Walker, Paula Jane

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/04/2013 04/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 are active learners and show good levels of curiosity. The environment is planned effectively to enable them to be independent and take the lead in their play and learning.  The childminder takes time to develop close attachments and caring relationships with each child. This means they are content, feel secure and play happily together.  Good partnership working is fostered with parents. Information is purposefully exchanged with parents, which promotes strong continuity in meeting children's individual needs.  Strong emphasis is placed on promoting children's safety. The childminder diligently implements a wide range of effective policies and procedures to successfully ensure children's welfare.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope for the childminder to enhance her very good assessment arrangements in preparation for completing the required Early Years Foundation Stage progress checks at age two.

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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 children's activities in the ground floor rooms and garden.  The inspector observed the childminder's interactions with the children.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journey records, daily diaries and some written policy documents.

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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 three children aged six, 13 and 15 years in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The whole of the house and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet dog.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and activities 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. There are currently seven children on roll, four of whom are the early years age group. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday, 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 the assessment of children's learning and development, by creating opportunities for parents and children to contribute to the planned Early Years Foundation Stage progress check at age two.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of how children learn and develop. She provides children with a wide range of stimulating resources and activities that successfully promote all areas of their learning and development. The childminder knows about children's starting points as she takes time to gather information from parents during the initial settling-in period. She makes regular observations of children's achievements, skilfully assessing their progress to identify their next steps in learning. As a result, the childminder is confident in discussing children's interests and abilities, and demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting their future learning. She provides parents with daily written information about children's routines and progress, including well-presented learning journey records. There are sections for parents to contribute information about their child's learning at home, which they are beginning to complete

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who attend

more readily. This means that children experience good continuity in their learning. The childminder is fully aware of her responsibility to complete the required Early Years Foundation Stage progress check at age two and the importance of liaising with parents to compile these assessments. Although the children in her care have only very recently turned two years, the childminder has not yet fully considered how she will go about completing these summative assessments in partnership with parents and children to enable her to continue to plan activities to meet the children's needs.

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who attend

The childminder provides effective support as children play and creates an environment that is very reflective of their individual interests. For example, when children notice some birds nesting in the garden, the childminder plans effectively to build on this. This includes rich opportunities for children to explore textures as they make nests from pieces of wool and felt, and a chance to visit a local garden centre to buy a bird feeder. Consequently, they display high levels of curiosity and become active learners in their play. Children make particularly strong progress in their mathematical development. This is because the childminder makes the most of opportunities to encourage them to use numbers and to talk about shapes. She consolidates their counting skills by counting the bricks as they add them to their model of a train, and extends their learning further by prompting them to find 'two pink circle bricks' and 'two yellow square bricks'.

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who attend

Children are increasing their understanding of the world as they access a good range of technological toys and resources. Younger children are encouraged to turn dials, lift flaps and press buttons on toys, which respond with rotating movements, flashing lights and musical sounds. From a young age, children are actively encouraged to develop a positive awareness of differences in people and communities, including activities that acknowledge a range of cultural and religious festivals. For example, during trips to a local childminder group, they enjoy making diva lamps during Diwali and sampling traditional Chinese foods. Children show a strong interest in listening to the different sounds they can hear around them, often acknowledging the birds singing and aeroplanes in the sky. Younger children are encouraged to recreate the sounds made by animals, and confidently repeat the more challenging words the childminder purposefully uses in her conversations with them.

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who attend

These activities mean that they are developing good skills in communication and language and are preparing well in readiness for school.

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

Children clearly enjoy their time with the childminder and develop strong bonds with her and her family. This means that they are eager to attend and settle with ease when they arrive. Children show that they are very confident in the childminder's home. They move freely from one room to another, making the most of the available space and choosing from resources which are purposefully set out at their level. This means that they can lead their own play and develop a secure sense of belonging at the setting.

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

The childminder successfully fosters children's personal, social and emotional development. She makes good use of local resources, such as toddler groups and children's centre activities, which provide children with opportunities to socialise with a wider group of children and adults. As a result, children are gaining confidence in situations away from the childminder's home and are preparing well for their transitions to other settings, such as pre-school and school. The childminder has a nurturing approach and encourages positive behaviour by being a good role model. She is supportive of the children in her care, offering them consistent praise and encouragement so that they learn to share, take turns and show respect for others. For example, she praises children's kindness when they independently share the craft resources with each other. Children learn how to keep themselves safe and to manage risk with the support of the

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

childminder. She talks to them about road safety while out and about and takes them on visits to the local fire station to learn about fire safety.

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

Children are encouraged to eat very healthily. The childminder actively supports parents to plan meals and snacks that are more nutritiously balanced and provide more energy to suit their children's active lifestyles. From a young age, children learn to take care of their own dietary needs. They help themselves to their beakers of drink, which are placed purposefully on a shelf where they can see and reach them easily. The childminder makes effective use of regular trips to the park and time for play in the garden to support children's physical development, including opportunities for climbing and balancing on more challenging large apparatus.

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provision

The childminder takes effective steps to protect children from harm. She has a good understanding of her role and responsibilities in safeguarding children and knows what steps to take if she has concerns about their welfare. Her practice is successfully underpinned by a wide range of up-to-date written policies and procedures, many of which focus on promoting children's health and safety. For example, the childminder's risk assessments of her home, garden and outings are particularly thorough, ensuring children are cared for in very safe surroundings. All members of the household have completed the necessary checks to confirm their suitability to be in contact with children.

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provision

The childminder builds professional yet friendly relationships with the parents. Since the last inspection, she has developed an informative prospectus which provides parents with a clearer insight into the service provided. The childminder uses a number of effective strategies to share information with parents, including daily discussions, daily diaries and regular text message updates. As a result, children's continuity of care is promoted well because parents are kept fully informed of their care routines and ongoing progress. The childminder is keen to promote further partnership working to benefit the children in her care. She is well known to other early years settings in the local area, enabling her to share information with them easily, should the need arise.

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provision

Overall, the childminder has developed effective systems for monitoring the educational programmes. She carefully tracks her observations of children to make sure that she is noting their progress across all areas of learning and that no gaps in their development are missed. The recommendations raised at the last inspection have been addressed well. This includes increased opportunities for children to develop a stronger understanding of the world through planting and growing activities in the garden. The childminder extends her self-evaluation by talking to parents about the quality of her service and issuing questionnaires to gather their views more formally. Parents provide very positive feedback, with many praising the childminder's approach to helping their children to settle in. The childminder demonstrates a strong drive for continuing her professional development through regular training, and links up with other childminders very regularly

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provision

to actively share ideas. This means that she is constantly acquiring new knowledge and understanding, which stands her in good stead for continuing to build on the existing high quality provision 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 EY355500 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 863400 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 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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