Childminder in Somerset

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/05/2013 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 interacts well with the children and plans interesting activities to promote their development across all areas of learning.  Children form positive relationships with the childminder in a homely, well-resourced environment.  Children are developing good independence skills in preparation for their future learning.  The childminder has identified key areas for improvement and has a positive attitude to maintaining high standards.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Partnerships with other early years providers have not been fully developed.  Strategies for information sharing do not ensure that all parents share their children's achievements from home.

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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 made observations of the childminder's interactions and children at play, both indoors and on a walk.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the childminder and minded children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of documentation including children's learning records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector gave continuous feedback during the inspection and formal feedback at the end of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013. She lives with her husband and two children in Cotford St Luke, near Taunton, Somerset. All of the premises are used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed rear garden for outside play. The family has a rabbit.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Currently, there are nine children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age range. The childminder supports children learning English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is a qualified primary school teacher.

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

 develop further partnerships with all early years providers the children attend, to maintain continuity in children's care, learning and development

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

 invite more contributions on children's achievements from home, especially for those who only attend for one day a week, in order to influence future planning.

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who attend

The childminder provides a stimulating and comfortable environment for children to explore independently. She has good understanding of how to promote children's learning and development through planned activities and child-initiated experiences. The childminder follows children's leads well. For example, when children show an interest in books the childminder encourages them to select their favourites to share. Children clearly explain the similarities to other stories they know, such as how the shark is sad because he has no friends. Children are beginning to use more complex sentences as the childminder supplies additional words and skilfully models sentence structure for the children to copy.

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who attend

Children thoroughly enjoy their make-believe play and imitate real and familiar experiences. For example, when the childminder makes a cup of tea, children set up a tray, matching saucers and cups together confidently. The childminder interacts well to support children's developing communication skills, such as introducing new vocabulary and explaining the purpose of the objects. She asks relevant questions to support children's thinking, such as 'how many sugars shall I have in my tea?'

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who attend

There are clear planning arrangements, which consider children's current interests and their learning priorities. The childminder has good systems in place to monitor children's progression across the areas of learning. She makes pertinent observations of children's achievements and successfully tracks their progress using the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance. The childminder expertly uses this knowledge to organise relevant experiences. For example, acknowledging that children need further support to extend their mathematical skills, the childminder includes counting activities in everyday activities. She has also ensured that there is a number-rich environment for children to observe numbers in use.

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who attend

Generally, parents provide the childminder with useful information and are involved in contributing to children's learning. For example, parents complete an 'all about me' form to support the childminder in identifying children's starting points. However, not all parents provide the childminder with ongoing information on their child's achievements at home, to influence the future planning of challenging experiences.

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

The childminder provides a well-resourced, dedicated play room with good quality toys and resources, which meet children's ages and stages of development successfully. The childminder has carefully considered the organisation of these resources so that children can make decisions about their play, such as requesting the 'clip clop' shoes. Children learn about safety as they balance on the dressing-up shoes, knowing not to walk too fast as they may topple over and hurt themselves. The childminder supports children well to develop their independence skills in readiness for their next stage in learning. She provides children with clear instructions, which they competently follow. The childminder works closely with parents to help children settle quickly and confidently in her care. She provides a flexible service, acknowledging that there needs to be consistency to accommodate the needs of the family so that children are happy and

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

settled when parents depart. Consequently, children thrive in the positive and caring relationships established with the childminder. The childminder supports children learning English as an additional language well by learning key words in the child's home language to help support the settling-in process. She supports children well to develop good social skills. For example, acknowledging that some children find it difficult to be in larger groups, the childminder attends local toddler groups to help them to participate in group singing times.

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

Children enjoy numerous opportunities to be outside and active. They learn about expectations and boundaries to keep themselves safe, such as not crawling under the trampoline. The childminder teaches children how to care for their 'baby' when they take them for a walk and children acknowledge the importance of giving their baby a regular drink. Children benefit from a good range of healthy and nutritious snacks and home- made meals, which meet their special dietary requirements and preferences. The childminder encourages children to plant their own fruit and vegetables so that they can look after them and see how they grow. She uses books to stimulate children's thinking about healthy eating and uses the fruits mentioned in the story to make smoothies. The childminder is a good role model. She helps children learn about hygienic routines, such as washing their hands before eating and drying them on their personal towel to prevent the

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provision

The childminder has effective knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has good knowledge of child protection issues and her responsibility to report any concerns relating to a child in her care. The childminder has carefully considered collection arrangements, which enables the collection of children by a suitable adult identified by the parents. Children are cared for in a secure and safe environment as the childminder completes robust risk assessments of all aspects of her provision, so that children can move freely and take risks in a well-managed environment.

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provision

The childminder values the importance of working in partnership with other early years settings the children may attend. For example, she has developed close working relationships with the local pre-school to share information. However, she has not contacted all early years settings that children attend, to develop further continuity in children's care, learning and development. Relationships with parents are strong. For example, the childminder offers guidance and support to maintain consistency when tackling unacceptable behaviour. The childminder provides parents with very detailed information on the activities children engage with during the day, through the communication diary. The childminder encourages children to be involved in this process and asks them to review what they have enjoyed that day.

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provision

The childminder manages her provision efficiently. She is committed to ongoing professional development and regularly attends training, such as positive handling strategies to manage children's behaviour and improving outdoor play. The childminder works closely with other childminders in the area and early years advisors to improve the service she provides. She constantly adapts the provision to accommodate the developing needs of the children in her care and extends resources as children's interests change. She has carefully considered how she can improve outcomes for children in these early days of childminding, such as introducing labelling of the resources to support children's independent choices. In the future, she intends to provide parents with a questionnaire so that she can use their views to influence further her self-evaluation processes. She continues to review children's progress and the systems she uses to plan and assess their

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provision

development, to enable her to meet children's learning needs across all areas.

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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 EY454214 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 891720 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 9

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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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