Childminder in North Somerset

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/01/2013 02/02/2009

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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 has implemented robust systems to track children's progress towards the early learning goals. Therefore, children are making good progress in their learning and development.  The childminder makes good use of praise to promote children's confidence in their own abilities. As a result, children are happy, motivated and eager to learn, and show good levels of independence.  The childminder plans and organises routines to ensure that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning and development experience.  The childminder works closely with parents, which helps them to share what they know about their children and promote their achievements and progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always make resources such as pencils and crayons readily available for children to fully promote their early writing skills.  The childminder offers children less opportunities to explore things that grow and change over time, which reduces their understanding of the world.

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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 went with the childminder to collect children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder throughout the inspection to clarify the observations.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journals, children's records, a selection of documentation and discussed the childminder's self-evaluation with her.  The inspector took account of the views of parents, and of written testimonials.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2008. She lives with her husband and one child in Cleeve, North Somerset. The childminder uses most of the house for childminding. There is an enclosed garden for outside play.

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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. She is currently minding a total of eight children in the early years age range. The childminder offers care each working day between the hours of 7.30am and 6.30pm.

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

 make resources continually available for children to make marks in the indoor environment, to help further develop their early writing skills

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

 give children opportunities to learn about the natural world and the processes of growth, decay and change over time, for example through taking care of a flowerbed and growing vegetables.

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who attend

The childminder has a secure understanding of the areas of learning and provides a wide range of activities, which cover most of the areas well. The childminder provides interesting and challenging experiences that meet the needs of all children. She offers a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities based on children's individual interests. The childminder has high expectations of children, enthusing, engaging and motivating them to learn.

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who attend

Children play happily with technological toys and small world figures, during self-chosen activities. They are interested and keen learners. Children play cooperatively and take turns with others, such as waiting for a chance to use the toy mobile telephones. They ask the childminder questions about how resources work as she effectively joins in with their play and extends their interests. Children enjoy experimenting with different materials. For example, they excitedly explore a tub of shaving foam delving into the sticky mixture to find different toy animals. The childminder encourages them to explore this new activity, in order to increase their active learning. Children learn from each other as they chat together and with the childminder about the foam shapes they create and count the animals discovered. The childminder encourages children to use mathematical language to compare items, such as big and small. She shows them how to pronounce and use words

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who attend

by responding and repeating what children say in the correct way. This helps to develop their speaking and listening skills. Children develop good imaginative skills, for example, as they use the settee as a car and extend their play by pretending to mind dolls. Children enjoy interacting with the childminder's dog and learn to show him care and concern as they learn about living things. However, they have fewer opportunities to make observations of plants and other things that grow and change to further develop their understanding of the world. Children play with a very good selection of resources reflecting diversity, such as dressing-up clothes and small world toys, books and puzzles. This helps increase their awareness of the people making up their local community and the social world around them.

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who attend

The childminder keeps individual learning and development files for each child, which show the good progress they are making towards the early learning goals. Children make good progress in all areas of learning in relation to their unique starting points. The childminder's effective teaching helps them develop the key skills needed for the next steps in their learning. She has good procedures in place to involve parents in their children's ongoing learning. For example, she encourages them to contribute to their children's starting points on entry to help her plan to meet their learning and development needs from the start. Parents receive daily information about their child's care and are encouraged to add to observations of their child's learning. This allows the childminder to use information provided by parents to contribute to her records of children's progress. She implements the required progress check for children aged two years and works with

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who attend

parents and health visitors to ensure they are involved in the process. This helps her to assess what children know and can do and identify and remedy any gaps in their early learning.

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

The childminder provides a warm, welcoming and family-friendly environment for all children. Children behave well and the childminder gives lots of positive, meaningful praise, for example as children use cloths to clean the table cover after messy play. The childminder recognises and reinforces how helpful this is as she raises children's self- esteem and helps them develop a good sense of responsibility.

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

The childminder displays children's artwork, photographs and other signs and symbols, which gives children a good feeling of belonging. Children know the routine, which helps them feel safe in the childminder's care. They have their own pegs to hang their coats and bags on, so that they know where their personal belongings are. Children are confident and prepare well for their next stage in learning and the transition to other settings. Most of the toys and equipment are easily available so that children can see what is on offer. Children make independent decisions and select what they would like to do. However, children are not always able to practise early writing skills, when they choose to, because tools such as crayons and pencils are not always freely available.

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

The childminder has a good understanding of how to promote children's good health. For example, each day they attend groups providing energetic play opportunities, and regularly go for walks to the park. The childminder makes sure children can access drinking water throughout the day and toddlers indicate when they want a drink by pointing to their cups. She provides a balanced range of nutritious meals and snacks for children, to support a healthy lifestyle. She talks to them about the importance of eating healthy meals and encourages them to help with the preparation. Children gain an understanding of risk as they safely manipulate utensils during the activity. This helps them to develop a good awareness of keeping safe and important personal and physical skills for the future. The childminder acts as a good role model for children, for example, by washing her hands alongside them. This helps children to develop their understanding

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

of keeping healthy. Children use paper towels, which further supports their independence and awareness of keeping healthy and reduces the risk of cross-infection. Children are competent at managing their personal needs relative to their ages.

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provision

The childminder has strong procedures in place to safeguard children. These are effective in making sure children's welfare gets high priority. The childminder has attended recent safeguarding training to keep her knowledge up to date. She has a secure understanding of her responsibilities when administering medication, treating minor injuries, and has up- to-date first aid training. The childminder completes rigorous risk assessments for all areas of the home and on outings, minimising any potential risks to children. Her home is safe and secure and she closely supervises children at all times. A good range of policies and procedures underpin the safe and efficient management of the provision and promote children's welfare effectively.

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provision

The childminder uses childcare publications, the internet and local authority courses to further develop her practice and improve outcomes for children. She identifies what she does well and what she needs to improve, through self-reflection. She has successfully introduced an exciting range of technological toys, and developed a patio area outside to enhance children's play. She continues to set clear, challenging targets for improvement. For example, she considers her training and development needs and has plans to attend a course on observing and supporting young children's patterns of play. The childminder is keen to develop her knowledge and understanding to benefit children's care and learning. She has a good capacity to improve her service further.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements. She has a good, secure understanding of how children learn. The childminder works closely with parents, teachers and outside agencies to support children's welfare, learning and development. Parents report she maintains consistency of care and learning for children who attend more than one setting. The childminder has implemented good systems to observe and assess children's learning and development. Precise observations help her to plan varied and challenging learning experiences for all children. As a result, children make good progress in their 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 EY378061 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 815738 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 15

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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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