Squires, Kathleen

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 510975 Inspection date 28/11/2011 Inspector Christopher MacKinnon

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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 1997. She lives with her husband and three children aged 16, 14 and three years in Whitton, Middlesex. Most of the childminder's house is used for childminding, with an enclosed back garden available for outdoor activities. The childminder has completed an early years childcare qualification at level 3.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of five children under eight years may attend at any one time, with no more than three in the early years age group. The childminder currently has four children on roll, with two in the early years age group. The childminder makes frequent outings with children to local parks and play centres.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder is highly successful in promoting individual children's achievement. Children enjoy a stimulating and richly resourced indoor and outdoor play environment overall. A comprehensively organised programme of activities ensures children make excellent progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder works effectively with parents, and maintains very good links with other carers. The childminder demonstrates an excellent capacity to maintain continuous improvement through consistent and rigorous self-evaluation.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 developing further the range of mathematical resources available both indoors and outside.

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the early years provision

The childminder provides highly organised home based child care in a well prepared setting. She is a trained and experienced early years practitioner, and provides an extremely well structured programme of play and learning. Safeguarding is consistently organised within the provision. The childminder maintains a high level of child protection training and awareness; and has well This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 organised records and detailed policy guidance in place.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a clear and well organised action plan, and is highly attentive to the continual promotion of improvement. For example, she is in the process of applying for network childminder status, and is currently introducing a visual timetable for children. Self-evaluation is also consistently organised and used to identify improvement. A clearly written range of appraisal documents are used to assess the effectiveness of the play environment and application of the six areas of learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder's has created an excellent play environment. She has a dedicated play room for children that contains a range of play areas and opportunities for featured learning. For example, there is a soft play area, an assembly area and separate room can be used for themed small world play. The childminder also shows an excellent awareness in the use of resources to support children's learning. For example, an excellent autumn display and resources package is in use to support children's drawing and mark making; based on the colours and shapes of leaves. Children have many excellent opportunities for outdoor learning in the back garden, which has a bark safety surface, a sand pit and climbing frame, and a range of tactile and sensory elements. Children can also free flow from the play room, to combine and adapt resources in the garden play area.

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the early years provision

Inclusion and diversity is strongly featured, and consistently promoted. The childminder works closely with children, and successfully uses her knowledge of each child to organise activities to meet their learning needs. For example, she takes note of children's favourite activities, and builds learning routines based on their areas of interest. Information from home is also successfully used to plan activities, to promote individual achievement. A clear and well organised range of diversity based play is included in the programme. Children learn about other cultures, through celebrating a wide range of festivals. They also learn about peoples differences, through access to a specifically selected range of diversity books and stories.

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the early years provision

The childminder establishes highly successful partnerships with other carers. She has close and productive links with the local junior school, and makes excellent use of school projects to continue the older children's learning. She also takes care to pass on school information to parents. The childminder makes excellent use of transfer summary documents, which she uses when children move from one setting to another. Parents are effectively included, through the establishment of close working relationships, and frequent contact. Parents receive daily activity sheets and information on their children's care and welfare. A particularly strong aspect of the childminder's partnerships is the successful involvement of parents in the assessment of children. Parents make written observations of their children's development and learning at home. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children's enjoying and achieving is fully supported, through the use of highly organised planning for learning. The childminder produces comprehensive monthly plans, with detailed guidance on activities and the preparation of the of play environment. Detailed weekly plans are then used to successfully include adult-led learning and play ideas based on children's interests. The observation and assessment of children is also highly organised, with clear and accurate achievement records provided for each child that cover all six areas of learning. The childminder then carefully tracks children's progress through their attainment stages. The accurate and frequent use of focused assessment is also well used to identify children's next steps in their learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children clearly benefit from the childminder's excellent skills with teaching and her confidence with extending learning. For example, she successfully widens the scope of children's play by adding resources which leads on to further learning. To support her teaching, the childminder also makes good use of environment tracking, where she observes each child's pattern of play and areas of interest. This technique is highly beneficial, and adds further challenge to children's learning, through the placement of additional resources.

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and outcomes for children

Children are helped to feel safe extremely well, and settle comfortably in the childminder's setting. She works consistently with children to establish routines, and provide familiar activities and play items. The childminder also works closely with parents, to help children feel able to mix, and play together. Children have excellent support for their safety. Detailed risk assessments are used to ensure a safe environment at all times. Children learn road safety through planned play projects where they learn about crossing roads, and how to be safe outdoors. The childminder uses a wide range of skills to promote children's personal and social development. By using timely prompts and behaviour incentives, she successfully helps children learn to wait and take turns. She also makes effective use of positive re-enforcement, to promote children's social learning, and interaction with others.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health is exceptionally well promoted. Children are keen to help with preparing snacks, and enjoy eating fruit. The childminder has written menus for parents and children, and organises play projects about healthy eating. Children have a wide range of physical activities and are particularly active indoors, as they move their play from room to room. Children also use the local children's centre, for a more expansive physical play, such as parachute games and organised group activities. A wide range of physical play is provided in the garden, and children have good opportunities for running, climbing and learning to balance.

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and outcomes for children

All aspects of children's skills for future learning are comprehensively and fully explored, through the childminder's high quality planning and provision of activities. Children's communication and language is well supported through the promotion of speech. Children have frequent opportunities to make marks and access books to promote their interest in reading. For problem solving and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 numeracy, children have many excellent challenges with assembly systems and connecting toys, and activities that involve learning about different sizes. However, the range of resources to further promote children's mathematical skills, both indoors and out, are not yet fully developed. Children are involved in a wide range of creative activities. They love dressing up and being expressive with music, and greatly enjoy combining play materials. For example, mixing play dough with

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and outcomes for children

animal figures during water play. The childminder successfully promotes children's knowledge of the world. They learn about growing plants and explore mini-beasts in the garden, and children make good use of an excellent explorer's kit, on outings. This helps children learn about maps and how to use a compass for direction finding. 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 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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