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Ofsted Inspections
This is my 1st and most recent Report from the Ofsted Inspector.
Ofsted inspect Childminders every 3 years.
Description of the childminding
The childminder was registered in 2009. She lives with her
husband and three children aged two, four and seven years in Colchester, close
to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The whole of the
childminder's home is used for childminding, except two bedrooms on the first
floor. A secure enclosed garden is used for outdoor play activities. The
childminder has a dog, three snakes, two cats and two giant snails as pets. The
childminder collects children from the local school and goes to several toddler
groups regularly.
The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of two
children under eight years at any one time, no more than two of whom may be in
the early years age range. She is currently minding two children in this age
group. The children live in the local area. The childminder 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.
The overall effectiveness of the early years provision:
Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.
Children's welfare, learning and development needs are being met
to a satisfactory standard. The childminder is beginning to embrace the Early
Years Foundation Stage and to implement all aspects of it. She has some clear
plans for the future and is beginning to develop systems for evaluating and
reviewing her provision. The use of observations to assess children's progress
is currently being developed and the childminder is considering ways of
enhancing the children's knowledge and understanding of other people's cultures
and religions.
What steps need to be taken to improve provision
further?
To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:
•develop the use of observation and assessment to identify
learning priorities and plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for
each child for each of the six areas of learning and development
•ensure self-evaluation clearly identifies specific areas for
future improvements in practice, and the impact on outcomes for children
•extend opportunities for parents and others across different
settings to share what they know about the child and become involved in
identifying the next steps in their learning and development
•improve the range of resources and positive images of disability
and provide support so children learn to respect and value differences, helping
them to develop positive and caring attitudes towards others.
The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years
provision:
Children are protected and safeguarded within the childminder's
care as she has clear systems in place for ensuring that safety takes priority
within her provision. All adults living on the premises are appropriately vetted
and proof of their clearance is held on the childminder's files. The childminder
has completed safeguarding training, ensuring that her knowledge on protecting
children is up-to-date and appropriate.
This is the childminder's first inspection since registration.
She has been actively childminding for five months. She has implemented a very
comprehensive range of written policies and procedures which she reviews and
adapts on a regular basis to ensure that they are working documents. She is
beginning to consider ways of evaluating her provision which will include
parents, however, it is early days for her service, therefore, her systems for
self-evaluation are in their infancy. The childminder has some clear plans for
the future which include completing more training and developing her childcare
knowledge.
Children freely access toys and resources from the selection
available in the childminder's lounge. The toys are presented in clear plastic
boxes which are labelled with words and pictures for easy self-selection.
Furniture is presented in a way which provides a small play area at one end of
the lounge, which children use effectively. The childminder is on hand at all
times to support the children's learning and to enhance their play with adult
interaction where required. The childminder uses her knowledge of the
children's home backgrounds to inform her practices and is beginning to develop
systems for extending the children's understanding of other people's cultures
and religions. Toys and resources which reflect diversity, however, are limited
at present.
The childminder is developing a good working relationship with parents of the
children she is currently caring for. She shares relevant information with them
on a verbal basis each day, as well as through their daily diaries. The
childminder is open to feedback from parents and regularly asks them to tell her
about changes in the children's lives which might further inform her practices.
The children currently being cared for do not attend any other settings, the
childminder is aware that if they did she would need to implement procedures for
sharing relevant information with them and is developing systems to enable her
to do this.
The quality and standards of the early years provision and
outcomes for children:
Children enjoy their day with this childminder. She provides them
with a varied range of both adult-led and child-initiated play opportunities.
She is beginning to embrace the Early Years Foundation Stage fully and using the
knowledge she has gained through training to provide stimulating learning
opportunities for children. Children's welfare needs are met through the
childminder's developing practices and procedures. Children enthusiastically
participate in a painting activity which allows them to freely express
themselves. The bowl of water provided for the children to wash their hands and
brushes in soon becomes a water play game whereby the children wash the paint
plates and other resources. They have fun talking about the bubbles. The
childminder allows the children to fully explore this experience, encouraging
them to use appropriate vocabulary and language to support their learning. The
childminder is beginning to use her systems for observing children's play and
learning to plan individual learning paths for them. At present, however,
evidence to show how the children are making progress is
limited.
Children are generally safe within the childminder's care and
they develop an understanding about keeping themselves safe by sharing
discussions with the childminder. For example, they talk about not climbing on
the furniture when they are playing indoors and they learn about road safety
when they walk to school or visit places of interest. Sound security measures
and thorough risk assessments ensure that children play in a safe environment.
Children have opportunities to talk about issues which help them to stay
healthy, such as exercise and eating nutritious foods. They are encouraged to
be active when they play in local parks and go for walks with the childminder
to the woods or the feed the ducks. At present children do not have daily
opportunities to make choices about whether they play indoors or outdoors as
the childminder is making improvements to her garden and access is limited.
Children are settled and enter the childminder's homeconfidently.
The childminder endeavours to make children feel welcome and
comfortable. The childminder is beginning to get to know the children in her
care and their home backgrounds. She uses this important knowledge to plan
activities which she knows the children will enjoy and benefit from. Children
have some opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of other
people's differing needs as the childminder begins to extend her range of toys
and resources which reflect diversity. They are provided with some opportunities
to develop skills for the future, such as, mark-making skills to encourage
pre-writing and an interest in books to help promote early reading
skills.
