Walker, Roberta

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/05/2013 22/11/2011

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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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children enjoy a range of activities and are motivated to learn as a result of this.  Children develop a natural curiosity for the world around them because the childminder takes time to answer questions about why things happen and how things work.  Children behave well in the setting because they have very clear boundaries and the childminder listens and talks to children and helps them find strategies to manage their behaviour.  Children settle very quickly into the setting and are happy in the childminder's care because she has well thought out settling in procedures, which enable her to form caring relationships.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not have an up-to-date current first aid qualification which is a breach of a requirement to consistently ensure children's welfare.  The childminder does not maximise children's progress because observations and assessments are not always precise enough to shape future learning or to identify areas for development.

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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 held discussions with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to children and observed play and learning activities inside the home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of documentation, including children's learning journeys.  The inspector took into account feedback from parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in March 2011. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne. The home is close to local amenities, such as shops, primary schools and playgroups and is easily accessible. The whole of the ground floor and a bathroom and bedroom on the first floor of the house are used for childminding purposes and there is an enclosed garden to the rear available for outdoor play. There is a pet cat and an aquarium on the premises.

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Information about the setting

The childminder visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently four children on roll, of which three are in the early years age group and attend on a part-time basis. The childminder is open all year round from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday except for family holidays.

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must:

 ensure that a paediatric first aid certificate is obtained and maintained thereafter

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must:

 develop precise assessments by observing children to understand their individual level of achievement, interests and learning styles and use these to routinely shape learning experiences that provide appropriate support and challenge for each child.

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who attend

The childminder has a satisfactory understanding of the learning and development requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children enjoy a range of enjoyable play activities that reflect the seven areas of learning. For example, children enjoy cooking, sticking and planting. This means that children are interested in the activities and motivated to learn. Observations carried out by the childminder generally recognise children's interests and achievements, which she then uses to inform her planning. However, this is not consistently rigorous enough to ensure that planned learning experiences are fully matched to the children's needs or that areas of under achievement are highlighted in order to consistently plan for these. As a result, children's progress is satisfactory.

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who attend

The childminder has a sound understanding of how to support language skills. She takes time to listen to children, answer their questions and repeats and extends their language carefully and, as a result, children communicate confidently in the setting. They enjoy singing and have regular opportunities to share books with the childminder. Consequently, children are making satisfactory progress in communication. The childminder plans a number of activities to support early literacy skills. Activities such as 'hunt the letter' help children learn about the sounds of letters and books are used to extend learning further. Therefore, children learn about letters and enjoy books. The childminder supports children's play well and careful intervention means that children have opportunities to try to solve problems for themselves before the childminder offers assistance. An example of this is when children are doing a jigsaw and are given time to try out different pieces in

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who attend

different places before the childminder intervenes, encouraging children to turn the pieces around. This means that children are beginning to solve problems themselves and prepares them for their next stage in learning, such as school.

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who attend

Children have a natural curiosity about the world around them which is encouraged by the childminder. They ask questions as they watch the fish in the aquarium and enjoy finding out about how things work, asking a range of questions to satisfy their curiosity. The childminder supports this well by exploring objects with the children, talking about what things are for and allowing them the chance to find out for themselves whenever appropriate. For example, children find out about filters in the aquarium, how they work and the different habitats of the fish through watching, talking and exploring. They also take part in activities such as planting and begin to understand how to care for plants and animals which supports them to begin to find out about the world around them. Children have access to a large rear garden for outdoor play and visit the park regularly. The childminder provides children with sand tools, blocks and pens as well as time to use cars,

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who attend

climb and run outside. Therefore, children have plenty of opportunities to develop large and small muscle skills. Children enjoy expressing their thoughts and ideas in different ways as they explore paints and printing materials and use puppets and resources to support singing and dancing. As a result, children make satisfactory progress in expressive arts and design. The childminder provides resources which support children's understanding of shape and number. Children count as they complete jigsaws and begin to identify some familiar numbers which enables them to make satisfactory progress in mathematics

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who attend

The childminder has a sound working relationship with parents. She talks to parents at the beginning and the end of the day about what the children have been doing. She takes time to find out what children are interested in at home so she can build on their interests further.

