Childminder in Dorset

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/11/2012 27/10/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 works hard to build close, warm relationships with the children in her care. The children readily seek her out for support or to share their achievements, and are sufficiently secure to make good use of her home and resources in their independent play.  The childminder's knowledge of each child's needs and preferences, coupled with her secure understanding of how children progress, allows her to plan and provide an interesting and varied programme of well-resourced activities for all children in her care.  The childminder is skilled at building productive relationships with the parents of minded children. She shares substantial amounts of information about their child's progress on a monthly basis, and regularly seeks parental feedback on their levels of satisfaction in regard to her service.  The childminder builds genuine partnerships with other childcare professionals and agencies, so as to keep her practice up to date, and to build a complete picture of the

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not yet routinely evaluate some aspects of her day to day practice in a way that would further improve the quality of the educational programme.

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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 activities in the home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at various times throughout the observations.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the childminder's self-evaluation forms, training records, planning documents, learning journals, children's records, letters and references from parents, and a sample of the childminder's policies, procedures and welfare documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1994. She lives with her two children, one of school age and the other an adult, in a three-bedroom house in a residential area of Blandford Forum, Dorset. The whole of the ground floor of the house is used for childminding purposes, except for the study. A first floor bedroom is available for sleeping. There is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. The family have a pet rabbit. The childminder operates weekdays from 7am to 7pm. There are schools, pre-schools and outside play spaces nearby.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register, and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She currently has two children on roll, both of whom are in the early years age range, who attend almost full time.

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

 routinely evaluate childminding practice in relation to the daily planning and delivery of activities designed to consolidate and extend children's progress.

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who attend

The childminder has a detailed understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. She has made good progress since her last inspection in the development of her observation and assessment skills. This allows her to carefully track each child's progress. She is then able to build a detailed picture of their levels of attainment, and plan suitable activities for extending their learning. The childminder is flexible and responsive, and is able to follow children's spontaneous engagement in a particular activity or resource. She then assists them in developing their play so they can extend their learning. Through her regular review of each child's overall progress she is able to monitor her own coverage of the areas of learning. She records substantial amounts of information about each child's achievements and interests, and shares these records with parents on a regular basis.

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who attend

Children are engaged, happy and confident as they make good use of the pleasing range of high quality resources on offer. The childminder responds to children's particular interest in reading stories by building regular book times into the day's activities. The children delight in familiar stories, asking questions, making comments and responding enthusiastically to the questions the childminder poses about features of the book. The childminder speaks clearly and slowly, repeating words and helping to build the children's vocabularies. While making play dough animals, the children talk about animals they have seen during one of their regular visits with the childminder to a local petting farm. They delight in taking part in action songs and dancing to familiar nursery rhymes, using their imaginations to help dolly take part in 'Here we go round the mulberry bush'. They independently access the toy mop, brush and hoover, 'helping' the childminder to clean

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who attend

the play room. The children demonstrate a good imagination and increasing physical skills as they play. The childminder supports and extends their learning by showing them how to best use the resources, and asking them to do other 'jobs' around the play room.

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

Every child is made to feel valued and important by the childminder. She works hard at getting to know the children in her care, and demonstrates throughout inspection the depth of her knowledge of each child's family life, interests and challenges. Children clearly enjoy the childminder's company, conversing with her extensively, and gravitating to her for cuddles and comfort when needed. The children behave well, and respond quickly to any guidance the childminder offers them. For example, children are effectively supported by her to share a particular resource, which speedily resolves any further issues.

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

The childminder's home is welcoming and well-organised. Her conservatory play room is designed to meet the broad range of children's interests. It contains toys and resources clearly labelled and accessibly placed so that children can make good, independent use of them. An appealing display of posters and signs increases children's access to an environment rich in the printed word.

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

The childminder has a rigorous approach to minimising hazards. She carries out regular and thorough risk assessments and ongoing safety checks. In addition, she implements regular emergency drills that are fully recorded and evaluated. The childminder makes good use of her local environment and nearby places of interest. These give children access to outside play and a variety of learning experiences. Through her continued methodical approach the childminder ensures that children are safe wherever they are.

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

Physical activity is built into the daily programme, and children enjoy healthy snacks and meals throughout the day. Children are given effective support in managing their own personal hygiene as they receive consistent support for toileting and hand washing. Daily communication between the childminder and parents ensures that children receive consistent care between home and the setting.

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provision

The childminder has quickly made herself familiar with recent revisions to the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. She has incorporated changes into her documentation. In relation to the learning and development requirements, she is using her new format regularly to assist in the planning and provision of appropriate activities for children. Her capacity to evaluate her own practice has developed since her last inspection. She is now able to assess the quality of her childminding against the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. However, she does not routinely evaluate some aspects of her delivery of activities. She takes part in local quality assurance programmes. However, she recognises the need to undertake some training in order to further increase her reflective skills. She feels that this would enable her to extend the range of ongoing improvements to her provision as a whole. The childminder meets regularly with

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provision

childminding colleagues to share best practice, as well as making good use of her local authority advisor, with whom she works closely. Beyond this, she makes regular use of her local children's centre, where she is able to access additional training.

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provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She shares these fully with parents through the provision of her detailed and well-written policies. Daily discussions and more formal monthly meetings to share progress allow for a genuine flow of information between the childminder and parents. She uses a link book with two local pre-schools that children she cares for attend. This enables a clear flow of information between home and all settings attended by each child to give consistency in their 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 141044 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 892141 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 2

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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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