Childminder in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY432690 Inspection date 07/03/2012 Inspector Bernadette Cooley

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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 August 2011. She lives with her partner and three members of the extended family on a farm in a village near Coningsby in Lincolnshire. There is a large designated room which is used for childminding and a large area of the garden is under development outside.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. She holds a relevant level 3 qualification and has several years' experience in childcare settings. She is registered to care for not more than six children under eight years, of whom three may be in the early years age group. The childminder currently minds seven children part-time, who are all in the early years age range. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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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

This is a very strong setting and children are very happy and settled in the care of this childminder. She uses her good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage to provide a warm, inclusive and very stimulating learning environment. The childminder engages excellently with children to promote their learning. As a result, each child's individual welfare and learning needs are very well-met. This means that overall children make excellent progress in all areas of learning and development. The childminder is committed to delivering a high quality service and has started to identify some areas for development which demonstrates a strong capacity to improve.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide positive images that challenge children's thinking and help them to embrace differences in gender, ethnicity, language, religion, culture, special educational needs and disabilities  develop a culture of reflective practice and self-evaluation to continually look for ways to improve the quality of the learning, development and care offered that will improve the quality of provision for all children.

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the early years provision

This childminder has several years' experience of working in childcare settings in addition to having completed relevant safeguarding training. This means she has a very good awareness of child protection issues. She has a clear and relevant policy This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for effectively managing any concerns she may have about children's welfare. All adults in the household have been appropriately checked to ensure they are suitable, and all the necessary parental consents are in place, in addition to an accurate record of attendance. Systems for the safe collection of children are robust. For example, a password system is used when an unfamiliar adult is due to collect a child. This means children are well-protected and safeguarded. Risk assessments are maintained to identify any safety issues and help protect children from potential accidents or hazards. Documentation which is required for the

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the early years provision

promotion of children's health, welfare and efficient management of the provision is in place. All relevant documentation is shared with parents which helps to ensure children's safety and well-being.

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the early years provision

The childminder is a warm, caring role model and forms high quality relationships with the children in her care, respecting their uniqueness. This means children are very happy and content in her company as their needs are well-met and they settle easily into the daily routine, participating in the wealth of exciting activities on offer. There is a well-equipped, dedicated playroom which is bright and attractive and children access a range of good quality resources independently. This means children's independence, choice and decision-making skills are well-supported. The childminder has started to reflect on her practice which has helped to identify areas for further improvement to support the outcomes for children. She makes the most of training opportunities that arise through the local authority and support services to increase her knowledge. She is therefore continually updating her practice and using newly acquired knowledge to plan wonderfully exciting

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the early years provision

activities for young children. This shows the childminder is a thoughtful practitioner who is clearly focused on providing a high quality service.

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the early years provision

Strong relationships have been established with parents who speak very highly of this dedicated childminder. She is mindful of supporting home routines to provide consistency of care for children, and obtains useful information from parents at the start of a placement to support this. A daily diary is completed which details information relating to children's welfare, the activities they enjoy and their achievements. Children's progress is shown through individual 'learning journals' which are attractively presented. These journals contain photographs of the wide variety of stimulating activities children enjoy, as well as annotated samples of work. Partnerships with other providers have been developed and the childminder attends local playgroups. These supplement her provision and enable children to foster important social skills in a larger group setting. This means that children thrive and make excellent progress towards the early learning goals because the

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the early years provision

childminder has a good knowledge of the children in her care and ensures their individual learning and development needs are well met.

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and outcomes for children

Children fully enjoy their time in this wonderful setting. The childminder provides a wealth of fun, exciting activities for children to experience and to take their learning forward. She is relaxed and playful with the children, encouraging them to be polite and friendly, and using songs and rhymes to reinforce daily routines in a This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 fun way. Her practice is inclusive and she ensures all children are able to participate fully in activities. Children are supervised well yet are given good opportunities to explore, make choices and discoveries for themselves. There is a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities. They go on a walk to collect eggs which the children then crack into a bowl. They laugh with delight as they then hunt for a toy chick which the childminder has hidden in the playroom. The childminder uses her good knowledge of exploratory learning to engage children

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and outcomes for children

and provide excellent learning opportunities. As a result, children become confident, active learners and they make exemplary progress across the areas of learning.

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and outcomes for children

A wide variety of stimulating activities are provided for children to explore. Early mathematical skills are developed as children mix pasta and flour in the home corner using different sized pans. The childminder skilfully supports this development by using mathematical language, such as 'full' 'enough' and 'more'. Children develop their creative skills by using paint and glue in exciting ways. For example, a tree is provided for children to decorate with pipe cleaners, wool and laces and other attractive materials. Information and communication technology skills are developed as children use music players to play songs and nursery rhymes to which they sing and dance spontaneously. Independence skills are further encouraged as children select fabrics to embellish the wonderful open- fronted den in the room. Recycled materials, such as large cardboard tubes and interesting wooden shapes, are available for children to use as construction and

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and outcomes for children

extensions to their play. All this is exemplary practice. The childminder has high quality interactions with the children. She supports their learning excellently, and through training, explores ways of improving outcomes for children even further. This means children make excellent progress towards the early learning goals.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder's practice in promoting children's health is very good. All areas used by children are cleaned daily. The childminder has a strong understanding of hygiene procedures to prevent the spread of infection. She encourages children to have a healthy attitude towards food because she provides a variety of fruit and vegetables for children to try at snack time and talks about the benefits on their health and well-being. The childminder ensures children benefit from fresh air as they go on walks around the farm, and a large outside area is being developed to provide further opportunities for outside play.

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and outcomes for children

Clear boundaries help children understand about responsible behaviour. The childminder uses clear instructions and gentle reminders which help children learn about sharing resources and taking turns. She makes wonderful use of a large puppet 'Nana Bella' who helps to remind children about positive behaviour. A range of resources are being developed which reflect the diverse world and equality is sensitively promoted as the childminder helps children understand differences and similarities at an age-appropriate level. 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 1 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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