Childminder in Sunderland

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/06/2013 01/02/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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

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This provision is outstanding

 Children enjoy a wealth of exciting and innovative experiences to support their learning and development. The childminder uses observation and assessment extremely well to precisely identify children's individual next steps of learning and plans activities to support them to achieve exceptionally well.  The outside area provided for children is a fantastic place for the children to explore and develop their imaginations, social and physical skills.  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 childminder has forged very strong links with parents. She shares highly effective information with them relating to children's development and routines to ensure consistency between the minding environment and home.  The childminder is robust in identifying areas for improvement and uses the self-

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This provision is outstanding

evaluation form effectively as a working tool to support this. She involves parents and children in the process to ensure that she facilitates and maintains improvement.

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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 made observations of the children while they were engaged in activities in main play room, kitchen and outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records, observation and assessment files, planning documentation and a selection of policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder, assistants and children at different times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views, through written documentation they had provided for the inspection and the information from the setting's self- evaluation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2000 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, one adult child, and a child aged 14 years in the High Barnes area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. The whole of the ground floor and first floor toilet is used for childminding. There is an enclosed yard at the rear of the house for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder cares for children on weekdays from 8am to 6pm for 48 weeks of the year. She regularly works alongside two named assistants. She currently has 19 children on roll, of whom 15 are in the early years range. The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language. She attends several childminder 'drop in' groups, toddler groups and her local children's centre. The childminder holds a childcare qualification at level 3 and her assistants hold qualifications at levels 2 and 3.

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

 continue to develop the already excellent partnership working with all provisions children attend, in order to further enhance the continuity in their learning experiences.

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who attend

The childminder provides a high quality service where children flourish in a child-centred, enabling environment. As a result, children including those who speak English as an additional language make outstanding progress. Highly effective systems are in place, such as written assessments, to track and monitor children's progress, demonstrating high levels of commitment and consistency. Parents help to complete the 'All about Me' document to ascertain children's starting points. The childminder records observations of children at play to review their natural interests, capabilities and preferred learning styles. Children's records of achievement are meticulously captured within their 'learning journeys' and these are shared with parents. The systems for gathering contributions from parents about their children's learning at home are thoroughly embedded in the childminder's practice. Parents have daily opportunities to contribute information regarding

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who attend

their children through discussions and through their comments within their child's learning journey. As a result, the childminder is highly successful in supporting parents to engage with their children's learning. Children develop positive attitudes towards learning as all activities are fun and based on children's own ideas, interests and abilities. An excellent example of this can be seen with the creation of the outdoor sensory wall and water feature. The childminder is highly skilled at selecting resources that will fascinate children and encourage them to ask questions, learn using all their senses and develop their sense of curiosity. This is because she provides the children with a vast range of natural materials for children to explore and investigate. For example, the children have recently made bug hives out of twigs, bamboo and pebbles. They now enjoy looking for creatures, such as ladybirds and spiders that

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who attend

have made the hive their home. Children's communication, language development is extremely well promoted and the childminder is skilled at extending children's language through listening and talking with them. Regular story times also support early communication skills. Children keenly select their favourite books and enjoy looking at the pictures and listening to the stories read by the childminder. She confidently engages children in a variety of action songs and they eagerly join in, which enhances further their language development. Children enjoy making marks and these activities are continuously available, both indoors and out. For example, children make patterns in the sand and chalk on the board outdoors. As a result, children are developing excellent early writing and drawing skills.

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who attend

Children are particularly confident and self-assured in the setting and develop the dispositions they need to be ready for the next stage in their learning. They understand the routines and develop their independence in the vibrant and enabling environment. They make choices from the accessible resources and develop their own ideas in their play, showing clear characteristics of effective learning. For instance, children use their imaginations while they pretend to be a doctor or make cakes in the home area. The childminder models number language, for example, 'more' and 'how many?' and encourages children to count and identify colours. Children learn about the local community through regular outings, including visits to the library, parks and toddler groups. The childminder takes full advantage of the facilities in the local area and regular days out further afield are also thoroughly enjoyed, such as the local wild life centre where

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who attend

children observe the wide variety of birds and engage in creative activities. Children develop an understanding of the world as they plant and grow tomatoes then harvest and eat them. Children are learning about similarities and differences because they celebrate a variety of different festivals. Parents also share resources from other cultures with the setting, such as traditional costumes. The childminder provides children with a wealth of challenging opportunities to develop their physical skills and promote good health. The outdoor play area is exceptionally well resourced and provides excellent opportunities for children to enjoy fresh air, be active and use a range of large and small equipment to develop their skills. For example, riding tricycles, climbing and balancing, and creating sounds as they bang the cow bells that are hung in the garden.

