Childminder in Devon

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY284487 Inspection date 11/03/2011 Inspector Mary Daniel

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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 has been registered since June 2004 and lives with her husband and two daughters aged five and seven years in a detached cottage in a rural location, close to the village of Hawkchurch in Devon. Children have use of a dining room and lounge downstairs and bathroom facilities upstairs. The family have two cats, several rabbits, guinea pigs and a pony.

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Description of the childminding

Ofsted have registered the childminder on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of four children aged under eight years, of whom three may be in the early years age group. At times the childminder works with an assistant. There are currently nine children on roll, of whom seven are in the early years age group. The childminder is in receipt of Government funding to provide nursery education for three and four-year-olds.The childminder has a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level three and a cerificate in early years education as part of the Foundation degree she is currently undertaking.

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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 have great fun with the friendly, reassuring childminder who treats each child as an individual and helps them feel valued in her home and they demonstrate exceptionally good behaviour and respect for the needs of others. An excellent variety of stimulating play activities are provided, which effectively support children's interests and help them make extremely good progress in their learning and development. The childminder is self-reflective of her practice, which helps her in making clear improvements in most areas of the provision, although some aspects of children's safety are not consistently addressed.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure risk assessments identify all aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis and take all reasonable steps to ensure that hazards to children, both indoors and outdoors are kept to a minimum, with particular regard to the garden area (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) 25/04/2011

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further?

 carry out a full risk assessment for each type of outing, and review before emabrking on each specific outing (Safeguarding and promoting children's 25/04/2011 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 welfare)

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the systems of self-evaluation to ensure all aspects of the provision are consistently monitored and to fully support all aims for improvement

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is promoted as the childminder has a clear understanding of safeguarding issues and how to manage any concern arising. She continues to update her knowledge by attending relevant training. Children's safety is supported, for instance in the home a fireguard is fitted and smoke alarms are checked regularly. Children are supervised very well and risk assessments are completed, but do not sufficiently cover all possible risks, such as in the garden and some issues identified, such as preventing children's access to the greenhouse, are not promptly addressed. Clear routines are followed for outings, for instance, children know where to stand and wait as the childminder helps them all out of the car. However, a full risk assessment has not been carried out for all outings undertaken, which is a requirement. While the childminder is clearly observant of possible hazards, these issues impact on children's overall safety.

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the early years provision

Children's individuality is clearly recognized and inclusion is promoted well. For instance, activities are evaluated to ensure each child can participate at their own level of ability. Children celebrate different festivals and learn how others live through their play and discussion with the childminder who gives a positive approach and welcomes each child. Children's needs are very well supported through the range of toys and resources available. For instance, sturdy steps are available to help children reach the sink when washing their hands, which effectively encourages their independence. Children help the childminder squash up plastic bottles and save paper for recycling, which helps promote their awareness of sustainability.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from the positive relationships the childminder forms with their parents and their involvement in their child's learning is actively encouraged. Children's care and learning is enhanced through effective use of their 'day books' to keep parents well informed of their progress and to share ideas on future activities to support their development. As a result, children receive continuity in their play and learning and this is supported further through the good liaison the childminder has kept with some other settings children attend. For instance, in continuing with any interests the child has shown while at their other setting. The childminder is keen to make improvements to her practice and is developing her evaluation systems, although these are not yet fully established to support all aspects of children's well-being. Planning and activities offered to the children are carefully evaluated for effectiveness. This helps the childminder to identify the

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the early years provision

ways in which each child learns best and support them accordingly in making This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 continual achievements.

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and outcomes for children

Children give an extremely positive approach to learning and are active and inquisitive in their play. For example, they have a lovely game playing with their friends as they dig in the sand pit and happily spend time experimenting with a variety of spades, spoons and scoops to fill and empty different sized buckets and pots with sand. This enhances children's understanding of early mathematical concepts and they confidently develop this game further to make a 'soup pie' with sand, grass and pebbles. As a result, children are able to follow their imaginative ideas and also develop their hand-eye coordination skills as they carefully use a spoon to fill a small cup with 'soup' for their friend. Children have great fun in their messy play and enjoy painting activities or making junk model rockets. This helps them explore colour and texture and use their imagination as they build with different materials and tools. Planning highlights an exciting range of play

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and outcomes for children

experiences relating to children's particular interests and is informed by the clear observations that the childminder makes of their play and achievements. For instance, following children's fascination with dinosaurs they visit a local library and find a dinosaur story to share and show great interest in the pictures of this book. They listen intently to this rhyming story and readily respond to the childminder's effective and gentle questioning about what is happening, which carefully helps to consolidate and extend their communication, literacy and language awareness. For instance, they look for the letter 'd' in the story and think of other words beginning with this letter, such as dog, drum or duck. Consequently, children start to link sounds with letters and see that print has meaning and this effectively encourages their early reading and future developmental skills. These play experiences significantly support children in starting to think for themselves and are highly

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and outcomes for children

effective in promoting their future developmental skills.

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and outcomes for children

Children are encouraged to stop, look and listen on their walks and outings, which helps them develop an awareness of road safety. They listen carefully to the childminder as she tells them where it is safe for them to play, which helps them begin to develop an understanding of keeping themselves safe, although they are not yet involved in risk assessing play areas themselves. Children's health and physical development is very well promoted as they are able to frequently play outside in the fresh air. They go for lots of walks, for instance to the adjoining woods where they look for fairies in the 'fairyland ' area or smell the wild garlic or bluebells that they see. As a result, they benefit from being out in the fresh air and also develop their knowledge and understanding of their natural world while having great fun outdoors. Children enjoy their visits to local toddler groups, where they start to develop early friendships with their peers and take part in activities,

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and outcomes for children

such as singing and dancing, together. Children are very well supported in learning to follow suitable hygiene routines and naturally go to wash their hands after playing outside and before eating their meals. They like to find their own coloured towel to dry their hands, which encourages their independence and effectively helps to prevent the spread of infection. Children behave exceptionally well. They This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 are polite and willing to take on simple responsibilities such as helping to tidy up their toys, often doing this without being asked. Children benefit from the excellent role model of the childminder who maintains very clear, age appropriate behaviour management strategies and frequently praises children for all their efforts and achievements. This exemplary approach effectively helps children in feeling secure and self-assured. They form very positive relationships with adults and their peers

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and outcomes for children

and learn to respect the needs of others. As a result, children develop a positive approach to self-discipline and begin to make appropriate decisions in solving any conflict and they play harmoniously together. 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 3 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 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years report (Suitability and Safety of Premises and Equipment)(also applies to the voluntary part of the Childcare Register) 25/04/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as detailed in the compulsory part of the Childcare Register (Suitability and Safety Of Premises and Equipment) 25/04/2011

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