Leer, Maria Margaret

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/05/2013 14/02/2011

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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

 The childminder has a good understanding of how young children learn and uses this to plan a wide range of very good experiences appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children are, therefore, stimulated and their development is well promoted.  Children feel safe and secure in the childminder's care as she provides a welcoming environment, where they have consistent boundaries and familiar routines.  Children are actively learning about a healthy lifestyle as they are effectively supported by the childminder who meticulously ensures that the meals she provides are inclusive of all children and of a high standard.  The childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to improving the service she provides. She attends training to enhance her knowledge and her plans for improvement are well targeted to strengthen her practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's creative and critical thinking skills are not fully maximised as the childminder does not always build on opportunities for them to play with materials before using them in planned tasks.  Opportunities for all parents to consistently share information about children's learning at home have not yet been fully explored and therefore children's development is not optimally supported.

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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 all rooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures and photographs of children joining in with different activities.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged seven and 13 years in a house in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house and the rear garden is used for childminding. The family has a tank with fish as pets.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and local activities. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. The childminder is accredited and provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 13 children on roll, eight of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 enhance further children's creative and critical thinking by building in more opportunities for them to play with materials before using them in planned tasks

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

 enhance partnerships with parents to further engage and support them in guiding and sharing their children's learning and development at home.

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who attend

The childminder has a secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and of how children learn. She provides a good range of child-initiated and adult-led activities that extend children's learning and school readiness. When children show an interest in a book containing different shapes and colours, they use their matching skills to compare the triangle shape on the table to the one in the book. The childminder extends their use of mathematical language by asking which shape is the biggest and smallest. She then praises the children for describing the shapes correctly building their confidence and self- esteem. She also sensitively joins in with the children's play and fits in with their ideas. When the children start to sing 'Old MacDonald had a farm', the childminder introduces the toy animals and encourages the children to find the creatures represented in the song. She causes lots of laughter as she enhances the children's experimentation with words

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who attend

and sounds as she links a dog with the sound of a cat. The children confidently tell her she is not right and that a cat says, 'meow'.

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who attend

The childminder knows the children very well and has high expectations for them all. At the start of the placement, she discusses the children's routines and level of development with the parents. She then uses this information, together with her own observations, to identify where the children are developmentally within the prime and specific areas of learning. Effective assessment procedures then help her to identify the children's next steps in progress and to incorporate these into her planning. For example, when younger children push a buggy around the garden, moving items out of their way as they go, the childminder plans an obstacle course to help them learn how to successfully negotiate space.

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who attend

The childminder provides a range of activities that are mostly purposeful and developmentally appropriate and consistently makes good use of open-ended questions to support children's thought processes. For example, during a role-play activity, she encourages younger children to use their physical and imagination skills to 'stir' the spoon around a bowl whilst the older children make her a pudding of 'blackcurrant pie.' She encourages their further thinking by asking, 'don't I need dinner first?', to which the children respond by giving her a bowl of 'home-made blackcurrant soup'. Most activities provide a good level of challenge that is appropriate to the children's age and stage of development. For example, when play dough is used as a focus activity, the childminder enables the younger children to explore the feel and smell of the dough without over directing their play. However, occasionally the opportunities for more able children to

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who attend

enhance their creative and critical thinking skills are not enhanced. For example, opportunities for them to play with materials before using them in planned tasks are not always built into the activity.

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who attend

Parents are kept mostly informed about their children's time with the childminder through use of a daily tracker book, verbal interaction with the childminder and the regular sharing of the children's learning portfolios. However, there is scope to further engage them in sharing information about their children's learning at home, meaning that this information can then be used to plan for children's next steps in progress.

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

Children are happy at the childminder's home. They form appropriate and secure attachments with the childminder and their friends helping them feel settled. The childminder takes sensitive steps to ensure that the children are reassured about any changes in routine. For example, when the inspection is due, she explains that a special visitor is coming to see how much fun they have, helping them feel secure with the experience. Flexible and thorough settling-in processes ensure that the childminder gets to know all relevant details about the children and that the children and parents are secure with the arrangements from the start. The childminder has cared for most of the children since they were very young babies providing continuity and consistency of care for them and their families.

