Parker, Victoria Dianne

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/05/2013 02/12/2008

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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 very safe in the childminder's care because she fully understands how to safeguard children; in particular, child protection procedures are very strong. Detailed and effective risk assessments ensure children's safety in the home and on outings.  The childminder has a very thorough understanding of how children learn through play. She provides interesting activities both indoors and outside enabling children to engage well and make good progress as they develop their own style of learning.  The childminder carries out effective self-evaluation by reflecting on the impact of her teaching. She is well-motivated and strives for continuous improvement which helps children to build on their learning effectively.  Children have good opportunities to develop their language and communication skills as they chat to the childminder during activities, responding thoughtfully to her questions.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to further develop children's number skills by using number language in a variety of situations.  The childminder has not pursued all available ways to develop partnerships with other providers to fully support continuity of children's learning.

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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 and outdoor activities with the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documentation including safeguarding, risk assessments and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector saw all areas of the childminder's home and garden used by the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's development records and discussed their progress with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 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 five and seven years in Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire. The ground floor rooms of the childminder's home are used for childminding with access to the bathroom on the first floor. There is an enclosed rear garden which has a few steps available for outdoor play. The family has a small pet dog. The childminder attends a support group and other activities, such as stay and play sessions at the local children's centre. She visits shops and parks on a regular basis and takes children to and collects from local primary schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently five children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 6.30am 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:

 secure children's number skills by, for example, singing counting songs and rhymes, playing games which relate to number order and by using number language in a variety of situations

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

 consider further ways to facilitate information sharing with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage to better support children's continuity of learning and progress.

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who attend

The childminder has a thorough understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She uses her knowledge of how children learn through play to plan a broad range of activities based on their individual needs and interests. She engages children very effectively in their learning by talking to them about what they are doing, what is happening and asking questions to extend their thinking. For example, in the garden children water pots of seeds they have chosen at the garden centre and talk about what they will need besides water to enable them to grow. The childminder records observations of children as they play using the information to plan further activities to build on their learning towards their next steps. In this way, children make good progress through effective planning and teaching.

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who attend

Parents and carers share information about their children before they start with the childminder. Settling-in sessions provide opportunities for the childminder and child to get to know each other and for her to make initial observations to enable her to assess the child's starting points and plan some initial activities. Parents are kept well-informed about their children's routines and activities. Information is shared with parents in a variety of ways, including verbally at drop off and collection times, by telephone during the day and by an electronic system. Parents particularly like this system because they can access it at any time to see photographs and information detailing what their children are doing that day so they can support and extend the children's learning at home. Children are well- supported for the next stage in their learning because the childminder finds out what they need to know, and be able to do, when they begin at the local primary school. She

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who attend

supports children with other transitions too, such as, when they go to live in a different house.

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who attend

The areas of the childminder's home used for childminding are well-planned and organised so that children are able to access the toys and resources themselves. As a result, providing safe opportunities for children to be independent and make choices in their play. There is ample floor space for them to spread out, such as, when they lie on the floor fixing together a large puzzle or walk a buggy around as they rock the baby to sleep. Children use their imaginations in a variety of ways and also demonstrate that they are developing an understanding of the world around them. For example, a play tent is first used as a doctor's surgery then as a home. One child is dressed in a nurse's outfit and reminds the childminder that she is a nurse, like mummy, not a doctor, when asked if she is playing in the surgery. Children learn how to problem solve as they fit together the pieces of a puzzle. They sit with the childminder and talk about the shapes of the pieces

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who attend

and how many pieces there are. Children sometimes get muddled as they count; missing out a number so the childminder reminds them of the sequence. She introduces questions about colour to reinforce previous learning and children are confident about the colour of the cowboy's hat and socks. However, she does not consistently introduce number language into children's everyday play to support their further development and interest in mathematics.

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

Children form warm and secure relationships with the childminder and are totally at ease in her presence. The childminder takes time to settle children into her home so that they feel safe and forge trusting relationships. Information is regularly shared with parents regarding all aspects of their care and development. This enables the childminder to follow home routines, such as, sleep patterns and to organise activities they will enjoy such as outings to country parks. This attention to detail ensures that transitions between children's homes into her care are smooth. Children are at home in the childminder's care, seeking out toys and making decisions about their play. The indoor environment is organised well to make good use of the available space. Baskets of toys and other resources are stored on low-level shelves so that young children can make choices, particularly as they become more mobile. Children

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

move around the house safely and handle the equipment with care. They are aware of the emergency evacuation procedures because they are practised regularly. They also learn about road and car safety on the journey to and from pre-school and school.

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

Children are encouraged to develop skills to enable them to become independent in their daily activities and routines and also to make choices. For example, a child deciding to play outside understands that as it is raining a waterproof will be needed. The child is not able to manage putting it on alone but knows that by sitting on the floor it will be easier to get on. The childminder provides lots of supportive praise as the zip is finally pulled up to the top and the boots are on the correct feet.

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

The childminder is familiar with each child's dietary and medical needs and provides children with healthy, nutritious meals and snacks. They are encouraged to take regular drinks. The childminder asks children how their drinks are, and if they are nearly empty they are refilled so there is always a drink available for them to access while they are playing. Toilet training is carried out in conjunction with parents' wishes. The childminder knows the children well and when she recognises the signs, asks the children and offers support and praises them as they become independent in toileting, straightening their clothes and hand washing.

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

Children play outdoors every day in the childminder's garden or at a park and so experience plenty of fresh air and exercise. They manage risks safely on the play equipment and know not to run on the wet decking. Children behave well. They learn to share and take turns and to be kind to their friends and to the childminder's pet dog. The childminder regularly praises their efforts and achievements, effectively helping to develop the children's confidence and self-esteem.

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provision

The childminder reflects well on each week's activities to evaluate the effectiveness of her teaching and its impact on children's progress towards their next steps in learning. She adapts planning accordingly for the following week so that children continue to receive interesting, yet challenging learning experiences. For example, while the children are watering the seeds the childminder notices that some pots are perhaps a bit too shallow and may need re-potting. She points this out to the children and it is agreed as an activity for another day. Parents and children complete annual questionnaires for the childminder so she has their views on her setting. She uses these when reviewing her provision and deciding on actions for improvement. The childminder attends regular training and is in the process of taking up a course to gain a further qualification which will give her an even better understanding of her work with children.

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provision

The childminder has a very good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She understands explicitly her responsibilities to report and record details of any potential child protection concerns and knows who to contact so that children are protected. She follows advice received from other agencies and has recently reviewed her safeguarding procedures to satisfy herself that she continues to do all she can to ensure the welfare of the children in her care. A written policy is shared with parents, clearly informing them both of their own and the childminder's responsibility in this process. The childminder is conscious of the need to ensure that the environment is safe for children and visually checks all areas daily to minimise potential risks. She has a range of policies and procedures to ensure children' safety and well-being which are adhered to at all times and reviewed and updated regularly to ensure they reflect developing practice.

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provision

The childminder is fully aware of the importance of establishing positive links with other practitioners and in the majority of cases is successful in supporting children's learning when care and education is shared with another provision. However, there are other ways she is yet to explore to promote effective information sharing to further support children's continued good progress. She shares ideas and best practice with other childminders at a weekly support group and this also helps her to monitor the quality of her own provision.

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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 EY372061 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 918887 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 5

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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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