Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY417470 Inspection date 17/11/2011 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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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 lives with her husband and three children aged 12, eight and two years. She lives in the Accrington area of Lancashire. The premises are within reach of public transport, shops, parks, schools and community resources. The whole of the childminder's home is used for childminding with the main areas for care and play being the ground floor lounge, kitchen and designated playroom. Bathroom facilities are accessible on the first floor. 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 under eight years at any one time, no more than two, of which, may be in the early years age range. She currently has three children on roll who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage, the majority, of whom attend on a part time basis. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the early years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare 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 operates a well organised provision, which meets all requirements and effectively promotes children's care and learning. Children are very happy, well supported and make good progress as the childminder provides a broad range of interesting activities and experiences to help them achieve their next steps in almost all areas. She knows each individual very well because she observes closely and works very closely with parents and other professionals to provide effectively for children's continuity of care and learning. Through continual reflection and links with other childminders and early years workers, the childminder has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of her setting. She is highly motivated 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 a systematic approach to using assessment to plan learning priorities and activities tailored for each individual child's learning  strengthen monitoring and self-evaluation processes and use opportunities for continuous professional development to help further improve the quality of the provision for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The childminder has a clear awareness of safeguarding issues through training and through the development of associated procedures and documentation which are clearly linked to her Local Safeguarding Children Board. Comprehensive risk assessments of the premises and outings inform thorough practices which keep children safe. She meticulously conducts routine premises checks and keeps detailed records to evidence this. Consequently, children develop 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 to ensure they receive fresh air and exercise and she consistently implements and encourages healthy lifestyles. She holds a current paediatric first aid certificate and comprehensively maintains all required documentation.

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the early years provision

Right at the start each individual child's needs and preferences are established with their parents through a well planned settling-in process and completion of 'all about me' questionnaires. The childminder keeps parents very well informed of their child's care and what their children can do through use of daily communication diaries, which also link other professionals involved in children's care and learning. Parents are also provided with their child's learning journey on a termly basis. She displays a wealth of information so parents know about the Early Years Foundation Stage and what activities are planned for children's learning. Parents provide feedback on their child's progress and express their satisfaction with the individual service they receive. Typical comments include, my child 'loves seeing you and playing at your home' and my child is 'extremely happy attending and always comes home full of exciting news to tell me'. Their highly positive

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the early years provision

comments are used to inform the childminder's self-evaluation.

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the early years provision

The childminder's continual reflection results in a continuously developing setting, which promotes consistently good outcomes for children. She is conscientious and highly motivated and has worked hard to establish clear systems that help her provide a well organised childminding service that meets every child's needs. She accurately recognises her strengths as being the organisation of her provision along with the welcoming and stimulating environment and provision to promote children's learning. She is very aware, however, that this can be even more effective by using a more systematic process for observing what children can do in order to plan for their learning in a more focussed way for each individual. The childminder's systems for monitoring and developing her provision and her knowledge are as yet, however, narrow, and this means she occasionally overlooks providing for specific aspects of learning and opportunities to develop the provision

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a very welcoming, inclusive environment where every child matters. She promotes a sense of value for all and helps children understand This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the world they live in by displaying 'hello' signs in different languages and some attractive displays of different cultural resources. Children's 'I'm a star' photographs and artwork are attractively displayed in her home, which, along with individually labelled coat and towel hooks, gives them a clear sense of belonging in her home. The home is rich in play opportunities. Children access a wide range of good quality play materials in the designated playroom, the lounge and outside. 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

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and outcomes for children

and the things which interest them. As a result, they enjoy their time in the childminder's care and engage very well. For example, a child reluctant to experience play dough becomes interested and involved when his favourite cars are introduced to make tracks and patterns on it. In response to children's interest in collecting dry leaves on an autumnal walk, the childminder recently made a wall display using the leaves and children's autumn themed artwork to support and extend their learning. Children's interest in nature and the environment is extended when the childminder uses her garden to explore and investigate. They recently experimented growing different vegetables and salad items in tubs and older children formed part of a winning team in a community competition with eco- friendly themes. Opportunities for exploration are rich. Children make marks in messy play using a variety of different media, they dig in the sand outside or enjoy

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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. A wealth of attractive materials, including resources which make stories come to life, promotes the children's interest in books, such as 'The Gruffalo' and 'Handa's Surprise'. Children freely access mark-making tools and equipment, using the free standing easel in the playroom or using chalks outside in the garden. Inside, the print-rich environment helps them learn about writing for a purpose and outside children see numbers and letters on the soft matting used as a safety feature under large equipment. Children's self-esteem is high as the relationships with their childminder and each other are very positive. They are nurtured and feel safe to move around freely in the childminder's home. They take part in activities which help them learn about keeping themselves safe. For example, they regularly take part in emergency evacuation practices, cross with

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and outcomes for children

the 'ladypop', and have visited the local fire station. They learn about being healthy through good routines, which promote healthy lifestyles. Children are very well nourished as the childminder provides home cooked meals using a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables. At snack time children relish in the opportunity to select a rainbow of different chopped fruit from the platter. They have made their own fruit kebabs and fruit salad and match their items to the fruit poster displayed on the kitchen wall. They freely access drinking water in their own individual cups and from an early age they clean their faces with their own individual cloth after eating. Children spend time outside in the fresh air every day as the childminder uses her garden effectively to promote children's welfare and learning in all areas and because she regularly takes children out to local groups or to extend their experiences, for example, by visiting the beach or the petting farm.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder's secure knowledge of how children learn through play along with the learning, development and welfare requirements, promotes good outcomes for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the children. Clear and 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 and uses information provided by their parents. She observes and evaluates children's learning securely and uses her written observations to guide her thinking. This ensures she has a clear awareness of what children can do and what the next steps are in their stages if development. She plans many activities relevant to this, which ensures children make continual progress. However, at present, the childminder does not systematically assess what children can do in

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and outcomes for children

order to routinely re-evaluate and consistently plan activities with specific learning objectives for each individual across all areas of learning. Consequently, as yet children make better progress in some areas of learning than others. 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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