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

The childminder actively supports the children in developing a good understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Younger children enjoy singing the 'wash hands' song as they prepare for snack and older children demonstrate their emerging knowledge as they explain that it is fruit and vegetables that must go in their mouth and not the pen top. The childminder very effectively caters for children's individual dietary needs and ensures that all feel included. She uses good quality ingredients and builds on the children's knowledge of different foods. For example, she involves them in cooking activities, such as making home-made pizzas with a variety of healthy toppings. She also regularly takes the younger children on picnics so that they learn to eat their savoury items first in preparation for eating their packed lunch at school. Children are developing their physical skills and they enjoy opportunities to move freely between inside and outside where the garden becomes

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

an extension of the learning environment indoors. They get lots of fresh air as they join in with the walk to and from school and visits to the local parks and play areas. Children develop a good awareness of risk and their own safety because the childminder supports their development. She explains the consequences of their actions and makes the learning experiences fun. Children enthusiastically play the 'red light, green light' game when crossing the road with even the youngest children joining in from their pushchair. They regularly practise the emergency fire drill and are given sensitive reminders including that it is better to sit on their bottom on the chair in case they fall.

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

Children behave well because the childminder is a good role model and supports them in learning the boundaries and expectations in place. She is consistent in her management and offers explanations of why certain behaviour is needed. For example, younger children are reminded that if they cannot use the paper rather than the table to draw on, the pens will be removed. She also makes routine activities fun, for example, when asking the children to tidy away the pens she supports them by saying 'I have a green pen. Can you find me a green lid?'. Children are learning to respect each other and the resources provided. Sharing is very much encouraged and they are sensitively reminded to hold the book correctly so that it stays suitable for looking at again. Children are well prepared for their transition to other early years settings as they are effectively supported by the childminder who encourages their positive attitude to learning. She talks about the new

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

setting and borrows books from the library about, for example, starting nursery. She engages the help of the older children as she encourages them to show the new starters their book bags and uniform and actively promotes children's independence skills in preparation for the changes ahead.

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provision

The arrangements for safeguarding children are strong and well-embedded. The childminder has an effective knowledge of her responsibilities in meeting the welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has attended safeguarding training and ensures that she has the latest contact numbers for concerns should they arise. All areas used by the children are constantly risk assessed and procedures are in place to minimise any potential hazards. For example, she is vigilant with regard to the use of mobile phones and cameras when she is out and about with the children. She also stores their parents' contact numbers in her first aid kit as well as in her mobile phone in case they are needed in an emergency, further protecting the children's welfare.

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provision

The childminder has an effective knowledge of the learning and development requirements. Her secure system of observation and assessment ensures that she gets to know the children very well and can therefore plan for their next steps in progress. She monitors the experiences she offers the children to ensure that she helps them make good progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder is experienced in liaising with other professionals in order to support the children and their families. She builds professional and trusting relationships with the parents and ensures that her two-way system of exchanging information with them is mostly effective. Partnerships with other providers are well established as the childminder exchanges regular information with the other settings attended by the children to ensure continuity and consistency of education for them all. For example, early years professionals visit the children at the childminder's

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provision

house to observe them in a different environment and to get to know the children more informally.

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provision

The childminder is pro-active in improving her knowledge and professional development. She regularly attends training to update her knowledge and recently renewed her Early Years Accreditation. She also ensures that any e-mail alerts she receives from other professional agencies are securely stored for her to read at a later stage, ensuring that she does not miss any vital information. This enables her to improve her skills and the experiences of the children she cares for. She continually monitors her day-to-day practice to see which areas are working well and where any improvements can be made. Parents are encouraged to share their views through use of a comments book, questionnaires and verbal feedback, and very positive comments are received in praise of the childminder and the service she provides.

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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 EY356297 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 878374 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 13

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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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