Childminder in Norfolk

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY427358 Inspection date 20/12/2011 Inspector Margaret Barwell

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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 was registered in 2011. She lives with her two children aged 10 and 16 years old in Kings Lynn. The whole of the ground floor property is used for childminding. Accessibility to the premises is good. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family has two pets.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under the age of eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. There is currently one child attending who is within the Early Years Foundation Stage and attends on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to eight years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. She 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 good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder offers a safe, secure and welcoming environment in which children's development and well-being is consistently promoted. A key strength is the home from home environment that the childminder creates for the children, which helps them to feel safe and to find a sense of belonging. Information about children's starting points is not obtained from parents when they first attend the setting which detracts from the early establishment of firm foundations for children's learning. However, regular observations of children's play and learning ensures that their interests are followed and that they enjoy their time with the childminder. Consequently, children flourish and make good progress across all the areas of learning. The childminder has just begun to implement processes for self- evaluation but these do not yet consider the impact on the children of the setting's strengths and weaknesses. However, she shows a strong drive and commitment to

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

continuous improvement which will further enhance outcomes for children in the future.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the systems for self-evaluation to support ongoing improvements, reflecting how improvements will further enhance outcomes for children  develop ways of involving parents in identifying children's starting points at the time of entry into the setting. 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 good knowledge of child protection procedures because she has attended safeguarding training. She knows what to do if concerns are held about a child that indicate they may be at risk of harm or neglect. A child protection policy has been implemented, which is shared with parents. The premises, including indoor and outdoor areas, toys and equipment are all subject to exceptionally comprehensive risk assessments, so that hazards are minimised and children's safety is consistently assured. The childminder maintains all the required records, policies and procedures for the safe and efficient management of her provision.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to cultural diversity by creating a rich language environment in which children's home language is respected and where their understanding and day to day use of English is sensitively fostered. As a result, children are becoming eager and confident communicators. The childminder learns key words and phrases in the child's home language, so that they experience meaningful interactions that help them to feel settled and valued. She regularly reviews her practise to take account of parental views and to reflect children's current needs. This means that children and families experience a wholly inclusive and responsive service. No child currently attends another setting providing the Early Years Foundation Stage, so wider partnerships with other professional partners is in the early stages of development. Children thrive because partnerships with parents are strong. Daily discussion, an

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the early years provision

informative notice board and the sharing of the children's learning stories all help to keep the parents effectively informed about their children's day and involved in their developmental progress. However, information from parents about children's starting points is not obtained at the time of entry into the setting. Consequently, a firm foundation is not established for future learning.

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the early years provision

Improvements identified by the childminder since her registration visit have been completed to a high standard. For example, planning and practise in regard to children's safety is extremely thorough and robust. This is visible in the way children feel very safe in her care. A formal self-evaluation process is in the early stages of development and accurately outlines the strengths of the service. However, the self-evaluation process does not consider how the setting's strengths and weaknesses impact on children. The childminder has identified two well- judged improvement priorities, which will have a positive impact on outcomes for children in the future. She demonstrates a genuine enjoyment for her work, which drives her commitment to continuous improvement. The childminder is to begin her Level 3 qualification in Early Years imminently, further demonstrating that she is constantly striving for high quality. Overall, she shows significant capacity to

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the early years provision

bring about further improvements in the future.

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the early years provision

A good range of resources are deployed effectively and the childminder makes good use of the available space to ensure children can access them independently. The best resource is the childminder herself who creates a vibrant environment in This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 which children are purposefully engaged in active play and learning and continue to achieve and enjoy.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses effective procedures for observing and assessing children. This enables her to obtain a clear understanding of their current developmental needs and to plan activities to support their individual development. Consequently, children are enthusiastic and show great enjoyment in what they do. For example, children learn about cause and effect when the childminder gradually releases the air out of a balloon to make different sounds. She lets the balloon go when it is full of air so that it whizzes round until all the air has escaped. This causes great delight.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress with their co-ordination skills as they spoon rice into a small cup, use construction blocks for building, or learn to operate push-button interactive toys to make music. They thoroughly enjoy singing and dancing, confidently learning to control their body movements as they dance along to the music. Children's awareness of the relevance of healthy lifestyles and practices is promoted. For example, they are offered a variety of opportunities to be active and explore a range of physical skills. The childminder and parents actively support healthy food and drink providing fresh fruit and fruit puree for very young children at snack time or lunch time. Children confidently navigate around the home, taking up opportunities to initiate their own learning and to follow their own interests. They are, therefore, supported in taking an active role in their learning and are developing positive attitudes to this. Children are encouraged to explore and

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and outcomes for children

persist, to think critically and to work things out for themselves. For example, a very young child persists in turning a toy car upside down to investigate how the wheels work and what they do. The childminder praises and affirms her in her exploration.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder creates a safe nurturing environment where children's early attempts at communication are sensitively fostered. Children's understanding of diversity and the world around them is promoted as they learn about people from other cultures. For example, they enjoy learning greetings and simple words in other languages. The childminder's good procedures for working with parents mean that she is able to offer extremely good support to children who speak English as an additional language. Children's emotional development is promoted extremely well and they gain skills for use in future life as they develop an awareness of relationships with their childminder. Children's behaviour is very good because the childminder sets consistent boundaries and because they are actively engaged in play and learning. Children learn about identifying and managing risk as the childminder gives ongoing explanations to enable them to develop an

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and outcomes for children

understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Children learn about the uses of information and communication technology as they play with resources, such as telephones and interactive toys. This supports them to develop confidence and independence in the use of technology to communicate, which is an essential skill for the future. 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 3 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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