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

Children enjoy warm and loving relationships with the childminder. They talk together as they play with the toys and laugh and giggle as they play games together. Children learn to play together as they play outside and chat together over lunch. Consequently, they are generally developing skills that will support them when they start school. Children settle quickly into the setting as the childminder offers flexible visits which meet the needs of the children and their families. She recognises that this is a big step for a child and gradually increases the length of visit until a child feels able to stay for the full session. Parents comment that their children settle quickly because the childminder covers all aspects of the routine when settling the children in. For example, during a settling-in visit, the childminder will include nursery pick up, a meal and time for play. This means that children are well prepared for different aspects of the day and settle quickly. The

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

childminder obtains information from parents about important routines and care needs which mean she can follow the same routines within the setting.

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

Children have access to a clean and suitably organised environment. Some resources are stored in boxes which are easily accessible to the children and gives them some opportunity to make independent choices. Other resources are stored in an outside store which children choose from at the beginning of each session and the childminder gets others as children ask for them as the session progresses. Children are, therefore, at times able to operate independently in the setting and follow their own interests. Children develop an awareness of acceptable behaviour because the childminder has clear expectations in place and ensures strategies used are consistent both in the children's home and in the setting. She takes time to talk to children and find out causes of behaviour difficulties which she can then support the child to overcome. Children are beginning to understand how to keep themselves safe in the setting because the

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

childminder reminds them what is expected of them, such as the importance of walking in the home. They are reminded to hold hands and stay together when outside of the setting.

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

Children are developing an understanding of how they can keep themselves healthy as they enjoy fruit for snack and have access to water throughout the day. The childminder ensures they have balanced nutritional meals which are planned to incorporate the preferences of different children. Children wash their hands before meals, after using the toilet and playing outside. They have plenty of fresh air and exercise as they play and run in the garden, go to the park and walk to school.

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provision

The childminder has a reasonable understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has completed a National Vocational Qualification at Level 3. This has enabled her to reflect on the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She plans a suitable range of activities to motivate children and ongoing observations highlight achievements. However, children's learning needs are not always fully identified. As a result, assessment is not always rigorous enough to highlight where further challenge is needed. Self-evaluation is satisfactory. The childminder has completed a self-evaluation of her setting which takes into account the views of parents. She has identified her strengths and areas for improvement within the setting and these include improving resources for

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provision

expressive arts and design and updating knowledge in relation to first aid and safeguarding. She has completed all the actions and recommendations from the last inspection. The childminder is a member of a local childminding network and attends regular meetings to share practice and update knowledge. This demonstrates her satisfactory capacity to improve further.

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provision

The childminder has a sound understanding of her responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and has attended training. She has clear policies in place and a satisfactory knowledge of the procedures to follow if she has a concern about a child in her care. She has a sound understanding of her responsibilities when administering medicine and treating accidents. However, the childminder's first aid certificate has recently expired, which is a breach of legal requirements both in relation to the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register. She has attended previous training and has a satisfactory understanding of how she would deal with both major and minor injuries. She has taken appropriate action to identify further training which will enhance her knowledge further. As a result, the risk to children is minimised.

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provision

Children are kept safe in and out of the setting because risk assessments ensure hazards are identified and threats eliminated. Safety gates are used to separate the areas used for childminding. This means that potential risks and dangers are reduced and appropriate measures taken to reduce risk. Consequently, children are kept safe when in the care of the childminder.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are satisfactory and they comment positively about how their children are always happy and the childminder plays a prominent role in family life. Discussions at handover times ensure there is a two-way flow of information between the childminder and parents. This ensures they are kept informed about their child's day. The childminder has developed satisfactory links with the local school to support children's continuity of care. She talks to staff daily about what children have been doing and how she can support them further so that she can follow up their interests in the setting and provide some continuity in learning. For example, the childminder builds on letter sounds in the setting including the sounds that children are learning in nursery.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that an appropriate first aid qualification is obtained (Welfare of the children being cared for).  ensure that an appropriate first aid qualification is obtained (Welfare of the children being cared for).

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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 EY414297 Local authority Newcastle Inspection number 875528 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 13 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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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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