Childminder in Wirral

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY279568 Inspection date 11/07/2012 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 2004. She lives with her partner and their two children aged 10 years and 13 months in Bromborough, Wirral. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's home is used for childminding. On the first floor, the bathroom and the master bedroom are also used. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The childminder is able to take and collect from local schools and pre-schools.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time, including two in the early years range. There is one child currently attending in this age group. Children attend on a part time basis. She also cares for children over five to eleven years. She is supported by the local authority and 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

The childminder has a good understanding of how children learn and uses this knowledge to provide effective learning opportunities for them. Overall, children thrive as the childminder provides individual care which actively supports their development and ensures they make good progress in their learning. Effective partnerships with parents ensure children receive consistent care and communication systems with other professionals have been initiated. Continuous improvement is successfully secured by the childminder's high aspirations for quality. Self-evaluation procedures are effective and involve parents and children.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend links with other professionals to ensure continuity of care and education  improve outdoor planning to encompass a broader range of activities and experiences to promote children's enjoyment and learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder has attended safeguarding training and has a good understanding of how to implement procedures to safeguard children. Thorough systems, including policies and procedures, information about the children and required consents, are in place to protect children and meet all the regulatory requirements. Comprehensive risk assessments, for both indoors and outdoors, are conducted to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 ensure that hazards to children are kept to a minimum. The childminder has attended additional training in food safety to promote children's well-being and good health.

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the early years provision

The effective organisation of the setting and resources encourages children to become independent inquisitive learners who can access resources which have no gender bias. The childminder provides resources so that children can initiate their own play and offers experiences that take account of their different learning needs. There are good systems in place for self-evaluation and reflection. The completion of the recommendations raised at the last inspection and the childminder's commitment to access ongoing training demonstrate her commitment to driving improvement.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents is well established. The childminder has put into place effective systems to include parents and to ensure the children's individual needs are met. She obtains detailed information about the children from the parents and works with children's interests to plan for their progress. Parents and children's views are sought through the use of questionnaires, discussions and daily diaries. Parents' testimonials express their absolute satisfaction with the standard and quality of care the childminder provides for their child. Partnerships with other professionals have been initiated to establish a cohesive approach to children's learning and progress.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very happy and settled in the childminder's home and they make good progress in their learning. This is because the childminder has a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and a good awareness of how children learn. She records children's progress in their learning journals which she shares with the parents to keep them well informed. There is a good balance of adult-led and child-led activities to ensure children make progress and have fun. However, the planning for outdoor play does not provide sufficient play experiences to promote children's progress across all areas of learning.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder promotes children's linguistic skills well by providing many opportunities for children to explore language through songs, stories and activities. They look at books together and the children are excited to predict what will happen next. Labels are attached to resources and children's names are on their water bottles to help them understand that print carries meaning. Problem solving and numeracy skills are nurtured well as children complete puzzles, learn about shape, and count in sequence as they build a tower. They recognise the number three when playing with the magnetic numbers and proudly hold it up announcing 'this is how old I am'. A range of resources, such as programmable toys, cause and effect resources and a laptop develop children's understanding of technology. Established daily routines for outings, snacks and meal times help children to feel safe and develop a concept of time in an environment where they can predict what

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and outcomes for children

happens next. The childminder is developing children's understanding of the importance to consider their environment. They recycle household materials and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 either use them to model and make or they help sort them into the correct recycle bins. Children learn about their local community through visits to the parks, library and toddler groups. They develop their understanding of the wider world through a good range of resources and when they celebrate a variety of festivals. They become aware of other people's needs when they take part in fund raising events such as, the 'big toddle' to help national charities.

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and outcomes for children

Children show a good understanding of keeping healthy and the factors that contribute towards maintaining their health. For example, young children help themselves to water when they are thirsty. The childminder offers nutritious snacks of fruit and healthy home cooked meals to promote children's good health. They have daily opportunity to exercise in the fresh air. Children behave very well and know the boundaries about not climbing on furniture and remove outdoor shoes. Children know how to keep themselves safe. For example, they discuss how to evacuate the premises in an emergency and how to cross the road safely when out. 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 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 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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