Childminder in Sheffield

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 300010 Inspection date 09/05/2012 Inspector Liz Nicholson

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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 1994. She lives with her husband, one child aged 13 years and two adult children. The family live in Stannington, a residential area, on the outskirts of Sheffield. The ground floor and upstairs bathroom of the childminder's house is used for childminding and the home is close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. There is a fully enclosed play area available for outdoor play. The family has a pet cat.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding four children in this age group. The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder currently supports children with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder collects children from the local schools and nursery and attends toddler groups on a regular basis. 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

Children are cared for in a homely environment where each child is welcomed and valued as an individual. They enjoy a broad range of activities and learning experiences, both indoors and outdoors, which support their learning effectively. High priority is placed on partnerships with parents and other providers. This ensures children progress generally well, given their age, ability and starting points. The childminder is developing her approach towards self-evaluation and she is committed to continuously improving the outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 strengthen the assessment process by encouraging parent's involvement in identifying and supporting their child's next steps in learning  develop further the use of reflective practice and self-evaluation to identify current strengths and priorities for development.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures and this effectively contributes to ensuring that children's safety is paramount. She has attended relevant training and is aware of the procedure to follow if she has This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 concerns about a child in her care. All adults within the home are suitably vetted and children are further protected as a result of the childminder's risk assessments of the premises and outings undertaken. Detailed documentation and record keeping promotes the safety and welfare of the children and the efficient management of the setting. As a result, children play in a safe and secure environment.

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the early years provision

All children are warmly welcomed into the childminder's home and learn about, respect and value differences through her positive attitude and the environment she provides. Children are very happy and settled in her care. The play spaces indoors and out are arranged purposefully to meet the children's needs and resources are easily accessible from child-height storage and containers. There is a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities and the childminder engages actively with the children to take their learning forward. She is enthusiastic about her role in helping children to achieve positive outcomes.

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the early years provision

The childminder has acted upon recommendations from her last inspection and is working closely with other providers to ensure children's learning opportunities are maximised. She is fully committed to developing links with other professionals, in order to further support children's achievements and well-being. Parents are actively involved in the setting and the childminder seeks their views on the setting on a regular basis. Questionnaires result in positive feedback and state that the childminder is helpful, friendly and approachable. The childminder takes professional responsibility for constantly improving the quality of her practice. She has attended a wide range of training that has helped to promote children's learning and development outcomes. She is committed to developing her provision further. However, the current self-evaluation process does not identify her current strengths and areas for improvement.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and content with the childminder and good relationships are evident. She has a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses this to ensure children's learning and development is given high priority. The childminder has a comprehensive understanding of each child's abilities. This enables her to provide purposeful play experiences to support their learning successfully. All children make good progress towards their early learning goals because they are provided with a variety of interesting play based activities. The childminder plans activities daily for the children, taking into account their interests and makes regular observations of their progress. She uses these observations to assess their achievements and plan for their next steps in learning. However, the existing assessment system does not encourage parents to be involved in identifying their child's next steps in learning. Therefore, limiting their

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and outcomes for children

ability to support their child's learning and development further.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy moving freely around the childminder's home and accessing the resources on offer. They are active and inquisitive learners and are beginning to understand the wider world as they visit local groups within the community. The This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children are developing strong personal and social skills in relation to sharing and playing cooperatively. They enjoy playing table-top games and taking turns. The childminder's ongoing praise and encouragement, throughout the day, enables the children to take responsibility for how they behave. This results in children feeling valued and confident to explore, make decisions and relate well to others. The childminder confidently supports children's language and communication skills as she effectively uses open-ended questions. Younger children are supported to use language and the childminder is skilled at modelling its use. She repeats words and

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and outcomes for children

gives time for children to communicate back to her, showing a keen interest in what they have to say and praising their efforts.

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and outcomes for children

Children have many opportunities to be creative as they paint, enjoy gluing and sticking and drawing. Children's understanding of number and shape are supported in everyday situations as they plant seeds in the garden and cut up pieces of apple, counting the slices as they eat them. They effectively develop skills for the future as they access a range of interactive resources. Children benefit from the warm and homely environment, where their uniqueness is fully recognised and promoted. In response, children behave well and benefit from the individualised and sensitive support given by the childminder.

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and outcomes for children

Children adopt healthy lifestyles from an early age as they follow consistent routines and practices. They are developing an understanding of the importance of personal hygiene as they wash their hands before meals and snacks and after touching the pet cat. The childminder ensures that the children enjoy a variety of healthy snacks, and drinks are offered throughout the day. Their physical health is actively promoted through access to fresh air and many outdoor activities. They regularly go for walks in the local environment and enjoy playing football in the local park. A good range of strategies has been adopted to raise children's awareness of their own safety. The childminder discusses road safety whilst out on walks, practises regular fire drill within the home and talks to the children about stranger danger. 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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