Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/03/2013 28/03/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 The childminder has a good understanding of how children learn and uses everyday situations and the environment, to enhance children's learning and development.  Children form strong attachments to the childminder, enabling them to feel safe and secure in their environment.

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It is not yet good because

 There is insufficient knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment requirements, therefore, children's progress is not effectively tracked and the next steps in learning are not identified  A system of self-evaluation is in place, however, this is not fully embedded and does not identify steps to further develop the provision or support continuous improvement.  There are limited opportunities for parents to share their children's achievements at home or to continue children's learning. This means children's progress is not as rapid 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

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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 toured all areas of the premises used by the childminded children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at relevant documentation including self-evaluation, risk assessments and children's records.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder.  The inspector observed children's play in a variety of activities.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1992. She lives with her husband in Elswick, close to Kirkham near Preston, Lancashire. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's home is used for childminding. The children do not have access to the back garden, although the childminder takes the children for walks and accesses the local parks.

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Information about the setting

There are currently two children on roll who are in the early years age group. The childminder provides flexible childcare Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8am and 6pm. The childminder walks to school to take and collect children. She has use of a car to transport children on outings and school runs. The childminder takes children to the local toddler group and soft play facilities in the surrounding district. The family have a pet dog.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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must:

 increase knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage, in order to fully understand the use of observations to assess children's developmental progress and to inform the next steps across all areas of learning.

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

 improve the methods for reviewing and monitoring practice so that weaknesses can be identified and action can be taken to address these

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

 encourage parents to share information about their child's learning at home and keep them informed about their child's achievements and progress, by extending the use of the daily diary.

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who attend

The childminder has an appropriate understanding of the learning and development needs of children. She provides a basic range of resources that support development across most areas of learning and these are appropriate to the children's ages. Toys are stored in boxes at floor level, making them easily accessible for children to independently choose their activities. The childminder engages children in conversation about their own experiences, such as when observing an aeroplane in the sky children have opportunity to recall their own holiday experiences. She sings simple songs and rhymes to enhance routine activities, for example, a lullaby for when children are going to sleep or a rhyme for washing hands.

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who attend

Children learn about numbers, shapes, colours and letters, as the childminder introduces these during play through counting how many play people there are and naming colours on the toys. The childminder engages children's interests in books, by using favourite stories. They sit together on the settee to read, describing pictures, turning the pages and repeating the stories. Children enjoy songs and rhymes and actively join in with the actions, anticipating clapping hands when singing 'If you're happy and you know it'.

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who attend

The childminder is aware of individual children's needs and interests and as such provides appropriate toys, resources and experiences. For example, babies that are learning to walk are given the necessary support and space to enable them to pull themselves up onto their feet and move around the room independently, using the furniture, baby walker or holding the childminder's hands. This increases their confidence and gives them a sense of achievement.

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who attend

The childminder uses daily diaries that include photographs, to record the activities and experiences that children have engaged in each day whilst in her care. However, this is not used as well as possible to encourage parents to comment on and progress children's learning at home. Also, the childminder does not fully reflect observations or track the children's developmental progress and identify the next steps in their learning. Therefore, their progress is not as effective as possible. She gains verbal information from parents on a daily basis, to ensure she is fully aware of any changes in the child's life.

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

Children display secure attachments to the childminder, they show confidence in their surroundings and turn to her when needing reassurance and to communicate what they want. Children comfortably explore the resources and happily interact with the childminder during play. Children's behaviour is good and house rules support their understanding of how to cooperate with others. They respond to her encouragement and praise with enthusiasm, developing their confidence and self-esteem. The childminder consistently reinforces the children's understanding and use of language, by talking through actions during play and routine activities. She has a flexible approach to the structure of the day and this enables her to respond sensitively to children's individual daily routines, recognising when children may be ready to eat a snack or when they need to sleep.

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

Meals are currently provided by parents, however, the childminder provides snacks of fruit and toast using wholemeal bread and drinks of water or milk. Children are encouraged to foster good hygiene routines and wash their hands before and after eating and following visits to the toilet. The childminder has a good knowledge of individual dietary requirements, such as dairy free diets, and gains advice and guidance from parents and relevant agencies, in order to meet those requirements.

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

The childminder uses various local facilities regularly, to enhance children's learning and development. Children's health and physical development are well supported, as the childminder ensures children have access to the outdoors daily, to gain fresh air and exercise. Walks to several local parks throughout the week, provide opportunity to learn about road safety and offer a variety of equipment that presents different play experiences, appropriate for varying age groups of children.

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

Weekly visits to a toddler group engage the children in a wider range of activities and experiences. Children's social skills are supported, as they play and learn to share within a larger group of children and adults. This helps them to prepare for transitions, such as starting preschool or school. Children have opportunity to talk about past events when browsing through a scrap book, that displays photographs of trips to places, such as the zoo, the park, a soft play centre and having fun in the snow.

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provision

The childminder has an awareness of her roles and responsibilities within the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a secure knowledge of child development and provides appropriate resources and activities that will aid their development. However, arrangements to assess children's learning are not yet sufficiently developed, to enable effective tracking of children's progress.

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provision

Recommendations raised at the previous inspection, have been addressed and most are now embedded in practice. The childminder has written policies and procedures that underpin her work and inform parents about the provision. Parents provide initial information on their child through completing enrolment forms and attending pre-start visits to the childminders.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of how to keep children safe and uses written risk assessments for indoor and outdoor provisions and activities to ensure this. She holds a current first aid certificate and can deal with and record accidents effectively. Procedures are in place for dealing with sick children and the administration of medication. The childminder has a secure knowledge of child protection issues and follows guidance from the Local Safeguarding Children Board. She can also demonstrate how to respond to concerns of abuse.

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provision

A simple self-evaluation system has been developed, but as yet this only identifies what the childminder's current practice is and does not identify any areas for improvements to her provision. Therefore, children do not immediately benefit from this. Partnerships with parents are good and the childminder seeks their views through questionnaires. Comments such as, 'I have complete peace of mind when I leave my child to go to work' and 'I struggle to get him to leave at night', show how much the provision is valued and appreciated by the parents. The childminder understands the importance of working with others who share care of the children when this is required.

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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 307959 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 818822 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 2

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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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