Childminder in EssexOfsted inspection, 2 Nov 2011

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY357082 Inspection date 02/11/2011 Inspector Susan Ennis

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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 2007. She lives with her husband and two children aged four and six in Harlow, Essex, close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The whole of the childminder's house is used for minding and there is access to a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The family has one rabbit.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder provides care on each weekday during term time and school holidays. She is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of two children in the early years age range and is currently minding two children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years and is registered on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Children on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register share the same facilities as those on the Early Years Register.

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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 offers a safe, secure and welcoming environment in which all children thrive and where their development is consistently promoted. Her flexible planning ensures that the children's interests are followed and that they enjoy their time with her. The childminder builds trusting relationships with parents, promoting a continuity of care for all concerned. Through reflecting on her practice, the childminder has a picture of her areas for improvement. She is therefore able to make effective changes to improve the daily care and experiences for the children she looks after. She demonstrates a high commitment to her childminding and is enthusiastic about making and sustaining improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the use of observations, assessments and planning to demonstrate children's good progress towards the early learning goals.

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the early years provision

Effective safeguarding policies and procedures ensure that children are well protected. The childminder has a detailed knowledge of child protection, having attended additional training to update her knowledge, and has the required contact numbers in place for dealing with concerns should they arise. She ensures that anyone coming into contact with the children is suitable to do so and has arranged emergency cover should she not be able to care for the children herself. The childminder has a high level of awareness regarding children's safety when out and about. Children are consistently made aware of safety precautions as they discuss This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 road and stranger awareness. The childminder carries cards informing anyone that finds them that the children with her may not be her own. She gives similar cards to parents stating that their child is with a registered childminder, protecting

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the early years provision

children's safety if an incident or accident were to occur.

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the early years provision

A close and trusting partnership with parents and carers ensures that all relevant information is shared and a consistent approach given. Detailed documentation ensures that parents are fully informed about the childminder's policies and procedures, detailing her working ethos and good practice. Daily interaction, use of a daily diary and regular sharing of children's learning journals ensures that parents are fully informed about their children's day. Some parents contribute a photograph album about their child that can be shared and looked at whilst at the childminders. The childminder works effectively with other settings attended by the children. She shares relevant information and ensures a consistency of care by, for example, meeting with the children's key worker to discuss their progress.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a positive understanding of anti-discriminatory practice, enabling her to provide a service which is inclusive for all children and families. She works closely with parents to ensure that she understands each child's background, needs and beliefs. The childminder sensitively helps children learn and understand about the society in which they live. For example, celebrations of festivals, such as Chinese New Year when children copy Chinese symbols and writing, are built into planning. An inspiring range of resources develop children's understanding. They play with dressing-up clothes, developing their knowledge of how others dress, use a toy bus with a ramp and wheelchair, and read books such as 'PC Polly' and 'Save The Tooth Fairy.'

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the early years provision

Children's individual development is skilfully promoted because the childminder has effective procedures in place to support, monitor and evaluate their progress. The superb range of resources is actively used and the inclusive, child-friendly environment is extremely conducive to children's learning. Children are able to self- select toys from the labelled storage boxes in the designated play room and a newly arranged room layout ensures that they can move freely between different areas under supervision. The childminder makes excellent use of local amenities, such as the library, local museum and childminder group, where she exchanges good practise ideas with other providers and the children learn to interact and play alongside their peers.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a genuine enjoyment for her work and is committed to improving the outcomes for children. She attends training to update her childcare knowledge and regularly reads childcare publications to ensure that her practise is current and up to date. The childminder consistently evaluates her daily practice and is pro-active in making changes where she feels they are required. She reacts positively to the inspection process and plans to use the self-evaluation form as an ongoing tool to highlight her strengths and areas for improvement. Parents and children share their thoughts through use of verbal interaction and written questionnaires. They demonstrate their satisfaction through comments, such as 'We are extremely happy with the service. The children look forward to their visits and are sad if there are any weeks that they cannot come.' Children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

record 'you are very good at looking after me and the other children' and identify that playing the 'monsters' game with all the children is their favourite.

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and outcomes for children

Children are consistently offered a wide range of opportunities that support them in making good progress across the areas of learning and development. The childminder flexibly plans activities around the children's interests and free play choices. For example, when children choose to use the play dough. The childminder extends their problem solving as she encourages them to think how they can remove dried dough from the play dough ice cream machine. She suggests something long and thin which the children find in the tool box. They try to resolve the problem and then move on to making white dough frosting for their ice cream developing their creative skills as they do so.

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and outcomes for children

Good quality information is initially gained from parents at the start of the placement telling the childminder about, for example, the children's home lives, likes and dislikes. This information is then used to feed into children's initial assessments. The childminder knows the children very well. Each child has a learning journal in which the childminder makes effective use of observations, photographs and assessments to enable her to build on what the children know and plan their next steps and stages of development. However, it is currently difficult to see all the areas of learning covered by an activity and how children's next steps are incorporated into planning. Therefore children's development is not optimally promoted.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder uses her experience and knowledge of child development to plan activities that progress children's learning and stimulate their ideas. They experiment with weighing scales, watching the needle move as they add more items and enjoy comparing the size of their feet to those of the childminder and their friends. They develop their understanding of the natural world as they go for autumn walks, carry out some leaf rubbing and collect leaves to stick onto paper at a later stage. Children's emotional development is well promoted as they develop secure and trusting relationships with the childminder and their friends. They are also learning about the care of others as they help the childminder feed the family rabbit. The childminder acts as a positive role model and assists the children in learning and making the right decisions.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health is actively promoted as the childminder takes effective steps to minimise the spread of infection. Children develop a positive attitude to a healthy lifestyle as they, for example, know to wash their own hands after using the toilet and are sensitively reminded by pictures displayed in the bathroom. They are learning where different foods come from as they participate in the planting and nurturing of fruit and vegetables, such as potatoes, blueberries and pumpkins. They are also encouraged to try different foods at snack time. When children are hesitant to try a plum the childminder says 'Don't eat that plum will you as I was going to eat that' to which the children's response is to immediately place it in their own mouth and eat it. Children are becoming aware of their own safety as they This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 discuss topics such as Guy Fawkes, learning that 'you need to stand back cause its

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and outcomes for children

very burny' and regularly take part in the emergency fire drill. 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 1 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: 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 that the safeguarding policy includes the procedure to follow if there was an allegation made against yourself or a member of the household (Arrangements for safeguarding children)(also applies to the voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 16/11/2011

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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 Childcare Register part of the report (Arrangements for safeguarding children). 16/11/2011

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