Pickup, Maria

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/07/2013 26/03/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Well-planned settling-in arrangements ensure that children develop a strong attachment to the childminder.  Children are encouraged to develop independence. Consequently, they readily make choices and are enthusiastic about managing their own self-care.  The childminder enhances children's learning by planning interesting visits within the local community.  The childminder effectively promotes children's all round good health, in order to ensure their physical well-being.

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It is not yet good because

 Children's understanding of appropriate expectations for behaviour is not always reinforced positively, in order to fully support their personal, social and emotional development.  Communication with other providers is not fully established, to ensure that there is a shared knowledge and understanding about children's learning and development.  Resources and activities are not always fully relevant to children's interests and identified next steps in their learning, to help children make best progress.  There are some weaknesses in some aspects of teaching, which does not fully support children's learning and development.

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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 lounge, kitchen 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 and took account of the information provided in the childminder's self-evaluation document.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2005 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two children aged 14 and 12 years in a house in the Denholme area of Bradford. She uses the whole of the ground floor, the first floor bathroom and the rear garden for childminding and there is a decking area used for children over five years. The childminder attends groups and visits local shops and parks on a regular basis.

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Information about the setting

There are currently six children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions and two who are school-aged who attend after school. The childminder provides care all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays. The childminder holds the Level 3 Diploma in Homebased Childcare Practice and is a member of the childminding network.

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must:

 ensure effective partnership working with other providers by consistently exchanging information about all children's learning and development, so that there is a shared and consistent approach to supporting their progress and achievements

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must:

 ensure that the planning of activities and resources consistently matches children's individual next steps in their learning as well as their interests, so that they make good progress.

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

 support children's understanding of acceptable behaviour further by using more positive reinforcements to acknowledge positive behaviour and by providing explanations about why rules and boundaries exist

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

 enhance children's learning by using encouraging, friendly and lively approaches to increase children's motivation, clarifying children's ideas and asking more open- ended questions as they play.

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who attend

The childminder has a suitable understanding of the seven areas of learning and how children learn. Consequently, she provides a varied range of indoor and outdoor activities, which help children make steady progress. The childminder finds out what children know and can do on entry, including through completing settling-in summaries and sharing information with parents. Her initial assessments are then followed by regular development summaries, informed from regular observations reflected in records of learning. These show that children are working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their age. However, the planning of activities and resources is not consistently matched to children's individually identified next steps and interests, to fully sustain children's active engagement. As a result, children make satisfactory, rather than good, progress. Children have free-flow access to inside and outside, which means

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who attend

that their individual learning styles are considered well.

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who attend

Parents are provided with regular updates on their children's progress and next steps for learning. They are encouraged to share their observations from home and support their child's next steps for learning, in order to promote continuity in children's learning. The childminder also uses a daily diary to give a brief summary of any new achievements and shares progress reports.

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who attend

Children are left alone to explore and initiate their own learning, in order for them to develop skills that help prepare them for their next stages in learning, such as school. For example, three-year-old children explore the sand, feeling the texture of this with their fingers and play imaginatively with small world transport toys. Toddlers enjoy splashing in the water tray, learning about early mathematical concepts as they fill and pour using utensils of different shapes and sizes. They also take part in activities, such as baking and planting seeds, which enhances their understanding of number and measure and learn about the wider world through visiting the garden centre.

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who attend

Children's learning is enhanced through the use of spontaneous events. For example, as the childminder takes the dry socks off the circular sock dryer, she points out the different patterns to toddlers and encourages them to pair them up. The childminder helps toddlers to extend their use of new words and extends their vocabulary as she talks to them about what she and they are doing. However, on other occasions, the quality of her interaction as children play, does not always fully motivate them and extend their learning.

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

Children appear happy and are clearly at ease in the childminder's appropriately welcoming home. They share warm relationships with her, which supports their emotional security. The childminder enhances the environment with educational posters, signs, children's artwork and photographs. Consequently, children develop a strong sense of belonging. Parents are actively encouraged to share what they know about their child on enrolment through an 'All about me' document. This provides the childminder with information which helps her meet children's individual needs and promotes a consistent approach to their care. For example, the childminder asks how children settle in new settings, what they really like or do not like and home routines. Information about each child's family background is also included, in order for the childminder to value and celebrate children's uniqueness. Where children have attended other settings prior to

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

enrolling with the childminder, she asks parents for development information to support transitions from one setting to another. However, ongoing communication with providers where children currently attend other settings, such as nursery, is less successful in fully supporting the process.

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

Children readily choose what they want to play with as a result of accessible toy tubs in the lounge and a range of activities in the garden. After having a snack indoors, toddlers readily sit down and put on their own sandals and all age groups are eager to wash their hands before eating. Toddlers are also encouraged to help with hygiene tasks, such as finding the nappy changing mat. Positive images of diversity are reflected in posters and toys, which helps children to learn to value and appreciate the similarities and differences between themselves and others.

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

Children respond appropriately to the childminder's requests and children are acknowledged as the 'Star of the week' to reinforce good behaviour. However, the childminder does not always provide positive reinforcement or explanations to enhance children's understanding of what she is asking them to do and not do and why. The childminder talks to children about road safety, for example, to help them develop an awareness of dangers and keeping themselves safe.

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

The childminder provides healthy meals and snacks, reflected in a weekly menu, in order to help children learn about healthy practices from an early age. This is enhanced as children harvest their own fruit and vegetables as they plant an apple tree and grow potatoes, carrots and beetroot in the designated area. Children's learning is promoted further as they visit the fruit and vegetable shop and farm shop, where they help to weigh different food items. Children have good access to fresh air and exercise, promoting their physical well-being and understanding of how their bodies work and the importance of physical activity.

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provision

The childminder has a suitable knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and generally fulfils her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare and learning and development requirements. The childminder has an accurate awareness of her strengths and areas for development. She has close links with other childminders and takes part in her local authority quality assurance scheme, for example, as part of her arrangements for self-evaluation. The childminder demonstrates her commitment to inclusion by completing environment and inclusion audits and making use of short courses. Questionnaires encourage parents to share their views and these reflect complimentary comments about the childminder's care of the children. The childminder keeps her child protection training updated, in order to safeguard children. She is able to identify possible signs of abuse or neglect and the procedures to be followed in the event of a concern of this nature are clearly displayed. Robust risk

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provision

assessments ensure that hazards are identified and minimised to keep children safe. For example, a garden pond is covered to prevent access to this as children enter and exit the garden. The childminder makes good use of resources in the local community to enhance children's play experiences and uses natural materials alongside manufactured toys to make activities more interesting. For example, she provides guttering for children to play imaginatively with cars.

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provision

Parents are well informed about the childminding service through an initial parent pack. Daily friendly discussions suitably inform parents about their children's care and children take home arts and craft creations. However, links are less successful in relation to the consistency of communication between the childminder and other settings' practitioners with regards to children's individual learning. This prevents the childminder from gaining a full picture of all of a child's achievements, in order to complement their learning fully and from balancing their experiences with those in other settings. The childminder is aware of working in partnership with other professionals where children are identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. There is, however, no requirement for her to do so at present.

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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 EY306853 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 877920 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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