Childminder in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/10/2012 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children are happy and secure in the childminder's setting. They form good relationships with her and her family. These relationships are promoted and encouraged through the childminder's clear settling-in procedures.  Children's well-being is promoted through the childminder's effective implementation of her policies and procedures. She understands their individual needs well and organises her home and working practices around their requirements.  The childminder presents children with a good range of resources and plans appropriate activities to help to enhance their learning. She uses her clear observations to inform her individual planning for each child.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder has completed an on-line safeguarding course, however, she has not yet completed a local authority approved child protection training course.  Systems for reviewing and evaluating the childminder's provision are beginning to be implemented, however these are not yet robust, to enable her to identify areas for improvement within her provision.  The childminder provides children with a wide range of resources and activities, however, she has yet to fully stimulate their imagination and communication skills, through the use of cosy spaces and dens.

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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 viewed all areas of the home used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation relating to the childminder's practice, such as children's details, accident and medication records, planning and assessment records, written policies and daily attendance records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views shared with the childminder, on summative assessments and during their six month review.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and five children aged, 13, 10, seven and six years and her nine-month-old baby in a house in Colchester, Essex and uses the whole of the ground floor and the living room on the first floor of the house for childminding. There is also a rear garden for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has completed basic training including first aid and an on-line child protection course and updates her knowledge through documentation on specific issues, such as food hygiene. She attends the local Ormiston centre and visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently four children on roll; three of these are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. One of these children and one other child are school- age, who attend before and after school. The childminder provides care and education all- year-round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays.

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must:

 attend a local authority approved child protection course in line with the requirement of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage to take lead responsibility with regards to safeguarding children.

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

 improve systems for monitoring and evaluating the provision. Take into account parents' and children's views in this process and use it to identify training needs and areas for improvement

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

 enhance children's learning by providing opportunities for children to sit and chat with friends, for example, through the introduction of cosy spaces or snug dens.

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who attend

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the seven areas of learning, which helps her to provide children with a well-resourced and stimulating environment. The environment is rich in print, as the childminder decorates her walls with laminated, colourful letters and numbers and labels many areas of her home. The childminder is beginning to build on children's initiated play to extend their thinking, for example, a spontaneous role-play game with a small cooker is extended by the childminder encouraging the children to talk about what they are cooking and how they are using the equipment. The childminder understands that children learn through play and promotes this effectively. Some opportunities are provided for children to create spaces of their own to sit and chat, however, the childminder has yet to encourage their interest in cosy spaces and dens.

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who attend

Children enjoy participating in a good range of activities, both planned adult-led experiences and those chosen freely by the children. They benefit from the warm interaction and timely support they receive from the childminder, who actively facilitates their ideas and suggestions. For example, a child-initiated counting game is selected and children set out the playing pieces. The childminder reminds the children of the rules and helps them to count the spots on the dogs. She then steps back to enable them to explore the game independently. Older children fully understand the rules and get a little frustrated when younger children do not understand so well. The childminder intervenes in this dispute in a timely manner, using clear explanation to ensure that both children are supported. Children's language and communication skills are appropriately supported by the childminder asking them open-ended questions, providing them with opportunities to

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who attend

listen and speak and using clear descriptive words during their discussions.

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who attend

The childminder observes children's play and learning effectively, recording their achievements and using her observations to plot their progress. She uses the document, Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage, to identify children's next steps in learning. Parents are encouraged to play an active role in their children's development by viewing the learning journeys and helping to identify their next steps. The childminder has implemented systems to enable her to fulfil the requirement to complete the progress check for two-year-olds, for all children of this age in her care.

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

Children are settled, confident and comfortable in the childminder's care. They wander freely around the areas of her home accessible to them and independently access the toilets and hand-washing facilities. The childminder actively encourages children to become independent by making her home and resources safe and accessible. Children are encouraged to form good relationships with other children, as the childminder encourages turn-taking and sharing through planned and free play activities. They understand the simple house rules, which ensure that they are aware of the childminder's expectations of them. Children's self-esteem is effectively promoted by the childminder praising and encouraging them. She uses positive language at all times and rewards good behaviour with certificates and stickers. For example, when children are potty training.

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

Children's knowledge and understanding about keeping healthy and well are actively promoted by the childminder. She reminds them about good hygiene habits, such as, regular hand-washing and talks to them about activities, which keep them fit. They enjoy a healthy diet, which is mostly provided by parents. The childminder supplements their diet with mid-morning snacks and drinks, which are well-balanced and nutritious. Children are provided with regular drinks to ensure that they remain well-hydrated at all times. The childminder encourages children to do lots of walking, which helps to keep them active. They have good opportunities to make use of large-scale play equipment when they visit local parks and playgrounds. Their understanding of keeping safe is extended through lively discussions with the childminder. For example, they talk about how to go up and down the stairs carefully, know to sit still on the dining chairs and they follow the

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

childminder's clear advice when walking along the road.

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provision

Children are protected from harm as the childminder has some basic knowledge of safeguarding issues and how to protect the children in her care. She has yet to complete a local authority approved safeguarding children course, but demonstrates that she is confident about dealing with any safeguarding issues. All adults living on the premises are vetted and proof of their clearance is available on file. Children play and learn in a safe and secure environment, as the childminder conducts effective risk assessments and safety checks of her home before the children arrive each day.

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provision

This is the childminder's first inspection since registration. She is beginning to implement systems which enable her to review and monitor her provision and is beginning to use self-evaluation to identify further training needs and areas for improvement. She has made effective changes to her provision over the past couple of months, for example, she now holds six-monthly review meetings with parents and has changed her procedures for collecting children from school, following feedback from one parent. The childminder intends to further develop her knowledge of childcare, through appropriate training courses and is considering completing the Level 3 in Home-Based Childcare.

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provision

The childminder has a clear system in place for working in partnership with parents. She shares information verbally with them on a daily basis and completes a weekly diary, which she also shares with parents. In the weekly diary she asks children to tell her what they have enjoyed that week and whether there is anything they did not enjoy. She uses this information to inform future planning and activities. Partnerships with other early years settings, which children attend are good. The childminder has a close working relationship with the local pre-school and shares information about her planning and assessment with them when children attend both settings.

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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 EY426571 Local authority Essex Inspection number 768494 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 3 Number of children on roll 3

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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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