate checks are carried out on visitors and an accurate time of their presence is recorded. All adults living at the property have the relevant checks in place. She has detailed records of accidents and risk assessments in place. This helps her to reduce potential risks for children inside and outside the setting.

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the early years provision

The childminder operates an inclusive practice and warmly welcomes all children into her setting. Children visit many places in their local community and access activities to support their understanding of others. This helps children recognise and value the importance of respecting one another and their differences. The childminder makes good use of the local Children's Centre and has resources and posters on display to support their children's understanding of other cultures and faiths.

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the early years provision

Arrangements with parents are good. The childminder has a close friendship with parents and they are provided with ample information of their child's day. For example, the detailed daily diaries provide information on children's activities, sleep, nappy change and other relevant details. Parents also contribute to the children's learning journeys and provide feedback through questionnaires, and receive regular newsletters. The childminder uses the information to improve her practice. However, wider partnerships are not as fully established and therefore restrict the continuity of care and learning for those children attending school. The childminder is very committed to developing her provision through training. She works closely with the local authority and has successfully obtained a recognised level 4 childcare qualification. This ensures her understanding of children's development is given high consideration. The childminder remains committed to

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the early years provision

developing her practice and is developing her use of self-evaluation. However, she has yet to develop the use of self-evaluation to rigorously monitor and evaluate her practice. This limits her understanding of fully identifying further areas for development.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals because activities and learning experiences are varied and challenging. The childminder observes and evaluates progress and identifies future learning targets. She uses this information to guide her planning of the activities she provides. Written records, accompanied by photographs, are shared with parents, making an interesting account of each child's learning journey. Children enjoy their time at the setting and achieve because high emphasis is placed on making learning fun. They are active, curious and inquisitive learners. They are able to develop a good understanding of the wider world through activities and resources that include, for example, dressing-up clothes, books, puzzles, dolls and musical instruments. They fully engage in a varied range of arts and crafts. For example, after lunch they are very keen to complete activities around 'Halloween' and prepare their work using their coloured

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and outcomes for children

markers. They confidently express their understanding of their tasks as they explain the need to change their marker pens to finish their work properly. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 There are good resources available to help children develop early skills relating to information and communication technology. For instance, children confidently take digital pictures of each other as they have fun making chocolate apples. They understand the required action to check back the pictures and ensure they are happy with them. The links between planning and observation are very good. The assessment information provides an overview of the range of activities provided under the six areas of learning. The activities show sufficient challenge and reflect many of the children's interests. The childminder's approach to matching her observations to the expectations of the early learning goals is skilled due to her

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and outcomes for children

extensive professional childcare background.

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and outcomes for children

Children move around the setting confidently which shows they feel safe and secure. They are not uncomfortable when visitors are present and are eager to talk about their ideas and interests. They display high levels of self-esteem and a strong sense of belonging. Their behaviour is very good and older children particularly enjoy helping with the younger ones. They share very well and take turns with the toys and equipment. For example, older children help the younger children with the wooden toy set and clear the way for them to move freely around them. Children's understanding of keeping safe is enhanced as they take part in practising the frequent emergency evacuation procedure and by attending the road safety sessions at the Children's Centre. They are well supported to develop a good understanding of health and hygiene, for example, through effective personal care procedures. They enjoy regular exercise and access to physical play

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and outcomes for children

opportunities. They are supported very well in this area as the childminder very actively promotes the importance of physical activity. For example, they participate in numerous outings and in activities that encourage movement and mobility, such as, visits to the local Children's Centre, playgroups and local recreational play areas. They are encouraged to make purposeful movements by independently moving across the play areas and reaching out to access the toys that they like to play with. The children are provided with very healthy foods and make healthy choices in relation to food. The childminder provides healthy home-cooked foods and these are supplemented with vegetables and fruit. Today children have vegetables with their corned beef hash and a yoghurt dessert. They understand the importance of portions as they explain another spoon will make them full. Children take part in activities that develop their understanding on healthy food as

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and outcomes for children

they refer to the display poster in the eating area. 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 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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