Ofsted inspect Childminders every 3 years.
Description of the childminding
The childminder was registered in 2009. She lives with her
husband and three children aged two, four and seven years in Colchester, close
to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The whole of the
childminder's home is used for childminding, except two bedrooms on the first
floor. A secure enclosed garden is used for outdoor play activities. The
childminder has a dog, three snakes, two cats and two giant snails as pets. The
childminder collects children from the local school and goes to several toddler
groups regularly.
The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of two
children under eight years at any one time, no more than two of whom may be in
the early years age range. She is currently minding two children in this age
group. The children live in the local area. The childminder 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.
The overall effectiveness of the early years provision:
Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.
Children's welfare, learning and development needs are being met
to a satisfactory standard. The childminder is beginning to embrace the Early
Years Foundation Stage and to implement all aspects of it. She has some clear
plans for the future and is beginning to develop systems for evaluating and
reviewing her provision. The use of observations to assess children's progress
is currently being developed and the childminder is considering ways of
enhancing the children's knowledge and understanding of other people's cultures
and religions.
What steps need to be taken to improve provision
further?
To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:
•develop the use of observation and assessment to identify
learning priorities and plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for
each child for each of the six areas of learning and development
•ensure self-evaluation clearly identifies specific areas for
future improvements in practice, and the impact on outcomes for children
•extend opportunities for parents and others across different
settings to share what they know about the child and become involved in
identifying the next steps in their learning and development
•improve the range of resources and positive images of disability
and provide support so children learn to respect and value differences, helping
them to develop positive and caring attitudes towards others.
The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years
provision:
Children are protected and safeguarded within the childminder's
care as she has clear systems in place for ensuring that safety takes priority
within her provision. All adults living on the premises are appropriately vetted
and proof of their clearance is held on the childminder's files. The childminder
has completed safeguarding training, ensuring that her knowledge on protecting
children is up-to-date and appropriate.
This is the childminder's first inspection since registration.
She has been actively childminding for five months. She has implemented a very
comprehensive range of written policies and procedures which she reviews and
adapts on a regular basis to ensure that they are working documents. She is
beginning to consider ways of evaluating her provision which will include
parents, however, it is early days for her service, therefore, her systems for
self-evaluation are in their infancy. The childminder has some clear plans for
the future which include completing more training and developing her childcare
knowledge.
Children freely access toys and resources from the selection
available in the childminder's lounge. The toys are presented in clear plastic
boxes which are labelled with words and pictures for easy self-selection.
Furniture is presented in a way which provides a small play area at one end of
the lounge, which children use effectively. The childminder is on hand at all
times to support the children's learning and to enhance their play with adult
interaction where required. The childminder uses her knowledge of the
children's home backgrounds to inform her practices and is beginning to develop
systems for extending the children's understanding of other people's cultures
and religions. Toys and resources which reflect diversity, however, are limited
at present.
The childminder is developing a good working relationship with parents of the
children she is currently caring for. She shares relevant information with them
on a verbal basis each day, as well as through their daily diaries. The
childminder is open to feedback from parents and regularly asks them to tell her
about changes in the children's lives which might further inform her practices.
The children currently being cared for do not attend any other settings, the
childminder is aware that if they did she would need to implement procedures for
sharing relevant information with them and is developing systems to enable her
to do this.
The quality and standards of the early years provision and
outcomes for children:
Children enjoy their day with this childminder. She provides them
with a varied range of both adult-led and child-initiated play opportunities.
She is beginning to embrace the Early Years Foundation Stage fully and using the
knowledge she has gained through training to provide stimulating learning
opportunities for children. Children's welfare needs are met through the
childminder's developing practices and procedures. Children enthusiastically
participate in a painting activity which allows them to freely express
themselves. The bowl of water provided for the children to wash their hands and
brushes in soon becomes a water play game whereby the children wash the paint
plates and other resources. They have fun talking about the bubbles. The
childminder allows the children to fully explore this experience, encouraging
them to use appropriate vocabulary and language to support their learning. The
childminder is beginning to use her systems for observing children's play and
learning to plan individual learning paths for them. At present, however,
evidence to show how the children are making progress is
limited.
Children are generally safe within the childminder's care and
they develop an understanding about keeping themselves safe by sharing
discussions with the childminder. For example, they talk about not climbing on
the furniture when they are playing indoors and they learn about road safety
when they walk to school or visit places of interest. Sound security measures
and thorough risk assessments ensure that children play in a safe environment.
Children have opportunities to talk about issues which help them to stay
healthy, such as exercise and eating nutritious foods. They are encouraged to
be active when they play in local parks and go for walks with the childminder
to the woods or the feed the ducks. At present children do not have daily
opportunities to make choices about whether they play indoors or outdoors as
the childminder is making improvements to her garden and access is limited.
Children are settled and enter the childminder's homeconfidently.
The childminder endeavours to make children feel welcome and
comfortable. The childminder is beginning to get to know the children in her
care and their home backgrounds. She uses this important knowledge to plan
activities which she knows the children will enjoy and benefit from. Children
have some opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of other
people's differing needs as the childminder begins to extend her range of toys
and resources which reflect diversity. They are provided with some opportunities
to develop skills for the future, such as, mark-making skills to encourage
pre-writing and an interest in books to help promote early reading
skills.