Childminder in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY361109 Inspection date 13/12/2011 Inspector Jenny Read

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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 2007. She lives with her husband and school age child in the rural town of Coleford, in the Forest of Dean. The whole of the house is available for the childminding. The main areas used include the conservatory play room, sitting room, open plan kitchen and dining area and downstairs toilet facilities. Upstairs bedrooms are available for sleeping. There is an enclosed garden with grass and patio areas for outside play. The family has tropical fish, shrimps and tropical frogs as pets. The childminder travels to the local school to drop off and collect children and the parent/toddler group on a weekly basis.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary part of the Childcare Register. She may care for a maximum of five children under eight years, of these, not more than three may be in the early years age group at any one time. She currently cares for four in the early years age group on a full and part-time basis, all year round. The childminder holds the Councils Awards in Children's Care and Education level 3 Diploma in Home-based Childcare. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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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

Children thrive and benefit from an environment that is inclusive, safe and conducive to learning. Detailed observations, thorough assessment and innovative, well-planned activities provide effective challenge. Children are curious, inquisitive and confident learners who benefit from high quality support and excellent use of resources. Overall, outcomes for children are outstanding. The childminder is extremely well organised and promotes the highest levels of children's understanding of staying safe and many aspects within being healthy. The enthusiastic and highly motivated childminder drives and secures improvement highly effectively. Actions taken have an excellent impact in bringing about sustained improvement for the children.

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further?

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

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further?

 consider reviewing nappy changing routines to enable children to begin to associate hand washing with toileting from a young age This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Excellent steps are taken to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The childminder is highly vigilant and safety aware. She implements rigorous safety and security measures inside, outside, and on outings, to assess all areas, equipment and resources for their safety and suitability. Routine monthly safety checks and thorough risk assessments identify clearly hazards to children. The fire action plan is reviewed with all adults visiting the premises, ensuring they have thorough knowledge of safe action to take. The dedicated childminder is very clear of her roles and responsibilities through secure knowledge of her well-written policies and procedures. Extremely good understanding of child protection issues and the procedures to follow with any child welfare concerns ensures prompt action is taken. The comprehensive records that support children's well-being are well organised, stored securely and routinely shared with parents. The premises

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the early years provision

are inviting and displays of children's work decorate the walls creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. Outcomes are clearly attributable to excellent use of a wide range of high quality toys and resources. These are well organised indoors and outdoors to enhance children's choices and independent play.

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the early years provision

The childminder promotes equality and diversity well through good knowledge of each child's backgrounds and needs. Children gain good awareness of their own and other cultures through well-planned activities and cultural celebrations. They dress up in traditional costumes, make collages, cards and lanterns and experience food from around the world. The childminder is proactive in establishing links with other childcare settings children attend. She shares newsletters, daily diaries, observations and progress information so that care and activities offered complement each other to ensure progression and continuity. Highly positive relationships with all parents are well established. They receive co-ordinated, up- to-date information through an informative prospectus, comprehensive induction meeting, regular newsletters, detailed daily diaries and effective discussions. Tailored guidance and information about the six areas of learning and monthly

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the early years provision

progress reviews ensures parents are extremely well informed about all aspects of their children's achievements and on-going development.

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the early years provision

Overall, outcomes for children are outstanding because the childminder has high aspirations for quality through rigorous monitoring and reflection of her practice and children's learning. She attends numerous training courses pertinent to the children in her care. She evaluates what she has learnt and how it will support and enhance the provision for children. Regular consultations to seek the views and suggestions of children, gives them a voice to share their ideas and views and contribute to the self-evaluation. Parents are heavily involved in decision-making on key matters affecting the provision and their children's care through regular questionnaires and discussion. These views are actively taken on board, alongside other quality checks, and used successfully to inform the self-evaluation and detailed good practice records. As a result, the ambitious childminder has clear and achievable plans that securely identify what works well and what needs to

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the early years provision

improve. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children show a strong sense of security and feel safe within the setting. They are vigilant and safety aware and gain an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They safely handle and use a range of tools and equipment. .They explore paint with paper plates in the salad spinner, careful not to trap their fingers as they add different colours and watch it splatter and make patterns. Excellent questioning and frequent practise of the emergency escape plan and road safety enables children to gain first-hand experience of learning to keep themselves safe. Children show good awareness about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. They adopt good personal hygiene routines throughout the day and use their individual towels for drying to successfully minimise cross infection. The childminder implements robust nappy changing practices. She models good hand washing after each nappy change but has not introduced this to the children to

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and outcomes for children

enable them to associate hand washing with toileting from a young age.

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and outcomes for children

The children are happy and relaxed and use the different play spaces with confidence. They independently select their toys to play with. They take initiative; working well independently as well as beginning to collaborate and cooperate with their friends with consistent guidance and support. Frequent use of distraction and re-direction and clear explanations about the impact of their behaviour on their friends helps children begin to manage their own behaviour. Children develop good levels of self-esteem through effective use of certificates, stickers and frequent praise and encouragement, to value and reward their achievements and good behaviour. The children thrive in this supportive environment and build strong relationships. As a result, they are independent, confident learners who are inquisitive and curious to try out new experiences. They gain a positive sense of who they are and begin to recognise people's similarities and differences by talking

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and outcomes for children

Children make excellent progress in their learning across all areas of the curriculum because teaching is rooted in excellent knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage Practice Guidance and a full understanding of how young children learn and progress. Assessment through good quality observation and frequent reviews of children's progress and targets is very thorough. The information gained is used very effectively to track and monitor children's progress and identify any gaps or new targets to guide planning. As a result, children benefit from a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. They have rich, varied and imaginative experiences that build on their interests and meet their individual needs extremely well. For example, the children are motivated and respond positively to using their favourite cars in the paint. They make tracks and patterns across the page, while naming the primary colours and introduce more

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and outcomes for children

complex colour names as the paint mixes together.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to care for their environment and gain excellent awareness of the world around them. They explore sustainability and growth through planting their own fruits and vegetables and help to prepare them for their snacks. They collect This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 things around them to recycle and use these frequently in their play to build and design models and recycling posters. Children enjoy local walks to explore the natural environment, taking bark rubbings to make their own trees. The children are inquisitive and show curiosity as they investigate, using all of their senses, various objects in the treasure basket. They spend time examining the bath scrub, scrunching and pulling it in different ways, and the texture of various brushes.

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and outcomes for children

Children make excellent progress in using a range of programmable toys. They skilfully use the mouse and touch pad to negotiate programmes and print their pictures. Skilful interaction, narration of play and modelling of new language is increasing children's emerging self-confidence in using a widening range of words to express themselves. Children develop their love of books as they regularly snuggle up with the childminder and confidently choose their own books. They show very good awareness of how stories are structured, annotating their own story through pictures. Innovative and well-planned activities and excellent use of resources inside and out actively engage children's interests and motivate their learning. For example, excellent use of story sacks and song sacks with a range of props to match, effectively promotes children's concentration, language and participation, enabling them to take a very active part. The children help to

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and outcomes for children

regularly rotate the sacks, select the story and help find the props that match, enabling them to inform decisions about their play. 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 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 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 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 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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