Childminder in Wiltshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/03/2013 15/11/2010

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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

 Children are confident, settled and are developing their independence and self-care skills.  The childminder has a good, positive relationship with the children, acts as a good role model and is deployed well to support their safety and learning.  The childminder offers a stimulating, well-resourced and welcoming environment, both indoors and outdoors, which supports children's development and emotional well-being and provides a range of experiences in line with children's interests.  Children are effectively learning about healthy eating and experience healthy lifestyles whilst in the childminder's care.  The childminder has a clear understanding of her role in safeguarding children and has effective strategies in place to keep children safe.

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It is not yet good because

 Observations and assessments are not always effectively used to accurately identify children's stages of learning. Information is not consistently gathered from parents to help inform assessments, identify gaps in children's learning and plan activities to promote the next steps in each child's learning.  Self-evaluation of care, learning and development practices is not rigorous, because the childminder is not reflective enough about her strengths and areas for improvement and does not seek the views of parents or children, in order to drive improvement. As a result, children's progress is not optimised.

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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 free play and one organised activity in the childminder's home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the beginnings of children’s observation records, a selection of policies and children’s records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times and observed her practice throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of four parents through letters from them detailing their feedback on the provision.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004. She lives with her husband and three children aged 10, nine and four years in Devizes, Wiltshire. The setting is accessible to all children and there is a fully enclosed outdoor area for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

There are currently four children on roll of whom one is in the early years age range. The provider is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The provider is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. The provider receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 promote the learning and development of children, by using information obtained from observations and assessments, including input from parents, to provide activities with sufficient breadth and depth, so that all children are offered sufficient challenge, to enable them to be active independent learners and better promote the next steps in each child's learning.

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must:

 implement a rigorous and effective system for self-evaluation, in order to drive professional improvement and optimise children's progress.

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who attend

The childminder has an appropriate understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and a sound awareness of the prime and specific areas of learning. She uses this knowledge acceptably to implement a suitable educational programme overall. She offers a balanced variety of child led and adult initiated opportunities, which are mainly focused on the prime areas of learning for younger children. As a result, children are making satisfactory progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

The childminder knows the children very well, is aware of their differing needs and is consistently deployed well to support children's learning. She has a clear understanding of what the children enjoy and provides activities, resources and materials in line with their interests. When a child demonstrates an interest in exploring a role play tea set, the childminder supports the child as they investigate the available resources and helps to expand this initial interest into the laying of a table for a picnic. The childminder offers a welcoming, inclusive, child-focused environment, where children's artwork is carefully displayed within the entrance area. Children settle quickly and appear very relaxed within the setting. They move confidently and freely both inside and within the childminder's stimulating and well-resourced garden. They are able to self-select from a wide range of age appropriate resources, stored at children's height and make choices for themselves in

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who attend

respect of the materials they wish to explore. The childminder organises the routine well to enable children to have a variety of play experiences indoors, outdoors and during regularly planned outings within the locality. Children visit the local carer and toddler group, experiment with age appropriate apparatus in the local parks and enjoy fresh air and exercise as they walk to the duck pond to feed the wildlife. Such meaningful opportunities enable children to gain an awareness of their local environment and develop socialising skills within a wide circle of age related peers.

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who attend

The childminder undertakes intermittent, basic observations and assessments of the children, which she links to some of the areas of learning and uses to plan some future activities. She is aware of the need to complete a developmental check for two-year-olds attending the setting, to ensure they are making suitable progress. However, some of the observations and assessments lack depth, breadth and accuracy. As a result, the childminder is unable to always exactly identify a child's stage of learning. The childminder has a positive partnership with the parents. There are regular planned opportunities for them to view their child's assessment journals and to be kept informed as to the activities their child has experienced. Parents are invited to add written comments to the journals, including feedback they have received from their child, on the activities they experienced whilst with the childminder. However, most of this is based primarily around meeting

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who attend

children's care needs, and opportunities to promote parents in their child's ongoing learning and development are not as well as embedded. Parents are not routinely requested to share their child's learning and development starting points, when they commence in the setting. They are not actively encouraged to become involved in their child's learning or asked to share what they know about their child's learning at home, to aid the childminder's assessments. Consequently, children's stages of learning cannot always be clearly pinpointed, or the next steps in their learning consistently accurately identified in order to help children make the best possible progress.

