Childminder in Suffolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/06/2013 12/10/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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 make good progress in their learning and development because the childminder plans effectively to meet their individual needs and interests. She ensures that all children are actively involved in a wide range of interesting learning experiences both inside and outdoors.  The childminder interacts effectively with the children to support their learning and development. She extends children's communication and language skills through effective use of open-ended questioning and clear repetition.  Children experience good continuity in their care, learning and development because the childminder shares information and engages readily with parents and the other early years settings, which children attend.  The childminder demonstrates a strong drive for continuous improvement and uses self-evaluation effectively to identify the setting's strengths and weaknesses. As a result, she has made a number of significant improvements to the provision for children

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope for children to be offered a wider range of writing equipment, in order to extend opportunities for them to make marks and write for different purposes.

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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 childminder's lounge and garden.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the written feedback from parents in questionnaires.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the children's learning journey records, planning documentation, the provider's self-evaluation form, training certificates and some written policy documents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1989. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband in a house in Stowmarket, Suffolk. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder takes children to local parks and places of interest on a regular basis. She walks children to and from local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 11 children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 7pm, 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 the educational programme for literacy by expanding the range of writing equipment and creating more opportunities for children to practise writing for different purposes.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses this well to promote children's individual learning needs. Since the last inspection, the assessment of children's progress has improved significantly and observation is used much more effectively. This enables the childminder to plan activities that build upon children's unique interests and reflect the next steps in their learning. As a result, children continue to move forward in their learning and enjoy a wide range of stimulating play experiences. Children are supported to become active learners as they have free access to a broad range of resources that suit their individual stages of development and offer increasing levels of challenge. For example, older children show great concentration as they spend time completing intricate puzzles, rotating each piece and matching up the features of the

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who attend

design to make them fit together. This promotes their problem-solving skills and critical thinking very effectively.

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who attend

Children's communication and language development is well supported, ensuring that they develop the skills they need in readiness for school. The childminder speaks to children about what they are doing as a matter of routine. She encourages children to extend their vocabulary through effective questioning. For example, children are asked to describe what they are doing as they turn a handle to activate a lift on a small garage. Younger children enjoy babbling, experimenting with sounds and practising simple words. The childminder carefully repeats and models their language, helping them to begin to imitate new words, such as 'bird' and 'tree'. Overall, there is a good provision of resources that promote opportunities for children to practise making marks and to develop their early writing skills. However, these resources are not always offered to inspire children to attempt writing for a wider range of different purposes, including the creation of shopping

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who attend

lists, recipes and instructions in role play activities.

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who attend

All children enjoy exploring and developing their use of an array of technology equipment. For example, younger children like to press buttons on the small drum to activate lights and musical sounds, while older children confidently operate the touch screen on a tablet computer. The childminder recognises the importance of supporting younger children's physical development and provides lots of furniture, push along toys and tables for them to cruise along. As a result, they move around the environment confidently and develop greater physical strength to enable them to progress towards walking independently. Children's awareness of numbers, space and measures is developing well. For example, older children count confidently to 30 and beyond when counting bricks and use positional language as they talk about adding more bricks to the bottom and top of their tower. The childminder extends their learning well as she prompts them to compare their own height

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who attend

to that of the tower and consolidates the use of measurements, such as 'longer' and 'shorter'. Children spend time in the childminder's garden each day. Here, they develop a particularly strong awareness of the natural world and living things. For example, they spend time creating a tally chart to record the different bird species they observe in the garden. They also lovingly tend to the plants that they grow from seed, describing how they must water them everyday to enable them to grow.

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who attend

The childminder shares a wide range of information with parents about children's progress and the activities, which they have enjoyed. She ensures that parents are supported to understand their child's progress by sharing children's learning and development summary records each term and creating displays of photographs. Each child's learning journey record is also freely available for their parents to read. Several of these include contributions from parents, which promotes good continuity in children's learning.

