Dickinson, Debbie

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY426484 Inspection date 22/05/2012 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 April 2011. She lives with her husband and two children aged 10 and four years in a semi-detached house in a village on the outskirts of Selby in North Yorkshire. All of the ground floor of the childminder's home and two of the bedrooms on the first floor are used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play to the rear of the premises. The family has three dogs which have their own separate area in the garden.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder 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 a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time, of whom two may be in the early years age group. There are currently two children on roll, both of whom are in the early years age group and attend on a part-time basis.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder 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 satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a welcoming and well-organised environment where they are recognised and valued as individuals. Children make steady progress and are offered a suitable range of age-appropriate learning experiences, with high priority being given to outdoor play. However, the system for monitoring their progress is not fully developed. Most of the required documentation is in place and partnerships with parents are good which means information is shared effectively. However, there is no effective system in place to monitor the quality of the service and identify areas for future improvement in order to continually enhance the outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure written parental permission is requested for the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment for all children (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare). 05/06/2012

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further?

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

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further?

 devise a system to monitor and evaluate the quality of the service, for example, by using the Ofsted self-evaluation form and quality improvement processes This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop further the use of assessment to plan for the next steps in children's developmental progress.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a sound understanding of safeguarding children. Through attending training she is able to recognise the possible indicators of abuse or neglect and knows to whom she should refer any concerns. Risk assessments are undertaken and used effectively to minimise any risks to children's safety and most of the required documentation is in place. However, the childminder has not obtained written parental permission for seeking medical advice or treatment for all children. This is a breach of the welfare requirements and could put children's welfare at risk.

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the early years provision

The childminder is keen to discuss the enjoyment she gets from helping children to learn and develop, and since registration she has made some improvements to enhance the service she offers. For example, an extension has been added to the premises which has provided more space for the children to play and learn. The childminder has identified some improvements she would like to make to the garden area in the future, such as installing a canopy to provide the children with a shaded area in hot weather. However, she does not have a system in place for self-evaluation to ensure all areas of the service are regularly reflected on and improvement continuously promoted.

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the early years provision

The childminder organises the space within her home very well and the provision of a good range of resources that children are able to choose from freely provides an environment that is conducive to learning. The childminder successfully promotes equality and diversity. She knows the needs of each child and meets these successfully. Resources, such as books that promote positive images of diversity to raise children's awareness of the wider world, are readily available.

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the early years provision

The childminder understands the importance of working in partnership with other early years settings the children may attend to promote a shared approach to their care and learning. However, the children currently attending are only cared for by the childminder. The childminder gives good attention to engaging with parents. They receive clear, concise written information about how the service operates, including the procedures that would be followed in an emergency, such as a child becoming ill. Daily chats are used very effectively to share information about the children's day and how their care routines have been met. Regular discussion also takes place regarding what children have achieved in the setting, the progress they are making at home and to ascertain whether parents are happy with the service they receive. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a sound understanding of how children learn and develop. She provides a suitable range of activities that enables them to initiate their own play and take part in planned learning experiences that have a particular focus. For example, the youngest ones enjoy choosing and freely exploring interactive toys that create different sounds and taking part in drawing activities that focus on helping them to develop their small muscles. This enables the children to learn in different ways. The childminder successfully interacts with the children as they play. For example, she shows them how to link trucks together as they play with construction resources and how to draw a circle as they use crayons.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder extends the children's learning in the local community through activities, such as taking them to the village toddler group to socialise with others, to feed the ducks on the pond and to the nearby common to learn about nature. The childminder develops trusting relationships with the children which supports their emotional well-being. She recognises their achievements with praise and from an early age she encourages them to use good manners and to help tidy away the toys after use. This encourages them to behave well and to feel safe because they know what is expected of them. The childminder has started to take photographs and make written observations of the children's responses to the activities. However, she does not make effective use of this information to track children's progress and identify the next steps in their learning, to ensure they are fully developing their skills for the future in all areas.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder gives good attention to promoting a healthy lifestyle with the children. She ensures they have access to fresh air and physical exercise each day so they develop good control of their bodies. The impact of this is very evident as from a very young age the children confidently use wheeled toys, throw and kick balls and climb the steps to the slide. The children gain great pleasure from bouncing on the trampoline and running around freely on the grass in the garden. These activities are complimented by visits to the local park and soft play venues which enables them to challenge their physical skills further. The children have good opportunities to learn about food sourcing and healthy eating as they plant, nurture and harvest a range of fruit and vegetables in the garden. The childminder ensures the children practise the evacuation procedures for the home so they know what to do in the event of a fire or emergency and that they learn about

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and outcomes for children

road safety when out in the community. This enables them to develop an understanding of following safe and responsible practices. 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: 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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