Childminder in Durham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/01/2013 09/11/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder knows the children and their individual routines well. She provides good physical and emotional support for them. As a result, they have developed close and caring relationships with her and have their individual needs well met.  The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She interacts well with the children and provides a wide range of activities to promote their development across all areas of learning.  The childminder is good at developing children's communication and language as she uses effective questioning and running commentaries when engaging with them.  The childminder keeps children safe as she has written risk assessments for all areas of her home and garden and completes daily checks to ensure that there are no hazards accessible to minded children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to make independent choices about their play are sometimes limited due to the organisation of some of the childminder's resources.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children playing.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys, a selection of policies and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through written comments that they left for the inspection.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2003 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children aged 14, 11 and eight years in St Helens Auckland. The whole ground floor of the home is used for childminding. There is a garden available for outdoor play. The childminder attends playgroups 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. There are currently six children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 7pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and before and after school on Mondays and Fridays, except for family holidays.

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

 consider the organisation of the playroom to encourage children to make further independent choices about their play through labelling resources and storing them at the children's height.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She knows the children well and provides a wide range of activities which cover the seven areas of learning. As a result, activities are based on children's individual interests and next steps in learning. This supports children in making good progress towards the early learning goals in preparation for school. The childminder engages well with children to extend their learning, and they are confident and communicative in her care. Babies respond to her well with a range of non-verbal and verbal communication. For example, they point to objects that they want and smile and laugh with her. She responds appropriately to their gurgles, acknowledging their early attempts to form words and interacting warmly with them. This supports their language skills and promotes children's confidence. The children clearly enjoy books; they

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who attend

independently search out their favourite stories and sit on the childminder's knee as she reads to them. The childminder develops their language skills through the use of open- ended questioning; for example, asking children what happens next, encouraging them to name the animals and asking them to count how many butterflies they can see.

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who attend

Children have good opportunities to develop their creative skills. They attend a variety of playgroups where they take part in messy play sessions, such as painting, play dough and exploring different textures. They have good fun as they make lots of noise playing toy guitars and banging drums and pots and pans. Babies laugh as they copy older children and join in. Children's physical skills are developing well. They go on regular trips to the park where they can run around and climb, and they move confidently around the childminder's home. Babies are supported well by the childminder, for example, she encourages them to use toy pushchairs safely to pull themselves up.

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who attend

The childminder understands the importance of working closely with parents to support children's learning. Information about children's interests is gathered from parents at the start and recorded in 'all about me' sheets. This helps the childminder to get to know the individual children and to identify their starting points. The childminder keeps parents involved in their child's ongoing learning through discussion and sharing children's learning files, and has identified this as an area for further development. Children who also attend other settings have only recently begun to attend the childminder's provision. However, the childminder is aware of the importance of sharing information with other providers. She has shared information verbally with children's key workers and has obtained information about what activities they are doing at nursery. This supports continuity of learning and care for children who attend more than one setting.

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

The childminder has a warm and caring manner and, as a result, the children feel safe and display secure attachments. For example, they approach her confidently to give her a cuddle or when they need reassurance. Children's individual needs and routines are discussed with parents so that there is a shared approach to the children's welfare. As a result, the childminder knows the children well. For example, she recognises when they are tired and holds their hands while they rest with their favourite comforters. The childminder has a consistent approach to behaviour management, for example, she encourages children to share and to be kind to each other. Children show care and concern for one another, for example, older children bring babies their cups at snack time and give them cuddles. This promotes positive relationships in the childminder's home.

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

Children are developing an understanding of healthy lifestyles through discussion and planned activities. For example, they grow vegetables at the playgroup allotment and prepare snacks of fruit salad. The childminder understands the importance of providing a balanced diet which takes into account children's dietary requirements and promotes good hygiene routines. For example, regular hand washing is encouraged and the risk of cross- infection is reduced through the use of individual paper towels. Children benefit from regular opportunities to enjoy fresh air and physical exercise in the garden, the local park and on trips to the farm or nature reserve. During daily activities the childminder engages children in discussion about how to keep safe, for example, practising road safety and learning about not talking to strangers.

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

The childminder's home, including a dedicated playroom, provides children with a welcoming space in which to play. The childminder gets out a good range of age- appropriate toys for children to play with. However, the storage of some resources and lack of labelling means that they are not easily identifiable or consistently accessible to young children. This means that young children are not always able to make independent choices about their play. Children attend a wide range of play groups, this provides them with regular opportunities to socialise with their peers. They also accompany older children to school each day; this helps to familiarise them with the teachers and the school and helps prepare them for transitions to other settings.

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provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of her responsibilities for meeting the welfare and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She encourages the children to take part in a wide range of child-initiated and adult-led experiences that help them progress well towards the early learning goals. Through regular observations and monitoring of children, she ensures that all areas of learning are covered and identifies children's next steps. The childminder organises her provision well. All required documentation is in place, including, children's details, medication and accident records. The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and is clear about procedures to follow should she have a concern about a child in her care. Detailed written risk assessments complement daily checks of the setting. This ensures that children are kept safe in the childminder's home and on outings.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good. A comprehensive range of written policies and procedures, contracts and consent forms are used to establish and agree good practice with parents. Important information, such as the childminder's certificate of registration, the complaints procedures and her first aid certificate, is clearly displayed for parents to see. Consequently, feedback gathered from parents is positive, for example, they state that they are 'extremely happy' with the care and learning she provides.

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provision

The childminder implements a range of procedures to monitor and evaluate her practice. This includes sharing practice with other childminders, attending regular training and gathering feedback from parents through questionnaires. This helps her to identify areas for improvement, for example, introducing set times to meet and discuss children's progress with parents. The childminder has made good use of the Ofsted self-evaluation form and has addressed the recommendations and action raised at the previous inspection. This demonstrates a positive attitude towards continuous improvement.

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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 EY264209 Local authority Durham Inspection number 819813 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 3 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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