Childminder in Milton Keynes

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/03/2013 02/06/2009

p.1

early years provision

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

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Children make excellent progress in their learning and development in relation to their individual starting points.  The childminder plans and provides very exciting educational programmes, which fully encourage children as active learners. They are extremely well-prepared for the next steps in their learning.  The childminder places a very strong emphasis on the children's safety and well-being.  The childminder has high expectations for her childminding service and she demonstrates outstanding ability to maintain continuous improvement.

p.1

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

p.2

Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the kitchen/ diner and lounge.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant at appropriate times throughout the observations.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records, the childminder's self-evaluation and a selection of policies.  The inspector also took account of the views of several parents.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2008. She lives with her husband and two children in Wolverton, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. The childminder's husband works as her assistant. The whole of the house is available for childminding and there is a garden for outside play. The childminder walks or drives to local schools to take and collect children and she attends the local pre-school groups.

p.3

Information about the setting

The childminder's provision is open all year round from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday except for family holidays agreed in advance. She also offers occasional overnight care for children on roll. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is currently minding seven children in the early years age range and three children over five years of age before and after school.

p.3

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

 continuing to provide a variety of familiar resources reflecting everyday life, such as magazines and real kitchen items.

p.3

who attend

Children benefit from the childminder's excellent knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals. They thoroughly enjoy the exciting and well-planned educational programmes and therefore, make significant gains in their learning. The childminder knows the children very well and she is highly focused on fulfilling their individual needs. As a result, she is acutely aware of what each child can do and what they need to learn next. The childminder and her assistant involve children in a very stimulating range of activities, which are fun and develop their curiosity. Children respond to the world creatively and imaginatively as they paint, stick, play musical instruments and participate in make-believe play. A delightful activity involves painting elephants when children discuss and explore the changes of colours as they mix paint together. There are many activities, which encourage them to explore and investigate through using their senses, for

p.3

who attend

example, shaving foam, dough, sand and water.

p.3

who attend

Children thoroughly enjoy looking at their family photo books, which they share and talk about with the childminder and their friends. They see their artwork attractively displayed, which helps them to feel that what they have created is valued. Children learn to take turns and share during many activities. For example, as they play ball games and wait their turn to ride the tricycle. Older children work well together to negotiate carrying the large and long crocodile as they sing songs. They make excellent progress in their personal, social and emotional development.

p.3

who attend

The childminder and her assistant support children during all activities by using a rich vocabulary to encourage and extend their participation and concentration. The childminder helps children to develop their listening skills and stimulates their thinking by asking lots of open-ended questions and by giving them time to think and respond. Children show a very keen interest in books and enjoy a wide variety of stories. When telling familiar stories to the children, the childminder pauses to allow them to fill in the missing words. When caring for children with English as an additional language, the childminder asks parents for words in their child's first language. Furthermore, children see their home language written in story books. Children join in singing time with much enthusiasm and they giggle and laugh as the childminder uses a crocodile puppet. All these activities help children to make excellent progress in their communication and language skills. Children develop very

p.4

who attend

good literacy skills as they recognise their name when they self-register each morning. They refer to pictures and words in their play environment and write for a wide variety of purposes both in and outdoors. For example, as they write on chalk boards and shopping lists. They have excellent opportunities to learn about number, colour, shape and measurement. For example, as they fit puzzles together, build with bricks, thread beads and use tape measures and calculators. They explore volume and capacity during sand and water play, and weigh ingredients when cooking.

p.4

who attend

Children thoroughly enjoy playing in the garden and they develop very good physical skills. For example, as they ride cars, climb, slide, and crawl through the tunnel. A lovely outdoor activity involves children designing and creating a garden in their own tray with soil, flowers, different size stones and tin foil to represent ponds. Numerous outings and activities help to develop children's excellent knowledge and understanding of the world. For instance, children enjoy growing a variety of vegetables and use magnifying glasses to observe creepy crawlies. Children are encouraged to embrace diversity as they play with a variety of multicultural toys and resources. They explore other cultures in their own community and further afield through special themes and many festival celebrations. Children use mirrors to observe their facial features and choose skin tone crayons, hair and eye colour when designing pictures of themselves. They thoroughly enjoy a wide

p.4

who attend

range of art and craft activities to develop their creativity and imagination. The childminder is aware of extending children's imaginations by continuing to provide a wide variety of everyday materials and resources. For example, magazines, telephones and real kitchen items. Children enjoy excellent first-hand experiences, which help them gain the skills, attitudes and dispositions they require in preparation for school.

