Childminder in East Riding of Yorkshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY434361 Inspection date 19/04/2012 Inspector Diane Turner

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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 September 2011. She lives with her husband and two children aged nine and six years in a house in Hessle on the outskirts of Hull. All of the ground floor of the childminder's home and the bathroom and a bedroom on the first floor are used for childminding purposes. There is an area for outdoor play to the rear of the premises.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for five children under eight years at any one time, three of whom may be in the early years age group. There are currently nine children on roll, of whom four are in the early years age group. They all attend on a part-time basis.

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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 cared for in a welcoming, fully inclusive and well-organised environment. They are offered a good range of age-appropriate activities both in the home and the local environment which support their learning very well overall. Partnership working with parents is good and information regarding children's individual care and learning needs is communicated effectively. Systems for monitoring the quality of the service are highly effective, with parents and children fully involved in the process, resulting in a service that is very receptive to the needs of all its users.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide more opportunities for children to learn about living things to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the world  provide opportunities for parents to contribute to their children's learning and development record.

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the early years provision

The childminder's arrangements for safeguarding children are good. She has attended training to ensure she is fully aware of the possible signs of abuse or neglect and has a good amount of information to guide her, should she need to refer a child protection concern to the relevant authorities. Thorough safety assessments are undertaken on the home and for outings with effective action taken to minimise any hazards. These assessments are reviewed regularly and any This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 additional action taken where necessary. For example, the outdoor play area is not currently being used as the fencing is awaiting repair. All documentation is maintained to a very good standard and this alongside a wide range of policies and procedures enable the childminder to manage her service in a very efficient manner.

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the early years provision

The childminder organises her home very effectively and provides a good range of toys and resources. Storage boxes are labelled with both pictures and text to help children identify the contents and a number of colourful posters are displayed. This provides an environment that is conducive to learning. The childminder has clear aims for her service and strives to provide reliable, flexible childcare in a homely environment. She uses self-evaluation very effectively to monitor the quality of her service and to identify areas for future improvement. Since registration she has greatly extended the range of resources, particularly items to support children's imaginative play and her plans for future improvement are clearly defined. For example, she has started a course to gain a childcare qualification at level 3 and has plans to improve the learning opportunities for children in the garden.

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the early years provision

The childminder gives good attention to promoting equality and diversity. Detailed information is gathered about children's individual needs and they are actively encouraged to voice their opinions of the service. For example, the older children complete questionnaires and from their feedback pasta dishes have been included on the tea time menu at their request. Emotion cards are displayed and used to encourage the children to discuss how they are feeling. Additionally, exciting activities are offered to help them learn about the cultures and beliefs of others. For example, as part of their celebrations for the Chinese New Year the children attended a banquet at a local restaurant when they experienced using chop sticks to eat their food.

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the early years provision

The childminder has good partnerships with providers of other early years settings the children attend. For example, regular discussion and communication diaries are used to promote a very effective shared approach to their care and learning. Overall, the childminder engages very well with parents. They are provided with good information about the service through a welcome pack, monthly newsletters, discussion and daily diaries. Questionnaires are used to gauge their continuing satisfaction of the service and any suggestions for improvement acted on promptly. Parents' comments about the service are very positive. For example, they state they would not hesitate in recommending the childminder to others.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop and provides them with a good range of activities that capture their interest. For example, they are able to choose freely from the toys and take part in planned activities, such as baking, enabling the childminder to focus on particular aspects of their learning. Alongside these activities the childminder also enables the children to experience a wide range of learning opportunities in the local community. For example, she regularly takes them to the library and a local group This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for messy play activities. They also attend the local children's centre which provides opportunities to socialise with others and explore resources in a sensory room. However, the opportunities for the children to learn about nature and the care of living things, particularly planting and growing, are currently limited which

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and outcomes for children

means this aspect of their development in knowledge and understanding of the world is not fully supported.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder interacts well with the children as they play. For example, she helps them to count how many bricks they have used as they build towers and encourages their communication skills as they look at books together. The children have good opportunities to learn life skills as they play with role play resources. For example, they delight in caring for the dolls and making meals with the play food.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has effective systems in place to track children's developmental progress in the setting. She makes regular observations and takes photographs of their responses to the activities which she uses to compile a learning journey for each one. These are shared regularly with the children's parents. However, parents are not encouraged to add their own observations of the children's learning to the record, which means the childminder may not be fully aware of the progress they make in their home environment.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder develops close and trusting relationships with the children ensuring they feel safe in her care and supporting their emotional well-being. Simple house rules have been compiled with the children so they know what is expected of them and why, and as a result they behave well. The childminder provides good opportunities for the children to learn about what contributes to a healthy lifestyle. For example, they play ball games on a nearby grassed area and visit soft play provisions and local parks to use various play equipment. This enables them to enjoy fresh air and develop their physical skills. The children have good opportunities to learn about healthy eating. The childminder talks to them about why fruit is good for them and through activities, such as making their own popcorn and baking buns they learn about the process of change and how food is sourced. Through topics, such as road safety, water safety and stranger danger,

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and outcomes for children

the children learn to follow responsible practices to keep themselves safe. 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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