Childminder in Essex

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 203257 Inspection date 14/09/2011 Inspector Barbara Stanley

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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 was registered in February 1999. She lives with her two children aged 10 and 16 in Harlow, Essex. The whole of the ground floor is available for the children. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years; of these, not more than three may be in the early years age group, and of these, not more than one may be under one year at any one time. She is currently minding four children in the early years age group, one of whom is full- time and the others are part-time. She is also registered on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder drives to local schools to drop off and collect children. She may also take some children to their after school activities. The childminder joins in a music and movement group at the local children's centre and on occasion attends the local childminders' network group. The family has a dog, two guinea pigs and fish. Her opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder has been awarded a Level 3 National Vocational Qualification and holds a current paediatric First Aid certificate. The childminder is a member of an approved childminding network. She is currently receiving early education entitlement for one child.

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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

All children make good progress in their learning and development because the childminder has a sound knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and effectively implements its principles. Where children's individual needs and interests are identified they are used to support the children to learn and achieve. Ensuring equality and diversity is a key feature in this setting. The safeguarding of children is good and all relevant policies and procedures are in place. Children are encouraged to be healthy and to become independent in their skills and learning. The childminder has an effective self-evaluation system, which promotes the development of the setting as a whole and will support better outcomes for children.

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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 assessments to plan the next steps in a child's developmental progress to support all areas of learning and development. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded and well protected in the setting because the childminder has safeguarding policies and procedures in place. She is, therefore, protecting the children from harm and has the skills to manage any concerns she may have about a child in her care. This means that the children are able to freely express themselves and engage in meaningful and stimulating activities and so enhance their learning and development and achievement of the early learning goals.

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the early years provision

The childminder is effective in reviewing and updating the risk assessments in and around the setting, which allows the children to move about freely, accessing toys and equipment to follow their own line of enquiry or consolidate their learning. Risk assessments for outings are checked and because of the good link she has with another childminder, they often go on outings together to further ensure the children's safety.

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the early years provision

The childminder is knowledgeable about the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses the principles well to support children in their learning. The indoor environment is well utilised and the children move about freely and are able to access much of the outdoor area without direct supervision. This allows the children to follow their own interests which enhances their engagement and improves their learning. The children access an exciting range of excellent resources. Consequently, their ability to learn and make progress across all six areas of learning is very well supported.

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the early years provision

The childminder is very aware of her strengths and weaknesses. She continually looks for ways to improve her provision for the children and has set herself a number of well thought out targets. For example, she has accessed training to support children with English as an additional language in order to support a child in her setting and enhance understanding of equality and diversity in all the children. She has addressed previous recommendations promptly and effectively, which further supports her drive to secure improvements to her practice.

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the early years provision

The childminder forms close working relationships with parents. She obtains useful information about each child before they start at her setting through an 'All about me' form, letter about their child from the parent, or records of the child from another setting. This means that parents' wishes and children's individual needs are effectively met. Parents become involved in their child's learning through participating in home projects and each child is well supported in making progress towards the early learning goals. Effective relationships with another childminder and other professionals involved with the children are established and contribute well to supporting children's welfare and learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder readily adapts group activities to ensure that all children can access them. An effective equal opportunities policy is regularly reviewed, which means that the individual needs of all children are met and all children are included fully in the life of the setting. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The children have a good relationship with the childminder and feel safe within the environment which is clearly demonstrated by the way they move about freely both indoors and out, independently accessing toys and equipment. This is evident in the way children access toys such as the doctor's set from the shelf in the playroom and bring it into the sitting room to play. They further enhance their own play by adding more toys to support their ideas. Children also freely access the outdoor area when they want to. The children can use tools and equipment, knowing that the childminder is nearby to support them, such as, in the pouring of paint and cutting up of vegetables.

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and outcomes for children

Children are given many opportunities to be outdoors through the free access to the garden and through the outings they go on throughout the year, such as, the Woburn Safari Park and Barleylands Farm. They are encouraged to be outdoors in all weathers and appropriate clothing and shoes are provided to support this. There is a dedicated area in the garden with a climbing frame, see-saw and other large motor equipment. Consequently, children's physical skills are developed.

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and outcomes for children

Children are effectively encouraged to be healthy and make healthy choices. For example they are involved in growing their own vegetables in their own little allotment in the back garden. Through this, the childminder not only exposes the children to foods they may not have encountered before, but gives them the opportunity to discuss the importance of various hygiene practices, such as, washing their hands after being in the garden and washing fresh vegetables before cooking or eating.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder encourages children to be independent and has high expectations of behaviour, which creates a good learning environment for the children to explore and investigate. The childminder is very flexible in her approach to children's learning and consistently utilises opportunities for the children to learn within their own level of interest, such as, encouraging children to talk about numbers as they count and find dinosaurs hidden in the sand. Children discover the world in which they live by going on shopping trips and meeting up with other childminders in their homes, at the children's centre or at the mother and toddler group. Children explore the world around them using a magnifying glass to look at the ladybird brought in by a child.

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and outcomes for children

Children are becoming competent users of information and technology as the childminder regularly accesses the internet to enhance their learning experiences. Children enjoy watching an internet story of the 'Three Little Pigs' which they later turn into role play when the other children arrive at the setting, transferring their knowledge very effectively.

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and outcomes for children

The children display high levels of engagement with activities of their choice, which further demonstrates the impact of the flexibility of the childminder allowing the children to follow their own interests and ideas. The childminder regularly observes the children and assesses where they are in their development, however, systems This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 to ensure that all six areas of learning are identified and given equal attention are not yet fully developed.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave really well in the setting and demonstrate good manners by saying 'please', 'thank you' and 'excuse me' in an appropriate way. Children are developing a respect for themselves and others through clear explanations and appropriate boundaries, and are learning about other cultures and beliefs. 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: 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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