p.4

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

Before children start, the childminder carries out pre-visits to their homes to observe and play with them in their own environment. She also uses this time to talks to parents about their child's individual needs. Therefore, settling arrangements enable the childminder, parents and children to get to know each other really well. Therefore, this successfully eases children's transition into the care of the childminder. Children are highly valued as individuals and they develop a very positive self-image and amazing confidence. They are very well-behaved and respond positively to the consistent praise and encouragement offered by the childminder and her assistant. As a result, they develop positive self-esteem and confidence. The childminder and her assistant successfully create a very welcoming and secure environment where children's welfare is paramount. In and outdoor space is used very effectively and there is an excellent range of high quality toys and resources.

p.4

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

Toys are well presented and laid out with space for children to explore and investigate. The childminder provides an excellent range of furniture and equipment to meet the different ages and stages of children's development. She is highly focused on fulfilling the needs of each and every child. Therefore, she is able to successfully meet their individual needs.

p.5

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

Children develop a very good appreciation of living a healthy lifestyle. The childminder's home is very clean, spacious and maintained to a high standard. Children mimic adults as they spontaneously wash tables and chairs. Well established personal hygiene routines minimise possible cross-infection. For instance, children have individual flannels, towels and bed linen. They learn about healthy eating as they join in cooking activities and talk about foods, which are good for them. The childminder provides for children's dietary requirements and they help themselves to drinks when they are thirsty. Children enjoy actively participating in snack time preparations as they use a child-safe knife to cut up their different fruits. The children experience sociable meal times when they sit together and learn good manners. The childminder places a very strong emphasis on helping children to learn to keep safe. For example, as they participate in emergency evacuation

p.5

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

drills, practise road safety and discuss stranger danger. Children learn to keep fit as they enjoy daily fresh air and exercise when they go to the park and local pre-school settings. Therefore, the childminder fully promotes the well-being of the children.

p.5

provision

The childminder is extremely well organised and all paperwork is maintained to a very high standard. The childminder has an excellent knowledge and understanding of how to safeguard children and she keeps up-to-date with local child protection procedures. The childminder is extremely vigilant in her supervision of the children. Criminal Record Bureau checks are in place for adult household members and very effective risk assessments promote children's safety on the premises and outings. As a result, children are safeguarded. The childminder is very aware of her responsibility to deliver the learning and development requirements. She uses ongoing assessment very effectively to monitor children's progress and the information gathered helps her to identify what she needs to do to help the children to achieve their next goal. Parents are involved in helping to identify their child's next steps for learning. The childminder records this on the secure on

p.5

provision

line information system. At the end of the day when parents collect their child, they are fully aware of the day's activities, achievements and routines. Therefore, children make excellent progress in their all-round development.

p.5

provision

The childminder has excellent systems in place to monitor the effectiveness of her provision through self-evaluation, parent questionnaires and talking to the children. The childminder successfully recognises her own strengths and weaknesses, and has great capacity for continuous improvement because she has high expectations of herself as well as the children. She keeps up-to-date with necessary changes and continually attends training courses to enhance her knowledge and skills for caring for children. The childminder establishes particularly strong and purposeful relationships with parents. They receive copies of the childminder's comprehensive policies that underpin her excellent provision. They also receive photos during the day of their child at play, which is reassuring for them. The childminder provides very comprehensive progress reports for parents, which are significantly linked to the early learning goal outcomes. Questionnaires

p.6

provision

and letters show that parents are extremely happy with the childminding service and hold the childminder and her assistant in very high regard.

p.6

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

p.6

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 action. 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.

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY366448 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 838050 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

p.8

Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10