Childminder in Wirral

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY289156 Inspection date 31/10/2011 Inspector Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones

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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 has been registered since 2004. She lives with her husband and two children aged 10 and 14 years in Bebington, Wirral. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time. She is currently minding six children in the early years age range, five on a part-time basis and one full-time. She also cares for six children in the later years age range before and after school and during school holidays. She is also registered on the compulsory part of the childcare register. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She also attends pre-school groups. The childminder has a foundation degree and holds early years practitioner status.

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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 provides a homely, welcoming and fully inclusive environment for the children in her care. They make good progress because the childminder has strong knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Observation and assessment of children is mostly effective in supporting the childminder to plan a range of activities across all six areas of learning. The childminder has effective relationships with parents, carers and a range of professionals and they are involved in the evaluation of the provision. Self- evaluation provides the childminder with a clear vision for improving her provision for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide children with further opportunities to practise and extend their skills of problem solving, reasoning and numeracy and develop their literacy skills to recognise familiar words and understand that print carries meaning.

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the early years provision

Safeguarding arrangements at the setting are comprehensive, rigorous and protect the children effectively. The childminder is aware of the correct procedures if there are concerns regarding the children's safety or well-being and there is a comprehensive policy in place to support this. Hazards are identified and minimized with a thorough risk assessment being undertaken on an annual basis.

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the early years provision

Detailed and effective self-evaluation is regularly undertaken and there is a clear vision for the setting, providing the childminder with priorities for improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 For example, a key priority is to continually update her knowledge and skills through appropriate training and research to support children's learning, development and progress. Parents and carers contribute to the self-evaluation through regular feedback about the provision. The childminder's knowledge and skills are regularly updated, she attends a range of training courses and holds a foundation degree and early years practitioner status.

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the early years provision

Children are relaxed and comfortable as the childminder provides fully inclusive care for all children. Equality and diversity is very good. There is effective support for children who speak an additional language. Resources, activities and supporting documentation reflect equality and diversity and positive images providing children with a broadening awareness of the wider world and of the needs of individuals and communities. Links with professionals ensure that all children are well supported in their learning and development, subsequently they make good progess.

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the early years provision

Very good relationships have been developed with parents and carers. Regular updates about their child's progress and the two-way flow of information supports effective communication between parents and the childminder. Information received from parents is incorporated into their child's learning journal and supports the childminder in assessing children's progress and planning for learning.They are very complimentary about the service that the childminder provides.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress through the early learning goals because the childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The provision of a wide range of fully inclusive activities provides a balance between those that are adult-led and those initiated by the children. As children play in the sand they enjoy measuring sand into small bowls using wooden spoons. However, there are some missed opportunities for children to practise and develop numeracy skills such as counting the number of spoons of sand it takes to fill the bowls.

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and outcomes for children

Assessment and observation are comprehensive and fully inform planning. The childminder successfully plans the curriculum to meet the needs and interests of the children, using targeted activities and themes that build on the children's previous learning and development. For example, the children have shown an interest in people around the world and this has been incorporated into planning. Comprehensive and informative learning journals very effectively incorporate the assessment of children's progress linked to development charts. A range of observations are included in the journals and are referenced to the early learning goals and development stage. The children's progress and development is very carefully and regularly tracked to plan for the next steps of learning. Consequently children are well supported and make good progress in their learning. Older children independently select the resources they want to use. Although resources

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and outcomes for children

are displayed at child height they are not labeled, subsequently children miss some This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 opportunities to recognise familiar words and know that print carries meaning. They enjoy singing into microphones as they join in with songs playing on the Compact Disc player and babies concentrate for long periods of time when playing with electronic resources. The childminder effectively supports language development as she talks to the children, asking them questions about their activities to develop and extend learning.

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and outcomes for children

Utilisation of areas that children access is effective. The outdoor area is stimulating and this area is used as an extension of the indoor playroom. Children develop good physical skills as they use the outdoor resources and enjoy launching their rockets into space. They develop their literacy skills as they attempt to write their names, make marks, shapes and symbols using water and paintbrushes on the paved area of the garden. Visits to the park develop physical skills such as climbing and balancing when using the large equipment.

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and outcomes for children

Children take turns with the resources and share willingly with others. For example, as children play with construction resources they hand each other blocks to make their tower bigger. They tell the childminder that they say thank you to each other because they have been sharing the blocks nicely. At snack-time, they are able to self-select their own snack and older children will serve the others. Lunches and snacks are nutritious and children have constant access to water or sugar free juice to keep them hydrated. Older children are highly independent, they wash their hands after toileting and before and after mealtimes and brush their teeth after lunch. Manners and behaviour are very good. Safeguarding within the setting is good. Children feel and are kept safe, for example, as they use resources or visit places of interest. 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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