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

Children are extremely happy, relaxed and settled in the care of the childminder and her assistants. Children's sense of belonging is nurtured and maintained through a gradual settling-in process where time is spent purposefully to ensure each child's needs, likes and routines are known. The completion of 'All about Me' sheets are completed by the parents in full consultation with the childminder and this helps to further ensure that children's needs are supported very well. The childminder's knowledge of the children's individual care needs, including sleep patterns, means their routines are familiar and organised to meet their individual needs. This effectively promotes children's well-being and ensures a successful transition from their home to the childminder's home.

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

The environment, both indoors and outdoors, is highly stimulating, provides exciting and enticing activities that are well organised to enable children to make independent choices about what they want to do. The childminder organises her time and home carefully to ensure she is able to dedicate herself to meeting children's care routines consistently and to provide high standards of support and supervision. From an early age, children's independence is encouraged and they play an active role in the setting. This results in them being secure in their surroundings and feeling highly confident when making choices. Children behave exceptionally well with the childminder who puts the children first and provides a positive environment where individuals are respected and valued. Children's ability to communicate well with other children and adults, behave well and their growing independence means that they are extremely well prepared for the

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

Children are provided with nutritious, home-cooked meals. Their dietary requirements are discussed with parents to ensure individual needs are catered for appropriately. Children have extensive opportunities to learn about healthy eating and how to stay healthy. The childminder talks to the children about the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables and they enjoy growing some produce in the childminder's garden. Plenty of fresh air and exercise keep children fit and build their confidence in all aspects of physical development. They learn that physical activity is good for them and can be fun, as they participate in regular walks and visits to the park. Children thoroughly enjoy climbing, digging in the sand and love to dance when joining in with music and movement sessions. The childminder places a strong emphasis on the safety of children and effectively supports them to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. This is further compounded by the clear

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

boundaries that are in place within the home. During outings they learn the importance of road safety and are aware of 'stranger danger', as well as frequently participating in emergency evacuation. This means children are developing a very good awareness of the actions they must take in an emergency.

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provision

The childminder works with two assistants and together they make up a team of highly professional and inspirational practitioners. Arrangements for safeguarding children are rigorous and robust. The childminder has an excellent understanding of how to safeguard children's welfare and ensures that both her and her assistants' knowledge is updated through attending relevant training. She has a highly informative safeguarding policy, which details how children's welfare is protected. The childminder is also fully aware of the actions she must take in the event of an allegation being made against herself, her assistants or family members. Children's safety is paramount and the environment in which children are cared for is safe. All adults living or working on the premises are suitably vetted and a record is made of all visitors. This helps to further safeguard children's welfare. When a new assistant joins the team the childminder carries out an in-

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provision

depth induction. Ongoing supervision and monitoring is excellent, this helps her to identify where support is needed to improve performance. The childminder ensures children are closely supervised and supported in their play, and highly effective measures are taken to minimise potential hazards. Thorough and rigorous written risk assessments and ongoing visual assessments ensure the environment remains safe and children are protected at all times. The installation of closed circuit television cameras is an added security measure and ensures that children are protected from unwanted visitors. Documentation for the safe and efficient management of the setting is well organised, shared with parents and underpins the highly effective childcare practice.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of how to facilitate children's development through her knowledge of how children learn. Consequently, children's progress towards the early learning goals is significantly enhanced. Systems for monitoring educational programmes, individual planning and assessments are robust, so that children receive a rich and varied learning experience based on their individual needs. Excellent partnerships with parents significantly contribute to children's well-being. New parents receive a wealth of good quality information about the provision. They are then kept fully informed of their children's care, progress and achievements through their child's learning journey, along with verbal communication. Parents have access to an innovative website, along with informative notice boards and a digital screen that continually displays the children involved in their activities. In addition, displays of photographs, discussion and

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provision

regular use of texts are all beneficial ways of enhancing the two-way sharing of information. Parents are exceptionally pleased with the care the childminder provides. She informed them that her inspection was due and they all wrote letters expressing their views. Comments are extremely positive. They comment on how much their children enjoy attending the setting and the excellent progress they are making. The childminder has developed very effective links with other settings, such as the local schools, sharing what they know about the child in order to ensure consistency in their learning. However, the childminder is not complacent and has recognised that there is scope to develop this further especially with nursery settings to make this partnership even stronger.

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provision

The childminder is an active member of a childminding group and regularly networks with other childminders, sharing ideas and good practice. Children's care and learning is greatly enriched by the childminder's enthusiasm and commitment to her work. Excellent systems are in place to monitor and evaluate her practice. Regular reflection ensures the childminder continues to provide the best opportunities for the children and their families. She is pro-active in identifying areas for improvement and uses the self-evaluation form effectively as a working tool to support this. The childminder involves parents and children in the process and asks them for suggestions to help her to improve. As a result, they feel valued and appreciated. She talks to children about their likes and dislikes and is quick to implement any suggestions to ensure that children have a valuable and enjoyable learning experience within her setting.

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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 305576 Local authority Sunderland Inspection number 900534 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 19

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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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