Childminder in Stockport

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/06/2013 Not Applicable

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Children are extremely motivated and engage readily in new learning. The childminder is highly skilled in using every situation to maximise learning opportunities. As a result, children make rapid progress in their learning and development.  The childminder is exceptionally skilled and sensitive in supporting children to form secure emotional attachments. This provides a very strong foundation to enable them to develop their independence and motivates them to explore.  The rich, varied and stimulating environment, both indoors and outdoors, promotes learning and challenge and provides a strong base for children to manage risks and understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  The childminder uses highly successful strategies to involve all parents in their children's learning, which helps every child to learn and develop to the optimum level.  Exemplary partnerships between the childminder, parents, and other settings ensure

p.1

This provision is outstanding

children's needs are quickly identified and exceptionally well met. The highly successful strategies in shared learning help ensure children are extremely well prepared for the next steps in their learning and school.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities in the two playrooms, kitchen and outdoor environment.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents including a sample of policies and procedures, planning, observation and assessment systems and children's individual learning records.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents from written statements and feedback questionnaires.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her father and her mother who is also a registered childminder in a house in the Cheadle Hulme area of Stockport, Cheshire. The whole of the ground floor except for the utility room is used for childminding. There is a large enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play. The family has a pet cat.

p.3

Information about the setting

The childminder attends local toddler groups. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and nurseries. The childminder operates from Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6.60pm, all year round.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are currently nine children on roll, five of whom are within the early years age group and four are school age children who attend before and after school and during school holidays.

p.3

Information about the setting

The childminder is a member of the Stockport Childminding Group and Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

p.3

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

 build on existing excellent knowledge and skills in order to further enhance the already outstanding practice, for example, by continuing to access additional professional development training.

p.3

who attend

The childminder provides a calm nurturing, caring environment where babies and young children can thrive and develop to their full potential. She has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience from her previous role as an assistant and the superb role modelling of the co-childminder, which she has successfully translated into her own practice. The knowledgeable and enthusiastic childminder provides a rich and challenging learning environment where children's individuality is recognised and cherished. Consequently, learning outcomes are excellent for children. The childminder has an exceptional understanding of how children learn and demonstrates high expectations of herself and the children. The extremely well-organised educational programme engages children in rich, varied and imaginative experiences that are tailored to meet their individual needs. For example, babies squeal with delight as they stretch their arms out to

p.3

who attend

try to catch bubbles and look puzzled as they disappear and older children are thrilled as they learn the technique of blowing bubbles themselves. As a result, children are well motivated, eager to participate in activities and make rapid progress in relation to their starting points.

p.4

who attend

There is an extremely sharp focus on helping children to acquire communication and language skills and supporting their physical, personal, social and emotional development. As a result, children are exceptionally well prepared for school and their next stage of learning. For example, children develop their social skills as the childminder teaches them to play cooperatively with each other, take turns, share resources and value and respect the feelings of others. Children show genuine concern for babies who are upset, through their facial expressions and offer them a drink to comfort them. Regular visits to playgroups, the library and local shops help children to learn to socialise with adults and children away from the childminder's home.

p.4

who attend

Communication and language skills are given high priority with gesture and actions used by the childminder to illustrate and support language development for very young children. Many children are working above their expected levels of development in this area. Older children are encouraged through the excellent use of open-ended questions to develop their thought processes and vocabulary. For instance, as the childminder reads a story about the weather, she asks children 'What happens when it rains?' and children respond confidently, and say 'You need an umbrella and welly boots'. Children use talk to recall past experiences and events and to communicate their thoughts and ideas. For instance, they say 'A pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow' and 'I like the sunshine, I don't like the shade'. The childminder values the attempts of babies to communicate and repeats the sounds and babbling noises they make as they engage in two-way

p.4

who attend

The childminder provides children with a wealth of opportunities to develop their physical skills and the outdoor environment is exceptionally well resourced and organised to support this area of development. For example, children crawl through tunnels, develop coordination and control as they throw, catch and kick balls, and develop balancing skills as they jump around on the 'space hopper'. Children develop small muscle control as they use a wide range of tools, such as, glue sticks, paintbrushes, pencils and crayons and develop their 'pincer grip' as they pick up tiny sequins during a collage activity. Babies have the space and freedom, indoors and outdoors, to cruise along equipment and furniture, crawl, stretch and reach. They develop their small muscle control as they push buttons on interactive toys, stack small bricks and turn the pages of a book.

p.4

who attend

The childminder undertakes purposeful observations and assessments that highlight children's individual interests and successfully uses this information to plan for the next steps in their learning. For example, the childminder observes that children are particularly interested in completing jigsaws, so combines this interest with plans for next steps in learning. Consequently, children remain focused and motivated and demonstrate high levels of involvement in their play. This highly effective system enables the childminder to accurately assess children's learning, linked to Development matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance, and to track their progress so that any gaps in learning are quickly identified and rapidly closed.

p.4

who attend

Each child has an individual learning record which contains spontaneous, significant learning and photographic evidence of their achievements. Children's learning is significantly enhanced because parents are fully involved in their children's learning from the point of entry into the provision. The childminder gathers detailed information from parents to establish what children can do and builds on this information by completing a baseline assessment to use as a starting point for their future learning and development needs. Parents can access their children's learning records at any time and are provided with a summary of their activities and progress on a regular basis. They are offered many opportunities to contribute to their children's assessment records and share significant experiences, interests and observations of their children's achievements at home. This provides excellent continuity for children.

