Kilgannon, Tracy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY427456 Inspection date 14/11/2011 Inspector Angela Rowley

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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 husband and four children aged 13, 12, eight and four years, in the Eccleston Park area of St.Helens. The whole of the ground floor, with the exception of the dining room, is used for childminding. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder transports children to and from local schools and nurseries and attends toddler groups.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five 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 four children on roll who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage and attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA).

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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's secure understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage results in a well organised provision that meets all requirements. Children are very settled and play happily. A wide range of well planned play experiences and quality interaction, enables them to make good progress in their learning and development, consistently across almost all areas. The childminder uses her partnerships positively to provide consistent care and learning opportunities for children. She is a reflective practitioner who is committed to continual development. She has a clear understanding of most of her strengths and weaknesses and has some appropriate plans for the future which are likely to further develop the quality of the provision for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the system for assessment in order to analyse and make informed decisions about each child's progress towards the early learning goals  extend awareness of food hygiene legislation to ensure the provision is meeting all responsibilities  clarify the roles and responsibilities of different agencies by ensuring that safegaurding procedures are in line with those of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

All required documentation is in place, which contributes to keeping children safe and promoting their welfare. The childminder has a secure awareness of safeguarding issues and knows how to respond to concerns or allegations of abuse, although her awareness of the roles of different agencies and her written records are not fully in line with those of the Local safeguarding Children Board to ensure the most accurate procedures. Clear risk assessments of the premises and outings inform thorough practices. Consequently, the environment is safe and gives children a clear sense of safety and security in the setting. The childminder promotes children's health and well-being securely. She routinely takes children out and provides daily outside play to ensure they receive fresh air and exercise. She consistently encourages good standards of hygiene and healthy eating habits. She has registered with her local authority as a food provider, although, has not

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the early years provision

ensured her practices are in line with the latest guidance for food providers. She holds a current paediatric first aid certificate.

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the early years provision

The childminder provides a welcoming, inclusive environment where every child matters. Right at the start, each individual child's needs and preferences are established with their parents through a well planned settling-in process. She keeps parents very well informed of their child's care through daily diaries, which are also used to inform them about children's learning needs and practical ways to help them progress. She provides parents with a wide range of documentation, so they know how the setting operates and seeks their views on the service they receive to inform her self-evaluation. Positive steps have been taken to work in partnership with other settings that children attend, linking securely with nursery practitioners to ensure children receive coherent experiences.

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the early years provision

The childminder's routine reflection results in a continually developing setting which promotes consistently good outcomes for children. She has worked hard to establish and continually develop clear systems, that help her provide a well organised childminding service and provision that meets every child's needs. Through a reflective and well evidenced self-evaluation process, she accurately recognises her strengths as being the welcoming and stimulating environment along with provision to promote children's learning, although she is very aware that this can be even more effective by using a more systematic summative assessment process.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder's secure understanding of systems to help children learn through play along with the learning, development and welfare requirements, promotes good outcomes for the children. Routine planning ensures the children receive a wide range of opportunities for play and exploration. Activities are well matched to children's learning needs and individual interests because the childminder knows them very well. She observes and evaluates children's learning and uses her This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 written observations to inform summative assessments of the progress they are making. This ensures she has a clear awareness of the next steps planned for individuals, which ensures they make continual progress in most areas. However, at present, the childminder does not always systematically track what children can do to monitor their progress and help them achieve as much as they can in every

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and outcomes for children

area of learning. Consequently, children progress at quicker rates in some areas of learning than others.

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and outcomes for children

The welcoming, play focussed organisation of the childminder's home, successfully promotes active learning and enables children to develop the skills they need for the future. Ground floor toilet facilities, personal coat pegs, along with freely accessible resources in the designated playroom, enables children to operate very independently. They access a wide range of good quality, play materials. Consequently, children are able to direct their own play and follow through their own ideas, thus, becoming independent thinkers and learners. The childminder adapts and extends equipment based on children's current stages of development and the things which interest them. As a result, they enjoy their time in the childminder's care and engage very well. For example, children spend sustained periods involved in self-chosen creative activities, decorating dinosaur shapes. Their interest and learning is reinforced and extended when the childminder then

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and outcomes for children

introduces a dinosaur story. Children listen with interest and question with intrigue. They learn about the wider world when the childminder offers developmentally appropriate explanations about dinosaurs being extinct and how we can look after our world so we don't run out of any other creatures.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder devotes her time to playing with the children and she speaks and sings with them continually. As a result, children display a strong sense of security in the childminder's care and is very familiar with their routines. Their self-esteem is high as the relationships with their childminder and each other are very positive. Their behaviour is extremely good as the childminder is calm and nurturing and consequently, children play well together, share and show care and concern. They consider theirs and each other's feelings, using charts and pictures. They frequently laugh and have fun together. Children feel safe to move around freely in the childminder's home and they take part in activities which help them learn about keeping themselves safe. For example, they regularly take part in emergency evacuation practices when they pretend to call for 'Fireman Sam' to make the process meaningful. They learn about being healthy through good

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and outcomes for children

routines, which promote healthy lifestyles. They freely access the ground floor toilet facilities and develop strong personal and social skills. Mealtimes are well organised and used as a positive occasion of social sharing. Children are well nourished and look forward to the home cooked meals that the childminder provides. Their weekly routines incorporate exercise based activities, such as, trips to the local parks and they access a wide range of play in the garden which is used as an extension of the indoor environment. Here children play imaginatively in the playhouse, paint, play skittles and golf and access a variety of large equipment, such as, scooters, slide and swings. 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 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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