Childminder in Suffolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/11/2012 21/04/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 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 make clear choices over their play and learning as the childminder presents a good selection of toys and play materials in large storage boxes at their height.  Children form warm and caring relationships with the childminder. They settle well as she has clear settling-in procedures in place.  Children's well-being is promoted through the childminder's clear policies and working practices. They develop an understanding about keeping healthy and fit as she encourages them to walk to and from school and regularly visit local parks and playgrounds.

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It is not yet good because

 Provision for children who speak English as an additional language does not fully enable them to use their home language in play and learning, supporting their language development at home.  The childminder's methods of self-evaluation are weak, preventing her effective identification of areas for improvement and she does not involve parents in this process.  Parents and others have limited opportunities to contribute towards children's initial assessments or to play an active role in their on-going learning and development.

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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 activities in the conservatory.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder and children at appropriate times.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a range of records and documentation including children's details, information about their learning, accident and medication records, qualification certificates and other relevant paperwork.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1993 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and one adult child in a house in Ipswich and uses the whole of the ground floor and the rear garden for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends local toddler groups, a childminder group and the local children's centre. She 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 five children on roll, two are in the early years age group who attend for a variety of sessions and three are school-age children who attend before and after school. She cares for children all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday except for family holidays.

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must:

 take reasonable steps for children whose home language is not English to develop and use their home language in play.

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

 develop working in partnership with parents and others to enable them to contribute towards children's initial assessments and to play an active role in their ongoing learning and development

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

 further develop self-evaluation to take account of the views of parents and children and use it to drive improvement.

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who attend

The childminder demonstrates some knowledge of how children learn and observes children at play. Her observations enable her to identify children's next steps in learning and she uses these to develop informal planning. The childminder provides parents with information about their children's day. However, they are not encouraged to provide the childminder with clear information about their children's interests and learning at home. This means that parents are not actively involved in their children's learning.

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who attend

The childminder takes children to toddler groups, childminder groups and creative activity sessions. This enables them to develop social skills and to participate in creative and messy play activities on a regular basis. Children enjoy their time with the childminder, freely accessing an exciting range of toys and play materials, which are presented in low- level storage containers in the childminder's conservatory. Children become engaged in favourite activities, such as, sticking. They use an exciting selection of sticky backed shapes to create pictures. The childminder uses some appropriate questioning skills to extend their thinking and to encourage them to name colours and shapes. The childminder intervenes in children's play in a timely manner in order to support their learning and to enhance their experiences.

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who attend

The childminder gives some limited support to children whose home language is not English. She has learned some basic words to use, which help children to feel settled. However, has not fully extended this provision to ensure that children have opportunities to develop and use their home language in play and learning.

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

Children move freely and explore the resources available to them in a welcoming and friendly environment, as the childminder presents safe and secure areas of her home for childminding purposes. Children are settled and content in the childminder's care and supported well to form attachments and relationships with her and other children in her care. The childminder promotes these relationships through activities which encourage turn taking and sharing. Children develop an understanding of the childminder's expectations of them, through her clear behaviour policy and positive re-enforcement. She praises and encourages children, helping to develop their strong self-esteem. These strengths help to prepare children for the next stage of their learning.

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

Children's understanding of keeping healthy and safe is promoted by the childminder using clear explanations and by following her daily routine. They enjoy fresh air and exercise as they regularly walk to and from school. They are encouraged to play in the childminder's garden and are provided with opportunities to develop physical skills and an understanding of the benefits of exercise when they visit local parks and playgrounds. Children's meals are provided by their parents and the childminder provides regular drinks throughout the day to ensure that they do not get thirsty.

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

The childminder encourages children to develop an understanding about keeping safe in her care, by reminding them about safe procedures, such as, getting on and off of chairs carefully. She risk assesses her home and all outings to ensure that they are appropriate. The effective presentation of toys and play equipment in the home ensures that children safely access resources of their choice. This also helps to develop their independence.

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provision

The childminder's clear understanding of her responsibilities, with regards to protecting children, ensures that they remain appropriately safeguarded. She regularly updates her safeguarding knowledge through appropriate training. The childminder's procedures for risk assessing her home, garden and outings, ensure that children play and learn in a well- organised environment, which is tailored to meet their individual needs.

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provision

The childminder has cared for childminded children for many years and uses her established practices to provide a warm, caring and child-friendly environment in which children learn and play. At present the childminder has limited systems in place to enable her to review and evaluate her provision. This results in a lack of effective procedures for identifying weaknesses or targeting training to meet her ongoing professional development. She does not involve parents in her self-evaluation process or provide them with opportunities to give her feedback on her childminding service.

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provision

The childminder develops clear systems for sharing information about the children's day with their parents. She has some written policies and procedures available to share with them, which inform them of her working practices. At present there are inconsistent opportunities for parents to become fully involve in their children's learning as the childminder does not effectively share the learning journeys with all parents. They have few opportunities to contribute information about their children's starting points or capabilities. Some links are in place with the local pre-school, enabling partnerships to develop between them and the childminder, however, these do not yet effectively enable the childminder to share information about children's learning and development.

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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 250685 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 818381 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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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: 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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