Childminder, Out-of school day care in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/07/2013 08/07/2010

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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

 Children are happy, excited and motivated. They show high levels of independence and are fully engaged in purposeful play throughout their day with the childminder  Children make good progress in their learning as the childminder provides them with challenging and stimulating learning experiences.  Children are confident speakers, who converse proficiently with the childminder and others around them. The childminder's use of clear questioning and appropriate language supports children's language development well.  The childminder and children have warm and caring relationships, which help children to feel settled, safe and secure in her care.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to express themselves through music are not fully maximised. For example, they have fewer opportunities to explore and play a range of musical instruments or to make sounds from everyday objects.

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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 in the childminder's garden and viewed all areas of the childminder's home used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder and children present at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of records, including, children's personal details, information about children's learning and development, written risk assessments and policies, information about the childminder's qualifications and suitability and a range of other records and documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents provided in written documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1995 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and one adult child in Chelmsford, Essex. The whole of the childminder's home and garden, with exception of two of the bedrooms are used for childminding. The family has two pet cats and some fish in indoor tanks.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently six children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7.15am to 6pm, 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:

 encourage children to explore music, for example, through a range of musical instruments or through a sound line, using a variety of objects strung safely, that will make different sounds, such as, wood, pans and plastic bottles filled with different things.

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who attend

The childminder demonstrates clear knowledge and understanding of the seven areas of learning. She knows the children in her care well and effectively meets their learning and development needs. The childminder's planning is based around the interests and needs of the individual children. She follows a yearly, long term plan, but bases the day to day activities on children's requests. For example, a large plastic container in the garden is used for water play, as children enthusiastically fill it with fresh water and use plastic cups to pour the water from different heights. The childminder participates in this activity, using appropriate words and vocabulary to extend the children's thinking, such as, 'pour', 'gush', 'flow' and 'trickle'. Once interest has been lost in this activity, children move on to a free painting experience. The childminder effectively facilitates their ideas and provides clean

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who attend

paper, paint in pots with lids to prevent spills and different sized paintbrushes. A child explains that the paintings are of flowers and dragons and knows that they need to be hung on the washing line to dry.

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who attend

Children learn about nature and the natural world when they participate in planting and growing activities. They use bug boxes to explore insects and talk about the various birds that visit the childminder's garden. Children's social and emotional development is enhanced as the childminder regularly takes them to toddler groups and activities in the local area. They are provided with good opportunities to express themselves imaginatively, when they access the childminder's selection of dressing-up clothes and role play resources. They are, however, provided with fewer opportunities to explore music or to create music from household and everyday objects.

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who attend

Children's achievements are effectively observed by the childminder, who uses her observations to plot their progress across the seven areas of learning. The childminder records children's play and learning in their learning journeys and shares these on a regular basis with their parents. The childminder is aware of the requirement of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, for progress checks to be carried out for children aged two and is in the process of collating evidence to put these in place. Parents are involved in this process and contribute towards identifying children's stages of development. The childminder has good systems in place to prepare children for 'school readiness' and their next stages of learning. She encourages children to eat lunch from a packed lunch box for the term before they go to school. The childminder prepares activities, which help them to learn about putting clothes on and taking them off in

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who attend

preparation for physical exercise classes at school. Children are encouraged to write their own name on their creative work and to be familiar with the letters in their name to help them to recognise their coat peg at school.

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

Children are settled, comfortable and content in the childminder's care. Her effective and well-established settling-in procedures ensure that children develop and form close relationships with the childminder, her family and their peers. Children are spoken to positively to promote their self-confidence. They move confidently around the childminder's home, demonstrating that they feel safe, secure and 'at home' in her company. The childminder acts as a good role model, encouraging children to speak kindly towards each other and to be considerate of each other's needs.

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

Children learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe through the childminder's clear procedures. They enjoy regular access to fresh air and exercise, when they use the childminder's garden on a daily basis. Children also go for walks in the local area and enjoy making good use of local parks and playgrounds. They enjoy healthy snacks and meals, as the childminder encourages them and their family to consider healthy alternatives in their packed lunches and main meals. She ensures children remain well hydrated, by providing fresh drinking water throughout the day. Children have some opportunities to risk assess their own activities, for example, they know when they need to be strapped into a booster seat to prevent them from falling out. Older children discuss road safety with the childminder, during the walks and outings. Younger children's personal needs are effectively met through the childminder's clear hygiene procedures.

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

Those children approaching potty training age are provided with appropriate resources to support this stage of their development.

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

Children are effectively prepared for the transitions in their life as the childminder works closely with parents to determine any changes in their home circumstances. Once knowledgeable of these changes the childminder establishes mechanisms to help children deal with them. For example, appropriate books and resources are introduced to help children to feel secure about the changes.

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provision

The childminder has been an active registered childminder for many years. She has developed her childminding provision, using current guidance and training courses to keep abreast of changes in the world of childcare. The childminder effectively monitors her educational programme to ensure that all children are reaching their full potential through well-planned and stimulating experiences. She reviews the organisation of her environment to ensure that it effectively meets the needs of all children. An improvement, identified through this process, resulted in the installation of an undercover area leading from the patio doors in the childminder's lounge. This enables her to provide children with an outdoor classroom throughout the year. Careful monitoring of the children's learning, provides the childminder with an accurate picture of each child's stage of development and enables her to effectively assess their next steps in learning.

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provision

Children are very well protected from harm, as the childminder understands her responsibilities with regards to safeguarding them. She regularly updates her safeguarding knowledge through appropriate training courses. The childminder understands her responsibility to ensure that children are always in her supervision and follows appropriate procedures to ensure that all adults, who have regular contact with minded children are suitable. Children play and learn in a safe and well-organised environment, as the childminder effectively risk assesses her home and all outings for safety.

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provision

The childminder uses reflective practice to inform her self-evaluation of her provision. She review and evaluates all aspects of her setting, informally and through her self-evaluation form. She regularly meets with the local authority development officer to discuss her childminding provision and to review her training needs. Parents provide the childminder with verbal feedback on her childminding service and she acts upon any comments, which could lead to changes or improvements.

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provision

The childminder's effective working relationship with parents enables her to follow their requests for their children and to work in partnership with them. She provides parents with clear written information about her service through policies and procedures. Parents are kept informed of their children's day through effective methods of communication. Secure links with the local pre-school and primary school ensure that all parties involved in children's lives work well together to complement the learning that takes place in each 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 202172 Local authority Essex Inspection number 876218 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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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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