Childminder in Southend on Sea

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/03/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has an exceptional understanding of how children learn, which means that they are making excellent progress in their learning and development.  Children's safety and security are of paramount importance to the childminder and she carries out comprehensive risk assessments inside and outside of the setting. This ensures that children are very well protected at all times.  Highly effective communication with parents ensures that children's learning needs are identified from the beginning and are supported throughout their time at the setting. Parents' views and opinions are constantly sought through regular feedback, questionnaires and meetings. This ensures that all children's needs are successfully met to the highest possible standard.  The childminder is committed to continually developing her service. She has ambitious

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This provision is outstanding

plans to drive future improvements and effectively monitors her own professional development. She is proactive in seeking training courses to enhance her knowledge and skills. As a result, she is able to provide a rich and varied programme of experiences for children in all areas of learning.

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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 lounge, dining room and garden.  The inspector spoke with the childminder and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of families by reading parents' comments in questionnaires and communication books.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's progress records, communication records, displays of children's work, planning and other relevant documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged one and seven years in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. The whole of the premises and the enclosed rear garden are used for childminding. The family has two goldfish and two cats.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has a level 3 early years qualification. She attends local childminding groups and regularly takes children to the local shops, library and park. She takes and collects children to and from local schools and pre-schools. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, except for Bank Holidays and family holidays.

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

 consider providing an area in the garden for children to plant and cultivate their own crops to further develop their understanding of the importance of eating healthily.

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who attend

The childminder has an excellent knowledge of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and her practice is inspirational. She has an expert understanding of how young children learn and provides highly effective activities and experiences to extend their learning in all seven areas. She carries out weekly observations and assessments which complement the information gained from parents regarding their children's starting points. This ensures that children make exceptional progress from the beginning of their time in the setting. Outstanding learning journals show how children are developing over time, and children are supported and encouraged to stick in their own photographs and artwork. Children's assessments are supported by the use of the 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' guidance to competently identify children's next steps in their development and learning.

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who attend

The childminder has high expectations of the children in her care and she produces extremely effective plans for an exciting variety of activities and experiences, supported by an extensive range of excellent resources. Children are used to helping in the setting and when the childminder says that she needs something for an activity children say 'I'll get them'. Children enthusiastically make choices over their play and learning indoors, as they confidently select resources from the low-level storage units available to them, such as a large range of characters from a favourite television programme. The childminder asks many open-ended questions about the characters, introducing mathematical concepts, such as colours, shapes and sizes. She constantly engages the children in conversation and paraphrases their responses, which increases their understanding of vocabulary and promotes their speaking and listening skills.

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who attend

Children learn about the world around them when the childminder asks them to set up a village scene using small world toys. Children place the buildings and people on the play mat while they chatter about the variety of characters they are handling. They ask questions about the figures using wheelchairs and walking frames while the childminder sensitively explains the possible reasons for their difficulty in walking. She uses books to link with activities to extend children's learning further. Toy traffic lights are used to support a discussion aimed at reminding children about crossing the road safely. A toy pillar box becomes the focus when children want to post letters and they are assisted in cutting out small pieces of paper which they write on and then post. Children's personal, social and emotional development is fostered very well when they use their imagination pretending to be vets caring for a toy dog. The childminder extends their play by asking if

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who attend

they have a name for the dog. The activity develops further when they choose the name of a family member and remember her age, which the childminder uses to promote their counting skills in mathematics.

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who attend

The childminder is highly skilled in the way she extends play activities to encompass different areas of learning. An example of this is a planned activity built around a story about an expedition to look for a bear. The childminder reads the story, supporting the children's communication, language and literacy development by demonstrating how a book is read, pointing to the words from left to right, and showing how words carry meaning. She asks many open-ended questions to stimulate their cognitive skills. The children learn about the concept of position as they act out the story, learning control and coordination and using language, such as 'over', 'under' and 'through'. The childminder provides materials for children to paint pictures of bears, supporting their development in expressive arts and design. The children paint with brushes and then with their fingers and hands. This leads to a spontaneous event of hand printing, as the childminder quickly

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who attend

produces a piece of paper and collects the hand prints to save for presentation to parents later. The bear activity is further developed outside in the snow-covered garden a little later where the children are encouraged to trudge through the snow as the childminder relays the tale again. This brings the story to life for the children and, at the same time, supports their physical development and understanding of the world as they talk about the weather. The garden is an excellent resource for developing the children's physical skills and for promoting physical and sensory development through sand and water play. However, it is in the process of being redesigned so is currently lacking an area where children can plant and grow vegetables and fruit for consumption, to further enhance opportunities for them to learn about healthy eating.

