Inspection report for early years provision

Unique Reference Number: 160507
Inspection date: 28/09/2010
Inspector: ISP Inspection
Type of setting: Childminding

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.

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).

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.

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.

Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 1995. She lives with her husband in a bungalow in Send, Woking, Surrey. The whole of the childminder's home is used for childminding, There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of which no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently caring for six children in this age group at various times during the week. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. When working with an assistant the childminder can care for a maximum of nine children under eight years at any one time, of which no more than six may be in the early years age range.

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

Children flourish within the highly supportive and caring environment the childminder provides for them. The childminder has an in-depth knowledge of children's individual needs and plans an excellent range of activities and experiences for children, which ensures they have daily opportunities to progress in all skill areas. Children are stimulated and engaged and have great fun as they learn through play. Inclusive practice is positively promoted by the childminder. She is enthusiastic and committed to continually improving outcomes for children together with attending regular training courses to further extend her own knowledge and skills.

What steps need to be taken to improve provision further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

• enhancing children's opportunities to develop an awareness of print carrying meaning.

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years provision

Children's welfare is effectively safeguarded by the childminder who understands her role and responsibilities with regard to child protection. She has attended specific training in this area and has been proactive in attending a safeguarding update workshop. She keeps a record of visitors to her home and has a written policy to support her safeguarding practice. Children are well supervised as they play and the childminder is vigilant to safety at all times. She checks her home for safety on a daily basis and maintains written risk assessments of her home and outings she takes children on. She very effectively organises her time and resources to ensure children's individual learning and development needs are met to a high standard. Early Years Foundation Stage information is displayed for parents to view and she provides a positive, stimulating, learning environment for children, with educational posters displayed throughout her home. Posters are displayed at child height so they can clearly see them, for example posters of fruits and shapes, and used well as a learning resource. Children are totally relaxed and at home and enjoy the freedom to safely play in the dedicated playroom where they all have equal opportunity to access a range of age appropriate toys. The childminder values and respects children as individuals and has an excellent understanding of how to support children in furthering their knowledge and skills. She devotes her time to sensitively interacting with, and supporting, their play whilst balancing children's needs for independent exploration and discovery. Children have excellent relationships with the childminder and turn to her readily for cuddles and support showing they feel safe and secure in her care.

The childminder understands the importance of working in partnerships with parents and others involved in children's care and education. She has a transitions policy outlining her awareness of the different transition phases in a child's life and how they can be supported. Her partnership with parents is outstanding and parents are effusive in their praise of the childminder. They believe she is 'exceptional because she manages to combine a warm and nurturing environment with exciting and stimulating activities on a daily basis'. Parents are kept well informed about their children through both a daily written and verbal exchange of information. The childminder maintains detailed documentation, including a range of policies to support all areas of her practice. The childminder is a reflective practitioner and has completed a detailed self-evaluation of her practice. She seeks regular feedback from parents and also talks to children about how they feel. She has identified areas for further development, for example, she would like to further develop her outside area with natural resources for children to enjoy and she is committed to ongoing professional development.

The quality and standards of the early years provision and outcomes for children

Children have a fantastic time with the childminder where they are able to relax and enjoy their childhood accessing exciting, stimulating, play activities. They are making excellent progress with their learning and development and the childminder expertly uses opportunities as they arise during play to extend and further children's knowledge and skills. Comprehensively detailed planning and development records are maintained with the next steps in children's learning clearly recorded in all areas. The childminder understands the holistic nature of learning and how to challenge and support children to achieve. Children are highly motivated to learn and continuously engage in play moving freely from one toy and activity to another as they follow their own interests. They use their imagination well as they excitedly and enthusiastically pretend to go on a bear hunt with the childminder as she reads the story to them. They wave their arms as they pretend to go through whirling grass and kick their feet as they splish-splash through pretend puddles. The childminder helps foster children's interest in literature as she reads them stories, such as 'Peace at Last'. They develop an awareness of print carrying meaning through sharing books and by seeing words on posters displayed in their environment, although resources have no key labels to help reinforce the links between the written word and real objects. Children all sit together at the table, with younger children using pencils to mark make whilst older children practise drawing round differing shape templates. They develop an understanding of number as the childminder counts six objects in a book they are sharing and she reinforces their awareness of shape as she talks to children about the circles they draw and the triangular pencil they use.

The childminder treats all children with equal concern and ensures all children are included in activities. They thoroughly enjoy exploring the contents of jelly in which the childminder has set some plastic animals. They develop and reinforce their fine motor skills as they use different size tongs and spoons to dig in the jelly to find the different animals. They use their hands as tools to reach further into the jelly and the childminder talks to children about the texture of the jelly and names the animals they find thereby further developing their vocabulary. Children become absorbed in the activity and learn how jelly can be slippery if stood on and how it can feel different on their hands and feet. Children show a good knowledge of different colours as they recognise and name the colours they see, for example, on their chairs in the playroom. Children's behaviour is exemplary and they demonstrate good manners as they respond politely to the childminder. They play very amicably together, happily share resources and patiently wait their turn, for example, to use the different tools at the jelly activity.

Children are allowed to follow their own interests, which reduces the incidents when they may feel frustration. They develop a sense of belonging and ownership of their environment as their photographs are displayed on photoboards, made by the childminder monthly showing children and the activities they have engaged in for the past month. Children have excellent opportunities to develop their future skills through the balance of adult led and child initiated play they engage in. For example, children develop their self-help skills as, under supervision, they slice their banana at snack time. They develop an awareness of a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and a healthy diet. Snack times are a social occasion and children sit together and contentedly feed themselves a snack consisting of grapes, melon, banana and berries. Children play safely within the home and learn how to keep themselves safe through taking part in monthly practises of the fire drill and by listening carefully to the childminder who gently explains to them, for example, how safely to use an age appropriate knife to slice fruit.

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

• 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

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years provision

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Any complaints about the inspection or report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

Source from Ofsted.