Childminder in Cambridgeshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/01/2013 10/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's learning and development is extremely well supported by the provider's excellent knowledge and understanding of how each child learns. Children are highly motivated and eager to share their own views and ideas as they participate in hands-on learning experiences.  Excellent communication with parents ensures that all important information about children's learning and development is shared to support their individual needs. Parents' views are valued highly and there are frequent opportunities to share information and plan for children's progress.  Steps taken to safeguard children and promote their good health are robust. The childminder comprehensively identifies and successfully minimises potential risks to allow children to learn and develop in safety.

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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 at play in the living room and playroom and during meal times in the kitchen.  The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's assessment records, policies and procedures and parent questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011. She lives with her husband and one child aged three years in a village close to Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. The whole house is used for childminding, with sleeping facilities and additional play space located on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The family has two cats. The house is within walking distance of local amenities, such as, schools, the library, shops and parks.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently six children on roll, three are in the early years age group, who attend for a variety of sessions and two are school-aged children, who attend before and after school. The setting is open all year round Monday to Friday, except for family holidays.

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

 enhance visual displays that promote number recognition.

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who attend

Children benefit from a tailored approach to meet their individual needs as the childminder has an excellent understanding of how they learn and develop. Children benefit as the childminder is actively involved in their play, asking questions, which encourage them to develop their thinking and problem solving skills. This ensures that children's progress in the key areas of learning fully promotes the skills needed for the next stage in their learning, such as moving onto school. Well-thought-out educational programmes cover all areas of learning and includes differentiation for children's individual stages of development. This ensures that children enjoy an excellent balance of self-chosen and adult-led activities throughout the day. Systematic and thorough assessment supports the childminder in understanding each child's starting points, which are used to plan for further progress. The childminder has high expectations of all children in her care and

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who attend

uses innovative teaching methods to improve learning. A comprehensive knowledge of each child's stage of learning and thorough written evidence support assessments. Therefore, all children make optimum progress in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Children develop extremely warm and trusting relationships with the provider and a high sense of security supports them extremely well in their learning. Effective praise and encouragement helps develop children's motivation and self-esteem. They flourish in the stimulating environment, which helps to support children to access rich and varied activities and resources. An extensive range of resources, equipment and posters displayed in the environment actively support children to learn about similarities and differences in each other and people in the local community. They visit different places of worship, such as a church and a mosque, to further develop their understanding of different religions and cultures.

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who attend

Children's records are extremely accurate and clearly identify the next stage in their learning. Assessments are comprehensive and clearly identify children's achievements. Parents have many opportunities to share special moments that occur away from the setting and be actively involved in their child's care and learning.

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who attend

Superb resources give children opportunities to express themselves in different ways. The book of the week is represented by puppets, soft toys, home-made masks and during messy play activities. Children confidently use their own 'words' to re-tell the story and make the different animal sounds. They also make links between the animal tracks in the story and their marks in the shaving foam 'snow'. Children's language development is extremely well supported as the childminder models new words during play and daily routines. They are encouraged to recall past events as they practise similar skills during activities. For example, children link the use of a rolling pin during a clay activity to a biscuit making activity that occurred the previous week. The childminder offers praise and encouragement when children experiment with words and sounds to express their views. This promotes their confidence and self-esteem.

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who attend

Toys that encourage children to learn how things work are freely available and they can experiment with musical activity centres, electronic games and remote controlled toys. Pictures, words and labels, many in other languages, are plentiful within the setting. Language to describe shape, colour and counting is skilfully linked into play and daily routines. Although, children have ample opportunities to practise counting, there is the potential to enhance visual aids to further promote number recognition.

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

Children are fully supported in the transition from home to the childminding setting as the childminder gains very useful information on children's individual needs. This enables the childminder to provide activities specific to each child to allow them to flourish in the nurturing environment. This fully prepares children effectively for transition to other settings in the future. Children are confident and self-assured and enjoy settled, close relationships. They show excellent behaviour as the childminder uses consistent strategies to manage this. She uses age-appropriate explanations, which means that children learn to share and respect the feelings of others. She responds sensitively to their gestures and behaviour to ensure that their individual care needs are managed very well.

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

Children take calculated risks in their play, for example, as they use a knife to model the clay and prepare snacks. A comprehensive range of resources and equipment are freely accessible to children. Toy boxes are labelled with words and pictures to ensure younger children have independence in their selection. The outdoor play area is accessible during all weather and used to promote all areas of learning.

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

Children enthusiastically help to prepare snacks, lay the table and show excellent self-help skills from an early age. They are well supported in making healthy choices in the food that they eat as the childminder reminds them of food that is good for them. They are involved in growing their own vegetables and picking their choice of fruit as they visit a local fruit farm. This further promotes their understanding of a healthy lifestyle.

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provision

The childminder provides a vibrant, welcoming environment and excellent measures are in place to promote children's health and safety. Daily safety checks are completed and rigorous written risk assessments are in place for activities both inside and outdoors and for outings. Therefore, children feel safe and secure as they explore the environment.

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provision

Safeguarding children is given a high priority and the childminder is very clear about her role and responsibility to protect all children in her care. All adults within the household have undertaken suitability checks and children are always supervised. She has a secure knowledge and understanding of child protection issues and the procedures to follow if she has cause for concern. The safeguarding policy has recently been updated to include guidance on the use of mobile telephones and cameras. The childminder keeps up to date with new information through regular training and reading professional journals to further promote children's well-being.

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provision

The childminder places great importance on evaluating her provision to improve her practice and fully meet children's care and learning needs. She uses her strong knowledge of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and her experience of working with children, who have special needs and/or disabilities to successfully monitor the quality of the service she provides.

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provision

Recommendations from the previous inspection have been fully addressed. All parental consents are in place and robust systems to observe and assess children are fully implemented. Comprehensive policies and procedures fully support the safe and efficient management of the provision and are shared parents. This promotes a shared understanding of how the provision is managed to promote children's welfare.

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provision

The information obtained from parents on their child's individual care and learning is outstanding. Parents share their views regularly to keep them actively involved in their child's care and learning. Frequent meetings take place with parents to share information about their child's progress. The childminder provides a daily diary and a development file that accurately shows each child's stage of development. Parents' comment positively on how well the childminder knows their child and the accuracy of these records. She is successfully promoting excellent partnerships with parents that effectively meet the needs of their children. She shares information with health professionals to promote the early identification of any additional support a child may need. The childminder fully understands the importance of information sharing with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has developed systems to share the excellent information already

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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 EY428372 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 875898 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 6

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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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