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

The childminder provides a homely environment where children's emotional well-being is well supported and nurtured. She is attentive to the children's needs and takes time to help them to settle. Close partnership working with parents is fostered from the very beginning of a child's time at the setting. For example, since the last inspection, the childminder has introduced an 'all about me' booklet to guide her in gathering information from parents about children's routines, likes, dislikes and starting points. Children enjoy spending time with the childminder because they develop very secure attachments with her and are purposefully provided with their favourite toys and resources upon arrival. Children have great scope to be independent and make choices in their play. For example, the childminder provides a book containing photographs of many of the available resources, enabling younger children to point to the photographs and convey their choices

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

more easily. Tasks, such as, watering plants, putting on shoes and accessing the toilet, are all managed confidently and independently by the children. Children's behaviour is very positive and supported in a manner that is appropriate to their individual stages of development. For example, the childminder skilfully distracts younger children with new resources when they interrupt the older children's games and actively praises all of them for taking turns and sharing. This means that children are developing positive attitudes and social skills that prepare them well for their transition to other early years settings and school. The childminder enhances this further by planning opportunities for children to explore the school environment when collecting older children from school and accompanying them at the school's sports day event.

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

The childminder encourages children to adopt aspects of a healthy lifestyle, with a good focus on exercising outdoors in the fresh air. Children enjoy frequent outings to local parks and play areas where they run energetically and climb on the large play apparatus. These activities also provide positive opportunities for children to take risks in manageable situations. For example, they intuitively seek reassurance from the childminder when balancing on the higher sections of the apparatus. Children are prompted to wash their hands at appropriate times in the daily routine, ensuring their self-care skills and health are further enhanced. Children benefit from freshly prepared food and drinks during snack and mealtimes, which are planned effectively to fully respect their individual dietary needs. The childminder makes the most of opportunities to develop children's stronger appreciation of healthy eating. For example, children talk about choosing healthy

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

vegetable toppings when pretending to make pizzas and relate this to growing their own tomatoes, cucumbers and peas in the garden.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to meeting the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children's safety is given high regard as effective procedures are implemented to protect them from harm. This includes thorough risk assessments of the home, garden and outings to ensure that any risks to children are quickly identified and minimised. The childminder is fully aware of her role and responsibilities in safeguarding the children in her care. She undertakes relevant training to ensure her knowledge of the possible indicators of abuse and the reporting procedures are fully secure. Children come into contact with suitable people because the childminder and her family have completed the necessary checks to confirm their suitability. The care of the younger children is not adversely affected when older children are present as the childminder is mindful in maintaining good levels of direct support to

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provision

The childminder has a clear understanding of the benefits of close partnership working with other early years settings and outside professionals to enhance learning opportunities for children. With prior agreement from parents, the childminder actively exchanges children's learning and development summary records with the other early years settings they attend. This enables the childminder to offer children a fully complementary approach to their learning.

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provision

Since the last inspection, the childminder has developed much stronger systems for monitoring the educational programmes and self-evaluating the provision. Support is proactively sought from a local authority advisor, enabling the childminder to establish a thorough awareness of the key strengths of the provision and to make significant improvements to benefit the children in her care. This is particularly evident in the steps taken to develop the effective use of observation and assessments in monitoring children's progress. The childminder closely monitors the children's use of resources and introduces new ideas to ensure that they continue to be stimulated and challenged in their learning. For example, she expands the range of natural resources to promote more interesting opportunities for children to sort shells, pebbles and pine cones, in order of size and to talk about their textures. Parental questionnaires are issued to ensure that parents have a

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provision

formal opportunity to put forward their views. Their responses indicate that they are very satisfied with the care their children receive, particularly praising the progress their children make at the setting. The childminder demonstrates a strong drive for continuing her professional development and has identified specific courses relating to observation and assessment and the 'Every Child a Talker' initiative. This means that she demonstrates a strong capacity for acquiring new knowledge and understanding and continuing to build on the existing good 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 250798 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 891469 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 11

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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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