Childminder in Leeds

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY436753 Inspection date 24/05/2012 Inspector Rachel Ayo

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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 lives in the Hunslet area of Leeds in west Yorkshire with her partner and children aged 10 and eight years. The ground floor is primarily used for childminding purposes and children have access to a secure garden. Local amenities include shops, parks, schools, nurseries and a library, and the childminder's premises are situated close to transport links. The childminder has two pet rabbits.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of six children under the age of eight years, no more than three of whom may be in the early years age group. She is currently caring for three children in this age range and two children on the Childcare Register. Children attend a variety of sessions. 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's welfare, learning and development are promoted suitably, although certain requirements are not fully met in terms of documentation and individualised observational assessment. The childminder creates a bright and welcoming environment in which children can move around freely and develop independence. Partnership working with parents is appropriate in meeting children's individual needs and where children attend other settings suitable links are established. The childminder has made adequate strides since registration to demonstrate her commitment to continuous improvement, however, systems for self-evaluation are not yet fully established in order to effectively identify plans for the future that will continue to improve 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 that written parental permission is requested, at the time of the child's admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 07/06/2012

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further?

 undertake sensitive observational assessment in order to plan to meet young children's individual needs (Organisation). 07/06/2012

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  improve opportunities for babies to explore many processes, media and materials, including natural materials, and to make new things emerge as a result  obtain written parental permission for children to take part in outings  develop an awareness of the responsibilities under food hygiene legislation including registration with the relevant Local Authority Environmental Health Department  develop the systems for assessing what the setting offers against robust and challenging quality criteria, for example, by using the Ofsted self-evaluation form and quality improvement processes.

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the early years provision

The childminder has an appropriate knowledge of possible signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect and her Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines are kept to hand in order for her to seek advice promptly should concerns arise. Consequently, children are protected. The home is well risk assessed to promote children's welfare. The premises are secure, a safety gate prevents access to the kitchen if the childminder is cooking and there is a variety of equipment in place to keep children safe, such as, cupboard and drawer catches, a fireguard and door stoppers. The childminder describes adequate procedures for keeping children safe on outings and she has devised a fire safety booklet in which she keeps, for instance, a clear log of smoke detector checks and emergency evacuation drills. Babies are protected from the sun as the childminder applies sun protection lotion and keeps them in a shaded area as they play in the garden.

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the early years provision

A welcome pack for parents provides them with good quality information about the service before their children attend and the childminder obtains appropriate information about children's home routines, likes and dislikes in order to promote inclusion. Where children in the early years age group attend school the childminder compliments topics, such as, stranger danger and is developing systems for linking more closely regarding their individual targets in order to fully promote coherence in their learning. Ongoing information about children's care and learning is shared suitably with parents through daily discussions.

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the early years provision

Record keeping systems are generally adequate in promoting the efficient and safe management of the provision and in meeting children's individual needs. However, the childminder does not have consent from parents to take children on outings and has not requested written permission from them to seek emergency medical advice or treatment which is a breach of requirements. There is an appropriate range of safe and suitable furniture, equipment and resources to meet children's individual needs including those which help children learn about diversity. Although, there is a lack of natural objects, media and materials that fully fosters babies' exploration and investigation. The organisation of space and toys is adequate in enabling children to make choices. For example, babies demonstrate their newly developed physical skills as they crawl between the kitchen and lounge, happily exploring books, cars and musical toys.

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The childminder utilises internet resources and childcare magazines and since registration has focused on creating a bright and welcoming environment and increasing her range of resources to improve outcomes for children. However, there are no clearly targeted plans for the future as systems for reviewing her practice are not fully established. Children are encouraged to share their ideas, for example, for activities and meals and parents are encouraged to give verbal feedback on their satisfaction with the service and suggest areas for improvement.

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and outcomes for children

Babies appear happy, secure and settled as a result of positive relationships with the childminder. They readily smile and snuggle in to her as she cuddles them warmly and sits alongside them to play. A bright, welcoming and child centred environment is created, for example, with a wide array of posters and low level storage units. The childminder informally plans a suitable range of experiences appropriate to each child's stage of development. For example, she recognises that babies enjoy simple technology toys, such as, those which make sounds and flash lights when buttons are pressed. She encourages children to copy her saying, 'Where's the butterfly?'. As babies discover the crinkly noise of the elephant's ear they revisit the toy many times. The childminder has begun to complete observations, however, she is not linking these to the expectations of the early learning goals in order to fully undertake sensitive observational assessment to

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and outcomes for children

plan for children's next steps and ensure they make optimum progress. This is a breach of requirements.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder fully supports babies as they explore their environment and encourages their early language skills as she talks about what she is doing, for example, when changing nappies. Babies babble and delight in repeating sounds, such as, 'Da, da, da' and show good small muscle skills as they attempt to turn pages of board books, shake a rattle and hold their bottle of milk. A stimulating reading area is created to encourage children's interest in print, enhanced with letters on the book unit and wall, felt wall animals and brightly coloured beanbags and a foam number mat. Enthusiastic praise and encouragement is given by the childminder, which clearly fosters babies' self-esteem and confidence. As babies practise their physical skills, such as, pulling themselves on the fireguard the childminder stays close by to keep them safe. She explains that she helps school aged children to learn about keeping safe appropriately, through discussions

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and outcomes for children

around road safety and stranger danger and by discussing fire safety when practising the evacuation drill.

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and outcomes for children

Children's all round good health is promoted suitably. The childminder implements appropriate hygiene routines, such as, providing individual towels for hand drying, washing her hands after changing nappies and cleaning babies' hands before they eat finger foods. Although, she is not aware of her requirement to register with the Food Standards Agency. School aged children can access the childminder's garden at any time and babies are taken out at some point during the day. As babies This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 explore the garden the childminder helps them try new resources, such as, the small slide and they delight in observing the pet rabbits hopping around. The childminder provides healthy meals and snacks to encourage children to make healthy choices about what they eat. Examples include pasta dishes and chicken wraps in which children can choose their own filling from peppers, lettuce,

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and outcomes for children

cucumber and tomatoes. Children also make their own pizzas. Babies are offered water regularly and a jug of water and cups are readily available to encourage school aged children to manage their own hydration. 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 3 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 3 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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