Childminder in Wakefield

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/04/2013 29/09/2008

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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

 Children enjoy interesting activities that provide them with challenge and help them make strong progress across all areas of learning, because planning takes into account their starting points, interests and next steps.  Children enjoy consistency in their learning because the childminder shares information with parents that helps them to support their children's learning and development at home.  Children are developing independence and a good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy through the implementation of robust hygiene routines. This means they are well prepared when they move on to school.  Ongoing evaluation of the provision means strengths and areas for improvement are accurately identified. As a result, action is taken to ensure a high standard of provision is maintained.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not always fully supported in making connections between their learning experiences, because opportunities to extend their thinking through everyday conversation and spontaneous activities are sometimes missed.  Children are not able to explore all resources independently because some of them are stored in the garage and it is not currently suitable for children to access.

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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 playrooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector asked the childminder questions at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of thosepractitioners working with children and the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, two adult children and two children aged three and six years in the Featherstone area of Pontefract. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has two cats and two chickens. The childminder attends a toddler group at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently seven children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 6.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and family holidays. She works with another childminder and two assistants. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years. She cares for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 use opportunities in everyday conversation and spontaneous activities to help children extend their thinking and make connection between their different learning experiences

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

 enhance children's independent exploration of available resources by enabling methods for them to access and choose from resources stored in the garage safely, for example, picture catalogues.

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who attend

The childminder is able to provide a wide range of stimulating activities to promote children's learning because she has a thorough knowledge of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. For example, children learn about growth by caring for the childminder's two hens. They know chicks come from eggs and they develop their understanding of change by observing and monitoring their life cycle as they become adult hens. This also helps them children to understand what they need to help them grow. Their learning is extended through trips to the farm where they can see animals in a larger environment.

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who attend

There is a strong emphasis on the acquisition of communication and language skills, and children are supported very well through activities and everyday discussions. For example, they help to add pictures to the daily planning board that is in place to tell them and their parents what activities are planned for the day. A number of resources support children who speak more than one language, such as stories written in Polish. As a result, children make swift progress in their understanding of spoken language. The childminder works with speech and language therapists to support children who are not meeting the expected targets for their age. Progress records show the attainment gap for those children is narrowing. Early literacy is promoted through a range of resources, and displays in the setting show a variety of first words. The childminder uses her knowledge of a commercial literacy scheme to support children's developing reading skills. Children

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who attend

demonstrate they are making good progress by spelling out the letters in their name.

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who attend

The childminder plans activities that take into account children's starting points and interests. The different ages of the children in the setting are carefully considered to ensure educational programmes support their individual next steps. For example, young children develop their knowledge of the weather by exploring the effect the wind has on toy windmills. They enjoy using different cutters while playing with play dough and this helps them to develop an understanding of shape and colour. Children are able to follow their interests by choosing from the resources available to them, such as role play with the dolls and dressing up. A favourite activity is play with the small world toys. The childminder plays with them and they build their own narratives and share their ideas. On occasions, opportunities to engage children in discussions that help them to make connections between different learning experiences are sometimes missed. For example,

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who attend

during play with the small world toys the child creates a story based on a child attending the hospital. The childminder asks the child questions but does not take the opportunity to make connections to other areas of learning, such as people who help us.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of teaching and how children learn; she closely monitors their progress towards the early learning goals through the use of observations and tracking sheets. This helps her to understand where children are in their development and how to help to move them forward in their learning. The childminder obtains information from parents about children's starting points when they enter her care. Where children experience other early years settings, such as the school nursery, information about their learning and development is shared to ensure they enjoy consistency. Activities are shared with parents and this enables them to support their children's learning at home. Parents comment that this is a 'friendly, happy and helpful service'. The childminder keeps parents well informed about their children's learning through their preferred method of communication, such as verbal exchanges and emails. She ensures

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who attend

parents who speak English as an additional language understand the information given to them. The required progress checks for children aged two have been completed.

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who attend

Trips to places of interest, where children enjoy learning in the wider environment, promote their understanding of the world around them. Outdoor experiences, such as bug hunting in the woods, ensure that learning is not confined to the home. Children attend community fun days, take part in visits to the library and enjoy a playgroup at the local children's centre. They also take trips using the bus or the train. As a result, they enjoy learning in a larger social environment and this helps to prepare them for the next stage in their learning, such as when they move on to nursery school.

