Childminder in Durham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/10/2012 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder safeguards and promotes children's welfare effectively. She provides a safe, clean and stimulating learning environment that meets children's individual needs and helps them make good progress.  Warm, caring relationships have been established which ensures that children feel happy, settled and secure in their environment.  Effective partnerships between the childminder, parents and the other Early Years provisions that children attend ensure that children's unique needs are met.  The childminder plans and organises the systems to ensure that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning and development experience.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The next steps for children's development have not been agreed with parents after the childminder has shared a summary of their progress.  The range of information and communication technology resources available for younger children is not yet fully effective in helping them to understand how simple technology works.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises and observed children playing.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys, a selection of policies and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through written comments that they left for the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012. She lives with her partner and two children aged 11 and eight years in the Tow Law area of County Durham. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family has a dog. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. There is currently one child on roll in the early years age range. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 consolidate and expand systems for recording the summary of children's progress, by agreeing the next steps for development with parents and carers

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 support children in using a range of information and communication technology, for example, by expanding the use of cameras, compact disc players, tape recorders and programmable toys.

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who attend

The childminder has previous experience in childcare through working in a day nursery. She has transferred the skills gained from this employment with great success to childminding. She has used her extensive knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage to assess children's abilities when they start. When the requirements were updated in September she carried out a written summary of children's progress so far and assessed where they fit into the seven areas of learning and development. This gave her a good foundation to plan ahead areas for development which are based on the children's interests. The summary was shared with parents, however, she has not yet developed this further by discussing the areas for children's future development with them so that parents and the childminder can help and support each other in extending children's learning and development.

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who attend

The childminder observes children's activities regularly recording them as a story in a learning journey that clearly shows how children are making progress. She links these into the areas of development and carries the next step through to a planning sheet for future activities. Parents are able to view their child's learning journey at any time which helps them to continue their child's learning at home. Children have the opportunity to participate in an excellent range of activities and experiences. There is a good mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Activities are open ended which allows the children to choose what they would like to do with a particular resource and to express their own ideas. The childminder joins in with their play where she observes and supports the child, she interacts appropriately based on the child's current learning objectives, such as counting or matching cards in a game.

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who attend

Children are very settled and relaxed in the childminder's care. They play games together, for example, a matching game helps children to take turns and share resources; helping them to accept the needs of others. The childminder helps children's understanding of number to develop as she asks how many cards do they need to complete a card of matching pictures. They sing well known rhymes together using the excellent resources that the childminder has compiled. For example, she has made a song bag with characters from the rhymes. Children select one out of the bag and then match it to the written rhyme. This helps them to understand that print has meaning in a fun way. More than sufficient space is available for children to develop their physical skills. They access the garden daily where they can run round, play football, ride bikes, blow bubbles and explore. In the summer they played in the paddling pool and recall that the water was

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who attend

cold. Though no children with special educational needs and or/disabilities or English as an additional language are cared for as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the childminder demonstrates that she is familiar with liaising with parents and helping them to gain appropriate support should she have any concerns.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are happy, settled and confident in the childminder's care. This is due to well- organised settling-in procedures where children visit the home so that the childminder can get to know the child and so that children can become familiar with the environment. The childminder finds out about their needs through completing an 'all about me' record with the parent or carer which details information, such as their likes and dislikes. The childminder demonstrates acceptable behaviour and practice. Children receive lots of praise for their efforts and appropriate strategies are used if behaviour is unacceptable, such as time out. The childminder talks to the children to explain why it is not acceptable which helps them to develop their understanding.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The childminder promotes children's health well. She provides a healthy and nutritious diet, which includes involving older children in helping to prepare meals. For example, they help to cut up some salad and to make sandwiches for lunch. The childminder talks to them about different foods and children are able to identify what foods they do and don't like. This all helps them to develop an understanding of good practice with regard to eating. Careful consideration has been given so that a stimulating, well-resourced environment is accessible for children. Resources are arranged round the living room where children are able to make their own choices which develops their independence. Children's understanding of a wider world develops as they have outings into the local environment. They have walks where they examine fossils that have become in-bedded into the ground. They visit a toddler group and another childminder's home where they

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

learn to mix with other children. Good quality books, cultural dolls and resources, such as a Chinese cooking set, help children to comment and ask questions about aspects of their familiar world or the natural world. Older children have access to a computer and a games console to develop their understanding of information and communication technology. However, there is room to improve the range of simple technology resources available for younger children.

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provision

Written policies and procedures are in place and followed by the childminder to ensure children's welfare is effectively safeguarded and promoted. She is suitably trained in local child protection procedures and is aware of the signs and symptoms that would alert her to possible abuse. The childminder carries out a daily check of the home and garden to make sure that there are no hazards for children while in her care. The childminder has carried out a clear self-evaluation of her practice identifying strategies for sustained improvement. For example, she has plans to extend resources in the garden with a water tray, sand pit, wooden swings and a home growing area. She also plans to develop some form of feedback from parents so that they can contribute to her self-evaluation to improve outcomes for children. The childminder monitors children's development through the observations that she carries out. They are consistently assessed and their progress

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provision

linked to the areas of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage to provide an accurate picture of how each child develops.

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provision

Partnerships with parents is becoming well established. The childminder keeps them up- to-date on their child's day through discussions and a record that they can take home of what children have been involved in. Comments from parents are positive about the care children receive. They say that their child is brimming with confidence and energised after being in her care and they are confident when their child is with the childminder that they are cared for and supported with all aspects of their development and social skills. The childminder understands the importance of working in partnership with others involved in children's care and learning. She talks to nursery staff when she collects children to find out what they have been doing. This helps her to offer continuity of care.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY442875 Local authority Durham Inspection number 789676 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 1

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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