Childminder in West Northamptonshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/03/2013 23/05/2011

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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

 Children make good progress. The childminder makes sure that initially she is aware of what each child knows and can do. She then challenges them effectively so that they reach next steps in their learning.  Children are happy, settled and confident because their emotional and social development is promoted well by the childminder.  The childminder successfully identifies and minimises risks in her home and on outings. Children are safeguarded because the childminder is aware of her responsibilities to protect them from harm.  The childminder works effectively with parents to ensure that their child's care and learning needs are well met.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to explore, build, move and role play are not maximised because there is a lack of flexibility with regard to use of the outdoor play area throughout the year.

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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

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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.

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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 observed activities as children played in ground floor play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's assessment records and planning, policies and procedures and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2007. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in a village location close to Banbury with her husband and two children aged 11 and six years. Children play in the sitting room, designated playroom and dining area of the kitchen. An enclosed garden is used for outdoor play. There are toilet facilities on the ground floor and a first floor bathroom and one bedroom is also used for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is currently caring for seven children and of these, three are in the early years age group and two are aged over eight. She walks to a local school to take and collect children and attends local toddler groups with early years children. She childminds all year round, all day Monday to Friday.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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

 extend opportunities for children to play in the outdoor environment throughout the year to explore, build, move and role play.

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who attend

Children make good progress because the childminder has a good knowledge of learning and development requirements. She works well with parents to ensure continuity for each child and is aware of the importance of working with other providers to ensure consistency. The childminder supports children well so that they develop skills in readiness for nursery class and school. She uses her own assessment and information from parents to ensure that children are challenged effectively to reach next steps in their learning. Children enjoy activities because the childminder takes account of their interests as well as their stage of development. The childminder is aware of the requirement to provide parents with the Early Years Foundation Stage progress check at age two and has completed these where necessary.

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who attend

The childminder ensures that children participate in purposeful play and exploration. Young children develop good manipulative skills as they play with interactive toys. They are delighted as they repeatedly press buttons that make their favourite sounds. They 'bop' and swing their bodies from side to side when they press buttons that play music. Young children are learning to match shapes and post them into sorters. The childminder offers good support and guidance. A favourite toy is a robot and they know that all different shapes can be posted through the top. They are excited when they then find the shapes by opening the door at the front and look for adults to applaud their achievements. Children become frustrated when some toys will not fit and so the childminder gently explains that this is because they are too big. Children's physical development is promoted well by the childminder. She ensures that young children have space to crawl and learn to

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who attend

walk. They pull themselves to standing as they hold on to a sofa and a low-level table and the childminder encourages their independence as they learn to sit on low chairs by themselves.

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who attend

The childminder promotes children's communication and language development well. Young children experiment with their voices as they make different sounds. They are beginning to use single words that the childminder repeats back to them. Young children play happily alongside each other and they are developing social skills at groups. A favourite group activity is 'musical movers' which is aimed at children aged under three years. They gain control of their bodies as they sing and dance, and at circle time they are gaining confidence to move away from the childminder. In order to ensure children's emotional security, she makes sure that they can always see her.

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who attend

The childminder encourages children to count with one to one correspondence as she supports their play. She helps young children build towers with three bricks and they have fun as they knock them down. Children gain an awareness of size. They know that stacking beakers fit inside each other and look for the childminder's support when they try to fit a large beaker into a smaller one. A good variety of books is always available and children confidently choose favourites for the childminder to read.

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who attend

Children enjoy a good variety of outings and activities that promote their learning outside the home. For example, they develop confidence and skills at the park, and regularly explore their senses as they access a range of media and materials at groups. At home the childminder provides resources such as sand and water in the garden, however, the garden is not used by children during winter months. Consequently, opportunities for children to explore, build, move and role play are not maximised.

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

Children's personal, social and emotional development is addressed well by the childminder. They are settled and happy and relationships are good. Children's emotional security is initially addressed well because a settling-in period is agreed with parents. Children do not currently attend any other provision but the childminder is aware of the importance of preparing them for their transition into other early years settings and reception class in school. For example, children build relationships with other adults and children as they socialise at groups. The childminder encourages sharing, turn taking and consideration for others. She boosts children's confidence and self-esteem with use of praise and encouragement. Children's independence is promoted well. For example, they choose and easily select resources for themselves. Resources are safe and meet children's learning and development needs well. These include resources that reflect diversity in a

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

positive way and children learn about different traditions and beliefs.

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

The childminder creates a warm and welcoming environment for children and their parents. Admission information obtained from parents is thorough with regard to each child's individual care needs, and each child's needs are well met. Information on the childminder's good practice with regard to safety, illness and accidents is shared with parents. Children's good health is protected because the childminder encourages them to be physically active. For example, they gain control of their bodies as they move to music. They eat healthy food and they are developing an ability to attend to their self-care needs. Children's welfare is addressed effectively because the childminder ensures that the environment is healthy and safe. She teaches children how to keep themselves safe. For example, they practise the fire drill.

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provision

The childminder ensures that her home is safe, secure, warm and welcoming. She is aware of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. Necessary checks for the childminder and her husband have been completed and she ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted. Parents are made aware of the childminder's safeguarding policy and the Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

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provision

The childminder successfully monitors the educational programmes to ensure that children make good progress. She offers children good support. In order to review and improve her practice she welcomes advice offered by local authority development workers. The childminder is aware of the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage in order to meet children's care and learning needs successfully. She has attended a training course in order to ensure that her knowledge on children's learning is up to date. Her current priority for improvement is to continue to gain confidence in use of the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance in order to plan for the next steps in children's learning with full effect. Resources are well organised and are maintained in a good state of repair. Required documentation is kept up to date and in good order.

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provision

The partnership with parents is strong. Children's care and learning needs are met well because communication is good. The childminder requests feedback from parents on the service she provides through the implementation of a questionnaire. Parents are well informed about their children's achievements and progress. A range of written policies successfully reflect the childminder's practice with regard to meeting children's needs. The childminder is fully aware of the importance of obtaining as much information as possible about each child's individual needs from parents and agreeing with them how they can work together to meet these needs. She is aware of the importance of establishing links with other early years providers to ensure continuity of care and learning.

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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 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.

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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 EY361842 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 878459 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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.

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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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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