Doherty, Jane Anne

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY433687 Inspection date 20/02/2012 Inspector Jan White

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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 husband and one school aged child in Boughton Monchelsea, in Maidstone, Kent. All areas of the property are used for childminding and there is a garden for outside play. The childminder drives to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder attends the local parent and toddler group.

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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, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently caring for two children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over eight years to 11 years. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register.

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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 a good understanding of children's individual needs. This promotes their welfare. Overall, there are processes in place for most of the required records and to maintain aspects of the children's learning and development. The childminder actively works in partnership with parents and other professionals to promote consistency of care. Children are progressing towards the early learning goals. This is because the childminder offers a good balance of activities to reflect children's interests. They gain knowledge of the world around them including the local area and benefit from positive images of equality. The childminder demonstrates a good capacity for continuous improvement. She is committed to using self-evaluation to identify aspects of the provision to develop and successfully responds to the needs of the children and parents.

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further?

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

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further?

 obtain written permission from parents for children to take part in outings  improve the process to gather information regarding children's starting points, to make sure their next steps are clearly identified and used in leading future planning.

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the early years provision

The childminder has an effective understanding of safeguarding matters and actively promotes children's welfare and safety. She has good procedures in place This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 to implement in the event that she has concerns about a child's well-being. The childminder holds a first aid certificate so that children benefit from appropriate care following an injury. Most systems are implemented to promote children's safety on outings and essential information is taken when outside the home. This means that the necessary permission to take prompt action in the event of an emergency is always readily available. However, the childminder has not obtained written permission from parents for children to take part in outings. Thorough risk assessments are conducted and recorded for the home and garden. The written risk assessment record is updated regularly, in particular when changes occur,

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the early years provision

such as broken fence panels in the garden. Prompt action is taken to minimise any potential safety hazards and the childminder is vigilant in her supervision of the children. The childminder maintains documentation for the safe management of her provision and she has a clear emergency evacuation procedure.

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the early years provision

The childminder's effective knowledge of equality supports children's understanding of diversity through the daily activities. Children's individual background needs are discussed with the parents and the childminder makes sure all children are valued as individuals. Each family is supported according to their particular circumstances. As a result, every child is treated with equal regard and no child is disadvantaged. The equipment, toys and resources are set out well and deployed effectively so that children can choose their preferred activities. Children are involved in routine experiences, such as setting up and tidying away. These activities help them to gain independence skills and learn to maintain a safe play environment. There is a range of good quality resources which are suitable for the children's ages and stages of development to promote the progress that they make. The childminder uses resources, space and time successfully to consistently

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the early years provision

support children's learning and development.

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the early years provision

The childminder is taking steps to make sure the resources and the environment are sustainable. She is well organised and has an understanding of how to evaluate her service. She has a good capacity to maintain her continuous future improvement through self-evaluation. The childminder evaluates the strengths of her provision and she has noted her objectives for future improvements. The partnership with parents and other agencies is good. She consults with parents regarding the service she provides. Parents comment that her home is safe and secure and that the childminder takes care to meet children's individual needs. They praise the range of activities offered and the opportunity for the children to have home-cooked meals. The childminder explains how she has fostered links and works in partnership with the local schools. There are currently no children on roll who need support from other health professionals.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy being with the childminder and demonstrate a strong relationship with her. They show signs of being settled and comfortable in the homely environment. Children freely choose the activities and resources, such as felt tip pens and paper to draw pictures. The childminder successfully links this to past This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 activities as they look at their fingerprints and the children decide to draw around their hands. Children engage in many problem-solving and role play activities. They negotiate and cooperate when using the resources as they work together to build the small world house. The experiences, resources and provision of toys cover the areas of learning. Parents provide details of their child's routine, likes or dislikes. Children's observations are noted and successfully linked to the area of learning. However, the information regarding children's starting points are not

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and outcomes for children

always used to lead their individual learning and the next step does not always identify some areas for their future development. The childminder has a competent understanding of the welfare requirements and the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, to successfully support children's progress. She is continuing to develop systems to promote child-initiated and adult-led activities in order to cover all areas of learning fully.

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and outcomes for children

Children have many opportunities for self-selection. Resources are stored in cupboards or containers which promote younger children's self-help skills. They display a sense of belonging as they know where to place their coats and shoes when they arrive home from school. Children's understanding of recycling is encouraged as they learn to separate waste items into different containers. Older children talk about the importance of disposing of waste appropriately so that this does not harm the environment. This promotes children's understanding about aspects of environmental issues. Children demonstrate an understanding of keeping themselves safe and a healthy lifestyle. For example, they clearly describe the procedure for crossing roads and fire evacuation drills. They also independently wash their hands before snack time. The children learn the sequencing of numbers, joining in counting and knowing that number two comes after one. They

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and outcomes for children

independently count on their hands how old they will be on their next birthday.

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and outcomes for children

Children love to investigate and experiment in using the toys and resources in different ways through the daily afterschool routine. Children regularly use the outside space and have many opportunities to develop their larger muscles. This means that children consistently develop an understanding about the importance of rest and exercise. Children display good social and communication skills. They talk and spend time listening to each other. For example, about how they were a superhero at school. As a result, children have a broad range of experiences and routines which contribute to promoting their understanding of the necessary skills for their future development and well-being. Children are offered healthy snacks as they talk about foods which are good for them, such as fruit and vegetables. 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 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 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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