Ncea Harry Hotspur Church of England Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 149850 Inspection date 06/02/2012 Inspector Jill Nugent

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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 1999. She lives with one child, aged 13, in a ground floor maisonette in Whetstone, in the London Borough of Barnet. The whole of the premises is used for childminding and there are secure garden areas available for outdoor play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of four children under eight at any one time; of these, three may be in the early years age range. She has a temporary variation to exceed these ratios, and is currently minding four children in the early years age group. She is a member of the Barnet Childminding network and holds a relevant National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3.

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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 provides a fully inclusive and exceptionally stimulating play environment for children. She prioritises children's well-being and consequently they develop a real sense of belonging in her care. Children thrive on her close attention to their individual developmental needs and generally make significant progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder has an excellent working partnership with parents and well-established links with other professionals, so that children's needs continue to be met. She continually evaluates her practice and makes the most of opportunities to attend training events so that outcomes for children are always improving.

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further?

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

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further?

 looking at ways of further challenging the older and more able children according to their individual learning needs..

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the early years provision

The childminder's documentation is comprehensive, well organised and reader- friendly so that parents receive clear information about all aspects of her provision for children. There are excellent systems and procedures in place to promote the safeguarding of all children. The childminder regularly updates her training in safeguarding and knows exactly what to do if she has any concerns relating to child protection. She has carried out a detailed risk assessment of the premises and reviews this regularly so that any potential risks continue to be minimised This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 effectively. She is particularly vigilant about risk assessing outings and details her procedures for keeping children safe on outings, for example, when using a car. She supervises children closely and teaches them to behave in ways that keep themselves and others safe.

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the early years provision

The childminder uses the available space extremely well to offer children a wide choice of interesting play activities. Her resources are stored in numerous, easily accessible, containers and children are encouraged to search through these to select items for play. They especially enjoy opportunities for outdoor play, either in the small area adjacent to the kitchen or the larger garden areas. All children feel highly valued as individuals, and included within the group, as the childminder gives her time solely to their care. Her particular strength is her ability to switch her attention back and forth between children so that all feel well supported, and well cared for, throughout the day. She continually reviews her collection of resources, introducing different ones according to the developmental needs of the children in her care. In this way she is able to meet their needs extremely effectively at different stages of development.

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the early years provision

The childminder maintains an excellent working partnership with parents through both written and verbal exchanges of information. Her daily diaries provide a useful record of each day's events, including notes on children's learning during the day as well as any issues relating to their care. She allocates time each day to speak with parents and is available later if parents wish to follow up any thoughts or concerns. The childminder takes parents' views into account and makes changes when necessary to promote continuity of care for each child, for example to routines or menus. Parents are highly satisfied with the care their children receive and especially appreciate the childminder's flexible approach. The childminder is well-equipped to work in partnership with others when necessary and records show she works closely with nurseries to progress children's learning. She has attended training to support children with special educational needs and has well-

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the early years provision

established links with many other professionals.

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the early years provision

The childminder is exemplary in her commitment to the ongoing development of her childcare practice. She uses self-evaluation very effectively to reflect on her strengths and to highlight areas for further improvement. Her targets for the future are relevant and achievable, for example, developing her own computer skills so that she can extend her communication with parents. Since her previous inspection she has attended numerous training courses in order to help her maintain the high standard of her practice. She is actively involved with the childminding network and so benefits from interaction with other childminders and childcare professionals. She plans to seek accreditation as a childminder so that she can provide an even better focus on meeting children's learning needs in preparation for their transition to school. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children are very content in the setting and play happily. The childminder manages relationships within the group extremely well, thereby helping children to develop excellent social skills. For example, children are encouraged to talk about their feelings and to recognise different emotions in others. They learn to say 'sorry' if behaving inappropriately, for instance, if taking a toy from another child. The childminder is always firm but fair and children are fully aware that they will get a turn if they wait patiently. They benefit from a wide choice of activities and are enthused by the childminder's involvement in their play and exploration. As a result they develop a very open attitude towards each learning experience on offer. In particular they delight in the childminder's enthusiastic use of language, in the form of words, songs and rhymes. This provides a secure emotional base from which they can develop their own use of language and problem solving skills.

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and outcomes for children

Children have excellent opportunities to use their senses as they explore, for instance, investigating the sound that a toy truck makes or using a stick in snow to create patterns. The childminder organises arts and crafts activities and takes children to a variety of playgroups to extend their learning in different situations. She makes the most of opportunities to challenge children in their learning, for example, leading a discussion with an older child about cause and effect with reference to melting snowmen. Children learn to recognise and use letter sounds, numbers and rhyme. Their learning is reinforced through access to appropriate computer games. The childminder uses a comprehensive system of observational assessment to plan ahead for each child according to their developmental needs. Children's progress is recorded using annotated photographs and written observations. These are easily shared with parents to involve them in children's

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and outcomes for children

learning. All children thrive in this vibrant learning environment, although there is some scope for the older and more able children to be challenged further in their acquisition of key skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children show a strong sense of security in the setting and gain high levels of self- confidence and independence. They feel safe because the childminder prioritises safety and security within her home. She talks with children to increase their awareness of personal safety, for example, encouraging older children to keep an eye on younger children so that they keep safe. She is very attentive to matters of hygiene, thereby acting as a good role model for children. Mealtimes are organised to allow children plenty of time to try different foods and develop excellent understanding of healthy eating. The childminder prepares all cooked meals from scratch so that children benefit from highly nutritious meals. Children also enjoy helping with the shopping and this encourages them to talk about different foods. They learn about various cultures and religions when singing songs in different languages or celebrating festivals, such as Chinese New Year. Children especially

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and outcomes for children

enjoy a wide range of opportunities for physical play indoors and outdoors. They gain new skills as they attempt obstacle courses or learn to travel in different ways outdoors. 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 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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