Childminder in Birmingham

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY431341 Inspection date 30/01/2012 Inspector Diane Ashplant

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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 2011. She lives with her husband and her son aged four years in the Witton area of Birmingham. There are two further childminders who are registered to provide care at the same premises and they all work together every day.

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Description of the childminding

The ground floor of the childminder's house and one upstairs bedroom is used for childminding purposes and there is a fully enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. There are shops, parks and schools within easy walking distance and the childminder collects children from the local nursery and school.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time when working alone and a maximum of 12 children when working with two other childminders. There are currently seven children on roll, of whom, five are in the early years age range. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The childminder holds an appropriate childcare qualification.

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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 has settled well into childminding and together with her sisters who are also registered childminders, provides a welcoming and inclusive environment. Children's individual needs are well met as they benefit from the attention they receive from different adults. The childminder has attended the required training since registration and has a good knowledge of how children learn and develop through her work as a teaching assistant. Partnership with parents works well, although, links with others to promote outcomes for children are still in their early stages. The childminder has started to use some systems to reflect on her practice.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 record the following information for each child being cared for: full name, date of birth, the name and address of every parent and carer known to the provider and which of these parents or carers the child normally lives with and emergency contact details of the parents and carers (Documentation). 12/02/2012

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop further a regular two-way flow of information with other early years settings  improve the use of reflective practice and self-evaluation to identify strengths and prioritise development that will improve the quality of provision for all children.  review hand washing procedures to further promote children's health and reduce the risk of cross-infection.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded as the childminder has a good understanding of her role in protecting children from possible harm or neglect and how to pass on concerns appropriately. There is a clear policy which is shared effectively with parents and information is also displayed around the setting. There are appropriate safety precautions in place to protect children from most hazards and rigorous procedures further safeguard children, for example, when they are in the car. The childminder uses both written and visual means to risk assess the areas children use inside and out and when they go on outings. She understands the importance of ensuring all adults who come into contact with children are either appropriately checked or fully supervised and explains this in her policy. The childminder is an experienced teaching assistant and has completed an appropriate early years qualification. She has also attended the required courses since registration and recognises the value

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the early years provision

of training to support continuous improvement. She is beginning to seek the views of parents and children, although, her systems for fully reflecting on her practice are still in the early stages which may mean not all areas for development are recognised. Most of the documentation for the safe and efficient management of the setting and to meet the needs of the children is in place and well organised into a variety of files. However, not all the required details are recorded on admission for every child, such as, emergency contact numbers, which means that children's welfare may be potentially compromised.

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the early years provision

The childminder has arranged her home to provide a welcoming and attractively decorated environment for children and meets their individual needs through discussion with parents and by using her observations of them at play. She offers easy access to a wide range of resources which promotes children's individual choices well. Children benefit from the attention they receive from three different adults which positively supports the meeting of their individual needs and routines. The childminder has experience of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and of working alongside other professionals and recognises the value of this in encouraging the children's development and integration.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents is working well and the childminder is always available to provide verbal discussion about the child's day. Information is shared during the settling-in period and also effectively displayed on the notice boards around the setting. Parents have a newsletter so they are kept involved in their children's learning, for example, by explaining forthcoming topics and can access their learning journeys when they wish. The childminder has invited parents to come This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and discuss their children's progress and look through their work and has many photos and examples of children's work on display. However, links with other early years settings where children also attend are not yet fully developed which means not all opportunities for sharing practice and supporting children's individual development are maximised.

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and outcomes for children

Children are settling well into this welcoming environment where their care, learning and development are generally well supported. They are learning about safety through the reminders from the childminder to play safely or to use equipment properly. Children take part in fire drills so they start to learn about fire safety and help tidy away toys so they will not fall over them. Children have daily outdoor play where they exercise their limbs as they kick balls, enjoy running games and play with hoops. They are encouraged in daily routines to promote their health, such as hand washing, although, the practice of using a shared linen towel does not properly protect them from the risk of cross infection. A well- balanced menu of home-cooked meals and lots of fresh fruit further supports children's health and they all enjoy a sociable time together around the meal table. Children respond well to routine requests to sit together for circle time or line up

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and outcomes for children

for outdoor play. Their behaviour is generally good as they receive praise and encouragement and are learning to share, take turns and listen to others. Children have a wide range of resources to promote independent choices and these reflect the wider world, with labelling often being underlined in another language. Children enjoy activities based around different festivals and the childminder follows traditional customs at parents' requests, like the short prayer before lunch time.

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and outcomes for children

The children benefit from having the attention of three adults who enthusiastically engage and play with them which, in turn, encourages children's interest and participation. There is a good balance of adult involvement and child-directed play which means children happily amuse themselves, mimicking adult roles in the role play area, such as, ironing and cooking, or trying on the various dressing up clothes. They come together as a group for story time and play happily on their own or alongside companions. They make marks with different tools and are helped to recognise their names as they self-register. Children's early language skills are supported by lots of conversation and circle time provides opportunities for sharing events from home and family which helps to promote their self- confidence. They are encouraged in independent skills like collecting coats from their pegs, while some try hard to master buttons and zips. Children are

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and outcomes for children

developing a love of books as they attentively listen to the story, choose their own to look at or join in songs and rhyme times. Problem solving is brought routinely into the day as they count the bricks to build towers and see whose is taller or search for the piece in a favourite puzzle. There are always creative activities, such as painting and gluing, for example, making a snow collage or pasting different coloured paper into fruit shapes. Children learn about the wider world as they enjoy activities and celebrations around Eid and Christmas. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 There is a basic routine to the day which always includes physical play outside and there are planned topics throughout the year. These are supported by some real experiences, for example, visiting the local supermarket where children help choose and buy their favourite fruits and take them home to taste. The

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and outcomes for children

childminder uses observations to monitor children's progress and identify the next steps she needs to focus on. An initial profile is drawn after each child has settled in which identifies their play choices and patterns and all the childminders share their observations and thoughts about children's development as part of their regular planning. Photo observations along with examples of children's work are collected together in their individual learning journeys which capture their time and progress at the childminder's. 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 3 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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