Childminder in Wirral

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY432306 Inspection date 09/05/2012 Inspector Christine Stewart

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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 and lives with her husband and two children aged seven and four years in Wallasey, Wirral. The premises are within easy reach of public transport, shops, parks, schools and community resources. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed outdoor play area to the rear of the property. There are contingency plans in place to call on another registered childminder in the event of an emergency or sickness.

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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 to care for a maximum of four children under eight years at any one time, two of whom may be in the early years age range. There are currently two children on roll who are in the early years age group. Children are taken to and collected from schools and pre-schools. The childminder is supported by the local authority.

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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 are happy and well cared for in a warm and child-centred environment where each child is valued as an individual. The childminder organises her space and resources very well. She provides children with a range of interesting, age- appropriate activities, although few of these reflect the diverse world. A meaningful relationship with parents contributes to the inclusive atmosphere that welcomes all children. Partnerships with some providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage have been initiated. Self-evaluation is in its infancy and is not effective to identify all areas that require attention or development, such as the record of attendance.

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further?

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

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further?

 maintain a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (Documentation). (also applies to both parts of the Childcare Register) 23/05/2012

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further?

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

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further?

 improve opportunities and resources to develop children's understanding and awareness of diversity  develop the links with other early years settings the children attend to ensure effective continuity and progression in their learning and development is promoted through the sharing of relevant information This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop further the system of self-evaluation to promote better outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

The childminder implements sound practice to ensure children are safeguarded. She has completed relevant child protection training and is familiar with how to report any concerns she may have. Adults in the home have been checked to ascertain their suitability. Records of visitors are maintained and the childminder ensures that children are fully supervised. Risk assessments have been completed and she checks the home for hazards on a daily basis before the children arrive. The childminder has a detailed fire evacuation plan in place which has not yet been practised because the children are new to the setting. She encourages the children to learn about contributing to their own safety by practising road safety with them on a daily basis. She has put into place some 'house rules' for children to follow to keep their environment clean. For example, they remove outdoor shoes in the hall before entering the house. The childminder provides an inclusive well-organised

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the early years provision

environment and children can access a good range of resources and activities independently and with no gender bias. Posters, children's artwork and photos are displayed on the playroom walls, which helps create a welcoming space for children to learn and play. However, the range of resources and planned opportunities to reflect diversity are limited.

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the early years provision

The childminder understands the importance of self-evaluation and is committed to making improvements for the future. For example, she has considered her training needs and intends to complete a food safety training workshop. However, she has overlooked meeting a specific legal requirement, which is to maintain a daily record of attendance of children who attend her setting. The childminder has established meaningful partnerships with parents, exchanging information both verbally and in children's 'communication books' on a daily basis to keep up to date with children's well-being. Children's learning journals are in place and are shared periodically with parents to inform and share children's progress and development. The childminder has initiated informal links with some of the providers who deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, this is not yet sufficient to ensure effective continuity and progression for children through the sharing of relevant

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and she has put in place systems to record children's progress. However, as the children have not attended the setting for very long these records are in the early stages. Therefore, children's progress across all areas of learning is not yet evident. The childminder organises suitable activities for children to enjoy during their day and provides them with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated play experiences. Established routines are in place to help children feel secure and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 enable them to predict what happens next. Planning for activities and events is flexible to meet the individual needs and preferences of the children who attend.

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and outcomes for children

The environment is well organised with thoughtfully stored play equipment which is accessible to the children. This enables children to select their own toys and activities and make choices in their play. The childminder promotes children's linguistic skills by providing opportunities for them to explore language through songs, stories and activities. They look at books together and children listen and mimic the animal noises from the story. Very young children have many resources available which help them explore sounds and textures. For example, there are story books with buttons to press to create sounds, and textures included on the pages to explore different materials. Children are delighted and express their pleasure with smiles. They move in rhythm to the home-made shakers and delight in familiar songs.

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and outcomes for children

Very young children are introduced to technology with simple resources with buttons or flaps to demonstrate cause and effect. Older children develop awareness of technology as they access the laptop or use remote controls to operate the television. Children grow green beans in small pots and place them in the greenhouse. This helps them develop an awareness of the natural world, as well as providing opportunities to understand size and numbers in everyday situations. They count the tiny seeds into the pots ready to grow. Children have some opportunities to learn about festivals and cultures as they plan for the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Olympic Games.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit daily from plenty of opportunity to enjoy exercise in the fresh air. They become aware of their local community as they walk to and from familiar venues. Outings are an integral part of the service and provide children with varied learning experiences. These include trips to the local parks, toddler group and shops. Established daily routines for school runs, snacks and meal times help children to feel safe and develop a concept of time in an environment where they can predict what happens next. Children's health is well promoted, with drinking water available all day, meals prepared with mainly fresh ingredients and plenty of fruit offered for snacks. Children behave well because the childminder is a good role model. She is courteous to them and has realistic expectations for their behaviour. Boundaries are discussed and consistently applied so that children become clear about how to behave in acceptable ways.

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and outcomes for children

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 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 3 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: 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 section of the report (Records to be kept). 23/05/2012

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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 specified in the early years section of the report (Records to be kept). 23/05/2012

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