p.5

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

The childminder is caring and extremely sensitive to each child's individual needs which helps children form secure, emotional attachments and provides a strong base for their personal, social and emotional development. Children are happy and secure and thoroughly enjoy one-to-one times with the childminder when they share stories, sing songs and actively involve her in their play. For example, children discover a feather in the garden and run excitedly to the childminder to share their experience and talk to her about what they have found. The childminder gets to know each child exceptionally well through the development of positive partnerships with parents enabling her to form knowledgeable caring relationships with all children. She finds out about children's likes, dislikes and comforters and provides them with routines that are familiar to them. This significantly enhances children's ability to settle in the provision and enjoy and benefit

p.5

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

from the learning experiences available. Children new to the provision are warmly welcomed by the childminder and children run towards them with excitement as they enter the childminder's home. The childminder shares extremely detailed information about children's learning and development with the other settings that children also attend and schools they move on to, which supports the transition process and ensures continuity of care and education.

p.5

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

The childminder consistently gives the highest priority to the safety of children and effectively supports them to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Children display high levels of confidence with day to day routines and understand the procedures in place to ensure they are kept safe. For example, they know not to run in the house and to be careful when they go up and down steps leading into the garden. The childminder encourages children to manage their own risks as she teaches them to climb and use outdoor equipment safely.

p.5

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

The childminder provides clear and consistent boundaries to help children to understand how to manage their own feelings and behaviour. Children are encouraged to think about ways to resolve any minor disagreements themselves. Any minor disagreements are dealt with calmly and sensitively and the childminder supports children to think about the effect their actions have on others, how it makes them feel and what they can do to make them feel better. This supports children to feel really good about themselves and feel welcome and secure.

p.5

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

Children demonstrate through routines that they have an excellent understanding of the importance of regular exercise, a healthy diet and attending to their own personal needs. They understand that they need to wash their hands so that they do not get germs. Children use tissues to wipe their nose and know instinctively that they need to dispose of it in the bin. Physical exercise is positively promoted on a daily basis and children are involved in activities, such as marching around the garden as they play musical instruments in their band, regular walks and using climbing and balancing equipment. The childminder provides children with opportunities to rest and relax when they need to and babies sleep in travel cots in a calm, quiet room, so that they wake up refreshed and re- energised. Children know about foods that are good for them and explain that 'tomatoes and cucumber make our bodies big and strong'. Parents are aware of the healthy eating

p.6

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

policy and provide lunch boxes containing fruit, sultanas, raw vegetables and home-made meals for children's lunches. Children thoroughly enjoy the healthy snacks the childminder provides and they have access to regular drinks throughout the day.

p.6

provision

The childminder and co-childminder work extremely closely in partnership and together they make up a team of highly professional and experienced practitioners. Children's learning and development is significantly enhanced because they share their knowledge, expertise and individual strengths to ensure children are consistently provided with high quality childcare and education. The process for self-evaluation within the provision is well documented and incorporates the views of children and parents whose ideas and suggestions are listened to and acted upon. Strengths and weaknesses are clearly identified and targeted plans are in place to secure continuous improvement. The childminder strives to provide an excellent and flexible service for children and their families, therefore, making a positive difference to their lives. She is highly motivated and committed to continuous professional development and has attended numerous training

p.6

provision

courses to further develop her knowledge and skills. The childminder acknowledges the need to continue to access further training in order to enhance her existing knowledge and skills to continue to improve on her already outstanding practice.

p.6

provision

The childminder prioritises children's safety and has an excellent awareness of safeguarding issues and the procedures to follow and who to contact in the event of any concerns. An extensive range of policies and procedures successfully underpin daily practice and regular reviews are carried out. Accurately maintained records also ensure children's welfare is meticulously protected. Extensive risk assessments for all areas of the premises, the outdoor area and resources ensure children's safety remains paramount.

p.6

provision

The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of how to facilitate children's learning and development through her extensive knowledge of the areas of learning of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, children's progress towards the early learning goals is significantly enhanced. Systems for monitoring educational programmes, individual planning and assessment are robust, so that children receive a rich and varied learning experience based on their individual needs. The highly precise systems for assessment mean that the childminder can implement early interventions to support children's learning, including the involvement of other agencies and professionals.

p.6

provision

Children are extremely well prepared for their move to reception class because of the childminder's highly effective partnership working with other professionals. Systems in place to support children in the transition process are exceptional. For example, the childminder obtains a copy of the parent 'Welcome Pack' from schools which identifies the knowledge, understanding and skills children will need to support them as they enter the next stage in their learning. The childminder uses this information to provide children with appropriate activities and experiences to gain the skills they need to prepare them for more formal learning.

p.7

provision

Children's needs are exceptionally well met through highly effective partnerships with parents. The childminder fully understands the importance of working in partnership with external agencies and services to ensure children receive the appropriate support they need. Highly complimentary parental feedback from written questionnaires highlights that they are extremely delighted with the service they receive and are incredibly happy with how well their children are progressing.

p.7

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

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY454474 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 895558 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

p.9

Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

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’.

p.11

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11