Stuart-Smith, Gaea Polly Annabel

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/06/2013 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 is aware of each child's interests and their stage of development. She provides activities and resources that engage children and ensures that children are challenged effectively so that they reach next steps in their learning.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well by the childminder. Consequently, children are happy, settled and secure and the relationship between the childminder and the children is good.  Children learn through play in a stimulating environment that is safe and secure. They are safeguarded because the childminder is fully aware of her responsibilities to protect them from harm.  The childminder encourages children to use their senses to explore the world around them. Babies enjoy a good range of sensory experiences and resources include everyday objects for them to explore and investigate.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The partnership with parents and other early years providers is not fully maximised with regard to consistently using information from them, as well as the childminder's own assessment, to plan for future learning.  Opportunities for children to gain an awareness of cultural, religious and community events and experiences are not fully promoted in order to extend their awareness of the wider world.

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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 as children played in ground floor playrooms and the garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's assessment records and planning, policies and procedures and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and two children aged three years and five years. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding and a bedroom is used for sleeping children. The bathroom is on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed garden used for outside play.

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Information about the setting

There are currently two children on roll and both are in the early years age group. The childminder walks to a local school and pre-school to take and collect children. She cares for children all year round, all day Monday to Friday. The childminder 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 good partnership with parents and other early years providers by extending the use of information from them so that all carers work together with full effect to plan for next steps in children's learning

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

 extend opportunities for children to learn about their similarities and differences; for example, by extending their awareness of cultural, religious and community events and experiences.

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who attend

Children are making good progress because the childminder's knowledge and understanding of how children develop and learn is good. Consequently, the childminder's practice ensures that children are well-prepared for future learning in pre-school provision and school. During each child's induction the childminder obtains detail from parents on their child's care needs and some information on what the child knows and can do. The childminder uses her observations and assessment of children effectively to inform planning and make sure that children are challenged as they learn through play. Parents are invited to share information on achievements at home, and they do so periodically. Information on learning is also periodically shared between the childminder and other early years providers in order to address continuity of care and learning for children. However, the childminder does not always plan for next steps in learning with use of

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who attend

information from parents and other early years providers and consequently, partnerships are not fully maximised. Children enjoy a very good variety of activities in a stimulating play environment. The childminder is aware of the requirement to provide parents with a progress check at age two and will complete these where necessary.

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who attend

Children's personal, social and emotional development is given a high priority by the childminder. She promotes their independence and self-confidence effectively. The childminder provides a good range of resources so that children are able to explore their senses, and young children are encouraged to investigate interesting things that they discover for themselves. For example, they find and explore a muddy puddle in the garden that older children have made into a 'potion' by adding sand. Young children confidently plunge their hands into the mixture and then explore the texture and make marks as they smear the mud and sand onto their bodies and clothes.

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who attend

The childminder promotes children's communication and language development well. When speaking with children she asks open-ended questions and children respond confidently using short sentences. Young children are developing an awareness of numbers and letters. They name numbers randomly as they look at a number line that is used by older children and they recognise the first letter in their own name. The childminder promotes early mathematics effectively. She encourages children to recognise, match and name colours and shapes as they play with toys such as, shape sorters, and encourages children to count and group construction toys by colour. Children are initially encouraged to count with one-to-one correspondence to five and the childminder provides a range of toys that support their learning well.

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who attend

Children's physical development is promoted effectively by the childminder. Manipulative skills develop as children explore and make marks in resources such as, play dough, paint and sand. Young children are encouraged to complete inset jigsaw puzzles and they are then challenged effectively because the childminder provides two-piece puzzles that they match and join together. Children develop physical skills and control of their bodies as they use large physical play equipment at the childminder's home and at the park. Children enjoy easy access to books and they are beginning to choose favourite ones to look at with the childminder. They are learning to use three fingers to hold crayons as they make marks on paper and on paving slabs outside. Role play resources are good and children are beginning to pretend, for example, by pouring and offering cups of tea. Some role play toys reflect diversity in a positive way, and also some books. However, the

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who attend

childminder's practice is not fully maximised with regard to raising children's awareness of their similarities and their differences to help them gain an awareness of the wider world and understand their own needs and those of others.

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

Children are happy, settled and secure. The relationship between the childminder and the children is strong. Children's emotional security is initially addressed well because a settling-in period is agreed with parents in accordance with their different needs. The childminder also offers parents a home visit in order to help children to get to know her. She ensures that children are prepared well for their transitions into other early years settings and school. She is doing this by enabling children to explore new environments and socialise with other children and adults in group situations. In discussion the childminder identifies strategies for managing children's behaviour. These include, distraction and explanation and praise in acknowledgement of positive behaviour. Children's independence is promoted well because the childminder ensures that resources that meet the needs of children attending are easily accessible to them. Resources are

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

clean and safe and meet children's learning and development needs well.

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

Children play in a safe, warm and welcoming environment. Admission information obtained from parents is thorough with regard to each child's individual care needs, and each child's needs are well met. Information on the childminder's good practice with regard to safety, illness and accidents is shared with parents. Children's good health is protected well because the childminder encourages them to be physically active and enjoy a variety of activities equally inside her home and in her garden. Children eat healthy food and the childminder uses her food hygiene knowledge effectively to protect their good health. Children develop an ability to attend to their self-care needs. Their welfare is addressed effectively because the childminder ensures that the environment is healthy and safe. She teaches children how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to use the pedestrian crossing and how to cross the road safely.

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provision

The childminder successfully monitors the educational programmes to ensure that children make good progress. She offers children good support. Quality checks and self- assessment lead to identification of targets for further improvement and in order to review and improve her practice the childminder welcomes advice offered by local authority development workers. Her current priority for improvement is to achieve an early years qualification at level 3 which she is currently working towards. She is also reviewing her observation and assessment records to ensure that they are fully effective in aiding her good practice for promoting learning through play. Resources promote children's learning well and they are maintained in a good state of repair. Required documentation is kept up-to-date and in good order.

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provision

The childminder ensures that the play environment is safe and secure. She is aware of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. Necessary checks for family members have been completed and the childminder ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted. Parents are made aware of the childminder's clear safeguarding policy and the Cambridgeshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

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provision

The partnership with parents is good, even though not always maximised with regard to next steps planning. Information on care and learning is provided for parents in a daily communication book, and observation and assessment folders are always available. Parents views on the service provided are valued, and they share very positive opinions on; the safe and stimulating environment, activities that are tailored to help children learn new or develop existing skills, and the opportunities to enjoy activities in the garden. Policies and procedures support the safe and efficient management of the provision and parents are made aware of them. The childminder is aware of the importance of maintaining links with other early years providers to ensure coherence of care and learning, although these are not currently maximised.

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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 EY454965 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 899016 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 2

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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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