Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/02/2013 04/02/2009

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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

 The childminder promote children' health and safety well. Her premises are safe. The activities provided encourage a healthy and active lifestyle.  The childminder provides familiar routines which help children feed safe and secure, so they are happy, well-settled and confident.  Children make good progress. An effective assessment and planning system takes account of children's individual interests, so children enjoy a full range of play activities.  Children respond well to the childminder's expectations for good behaviour. She sets consistent, clear boundaries matched to children's level of understanding.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not yet provide a wide range of information and communication technology (ICT) resources for children to explore and learn to control.  The childminder does not seek the views of parents sufficiently often to help her drive improvement as well as possible.

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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 compulsory part 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 a range of activities and spoke to the childminder and the children.  The inspector reviewed children's records, including samples of their work.  The inspector took a tour of the premises and outside area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a selection of policies and procedures and a range of documented evidence and discussed the childminder's self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The Inspector took account of several letters provided from parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1994. She lives in a residential area on the outskirts of Banbury with her husband and two adult sons. The ground floor of the house is used for childminding and there is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 11 children on roll; of these, seven are in the early years age group. The childminder walks or drives children to and from a local school and attends toddler groups. She is open all year round from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, except for family holidays. The childminder is a member of Oxfordshire's Trio Network and is accredited to receive government funding for early years education to children aged three. The childminder has a BA (Hons) degree in Early Childhood Studies.

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

 provide a range of programmable toys as well as equipment involving ICT such as cameras and computers, to help children gain additional useful skills for the next stage of their learning

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

 enhance self-evaluation further by extending how frequently the views of parents are sought and incorporated, identifying areas for further improvement as well as possible.

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who attend

The childminder has a very good knowledge of the seven areas of learning and uses her knowledge and skills to provide a welcoming and stimulating environment for children. She confidently uses the `Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' guidance to help plan her daily activities. Children are making good progress in all areas of their learning. When children first arrive, the childminder plans time with the parents to gather a good range of information regarding their individual care needs and routines. She completes thorough assessments that inform her of their developmental starting points and she builds on this information to plan activities that match their interests and abilities. Parents are well informed about their children's progress and have already been involved in the progress check for children aged two years. Parents have regular access to their children's learning journals so they can continue children's learning at home.

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who attend

The childminder's home is very child focused. Children move between the rooms to choose and use a wide variety of resources. Books are stored on low level shelves and children help themselves to an interesting, appropriate selection. This arrangement supports children to play independently and to select their own activities safely. The childminder encourages the children into the garden. They look at the new bulbs appearing and listen to the birds. The childminder develops children's language skills through skilful questioning, for example `What noises can you hear?' Children try to imitate the sounds of the birds. She is linking the use of the garden to encourage children to talk about their own experiences at home and introducing them to new words, such as 'beautiful'. This links with a theme the children have been doing on 'the garden'.

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who attend

The childminder promotes children's physical development as they climb the garden steps and learn how to play safely on the outdoor equipment. They move between the indoor and outdoor environment negotiating the doorway by carefully holding onto the frame. The childminder aids children's growing independence as they attempt to do things for themselves. They try to put on their coats, do up buttons and put on shoes

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who attend

Children gain awareness of counting and problem solving as they count toy cars. The childminder assists the children in making their own place mats; older children have made their own designs. The younger children use pre-made mats that contain a range of numbers, letters and colours. Children use them at snack and meal times and the childminder encourages them to indentify letters in their names and count how many children at the table.

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who attend

The childminder introduces a large sheet of paper for the children to create a picture their own garden; all children are involved as they sit on the floor with a range of coloured crayons. Children are able to draw or make marks and are beginning to give their pictures meaning for example `This is a mushroom'. The childminder carefully plans the activities so that younger, less mobile children join in. She provides further challenge for the older children by introducing paper flowers and glue as they develop their interest in expressive arts and design.

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who attend

Children are beginning to understand how technology works and ask to watch a favourite film. The childminder explains that the player is not working; she shows the children that the light does not come on. Children are becoming familiar with using technology but the range of such equipment and programmable toys is not yet good enough. Overall, however, children are gaining useful skills for the next stage of their learning.

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

Children are safe and secure in childminder's home as she implements effective procedures to identify and minimise potential hazards. She provides a well organised, child focused environment where children say they feel safe and well cared for. She has good risk assessments covering indoor and outdoor activities that she updates annually. She carries out regular fire evacuations and has an emergency plan which has been shared with parents.

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

Children learn how to keep themselves safe as they walk to school. The childminder talks to them about the use of pathways and how they must listen carefully when negotiating the current path improvements. The childminder fully supports children's health and well- being as she encourages them to learn about personal hygiene. She helps younger children to understand the importance of hand washing, and supports their growing independence as they begin to do things for themselves. The childminder promotes children's physical development effectively. Children enjoy daily outdoor play in the garden and have walks to school. The childminder talks to them about wearing warm clothing on cold days and the importance of physical activity in maintaining their good health.

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

The childminder provides a clean environment where children are well cared for. The childminder works very well with parents who provide children with nutritious and healthy snacks. She promotes children's well-being because she is aware of individual children's care needs. She is fully trained in the use of an epi pen should she need to use one. She keeps clear records on admission information relating to specific medical conditions and dietary needs. Parents are provided with a good range of daily information about their child's day including rest times, feeds and general well-being.

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

Children's behaviour is managed extremely well as she childminder has a gentle, calm approach. She uses positive language to re-enforce good behaviour and praises children when they listen, so encouraging useful skills for their eventual move to school. She uses her knowledge and understanding of individual children's development to provide clear and consistent boundaries. The childminder has established good relationships with the children who are all very comfortable in her company, forming strong and secure emotional attachments.

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provision

The childminder is fully aware of her responsibilities to safeguard children. All the necessary checks for the childminder and her family have been completed and she ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person that has not been vetted. The childminder has a good understanding of child protection and knows the procedures to follow should she have concerns about a child's welfare. The childminder provides a wide range of resources which are in a good state of repair.

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provision

Parents are well informed of their child's achievements and progress. A parent, who has been involved in the progress check at the age of two, said she was very grateful for the childminder's feedback and keen to help with her child's development. The childminder has good links with the local school and pre-school. The school involve her in the children's topics, for example, by bringing home hens' eggs to hatch in an incubator. She also attends weekly groups at the local Children's Centre where the children are able to accesses a wide range of craft activities, which extend their experiences and encourage them to socialise with other children.

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provision

The childminder effectively monitors activities that she provides, to ensure children make good progress. This check is based on her good understanding of the areas of learning and of how children learn. She has completed an evaluation of her practice and has identified clear areas for improvement. For example, since completing her first progress check for children aged two years, she found it difficult to find sufficient time during normal working hours to do this, so she has now planned to visit parents in their home during the evening or at weekends. Although the childminder involves parents and children well overall in her work, they have less frequent involvement in evaluating the provision to help drive improvement as well as possible. Since her last inspection she has completed a degree in Early Childhood Studies, showing her determination to advance her knowledge and what she provides for children. She keeps her training up to date with

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provision

courses provided by the local authority. She shows commitment to improving her provision too through having implemented all the recommendations made at the last inspection.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 133560 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 846409 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 11

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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

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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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