Childminder in Gloucestershire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/10/2012 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

 All children make good progress from their starting points and achieve well.  The calm, competent childminder well supports children to achieve through individualised learning programmes explored through play in a homely environment that includes many opportunities for decision making.  Strengths include the promotion of children's personal and emotional development and this is reflected in the warm, caring relationship that clearly exists for children so they settle and are happy.  The requirements for children's safeguarding and welfare are well met so children feel safe and secure.  The childminder is well organised so the records are clear and policies detailed. She is committed to further professional development to be able to offer funded provision.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder encourages parents to engage in daily conversation about children's well-being. However, she does not make the most of parents' knowledge about children's activities and progress at home to foster their learning at the setting.  Insert Strengths text here

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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 observed children's play and the childminder's interaction, inside and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed aspects of childminding with the childminder as appropriate and as these arose.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment and monitoring records and at a range of documentation. This included the childminder's planning, self-evaluation form, planning, training certificates and daily records.  The inspector also read the views of parents expressed in letters.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2012. She co-minds at the home of another registered childminder in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The ground floor of the property is used for childminding, with an upstairs bathroom and a bedroom for sleep or rest. There is an enclosed garden for outside play and the host family has a pet dog and fish in a tank. The house is near to town facilities, including shops, library, swimming pool, soft play centre and parks. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She offers care before, during and after school and in school holidays. There are currently five children in the early years age group on roll. The childminder attends a local childminder support group. The childminder has a level 2 certificate and is working towards a level 3 diploma in childcare and education. She is a member of an approved childminding network.

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

 enable parents to have regular opportunities to contribute to children's learning and development records as part of the ongoing observation and assessment processes.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of how children develop and learn through her previous experience of working with children. She gains a strong overview of their starting points through her knowledge of them while at a prior setting. She has in-depth conversation with new parents and makes perceptive observations of children's play. Children appear to be well on target to make good progress as they freely move around the home and explore the wide range of activities available. The childminder has a good understanding of how to analyse her detailed observation into the aspects of the prime and specific areas of learning. She is well aware of the need to check the progress of two- year-olds. She has chosen relevant documentation and intends to share this with parents and the child's health visitor. She is ably using the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage publication to pick out children's next steps and interests. She effectively

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who attend

uses these to plan to enable them to reach the expected levels of development. She has helped to establish a flexible routine so that children feel secure, and this includes a trip out most mornings. For example, children begin to understand the world around them as they walk through the woods or go to a children's group. Children have ample time to play at the home before they leave the house and in the afternoon after their sleep.

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who attend

The childminder reacts calmly to young children's expressions of emotions to help them settle and engage in activities. She enthusiastically follows interests that they show. For example, she commendably extended children's learning when practising using scissors. She cut out interesting mathematical shapes for them to recognise and then suggested using other textures of paper to make a collage. The childminder is well aware of the value of joining in the play that young children choose and are enjoying. She often responds to their conversation in order to confirm the value of their activities and to help them play sociably together. She asks challenging, open questions to help them think and often talks about their activities, helping them to be aware of some words that they can use later. She encourages their development in communication and language and in literacy well. She supports young children to act out favourite stories and lends her 'adult'

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who attend

pen for them to 'name' their own work. Children are keen to learn about mathematical language as they name the shapes they draw, such as 'circles', and count the shapes they stick.

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who attend

The childminder is well aware that young children learn through their senses. As a result, she sets out a range of percussion toys to shake, bang and blow to interest children in different sounds. She sings well-known rhymes for them to play alongside and join in the actions. Outdoors, children become engrossed in their imaginative play with dolls in prams; they concentrate to investigate using chalks, sand, pasta and water. Children receive good encouragement to fetch items they need and to do things for themselves. As a result, they gain good independence skills that stand them in good stead for their next stage in learning.

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

As their key person, the childminder's quiet, calm approach enables children to form strong bonds and secure emotional attachments with her. She is robustly attentive to children's needs, responding whenever they ask for help, for example, with cutting. She knows their home routines and follows these, with particular regard to sleeping during the day. Children demonstrate that they feel absolutely safe as she sits with them and they settle to rest without fuss. They go to her for cuddles and the childminder is particularly responsive to young children's emotional responses, offering good support. She effectively introduces changes in the routine, including as snack times approach, so that they feel confident and know what to expect. Children effectively learn how to keep themselves safe as they use a range of tools safely. They take risks in controlled circumstances as they explore woodlands and 'light' a pretend bonfire. The childminder praises children as

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

they cooperate, for example, to clear craft items off the table. Through her caring manner, she robustly fosters children's physical and emotional well-being.

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

Supportive procedures for care practices well enable children to be happy and enjoy what they doing. The childminder joins in unhurried snack and meal times so that children gain confidence and skills to socialise with adults and each other. From a young age, children begin to develop independence in personal hygiene, eating and dressing through consistent and timely support from the childminder. For example, her key children remind her which way round they lay on the changing mat and they help as she dresses them for outside play.

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

The childminder plans good quantities of quality play resources to support children's all round development. Much equipment is freely available, including an imaginative area for home corner play and construction toys that children carry to an open space. Children are used to making decisions about their play and this helps them to prepare for their future transition to school. Children receive good support to learn about healthy lifestyles, including the importance of a healthy diet and physical exercise. While out shopping, they choose healthy fillings for their sandwiches and talk about healthy foods, such as fruit and cheese. They spend much time outdoors in the garden and enjoy energetic play on larger equipment at the local soft play centre and parks.

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provision

The childminder strongly meets her responsibilities at all times regarding safeguarding and welfare requirements. She implements these consistently to help create an environment that is safe, welcoming and stimulating for children. The childminder has a secure knowledge of how to protect children. She is well aware of how to respond if she has a concern about a child and regularly renews her child protection training. She completed the initial, written, risk assessment of each area of the house and garden and makes daily checks, including at the front of the house. She and her co-childminder risk assess every outing so that children are safe.

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provision

The childminder conscientiously carries out her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This includes regularly monitoring the educational provision and children's progress so that children continue to achieve well in each area of learning. The childminder has good experience in childcare to prevent any gaps in learning arising. She successfully focuses her planning and teaching for children so that each benefits from the breadth of activities offered. She has a good knowledge about progress checks for two-year-olds. In consultation with her co- childminder, she effectively evaluates the provision to set useful targets for improvement. The childminder is committed to completing a demanding programme of training and professional development. She values the views of parents gained in conversation. She responded immediately to a suggestion from the local authority advisor to add separate

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provision

planning regarding children's interests. She follows children's preferences particularly closely as they decide which pictures of activities to do from the daily 'choosing board'.

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provision

Overall, effective partnerships with parents benefit children's settling and progress well. Parents receive good information about the childminding provision, including many of the childminder's comprehensive policies. At regular meetings, they effectively share records about children's learning in the setting. However, they are not well encouraged to add details of children's activities and learning at home to provide an all-round picture of children's progress. Parents praise the childminder, saying that children 'are happy, nurtured and superbly cared for' through the range of activities and encouragement 'to develop and explore what they like and don't like'. Although not currently childminding children attending other settings or with additional needs, the childminder has experience in partnership working. She is well aware of the importance of such links for the continuation of children's care and learning.

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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 EY445403 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 798289 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 5

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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. 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

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Type of provision

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.

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Type of provision

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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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