Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/06/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children are clearly at ease in the comfortable and welcoming environment and with the childminder, who is warm and loving towards them.  The childminder plans an interesting range of outdoor learning opportunities that enable children to experience nature first-hand and explore different environments.  Strong partnerships are held with parents, in order to ensure a consistent approach to children's care and learning, which helps children to feel confident and secure.  The childminder's interest and enthusiasm in what children say, alongside her effective teaching, means that they have a positive approach to learning and show good levels of interest in the provision.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance parents involvement in sharing more detailed information about what they know about their child's learning and development on entry, in order to provide a secure starting point from which to benchmark their good progress.  There is scope to develop the range of printed materials and books for toddlers, in order to enhance their early literacy skills.

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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 activities and care routines in the kitchen, lounge, conservatory and garden.

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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 a selection of policies, documentation and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the information provided in the childminder's self- evaluation document and parent questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged 13 and six years in a house in the Euxton area of Chorley in Lancashire. She uses the whole of the ground floor, the first floor bathroom and the rear garden for childminding. The childminder attends groups and visits local shops and parks on a regular basis. She has a dog and two rabbits.

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Information about the setting

There are currently four children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder is open all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays.

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

 review the arrangements for involving parents in sharing more detailed information about their child's development, in order to enhance the initial assessments of what children know and can do on entry

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

 enhance toddlers interest in printed material, for example, by making family books using small photograph albums with photographs of family members, significant people in the child's life and familiar everyday objects and by providing story sacks, which parents can share at home.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of the seven areas of learning and how children learn. Consequently, she plans a varied range of activities. These motivate and engage children in active learning, foster their natural curiosity and help them acquire skills, which prepare them for the next stages in learning, such as school. For example, children observe lifecycles first-hand through exciting visits where they help to feed new- born lambs and observe tadpoles developing into frogs. They visit museums, make rain collectors out of plastic bottles, in order to measure the rainfall and build their own car with bricks, which they take down to a test track while visiting a children's tourist attraction. The childminder finds out what children already know and can do after they have settled, using her own observations. However, there is scope to obtain more specific information from parents, in order for them to contribute further to this process. After the childminder

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who attend

has established children's starting points for learning, she effectively undertakes regular observations and assessments of children's progress, accurately identifying their next steps in learning. As a result, children are working well within the typical range of development expected for their age. The childminder clearly knows the children and incorporates their interests when planning activities. For example, she fosters children's enjoyment of a favourite story about a mouse's walk in the wood and a particular creature he stumbles across, by creating a dark den area in an outdoor shed.

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who attend

Parents are very effectively informed about and involved in supporting their children's learning. For example, they have free access to informative records of learning, which provide details about each area of learning and how parents can support learning at home within each of these. In addition, parents can comment on their child's progress through the 'My current interests and achievements' document and are encouraged to support learning at home through the 'Experiences and opportunities to support my development and learning' document. Parents are invited to contribute their own observations through a parent observation document or photographs, which includes noting what children play with and how they play.

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who attend

The childminder supports children's learning well through her good-quality interaction. She models having fun, enhancing children's enjoyment, for example, as she joins them on the trampoline. She models language well, helping children to develop and express their ideas and extend the use of new words. For example, as toddlers use words and gestures to gain the childminder's attention, she helps them link words and build sentences by describing what they are doing and by interpreting what they are saying. Children almost three years of age are confident communicators as they express more complex sentences and use descriptive language. For example, they say they are like a soldier as they express their large physical skills, such as marching, as they access the garden. While playing in the garden, toddlers develop confidence in their large physical movements as they negotiate the steps on the slide and practise their coordination as they jump on the

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who attend

The childminder uses spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning. For example, as children recognise they have pirates on their water bottle, the childminder asks how many there are, then she asks how many cars they can see on their younger peer's water bottle. Children respond by pointing and counting beyond five. Similarly, as children play on the musical footsteps mat, the childminder encourages them to count the footsteps. Children readily solve problems and use mathematical language during everyday routines and activities. For example, they put three slices of apple together at snack time, saying they have 'a big apple' and use positional language as they enjoy negotiating the slope in the garden.

