Childminder in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY434358 Inspection date 15/03/2012 Inspector Janet Armstrong

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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 lives with her husband, who is also a registered childminder, and their four children who are aged between three and 20 years. The family lives in a three-bedroom semi-detached house in the Kings Park area of Bournemouth, Dorset. All areas of the home are used for childminding purposes, with a living room and kitchen/diner used as the main accommodation. Rest and toilet facilities are available upstairs. There is an enclosed back garden available for outside play. The family has two cats.

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Description of the childminding

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, two of whom may be in the early years age group. When working with another childminder, she may care for a maximum of 10 children, five of whom may be in the early years age range. There are currently 10 children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age range. The childminder also cares for children over eight years of age.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children engage in a suitable range of activities and learning opportunities that help them to make satisfactory progress. However, not all experiences suitably challenge them in their learning due to weaknesses in the planning. The childminder effectively helps children to learn about staying safe but procedures for safeguarding their welfare are not always fully implemented. The childminder demonstrates a sufficient capacity to maintain continuous improvement although her systems for self-evaluation are still in their infancy.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide well-planned experiences which support young children to learn with enjoyment and challenge  improve and update the knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children issues and be able to implement the policies and procedures appropriately  develop the self-evaluation systems to review and assess all aspects of practice to improve the outcomes for children. 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 suitable knowledge of child protection issues and procedures to follow should she have a concern about a child in her care. However, injuries that occur outside of childminding hours are not recorded to enable her to fully support children's well-being. The childminder works well with her co-childminder to supervise the children closely as they explore the home and garden environment. She provides them with clear explanations and positive support about expectations for safe play. This enables them to adjust their behaviour and keep themselves and others safe. Effective risk assessments of the home, garden and outings positively support the childminder in ensuring all aspects of the children's learning is safe.

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the early years provision

The childminder provides children with a warm, welcoming family environment. She is supportive of them in their play, providing them with lots of positive interaction. A dedicated playhouse in the garden provides children with supervised access to a suitable range of resources, although these are not always used well to challenge the children in their learning.

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the early years provision

Children are helped to develop a positive attitude to difference and diversity. The childminder sets them a good example to help them accept the differing needs of the people they meet. She is motivated to make positive changes to her practice. She attends training and seeks advice and support from some other early years professionals to widen and improve her knowledge. Her systems for self-evaluation systems are new and do not yet sufficiently help her to reflect on all aspects of her practice. This means she is not fully able to identify and prioritise areas for development to support effective improvements in the outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

The childminder shares suitable information with parents about daily routines. Parents have the opportunity to contribute to the children's developmental records to share any learning from home. None of the children currently attend other early years settings but the childminder has considered appropriate methods to communicate and work in partnership should the need arise.

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and outcomes for children

Children have a good introduction to leading healthy lifestyles and keeping safe. They enjoy healthy meals and regular opportunities to play in the garden and use the local park to engage in physical activities. Children learn particularly effectively about how to stay safe. They learn to negotiate the steps to the garden safely and take part in fire drills to help them become familiar with the procedures to follow in an emergency. They receive strong support and encouragement to follow behaviour that keeps themselves and others safe. For example, the childminder shows a three-year-old the house rules poster. Together they go through each rule to remind the child what they need to do and why. This helps the child to adapt This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their behaviour and to play safely. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the setting as they enjoy positive interaction with the childminder and

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and outcomes for children

The childminder supports children appropriately. A three-year-old receives support and information about being 'kind and gentle' to the family cat 'or else you will hurt it and she may use her claws to scratch you to go away'. The child enjoys this new experience and frequently goes up to the cat for 'cuddles' and a stroke and adapts their behaviour when reminded to be gentle. The childminder acts as a positive role model. She provides children with clear and consistent messages about expectations for wanted behaviour. A poster of these expectations are at child height and used with the children to remind them what is expected and why. This helps children to make appropriate choices and decisions as they learn to share, take turns and consider the needs of others.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop appropriate skills for the future but tend to flit from one activity to another and show limited focus and attention. They receive appropriate levels of support as they play and for finding new things to do. However, these activities do not challenge them in their learning or fully engage their interest for any length of time. The children enjoy playing in the different play areas. They receive appropriate support to explore the sand outside, play with dolls and the range of cars. A three-year-old selects a large digger and pushchair from the playhouse and takes it indoors. They push the pushchair around the house and the childminder asks if they can find some shapes she has on the floor. The child successfully finds a circle, puts it in the basket of the pushchair and continues to find other toys to collect. Later, the child returns to the pushchair and the childminder talks to them

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and outcomes for children

about their babies and what they like to drink. A two-year-old finds the balls outdoors and throws them out of the box. They go off to the sand and use the tools to dig and move the sand. Children enjoy using ride-on toys and use their feet to try to manoeuvre themselves, although the gravel surface limits their success and they soon leave them and go to find something else.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a suitable range of different activities to develop children's interests and promote their play. The childminder's assessment systems are in their early stages. They show the activities that children have engaged in and identify their next steps. However, the childminder's planning does not focus on the children's individual learning targets. As a result, children are not always sufficiently challenged. 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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 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 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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