Childminder in Leeds

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/03/2013 02/03/2011

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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

 The childminder provides a warm, welcoming and stimulating environment, in which children are secure, happy and confident.  The childminder is experienced and well qualified. She has a good understanding of how children learn and what they need to learn. She records children's starting points in each area of learning and uses this information, together with children's interests, to plan challenging activities. This helps ensure children enjoy learning.  The childminder ensures children make good progress towards the early learning goals because she reviews their progress using a cycle of observation, assessment and planning to ensure she continues to provide resources and support suitable for children's individual interests and stages of development.  The childminder monitors children's development in close partnership with parents and other professionals, and provides additional support if required. As a result, all children

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This provision is good

receive consistent support, in order to make best progress.  The childminder is knowledgeable about how to keep children safe. She uses comprehensive risk assessments and provides a safe environment for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not provide many opportunities for children to freely practise creative techniques, or to choose and explore resources. This means there is scope to further enhance children's creativity.

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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 watched the childminder play with the children and talked to her at convenient times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and a range of policies and other documents.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises that are used for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010. She is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, who is registered with Ofsted as an assistant and two children aged six years and eight years in a house in Swarcliffe/Whinmoor area of Leeds. The whole of the ground floor, the first floor bathroom and the fully enclosed rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a rabbit as a pet. The childminder is a member of a childminding group who regularly meet at the park and at each other's houses. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently five children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She 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:

 offer children more opportunities to freely practise creative techniques and choose and explore resources, in order to help them to develop their own creative ideas.

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who attend

The childminder is qualified, experienced and has high expectations for the children she cares for. When families first start, she explains why it is important for everybody to work together to give children the best opportunities. She asks parents what their children like doing and they are able to do. She uses this information to record children's starting points. This means she understands individual children's interests, developmental stage and ways they like to learn. She can tailor activities and resources to provide interesting and challenging activities for each child. She continues to observe children to assess their developmental stage and interests and regularly records what children have done using photographs and notes. Parents also add notes to the profile about similar activities that their children have done at home. They stay and discuss their children's development when they pick up their children. In these ways, the childminder and parents work closely

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who attend

together to plan future activities to accurately reflect children's needs and interests.

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who attend

The childminder, in consultation with parents, produces a written progress check at age two. She monitors children's rate of progress towards the early learning goals closely, so she can identify any situations where further intervention may be necessary. She works with other professionals, for example, speech therapists, in order to provide for children who need additional support. This means all children make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

Children learn well because the childminder teaches children whilst they play. For example, children select an inset puzzle depicting six bears with different expressions. The children notice one bear looks sad, so the childminder encourages the children to think and talk about feelings and what makes people and bears happy and sad. This helps children to understand how people feel and helps them to develop empathy. The childminder knows how to teach children to communicate well. She uses talk to describe what children are doing. She reads them books that include repetition and rhyme. She accepts and repeats children's utterances clearly and sensitively. She asks them questions that encourage them to think such as 'I wonder what will happen if ...'.

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who attend

The childminder understands the importance of developing children's physical skills. Children have daily opportunities to play in the well-resourced garden or in the park. This ensures they develop skills, such as balancing and climbing. They are able to experiment in moving in a variety of ways. They learn to use tools and materials. For example, they make Mother's Day cards by applying paint with brushes to hand-prints they had made the previous day. In this way they learn new techniques and practise using their fingers to control pencils, crayons and brushes. The childminder also teaches children more specific skills. For example, children play with an inset puzzle which depicts letters of the alphabet. The childminder encourages children to identify letter names and sounds. Children learn to recognise their names, because pegs in the bathroom are labelled with children's names and photographs. Children also have named placemats. These opportunities help children

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who attend

develop an understanding of reading and writing. Children make a pizza for lunch. This helps them understand how things change when they are hot. They develop an understanding of technology as they operate toys with buttons and switches. They learn mathematical skills as they listen to an exciting story about a train journey. Children learn about their world because the childminder takes them on weekly trips to exciting places, such as the train museum, farm parks and local parks. Children have opportunities to use paint, however, they do not have many opportunities to practise creative techniques, or choose and explore resources to help them to develop their own creative ideas.

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

The childminder provides a calm and caring, welcoming environment and children are very secure and happy in her care. The childminder is perceptive and values children's decisions. She works alongside children, sensitively encouraging and supporting them, whilst encouraging their independence. Children have developed strong and positive relationships with the childminder. They are confident and snuggle up to the childminder whilst they read stories together.

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

The childminder encourages new parents to visit with their children and stay and play for a number of sessions. This means she can get to know the families well, before she starts to look after the children. It also helps ensure a smooth transition for children from home to the childminder's care. She uses these sessions to exchange important information. This helps the childminder work with the parents to provide consistent care and allows children time to build strong relationships with her. The childminder observes children closely. In this way she accurately identifies their interests and stage of development. This ensures that children have a high sense of well-being and this helps them develop confidence, self- motivation and a love of learning.

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

The environment has a homely feel. The childminder provides a child-sized leather sofa and table and chairs. The playroom is tidy and there are labelled shelving units containing a wide range of resources. The resources are safe and are chosen because of children's interests and to promote all areas of learning. Resources are generally stored in accessible storage boxes. This means children feel welcome and can generally work independently. However, some resources and equipment, such as paint, are not consistently available for children to self-select. This reduces opportunities for independent learning and exploration of creative resources. There is an enclosed garden, some of which has an all-weather surface. There is a canopy which protects children from adverse weather and sun. This means the garden can be used safely in all weathers and children get plenty of fresh air and exercise to support their good health.

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

The childminder promotes children's health well, supported by clear policies, records and practice. Children are encouraged to keep themselves healthy. For example, they regularly help themselves to water and they know to wash hands before eating. The childminder provides a varied diet of healthy meals and snacks. The childminder regularly meets up with other childminders. This gives children opportunities to play with other children and develop their social skills. The childminder also takes children on weekly trips to places of interest. This gives children opportunities to experience different surroundings. It also helps them get exercise and increases their sense of well-being. The childminder ensures children are familiar with the local school and nursery. This means they are confident when they transfer to their next stage of their education.

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provision

The childminder is experienced. She has a number of relevant qualifications including a level 3 diploma. She is committed to reviewing her practice by observing children's progress and discussion with parents. She attends further training courses to enable her to keep up-to-date with current requirements. She is knowledgeable about the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and understands her responsibility to keep children safe. She has a range of written policies and procedures which help her care for children well and helps keep parents informed about her childminding practice.

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provision

The childminder understands her responsibility to meet the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and has high expectations of all children. She has made good progress in meeting the recommendations identified at the last inspection. For example, she now identifies children's starting points in consultation with parents. She uses these and further observations, to provide an effective range of resources and programme of activities. These provide a good level of challenge, appropriate to children's interests and stage of development. She monitors children's progress in all areas of learning using 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' and discussion with parents. She is therefore using an effective cycle of observation, assessment and planning, to ensure children continue to make good progress. She is also able to put in place appropriate interventions if children need

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provision

additional support. The childminder has good links with the local school and takes children to 'stay-and-play' sessions, which the school run about once a term. This ensures pre- school children become familiar with their local school and this helps them settle into school quickly and take full advantage of their next stage in 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 EY415095 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 875549 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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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

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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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