Childminder in Warwickshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/06/2013 23/03/2009

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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 secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Accurate observations are used well to plan a range of interesting and stimulating activities, which supports children's learning and development in all areas. As a result, children make good progress.  The childminder uses good methods to support and extend children's learning. She actively engages and joins in with activities to enhance their experience. For example, she extends children's language skills as she introduces new words when they sing songs and rhymes.  Children are very well behaved and play together in harmony. They listen to the childminder and to each other as they help to tidy away toys at appropriate times. In turn, this supports the development of strong relationships and promotes their safety.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to explain to parents the importance of strong foundations in the home language to support their children's development of English as they get older.  There is scope to better enhance children's learning and development through further improving communication with other professionals working with children in the other settings they attend.

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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 the childminder engage in a range of indoor learning activities, play and daily care routines 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 journals, documentation, and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at areas on the ground floor, such as the kitchen, and front room, and the garden.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2002 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 10 and 13 years in Rugby. The whole ground floor of the house is used for childminding. There is a rear garden for outside play. The family has a pet cat and three giant African snails.

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Information about the setting

There are currently seven children on roll, five of whom are in the early years age group. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder also cares for older children before and after school. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays. The childminder cares for children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends local groups in the children's centre with children. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. The childminder collects children from local schools and pre-schools. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, and has an early years qualification at level 3.

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

 explain to parents about how strong foundations in the home language support the development of English, and further extend the use of words obtained from parents in children's home language to enhance their literacy development

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

 strengthen the communication with other settings which children attend and encourage the sharing of specific information about individual children's learning, in order to enhance and complement children's learning and development between settings.

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who attend

Children are enthusiastic and demonstrate a positive approach to learning due to the childminder's secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is fully aware of the different ways in which children learn through play and knows how to best support individual children and capture their interests. The childminder plans a good range of interesting and stimulating activities to support individual children in both the prime and specific areas, which enables children to make good progress in all areas of their learning. This also helps children develop skills which will prepare them for the next stage in their learning. The childminder uses the Development matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance well to accurately track children's development to ensure they continue to make good progress in all areas of their learning. She ensures she covers all areas well through the use of different symbols which depict the different learning areas. Parents are

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who attend

involved in their children's learning through daily discussions, and the childminder makes suggestions about how they can further support their children at home. For example, she encourages parents to use more words and picture books to extend their children's vocabulary.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their language and communication. For example, younger children point to objects and attempt to say the name of toys on shelves which interest them. They enjoy action songs and rhymes where the childminder joins in with them to enhance their experiences and learning. For example, during a dance activity children move their hand like a snake and make a 'sssss' sound, which helps them to make links between letters and sounds. Children make marks with pencils and crayons, which supports their early writing skills. Older children use chalks to write for different purposes as they pretend to be a teacher and they write numbers and letters, which further supports their learning and complements what they learn at school. The childminder uses good methods to teach children. This includes demonstration, talking and asking questions about what children are doing to support and extend their thinking and learning. She

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who attend

plans activities which have a clear learning intention specific to individual children's learning needs. For example, a baking activity focuses on children's ability to wait, share and take turns as they use one bowl and spoon to mix with.

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who attend

The childminder cares for children who speak English as an additional language. She collects words from different languages, such as Polish and Punjabi, to support children's additional language. Parents are sometimes reluctant to share too many words in their home language because they want their children to learn English. However, the childminder does not fully explain to parents the importance of children being secure in their first language and the support this provides as they attempt to learn English. As a result, this does not maximise some children's literacy development. Children develop a good range of physicals skills as they use a selection of wheeled toys in the garden with ease and confidence. They enjoy regular outings in the community to soft play centres and local parks, which further enhances their skills and coordination.

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

Children develop secure bonds and strong attachments with the childminder and the other children. This is due to effective, gradual settling-in procedures and information gathered from parents about children's individual needs. Parents provide comfort items, such as a blanket, and children often bring in their favourite toys from home, which promotes their security with the childminder and links to their home. This also supports and secures a smooth transition from home into the childminder's care. Children benefit from daily outings in the community where they access fresh air to support and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Children enjoy picnics in the home where they sit together on the floor to eat their lunch. Parents provide a balanced packed lunch which meets children's individual dietary requirements and promotes healthy eating. Effective hand washing and nappy changing routines support children's welfare and help to reduce

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

the risk of cross-infection. When the childminder indicates that its nearly lunch time, children work together to tidy away toys, which promotes their safety. They work well together as they listen to each other and sort out toys in correct boxes, before older children put them away on the shelves. This demonstrates that children have strong relationships with each other and the childminder. This also prepares children for the next stage in their learning, as they learn to cooperate with each other. Children's good behaviour is further promoted through simple house rules and consistent praise and encouragement to support their emotional well-being.

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

The childminder ensures children have plenty of opportunities to promote their independence. For example, at lunch time children feed themselves with sandwiches and pieces of fruit. They develop their self-help skills as they put on their coats and do the zips up before they go outside. Children who attend the nursery class are also able to attend assemblies and take part in activities in the school, which further supports their move up to school when the time comes. Through discussions and outings in the community, children learn about being safe. For example, they learn about road safety and know they have to look for the 'green' man and stop at the lights before they cross the road. This helps children take responsibility for their own safety. There is a good selection of toys and equipment which are well organised into different levels on shelves to allow easy access and promote independence for individual children.

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provision

Children are effectively safeguarded as the childminder has a secure knowledge of the possible signs of abuse and the procedures she would follow should she have concerns about a child in her care. She has recently updated her training in safeguarding and shares her written policy with parents so that they understand her role in protecting children from harm. The childminder has conducted thorough risk assessments for her home and outings in the community, which helps to keep children safe. Risk assessments are regularly updated to ensure that all potential hazards are identified and action is taken to reduce risks to children, which further promotes their safety.

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provision

Parents receive both written and verbal information which gives a summary of the activities their children have taken part in and their personal care, such as food intake. The childminder talks both to parents and children about activities they take part in at the nursery. She provides opportunities for children to continue their learning within her provision. For example, children extend their mathematical skills and imagination as they write the times table on the black board and take part in role play activities where they pretend to be the teacher. However, there is scope to develop this further to ensure that more specific information is shared about individual children's learning, in order to enhance and further complement children's learning and development across all the settings they attend. The childminder demonstrates a secure knowledge of the prime and specific areas of learning. Her systems for observation and planning for the next stages in

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provision

learning are accurate. As a result, children continue to make good progress in all areas of their learning and development.

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provision

The childminder attends local childminding groups and the children's centre to help her further develop her skills and share good practice. She has identified that she would like to collect more dual-language books to support children who speak additional languages at home. The childminder collects parents' and children's views through regular discussions, which ensures they are involved in the process of improvement and that changes in practice are meaningful to them. For example, the children's request for more role play equipment has been addressed, which supports their learning, interests and choices.

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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 EY227558 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 819591 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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