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who attend

The childminder involves parents in all aspects of children's learning and development by providing them with two-way communication books. These detail children's daily experiences and routines, and parents are encouraged to add comments about children's experiences and development at home. Meetings are held for parents every term to discuss children's progress, and the childminder responds to parents' comments by incorporating children's interests and identified next steps into weekly planning. This highly effective two-way flow of information enriches children's learning experiences and enables parents to feel a part of the life of the setting and their children's learning. The childminder also provides a similar book for the pre-school in which they exchange information about children's experiences and development to enhance children's learning in both settings.

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

Children are extremely confident and self-assured and they demonstrate a strong sense of security because they receive continuity in their care and learning. They form positive and close relationships with the childminder and her family, and are very happy and settled. Children feel safe and secure in the setting and they behave well. The childminder is an excellent role model for the children as she leads by example, teaching good manners and setting boundaries. Any negative behaviour is expertly managed in a calm and positive manner, with regular praise and encouragement from the childminder. Children learn how to behave well as they contribute to the development of simple house rules, which gives them a feeling of belonging, and they learn the importance of sharing and taking turns. Children are learning to keep themselves safe as they are reminded to sit still when eating and tidy away their own playthings. They are encouraged to wash their hands regularly

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

and use paper towels for drying, which prevents cross-infection. The childminder explains to them the importance of washing their hands after blowing their noses and after using the bathroom. Children are safe in the setting, they are supervised closely at all times, external doors are kept locked and all visitors' identification is checked. Fire drill procedures are carried out regularly and there is a fire evacuation plan on display to ensure that children and adults know what to do in an emergency situation. Regular risk assessments are carried out to ensure that any hazards are removed or minimised, and safety gates are in place to protect younger children from the risk of falls.

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

The childminder provides a highly stimulating environment which is also homely. There are an excellent range of resources to meet all children's learning needs. The childminder is highly effective in the way she meets children's individual care needs. She has experience of working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, is qualified to administer medication and understands how to develop care plans. She provides children with nutritious meals and snacks, and works closely with parents to ensure individual dietary needs are met. Children are given choices from a varied menu. For example, the childminder asks them if they would like bread or a wrap with their tuna for lunch, and which flavour yoghurt they would prefer. Children colour, cut out and stick on paper images of fruit and vegetables and are taught the benefits of eating healthily. Children have access to fresh drinking water all day and are offered milk at mealtimes.

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

Plenty of fresh air and exercise keep children healthy, and they enjoy outings to the park, play centres and beach. They thoroughly enjoy the outdoors as they charge around on wheeled toys in the garden, strengthening their muscles and learning how to manoeuvre their tricycles to avoid bumping into each other. This also helps them to gain further awareness of keeping themselves safe. The childminder thoroughly understands the importance of preparing children well for their next stages in learning. She supports their transition to other settings by working in partnership with parents and other professionals, sharing progress reports and exchanging information.

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provision

The childminder has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She regularly undertakes outstanding written observations, assessments and planning for the next steps in children's learning and development. The childminder has a wealth of experience of working in early years settings, and families of children cared for have provided written letters of recommendation highlighting the excellent care received. The childminder's superb knowledge and understanding of children's development means she completes accurate assessments for the progress check at age two. The childminder is well qualified and highly motivated to continuously improve and develop her setting by seeking and undertaking training to support her continuous professional development. This has a positive impact on the already outstanding service provided for children and their families.

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provision

An extremely thorough self-evaluation takes into account the views of parents and children, gained from questionnaire feedback and parent consultation evenings. Parents' and children's comments are used to help plan for individual children's development and for future improvements to the setting. The childminder works in partnership with parents and staff at the local pre-school to ensure continuity in children's development. She provides home and pre-school diaries where other professionals can exchange information relating to children's development. She has a very strong drive for improvement and knows fully where she wants to make changes. Children's learning is extremely well documented and parents are kept fully aware of their children's development through carefully phrased observation notes linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage, photographs and samples of children's work. Parents are able to contribute by using a

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provision

communications book that passes daily between the setting and home.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent knowledge of safeguarding and there are highly effective measures in place to protect children. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and shared with parents. Safeguarding children is paramount and the childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of her role and responsibility in protecting children from abuse and neglect. Clear, concise written documentation is in place to support any safeguarding issues, and all contact details for the relevant agencies are accessible at all times. The childminder strives to offer care that is accessible for all and she displays positive images of people from a variety of backgrounds to ensure that similarities and differences are acknowledged and respected by all who visit the setting. Children are extremely well prepared for school as the childminder provides opportunities and activities to promote learning, such as letter and number recognition. With parental

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provision

consent, she shares initial assessments with the school or pre-school and organises visits.

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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 EY452015 Local authority Southend on Sea Inspection number 884306 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 3

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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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