Childminder in Cornwall

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/02/2013 21/04/2010

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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

 Children are happy and settled due to the trusting relationships they have developed with the childminder and other children. This successfully supports their emotional well- being.  Effective systems are in place to monitor and promote children's learning and development. As a result, children make good levels of progress.  Children are confident to explore, choose what they want to do and learn new skills. Therefore, they are developing their independence.  The childminder uses effective systems for self-evaluation, to help her to drive continuous improvement in her practice.  The childminder provides good support for the development of children's language and communication skills.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 although the assessment of children's progress is generally very effective, younger children are not always fully involved in reviewing and influencing their own learning and development goals.

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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 engaged in discussion with the childminder, her assistant, and children.  The inspector viewed the premises, toys, and equipment.  The inspector sampled children's records and childminding documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account parental feedback, provided through recently completed questionnaires.  The inspector observed interactions between adults and children.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2002. She lives with her partner and two children, in St Stephen, near St. Austell, Cornwall. The children have use of the whole of the first floor, plus two bedrooms and a bathroom on the lower floor. Enclosed outdoor play areas are accessible from both levels. The house is within walking distance of schools, a pre-school and toddler groups. The family have two dogs. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Information about the setting

The childminder works with an assistant. There are currently ten children attending who are within the early years age range. The childminder supports children with English as an additional language. Children live locally and one attends the early years unit of the local primary school during term time.

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

 increase opportunities to help children become aware of their own goals, make plans, and to review their own progress and successes.

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who attend

The childminder demonstrates a secure knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. She ensures that all children are fully included in the broad and balanced range of activities, which promote children's learning across all areas. Children make good use of the indoor, outdoor, and local environment for investigation and exploration. They use a good range of equipment indoors and in the garden to promote their physical skills and enjoy fresh air during regular walks in the woods.

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who attend

The childminder gathers useful levels of information from parents prior to children attending. This helps her to establish their individual starting points. She uses this information to plan interesting and enjoyable experiences for children to learn and develop essential skills. Children's assessment records contain a good range of evidence to show their individual achievements. The childminder provides regular opportunities to share these with parents to encourage and support shared home learning. However, younger children are not yet actively involved in this process. As a result, there are missed opportunities to review and assess their own progress. For example, by suggesting activities to support their future learning

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who attend

The childminder supports children with English as an additional language well. She values their home language and uses everyday words to settle and support children whilst in her care. Children are curious, inquisitive and keen to learn. They explore the outdoor play equipment to develop their physical skills, as they ride bikes, run and play ball. The childminder interacts to encourage children to share, extend role play and move carefully to avoid bumping into each other. As a result, children are developing a good ability to negotiate and cooperate to maintain harmonious play. The childminder supports their communication and language skills very well. For example, she responds promptly to children's facial expression, body language and emerging vocabulary. She chats to them enthusiastically, encouraging them to try new words and asking open questions. The childminder encourages children to establish secure relationships with others and develop

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who attend

good social skills. Children are also beginning to understand why following good health and hygiene practices impacts positively on their growth and development. As a result, they are prepared for their move on to other early years settings and school.

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

Children have formed a secure attachment to the childminder and other children. They are very happy and settled. They move confidently and independently to select favourite toys and to find their coat and shoes before playing outdoors. The childminder encourages children's rapidly increasing levels of independence and sense of belonging. For example, she provides individually labelled coat pegs and storage space for children to keep their shoes and personal belongings. The childminder knows children very well and therefore meets their specific needs successfully. This helps to promotes children's well-being. She changes children's nappies regularly and hygienically. Older children wash their hands at appropriate times. The childminder provides children with healthy and nutritious meals and snacks at regular intervals. Along with ongoing discussion, this successfully promotes their understanding of the importance of maintaining their good health.

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

The childminder and assistant are good role models. They set positive and consistent examples, to guide children in developing their manners and behaviour. As a result, children cooperate and take turns in order to maintain harmonious play. The childminder provides good opportunities for children to develop a positive respect of people's differences. For example, they benefit from use of a good range of toys, books and planned activities, which promote an awareness of their own and different cultures and beliefs and of people's differing abilities. Children are aware of the range of people in their local community, as they participate in local social activity groups. The childminder maintains good links with other early years providers, to support the children attending more than one setting. This leads to smooth and effective transitions.

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

The childminder helps children to identify and manage everyday risk. She talks to children about 'stranger danger', practises road safety procedures and explains how they can use tools and equipment safely. The childminder reminds children who have just learnt to walk to be careful when negotiating the small step in the doorway. They quickly become aware of the need to manage this obstacle safely. As a result, they are able to move freely from the indoor to outdoor environment as and when they wish, without adult support. Children feel safe in the care of the childminder. They engage enthusiastically in purposeful and worthwhile play confident in the knowledge that the childminder is close to hand. They seek her out for reassurance and assistance as required. She also provides plenty of praise for their achievements. The childminder's home is welcoming, enabling, comfortable, and safe. There is a wide range of good quality toys, resources, and equipment. The

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

childminder organises the environment effectively support children's growing independence. For example, they move freely to select favourite toys stored at child height and use the indoor and outdoor environment as and when they wish.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She shares a good range of written policies and procedures with parents to promote the welfare and learning of children. The childminder and her assistant have recently completed paediatric first aid training and food safety training. They also engage children in regular fire drill practise. As a result, they promote children's health and safety well. The childminder is confident to follow the local safeguarding procedures if required.

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provision

The childminder has developed and implemented an effective written risk assessment. She reviews and updates this regularly and as required. For example, she recently improved the procedures for the use of appropriate car seats and restraints. This followed an isolated incident when the childminder replaced a soiled car seat with a booster seat to transport children to and from school and home. Under the circumstances, the childminder took reasonable steps to meet the needs of the range of children attending in order to deliver and collect them at the agreed time. Immediately after this incident, she purchased two more car seats. She now monitors the suitability of car seats, to ensure that children always use an appropriate seat for their age and weight. The childminder has sought specific advice about the requirements for transporting children safely and has shared this information with parents and other practitioners.

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provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of how children learn. Her positive and skilful interactions provide sufficient levels of challenge. She provides exciting activities, resources, and first hand experiences for children. For example, children use an interesting range of small vehicles to roll through paint and create wonderful pictures. Through discussion, the childminder successfully promotes their understanding of patterns, shape, colour, and form. As a result, children make good levels of progress through their play. The childminder monitors and evaluates children's progress very effectively. She identifies appropriate areas for progress and links these to future planned activities. As a result, children benefit from good opportunities to achieve.

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provision

The childminder has recently begun to work with an assistant. She understands her responsibility for monitoring, mentoring, and supporting her in her role. Both demonstrate a good level of commitment to ongoing professional development. For example, they have recently booked safeguarding training to extend their knowledge and skills further. The childminder regularly self-evaluates to identify appropriate areas for future development in her childminding practice. As a result, she plans to implement a 'shared learning agreement' with parents, provide a visual timetable, and introduce more activities to promote children's awareness of recycling and sustainability. Recently completed questionnaires show that partnerships with parents are strong and that parents and children are very happy with the standard of provision. The childminder has also established secure and effective working relationships with early years agencies and other

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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 EY235588 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 891157 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 11 Number of children on roll 10

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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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