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

The childminder cares for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and they are fully included throughout the provision. Through discussions and age-appropriate explanations, children are beginning to understand that everybody is different, and they are learning to tolerate each other's differences. They demonstrate they are developing robust peer relationships within their group by being kind, sharing, and helping each other. Learning to work together and consider the needs of others in this way helps to prepare them for the larger social environment of the local nursery school. The childminder is a good role model, she says 'please' and 'thank you' and prompts the children to do so. She co-childminds with another childminder and they work well together as a team; this provides a service that meets the individual needs of all the children who attend.

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

The childminder uses 'all about me' books to obtain information from parents about children's routines, individual care needs and their likes and dislikes. Settling-in visits are planned with parents, taking into account the individual needs of each child. This ensures children are supported well during transition and provides some continuity in their care. Children in her care appear to be settled and content. They are confident and sociable as they share their ideas and choose from the resources available. Although most resources are accessible to the children, there are a large number of resources stored in the garage. The childminder rotates them based on her observations of children's interests but because they are not stored appropriately, children cannot access and explore them independently. Children enjoy outside play in all weathers where they develop physical skills, while learning how their bodies benefit from healthy exercise. They enjoy play on

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

the large equipment at the adventure playground and they learn to risk assess for themselves. This promotes their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They also learn about safety when using public transport and enjoy community events, such as those held by the police or fire service. As a result, children are developing their knowledge of 'stranger danger' and 'people who help us'.

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

Children benefit from a wide range of home-cooked, nutritious meals. They help to plan the menu and the childminder talks to them about the importance of drinking plenty of water and milk, and eating balanced meals. The childminder works closely with parents to help 'fussy' eaters to try new foods, and children are rewarded with stickers when they do. As part of their daily routine they brush their teeth after meals. This encourages children's understanding about leading a healthy lifestyle. Through everyday practices children demonstrate their independence in attending to their own personal needs. Younger children are encouraged to feed themselves and support is given where needed. Children learn personal hygiene through the implementation of robust daily routines, and this ensures they are independent in their self-care when they move on to school.

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provision

Through ongoing evaluation, the childminder accurately assesses her practice and is aware of her strengths and has highlighted some areas of weakness. She attends training to improve her knowledge and skills, and this enables her to provide good quality teaching. She has a strong commitment to maintaining high standards throughout her provision and has clear action plans in place to drive improvement. For example, she plans to improve her outdoor area to give children more learning opportunities.

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provision

The childminder shows a detailed understanding of child protection issues, and children's safety is given high priority across all areas of the provision. She has completed safeguarding training to develop her knowledge of how to keep children safe. The childminder ensures the setting is safe and suitable for children and she follows detailed risk assessments and procedures to safeguard children when in the setting and out on trips. Records are kept of all visitors to the setting, and a register of the children's attendance, including when they arrive and leave, is in place. The childminder holds a current first aid certificate, which means she can give appropriate treatment if there is an accident involving a child in her care.

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provision

The childminder supports parents' understanding of her practice by providing them with copies of the policies and procedures so they are clear about the service she provides. Procedures regarding the use of mobile phones and cameras are implemented. The childminder ensures parents who speak English as an additional language are fully supported to ensure they understand the information given to them.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements; she monitors how these are put into practice through weekly team meetings with her co- childminder. Planning takes account of children's interests and next steps and, because it is flexible, it can be changed to accommodate children's individual preferences for learning. This ensures children make strong progress towards the early learning goals. Children enjoy a vibrant and welcoming environment that has a large number of resources, both indoors and out, that support their all-round development.

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provision

The childminder consults with parents through daily feedback and questionnaires. Parents comment that the service she provides is 'flexible and supportive'. She responds positively to any suggestions, enabling parents to be involved in the evaluation of her provision. For example, they make suggestions and contribute to the planning of the menu. Partnerships with other settings, such as the local schools, the local children's centre and other early years providers, ensure information is shared to support the care of children, and provides a smooth transition process for children moving on to the next stage in their learning. The childminder provides care for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and the professional partnerships she has in place support early intervention.

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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 EY369272 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 878574 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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