Extracts from my 2009 Ofsted report (for 2006 click here):
The overall effectiveness of the early years provision:
‘Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding’
‘Children benefit from the childminder’s ambition, motivation and commitment to providing high quality care’
‘Positive action is taken to ensure that the provision is fully inclusive and children’s individual needs are extremely well met’
‘The childminder is proactive in developing good partnerships with parents, other settings and professionals involved in children’s care ensuring effective continuity of care and learning, which enables children to make excellent progress.’
The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years provision:
‘Children are extremely well safeguarded, with high quality, robust policies and procedures that are shared with parents’
‘Families are welcomed into the childminder’s home and she takes a great interest in their lives giving children a sense of belonging and feeling valued’
The quality and standards of the early years provision and outcomes for children:
‘Children make outstanding progress towards the early learning goals and in all areas of their development because the childminder has an excellent understanding of both the Early Years Foundation Stage and outcomes for children’
‘She is skilled at using the children’s individual interests and ideas to plan interesting and enjoyable activities that provide opportunities for children to learn a range of skills, develop their creativity and explore their environment’
‘Children demonstrate loving and caring relationships with both the childminder and their peers…….an understanding of others and display a very good sense of responsibility for their actions. They are very well behaved and extremely polite’
‘Children thoroughly enjoy their time with the childminder. They take part enthusiastically in activities and are confident to ask for resources and equipment. They are helped to instigate their own learning and develop skills at their own pace with praise and encouragement’
‘Children are extremely secure, self assured and confident. They are encouraged to share their ideas and opinions and the childminder will listen and act upon their requests encouraging them to realise that their thoughts and feelings are important and valued’
‘Healthy eating is actively encouraged and parents provide children with healthy lunch boxes which are complemented with nutritious snacks provided by the childminder. Mealtimes are sociable occasions when children sit together and develop social skills and table manners’
‘They have opportunities to enjoy outdoor play on a daily basis and a good range of garden equipment as well as visits to local parks provides them with varied opportunities to develop their physical skills’
(Ofsted, 2009)