Childminder in Staffordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/11/2012 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

 Children are safe, secure and happy in the childminder's care. She is good at forming strong bonds with children and nurturing secure attachments so that their well-being is promoted well.  Children benefit from the provision of a wide range of opportunities and experiences, in a fun-filled, colourful and homely environment and this means that they have good opportunities to play, explore, learn and develop.  There is a strong commitment to reflecting on, and developing, the already good quality provision for children. The childminder has a secure knowledge of how children learn and extensive experience of working with children over a number of years and this allows her to provide a good quality, playful experience for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Parents have few opportunities to share what they know about their children's learning so that the childminder can use this information to support children's development.  Assessment and planning does not consistently refer to the individual stages of children's development in order to focus clearly on next steps in children's learning.

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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 practice in the lounge, the playroom, the downstairs bedroom and the kitchen.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed documentation, policies and procedures, children's records of learning and other relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents, which were available in writing at the time of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, who also childminds at the address, and their three children aged seven, nine and 12 in a house in Burntwood, Staffordshire. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a dog, a rabbit, chickens and ducks as pets.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has completed basic training including first aid and child protection and updates her knowledge through specific courses, such as food hygiene. She attends a childminder group and the local children's centre. She visits the local shops, park and the local farm on a regular basis. She collects children from local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 13 children on roll, seven of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions and six are school-age children who attend before and after school. She is open all year round from 6.30am to 7pm Monday to Friday, except for family holidays.

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

 analyse the information gained through observation and assessment to identify children's stages of development in order to better inform next steps in learning

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

 develop further ways in which parents can contribute to their children's learning and development.

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who attend

Children enjoy a colourful, varied and exciting environment which supports plenty of opportunities for purposeful play and active learning. The childminder's experience of working with children means that she is able to recognise individual needs and help them make good progress in their learning and development. There is a very clear commitment from the childminder to provide a homely, caring, loving and secure environment where children can flourish. Children's individual learning needs are acknowledged through regular observations and assessments, which take into consideration their interests and fascinations. Links with other local providers are in their infancy, but have helped to prioritise specific areas for development for children, dependent on need, in order to help them make progress. However, there is scope to improve assessments of children's development by reflecting on the age bands children are secure in and using this

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who attend

information to focus next steps for learning. The childminder liaises closely with parents by talking to them on a daily basis in order to gain an initial overview of what children like to do, what their interests are and whether there are any other needs. This helps her to make a decision about children's starting points in order to ensure that planned activities and opportunities are relevant, meaningful and interesting. The childminder has recognised that there is some scope to give parents more opportunity to support and share information about their children's learning at home, and to contribute actively to decisions about where their children are in their development.

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who attend

A wide range of interesting and challenging experiences are provided across the areas of learning. Younger children are very well supported in their physical development because they are provided with a range of equipment and opportunities to develop skills, whilst being effectively challenged. For example, babies are given time to engage in 'tummy time' activities and are encouraged to reach out for objects or begin to move and wriggle about independently. Resources are provided which help children develop skills, such as bouncing, stretching and flexing their leg muscles and support them in their journey towards being able to walk.

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who attend

Children's communication and language skills are nurtured very well. The childminder spends time repeating sounds that babies make, or staying close and giving lots of face- to-face interaction so that they can respond to facial gestures. Babies giggle and chatter away as the childminder smiles, talks and responds back to sounds they make. Older children have plenty of opportunities to engage in a broad range of activities within a child-orientated, homely environment. For example, children enjoy role play games in the outdoor environment, developing their imagination; they reflect on their own culture and those of others as they look at resources which introduce them to the wider world, and they develop mathematical skills when cooking. They have plenty of opportunity to develop their creativity as they begin to make marks, to explore a range of creative resources in art activities or experience the texture and feel of malleable materials.

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

Children form strong bonds and secure attachments with the childminder and this promotes their well-being and independence very well. Sensitive, caring, nurturing and individualised care helps to ensure that children are happy, comfortable and ready to explore and investigate. Children learn about the boundaries of behaviour because there are clear, appropriate and realistic boundaries which all children are aware of and respond to. The very earliest stages of making relationships is an enjoyable experience for children because the childminder has a secure and thorough knowledge of the children and their families.

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

Children's safety is of high priority and extensive procedures are implemented to ensure that the spaces children use are safe, secure and thoroughly risk assessed. Children's independence is nurtured and this helps to ensure that as they grow older they can make responsible and informed decisions about keeping themselves safe. Children have good opportunities to develop an understanding of being healthy. They lead a healthy lifestyle as they access plenty of physical, outdoor activity, visit local farms to think about where some of their food comes from or simply make choices from the range of healthy meals and snacks on offer to them.

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

The environment is very well-resourced, colourful and exciting and supports children's learning and development across the seven areas of learning well. Children are encouraged to explore and can access their favourite play items whenever they wish; this helps to fully support their growing independence and confidence and is further supported because everything is labelled in a child-friendly manner. The childminder works well in partnerships with other professionals and settings children attend. She has formed close working relationships with other childminders in the area, as well as local schools and pre- schools. She has a clear recognition of the importance of supporting smooth transitions to promote the well-being of the children in her care.

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provision

The childminder has a clear vision for her provision and shows a strong commitment to ensuring the educational programme, assessment and planning reflects the needs of the children and is very personal each child. She works very closely alongside her co- childminder, to ensure that children's individual needs are truly reflected on and met on a daily basis. Partnerships with parents are effective and this helps them be aware of what children like, do not like and prefer to do as they start at the setting. An initial assessment is completed which includes contributions from parents. This means that the childminder is able to make decisions about children's starting points and next steps for development. Ongoing monitoring of the play provision to support learning across the areas of development means that the childminder is always reflecting on the environment and making appropriate changes to meet the needs of the children.

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provision

Safeguarding is very effective because the childminder has a wealth of experience in the support of children during her career. This means that she has a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and is confident in recognising issues, noting down concerns and passing on any concerns through local safeguarding procedures. A well- written safeguarding policy is available in writing, is specific to the childminding setting and underpins her practice. A secure knowledge of the revised Early Years Foundation Stage ensures that the safeguarding and welfare requirements are met. Recent reflection has resulted in a new procedure for the safe use of mobile phones and this helps to ensure children's safety.

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provision

The childminder has considered, and continues to consider, how her practice will evolve in partnership with her co-childminder. This means that she is continually reflecting on the needs of the children and ensures that self-evaluation is effective. She has accessed a range of training courses provided by the local authority in order to expand her professional development and make changes in her practice that have the best effect on children. For example, children's records of learning and development have improved because of some recent training attended and there is a clear vision about how these records will be developed to reflect the journey children will take during their time with them.

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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 EY443638 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 800036 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 11 Number of children on roll 13

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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. 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

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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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