Childminder in Suffolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/03/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 is skilled at forming strong emotional attachments with children and, as a result, they are happy, contented and feel secure in her care.  Children enjoy playing and learning in a stimulating environment where they can explore, make discoveries and follow their own interests. Consequently, children are making good progress with their learning and development.  Children benefit from the individual attention and support they receive from the childminder. This is especially advantageous in promoting children's good communication skills and enhancing their personal, social and emotional development.  Close links with parents and other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage means that children's learning and care needs are well coordinated and they have every opportunity to flourish and have enjoyable early years experiences.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to enjoy learning about the natural world are not fully developed and, as a result, children's learning in this area is not maximised.

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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 in the main rooms of the home.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, the childminder's self-evaluation form and a range of other documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012. She lives with her husband and children in Lawshall, near Bury St Edmunds. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. The premises are fully accessible and there is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Currently there is one child on roll within the early years age group. The childminder is open all year, Monday to Friday apart from family holidays. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools.

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

 provide further opportunities for children to investigate the natural world by; providing chimes, streamers, windmills and bubbles to investigate the effects of the wind; providing areas where children can dig and grow plants, fruits and vegetables.

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who attend

Children are cared for in a warm and welcoming environment where they have every opportunity to make good progress with their development and learning. The childminder has a good knowledge of how children learn through play, and so provides a broad range of stimulating resources and toys to capture children's interests. For example, children delight in playing games that promote their understanding of shape. As a consequence, they can name squares, circles and triangles correctly and readily count the number of sides on each one. The childminder is skilled at extending children's learning and the good interactions and one to one support that she offers the children is a particular strength of her practice. Children's literacy skills are promoted well by the sharing of books and stories. They excitedly look forward to planned activities, such as 'a real bear hunt' where they can re-enact the adventures in their favourite books. The childminder further

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who attend

promotes children's learning by providing opportunities for early writing, displaying colourful alphabet posters and joining children as they spontaneously sing an alphabet song. As a result, children are able to write their names, recognise letters and are gaining good skills in preparation for school and their next steps in learning. Children are confident and proficient talkers who are happy to share their thoughts and ideas. This is because the childminder encourages good communication skills and engages in interesting and supportive conversations during activities and care routines.

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who attend

The childminder shows a genuine enthusiasm for supporting children's learning across the seven areas. Resources and activities are generally good and children are busy and active learners whilst in her care. However, opportunities to engage in activities to promote children's understanding of the natural world are not so well developed. For example, there are few opportunities for children to dig and grow flowers and vegetables, or planned activities to enhance children's understanding of the weather and wildlife. This means that children's learning is not maximised in this area. The childminder makes good observations of the children and assesses their learning accurately. This means that she is able to effectively plan for children's next steps in learning and, as a result, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Attending local toddler groups furthers children's learning as complementary activities are on offer, together with the

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who attend

chance to socialise with others. This has a beneficial effect on children's personal, social and emotional development. The childminder develops strong partnerships with parents and works tirelessly to ensure there is a coordinated approach to promoting children's learning in all areas. Parents share information about their child's development, and discussions at the end of the day provide good opportunities to celebrate children's successes and to help parents consider how they may support their children's learning at home. As a result, children have a happy, well supported early years experience, where they are given every opportunity make good progress.

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

The childminder forms close relationships with parents and gets to know them well, so that she gains a good understanding of children's care needs. She is skilled in quickly forming strong bonds and attachments to children and, as a result, children are happy, contented and confident in her care. Children demonstrate their feeling of security by freely moving around the home and selecting their own activities and toys. They enjoy the individual attention given to them by the childminder and understand the clear guidance that she offers. As a result, their behaviour is very good.

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

The childminder gives a high priority to ensuring that children are well prepared for their transition to school and provides a well-resourced environment that supports children's development and emotional well-being effectively. She encourages children's independence, especially in managing their own care needs. For example, she provides playful opportunities for children to practise fastening buttons, and colourful, personalised towels to encourage children to wash and dry their own hands before meals and after toileting. Children's good health is boosted by nutritious meals and snacks and plenty of physical exercise. They enjoy reading books about the human body and are eager to contribute their knowledge about keeping warm in cold weather. Consequently, children are learning essential lessons about how to keep themselves healthy. The childminder has a good understanding and gives a high priority to the safety of the children both in her

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

home and in the local community. Children learn from this good role model and, as a result, they are finding out how to keep themselves safe. For example, children give good explanations about the dangers of electricity.

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provision

The childminder thoroughly enjoys her time spent with the children and works hard to improve the service that she offers to families. She has embraced self-evaluation and uses this to clearly identify positive areas of her practice and areas for development. Parents and other professionals have helped in this process and, as a consequence, she has clear plans for the future. The childminder meets regularly with other childminders in the area. This very positive link, together with training and internet research, means that she remains current in her knowledge and offers the best practice to the children in her care. The childminder has a good understanding of safeguarding procedures, she knows how to identify and report concerns about children. She is supported in her work by a range of policies and risk assessments which further ensure that children remain as safe as possible.

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provision

The childminder has good procedures in place to monitor both educational programmes and the progress of individual children. She meets frequently with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage and parents to discuss children's individual progress. This ensures that there is a coordinated and well informed plan in place to support children's individual needs. This is a highly effective procedure and, as a result, parents comment very positively on the progress that their children are making. Overall, the childminder provides a very positive, nurturing and insightful early years experience for all children.

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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 EY450107 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 810612 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 1

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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