Lucie Millon

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY433711 Inspection date 14/02/2012 Inspector Sheena Bankier

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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 2011. She is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is registered to provide care for four children under eight years, of which two may be in the early years age group at any one time. There is currently one child on roll in the early years age group.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder lives with her husband and two children, who are aged six and four. The family lives in Newbury, Berkshire. Childminding takes place on the ground floor only. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The home is accessible at street level. The family has a pet dog.

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Description of the childminding

Local facilities are within walking distance, such as, parks, schools and shops. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The childminder speaks French.

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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

Children are happy and settled in the childminder's care and home. Practices and procedures to support children's good progress and their thorough understanding of safety are overall fully effective. The childminder has an effective understanding of her responsibilities to promote children's welfare and wellbeing. She demonstrates a strong capacity to develop and improve her service through good self-evaluation. Positive communication and well considered information underpins good relationships with parents. Partnerships with other settings children attend are yet to be established.

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further?

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

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further?

 encourage writing skills further through providing a variety of writing tools indoors and outdoors  develop partnerships with other settings children attend to further support children's development and progress outcomes  practise the evacuation procedure to support children's further understanding of it. 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 demonstrates a good understanding of safeguarding issues. This enables her to recognise and to respond competently in the event of concerns about children's welfare arising. The childminder has effective risk assessments to promote children's safety indoors and outside of the home. These clearly identify potential risks and dangers to children and the action the childminder takes to minimise these. The childminder has discussed the evacuation procedure with the children to support their developing understanding of it. Although, children have not yet practised the procedure to underpin their knowledge further. Children learn about keeping themselves safe while out, for example, they practise crossing the road safely with the childminder.

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the early years provision

The childminder organises her paperwork effectively. She has all required documents in place, along with additional written policies, procedures and consents that promote good practice. The childminder identifies her strengths and areas to develop through effective self-evaluation. She is able to prioritise areas to improve, resulting in a strong capacity to drive and maintain improvement. The childminder welcomes parents and children's feedback to support her in developing her service further. She provides parents with good information, for example, written policies and procedures. She communicates effectively with parents, gaining good information about children's individual needs and parents' wishes. Parents receive plenty of information about their children's day and progress, for example, through a progress diary with photographs and observations. There are no partnerships established with other settings children attend to promote

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the early years provision

continuity in their care and learning outcomes.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from plenty of play space in a homely, welcoming environment. The childminder makes good use of local facilities, such as parks, nearby walks and children's social groups. Children have equal access to the resources and are able to select resources independently. This enables children to make their own choices and initiate their own play. The childminder treats children with equal concern and respect.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel at ease in the homely, warm, welcoming environment and atmosphere. Positive relationships with the childminder promote children's feelings of being safe in her care. Children benefit from individual time and attention. They form good relationships with the childminder's own children. They play well together and enjoy using their imaginations and creativity, such as dressing up and pretending to celebrate birthdays. The childminder promotes children's good understanding of staying safe, for example, she reminds children to hold scissors correctly when carrying them to the table. Children develop a good understanding of the wider world, as the childminder speaks French and English with them and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 discusses different backgrounds. She provides and obtains meaningful resources that raise children's understanding of diversity, such as postcards and artefacts

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and outcomes for children

from different countries. Children positively contribute to the childminding setting, for example, children help to get the table ready for snack time and help clear away afterwards. The childminder recognises and acknowledges children's help through warm praise. This promotes children's self-esteem and confidence effectively.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from a broad range of activities that underpin their learning outcomes well. The childminder demonstrates a strong understanding of children's progress. She maintains a record of children's progress and days with her, recording comments and adding photographs in relation to activities they undertake. Through her observations, the childminder consistently plans for children's next steps in learning. She extends children's progress effectively, overall, although does not always fully consider alternative activities, for example, to promote children's writing skills further. There is a good balance of child initiated and adult led activities. Children enjoy using their imaginations and creativity to make junk model crafts, such as robots and space ships. They successfully use small tools, for example, glue sticks and scissors. The childminder promotes children's thinking skills well by asking open-ended questions at these

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and outcomes for children

activities. The childminder incorporates and promotes children's language and mathematical skills during activities, such as, counting and using numbers during cooking activities. This effectively supports children's development of skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy cooking activities and helping to prepare food. This underpins and develops their good understanding of healthy choices. In addition, children develop their physical skills, for example, through chopping vegetables. Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and physical activity to support their good health. Children walk to and from the local school daily, they go out for local walks along the river and to nearby fields. This widens children's understanding of the world they live in as they feed the ducks and observe the different animals. The childminder supports children's health and hygiene needs effectively. She makes children aware of when they may need to use a tissue and encourages children in learning how to blow their nose. Children follow good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands and demonstrate they know why this is important. 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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