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who attend

Children learn how things work as they operate simple technology toys. For example, toddlers press buttons on the musical toy and children operate the loop the loop small world toy as they press a button, which sends the car whizzing down the steep track. Children imaginatively construct for a purpose, using good hand and eye coordination, describing their brick model as a 'monster'. They demonstrate their small motor skills further alongside their early literacy skills as they use the car-shaped crayons to make a range of marks. Children have ready access to books, although, there is scope to enhance the range of early literature for toddlers, to further develop their interest in print.

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

Positive relationships are established between children and the childminder, as a result of good settling-in arrangements, which include effective partnership working with parents. For example, parents are encouraged to provide information about their child through an 'All about me' document. This includes details of children's home language, whether they attend any other childcare settings, who they live with, their pets, likes and dislikes and whether they have a particular comforter. This enables the childminder to find out about and meet children's individual needs and follow home routines. This ensures a smooth transition for children from home to a new environment through a consistent approach, which helps children to feel safe and develop a strong sense of security.

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

Children's independence is fostered well as they manage self-care tasks appropriate to their age and stage of development. For example, they are encouraged to try to put on their shoes to play outside and choose what they would like to play with from a good range of accessible toys. As a result of the childminder modelling good social skills and focusing on positive reinforcements, children behave well and are sociable. Children have many opportunities to negotiate, share ideas and work together. For example, school- aged children help to create trails on maps as part of a teddy bear hunt and engage in den building. Resources, such as dressing-up costumes and books, help children to learn to value and appreciate the similarities between themselves and others. Children learn about risks and keeping themselves safe through discussions as they use equipment, such as the trampoline and slide.

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

Children's all round good health is promoted effectively. For example, they are provided with healthy meals and snacks, which include home-made food. This helps them to make good choices about what they eat from an early age. This is reinforced through children harvesting their own fruit and vegetables, such as peas and raspberries. Where children are reluctant to eat, they are effectively encouraged by the childminder, who makes food interesting. For example, she makes a sandwich in the shape of a favourite animal character. Children have good access to outdoors where they benefit from fresh air and learn about the effects of exercise on their bodies. For example, they go on nature walks in the wood, visit indoor play centres, engage in physical games with a large parachute and take part in activities during the sports day event.

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provision

The childminder understands her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements and implements these well, to promote children's safety and well-being. She has a good understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. Consequently, children have an enjoyable early years experience, which is tailored to meet their individual needs. The childminder evaluates her service closely, in order to identify strengths and areas for development that will improve children's achievements and enhance their experiences. For example, she uses a self-evaluation document and a tracking document to monitor children's progress and any gaps in their learning and she links closely with colleagues employed by the local authority, including attending cluster meetings. She also shares practice ideas with other childminders while making good use of resources within the community to enhance children's experiences,

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provision

such as toddler groups. The childminder has completed mandatory training and has a positive approach to accessing further courses, to extend her knowledge of childcare practice and uses this to enhance her practice. Questionnaires, which reflect very complimentary feedback, effectively enable parents and their children to share their views and contribute to the development of the service.

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provision

Children's welfare is promoted well and policies, procedures and record keeping systems, which reinforce the efficient and safe management of the childminding practice are maintained well. Hazards are identified and minimised through good risk assessments, both indoors and outside, and accident and medicine procedures are stringently followed, enhancing children's safety. This includes recording existing injuries children arrive with. Children are supervised closely to promote their safety as they use physical apparatus in the garden. The childminder has a good knowledge of possible signs of child abuse or neglect and has clear reporting procedures in place, should she need to pass on concerns of this nature promptly. In addition, parents are reminded not to use their mobile telephones in the childminder's home through the displayed sign. Consequently, children are safeguarded.

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provision

Parents receive good quality information. They are given details of the childminder's policies and procedures and the government guide for parents about the Early Years Foundation Stage. Daily dairies document children's care routines and what they do, ensuring that parents are continually updated. Where requested, photographs are also shared. Continuity in children's learning is enhanced through good links being held with other providers. For example, where children in the early years age group are at full-time school, their reception class teacher highlights targets and topics within an information sharing document. The childminder then effectively plans activities to support children's individual learning and enhance school topics.

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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 EY453239 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 900369 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 4

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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