Childminder in Kent

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY438615 Inspection date 03/05/2012 Inspector Linda Coccia

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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 is registered to provide care from the home of her co-childminder who lives in Sittingbourne, Kent. The whole of the premises is used for childminding and there is an enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of four children aged under eight years at any one time; of these, up to two children may be in the early years age range. The childminder is currently looking after two children who both fall within the early years age range. When working with a co-childminder the registered number of children may be increased to 10 children aged under eight years at any one time; of these, five may be in the early years age range.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is available to walk to local schools to take and collect children. She attends local parent/toddler groups and local childminding group.

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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 uses excellent procedures to engage with parents. These encourage parents to be fully involved in their children's learning and development. The childminder provides an interesting range of activities and resources to help children enjoy their learning and to help them feel safe. Overall, self-evaluation is good. The childminder has made a number of changes to some procedures since being registered. This shows she is able to maintain good continuous improvement of her service.

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further?

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

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further?

 strengthen the use of self-evaluation to identify strengths and prioritise improvements for development that will continuously enhance the quality of the provision for all children.

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the early years provision

The childminder manages her setting well. She has good procedures in place to help safeguard children. For example, her risk assessments are thorough and both she and her co-childminder are vigilant in maintaining a hazard free environment. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Parents have the childminder's safeguarding and complaints explained to them when they first register. This helps them to understand the childminder's duty to protect their children. The childminder maintains her accident, medication and attendance records in line with requirements. Through the use of good procedures children have their well-being promoted. An evaluation of the childminder's service has not been conducted, because the childminder has only been registered for a short period of time. A full evaluation will help her to prioritise improvements within her setting for all children. However, the childminder has made some good

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the early years provision

changes to some areas of her practice, such as recording children's progress on a secure website. This has had a good impact on the children in her care, because their parents can now access their children's records whenever they want, and from wherever they are, and can add their own comments and views to them. The childminder can explain how parents are now more involved in their children's learning and the working relationship she has with them is stronger. The childminder uses an excellent range of resources from the local community and in her toys, to engage children's imaginations and encourage their emerging abilities.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good understanding of equality and diversity issues. She encourages children to learn about their differences by participating in activities which acknowledge different customs and celebrations. They enjoy tasting different foods from around the world and use toys which give them positive images of race, gender and disability. In this way, children learn tolerance of, and respect for each other's differences. The childminder has good procedures in place to engage in partnership working with other care providers, and professionals which she has adopted from her co-childminder. Although she has not had to utilise any services for her own minded children, she has aided her co-childminder in sharing information with local school teachers when collecting the co- childminder's children from school. Parents report that the childminder provides a homely and loving environment and provides interesting and exciting opportunities

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the early years provision

for play. They also report that their children have flourished in her care and are encouraged to develop their own personalities. The childminder uses a wide range of communication systems to keep parents informed of their children's activities each day. Because regular daily discussions of their needs take place, children receive excellent consistent care.

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and outcomes for children

Children are extremely happy in the setting. The excellent settling-in procedures are rigorously applied, so that parents have a full understanding of the service the childminder provides before they ever leave their children with her. The children move around freely and confidently. They seek out the childminder if they need her help or comfort. The youngest children are beginning to know many of the childminder's routines and test out new experiences with a certain degree of caution. Children show they feel extremely safe in setting through their body language and demeanours.

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and outcomes for children

The children select their own toys and activities to play with and investigate. The This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 good quality toys are stored at low level for all children to access and even the youngest children know where their favourites are. One child pulled out the basket of musical instruments, which he loves to rattle and shake. He is adept at making sounds on the push button instruments and claps his hands with glee when he gets the desired effect. All children use the range of construction toys, not only to build with, but also to make sounds with as they clap them together. Children use an extensive range of craft materials, including chalk, sand and stickers with different textures and shapes. They make lots of items to take home to their parents. The children are involved in a variety of outdoor activities from growing plants in the raised flower beds to using the local children's centre for soft physical

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and outcomes for children

play activities. The children also engage in physical activity indoors, such as using the blow up ball pool and dancing using the electronic games console. Children chatter happily throughout all the activities they choose, not only to the childminder, who is on hand to help them, but to each other. They use the childminder's good range of books, both fact and fiction, to help with their homework or just for pure enjoyment in reading and being told stories. The youngest children snuggle with the childminder for a regular story time. By using a wide variety of activities, children are building a repertoire of skills which will help their future development. The childminder is able to demonstrate how she assesses children's abilities, given their starting points, and how she identifies their next steps by using her pre-programmed computer system. Currently the childminder plans activities for individual children to help them progress in their

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and outcomes for children

development and learning on her calendar. The childminder plans to transfer her planning to the computer system too, to enable parents to be more involved in the planning of activities for their children. The records clearly show that children are making good progress towards the Early Learning goals.

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and outcomes for children

Children eat food which is healthy and nutritious. The childminder is highly effective in providing for each child's individual dietary needs. She is vigilant in checking food ingredients to ensure that no foods trigger children's allergies. The childminder displays excellent information on her front door concerning allergies, which asks parents to be extra vigilant too. All the children know they must not share each other's food. The children grow crops of food in the garden. Already they have planted onions, garlic, tomatoes and strawberries amongst others and are eagerly watching for the results of their labours. Children use the childminder's excellent hygiene procedures before engaging in a variety of cooking activities and after engaging in physical play and handling the variety of pets in the garden. All children are regularly involved in practising the childminder's good emergency evacuation procedures. The childminder evaluates each monthly drill and discusses

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and outcomes for children

the outcome of each drill with the children. This is to remind them of their responsibilities whilst the drill is taking place. For example, they must listen to instructions in order to help keep themselves and others safe. This enables the children the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the setting as they offer their views on any improvements. Children receive lots of praise and encouragement as they play, especially when they help each other and share and take turns. As a result, they feel valued and ultimately have an enjoyable experience at the setting. 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 1 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 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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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