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who attend

The childminder offers children some exciting opportunities to be active, independent learners. Children really enjoy exploring for themselves what happens when they mix oil and water together in a bottle, or the effect of adding food colouring to colourless liquids. Later, children are asked to remember the ingredients they added to each bottle and explain what happened. The childminder is continually talking to the children using age appropriate language, in order to enthuse them and encourage their verbal responses. She generally uses effective questioning techniques and mostly gives children the time they need to answer in their own way. This helps children to develop their confidence, increase their vocabulary, explore their understanding and recall, whilst at the same time, develop their critical thinking and listening skills. As a result, children make progress in their language and communication development. Children gain pleasure from creative

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who attend

activities, such as baking biscuits, which they share with others or modelling with papier- mâché. They are gaining an awareness of numbers through practical means, such as counting napkins for the picnic and can match some objects by size and colour correctly. Consequently, children are gaining skills, attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for the next stage of their learning.

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

The childminder knows the children very well and has a warm, positive relationship with them. Children settle quickly as they feel safe and secure within the environment. They demonstrate their security as they confidently make decisions for themselves as to the resources they wish to explore and later find comfort, in the form of hugs and cuddles as they become tired. The childminder is attentive and talks to the children with kindness and respect. Consequently, the children are happy, confident and developing a strong sense of belonging. The childminder acts as a good role model, and sets clear boundaries for behaviour. As a result, children behave well, as they know what is expected of them. She offers regular praise and encouragement, such as when a child patiently and carefully fastens a lid on a plastic bottle, which further supports them in gaining self-confidence and self-esteem.

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

The childminder, who has a food hygiene qualification, offers a varied menu of nutritious, freshly prepared light lunches and cooked meals. She effectively promotes children's growing independence and understanding of healthy eating, by enabling them to choose their own lunch time menu. Children's individual dietary needs or food preferences are accommodated well. Children are motivated to develop healthy lifestyles through broad ranging routines, including helping themselves to liquids from their regularly replenished drinking flasks and trying healthy snack options. Children have daily opportunities for fresh air and physical exercise, within the provider's stimulating outdoor play area, which contains a good range of age appropriate equipment. In addition, children are generally encouraged to walk to planned activities within the local area. Such opportunities help children to be mobile, whilst promoting their good health and well-being. Through

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

meaningful effective activities, including washing their hands after toileting, and using their own designated towel for hand drying, children gain a good awareness of routines to keep themselves healthy and to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

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

The childminder gives a high priority to children's safety, care and well-being. She is consistently deployed well to promote children's safety. The childminder undertakes daily risk assessments in order to ensure the provision is safe, secure and that appropriate safety measures are in place, which are relevant to the differing needs of the children attending. Children are starting to gain an awareness of how to keep themselves safe, through varied practical means, for example by taking part in emergency evacuation drills or by helping to tidy away toys after use, to reduce trip hazards. As a consequence children are gaining skills to support them in their transitions to pre-school and school.

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

The childminder obtains valuable information from parents prior to a child starting in the setting, in respect of children's needs, preferences and routines. Consequently children settle well and their care needs are effectively promoted. There are both informal and regularly planned opportunities for dialogue between the parents and the childminder. This helps to ensure children's well-being continues to be actively promoted and that children experience continuity and consistency between home and the provision.

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provision

The childminder has a satisfactory awareness overall of her role and responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She maintains a current first aid qualification, in order that children receive prompt, effective attention if they have an accident or injury. The childminder is constantly deployed well to promote children's safety and has appropriate safety measures in place, relevant to children's developing abilities. The front door is secure and a safety gate prevents children accessing the stairs independently. As a result, children are able to move around the welcoming provision safely and independently. The arrangements for safeguarding are good. The childminder has a clear understanding of her role in safeguarding children and knows the procedures to follow in order to protect children. All of the required policies and procedures are in place to support children's safety and well-

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provision

The childminder is aware of the importance of working in partnership with parents. There are regular opportunities for information sharing, mainly in respect of children's care needs and well-being. This ensures parents know how their child has been and the activities their child has experienced. Whilst the childminder shows parents the written observations and assessments she completes on children, they are not encouraged to share with her their child's achievements at home and are not provided with suggestions of activities to do with their child, in order to maximise their child's learning.

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provision

The childminder has started completing observational assessments, although these have not yet been fully embedded, in order that they have sufficient depth, breadth and accuracy to ensure children make the best possible progress. The childminder has started to evaluate her service by recording tasks she needs to complete. She has sought guidance from the local authority on ways to improve her practice. However, the systems for self-reflection are not yet sufficiently robust, to enable her to effectively review her practice, and identify her strengths and the areas for development. Parents have not been asked to evaluate her service. This weakness in self-evaluation hinders the childminder's ability to reflect, analyse, self-challenge and put strategies in place to drive further improvements for 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 EY268682 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 905058 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 0 Total number of places 0 Number of children on roll 0

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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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