Childminder in Cambridgeshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/06/2013 09/02/2010

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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

 The childminder provides a well-organised and stimulating environment, where children effectively develop their learning through self-initiated play. As a result, they make good progress towards the early learning goals.  Children develop a good understanding of the world around them through frequent visits into their local community, such as shops, parks and activity groups.  Children have close and affectionate relationships with their childminder. Therefore, they are emotionally secure and ready to be active and independent learners.  The childminder works closely with parents and ensures they are well-informed about the childminding provision. This helps to develop secure partnerships that benefit all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder sometimes overlooks opportunities to extend children's language and communication skills, by enabling them to hear, see and use their home language in the setting.

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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 children and their interactions with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 A range of documentation was checked, including safeguarding procedures, registers, children's records and policies and procedures.  The inspector spoke with the childminder at convenient times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents through written comments and testimonials.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children aged, seven, nine and 19 years in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. The ground floor of the childminder's house and an outdoor playroom are used for childminding and there is an enclosed garden for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder works with another childminder. Together they have nine children on roll, seven are within the early years age group, some of the children are learning English as an additional language. The childminder takes and collects children from local schools and pre-schools and attends activity and toddler groups. There are several pets in the home, including three dogs, six cats, tropical fish and four rabbits. The childminder offers her childminding service from 6am until 6pm each weekday all year round. 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:

 enhance opportunities for children who are learning English as an additional language to hear and see words from their home language, for example, through songs and rhymes, books and labels.

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who attend

The childminder shows a secure understanding of how children learn through play and her teaching skills are good. She ensures children have enjoyable and challenging learning experiences that are tailored to their individual needs and interests. She knows the children well and involves them in the planning of activities. This develops children's independence well and enables them to follow their interests. As a result, all children make good progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder keeps detailed learning journals and makes regular summaries of children's learning. Parents are effectively involved in their children's learning because the childminder talks to them every day and keeps them well-informed about children's achievements and interests.

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who attend

Children benefit from well-balanced and enjoyable activities and routines. They enjoy independent access to a good range of story books, and settle happily to read them with the childminder. The childminder makes story time interesting and engages children of differing ages and interests by pointing out new words and pictures, and commenting on the characters. As a result, children are enthusiastic listeners and show a love of literature that prepares them well for the next stage of their learning. The childminder and her co- minder talk to the children as they play and encourage two-way conversations so children effectively develop their communication skills. The childminder is supportive of children who are learning English as an additional language. She provides an inclusive environment so children feel emotionally secure and encourages them to interact with each other. However, she sometimes overlooks opportunities to build on children's learning by

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who attend

enabling them to use and hear their home languages and see written examples, such as books, notices and labels.

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who attend

Children spend most of their day in self-initiated play and move around the childminder's home and garden freely. Older children sit around the sand table, and eagerly sort out the hidden shells. They examine them closely and remember they have been collected from the seaside. They show a good understanding of the world as they hold them up and consider what sort of animal might have lived in them. Younger children enjoy the simple experiences of pouring sand through their fingers and filling and emptying containers of different sizes. The childminder supports their mathematical development effectively as she asks them to think about how many small pots of sand will fill the larger ones. Children show good levels of physical coordination as they sort large building blocks and confidently build tall towers. Craft activities, such as, making cards for Mother's Day, or heart shaped biscuits for Valentine's Day enables them to create and design using collage

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who attend

materials, paints and glue. The childminder develops children's skills at early writing by ensuring there is always a good selection of pens, pencils and markers. She provides a good role model by using writing materials herself, and talking to the children about practical writing, such as menus and shopping lists. As a result, children develop good habits for the future.

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

The childminder works closely with parents to ensure she has a secure understanding of children's individual needs. She offers flexible settling-in visits that enable children to feel safe in her care. These positive transitions from home into the childminder's setting give children confidence for their future learning experiences, including school. The childminder is warm and kind to the children and they clearly feel happy and secure with her and her co-minder. Children learn good behaviour due to the clear guidance of the childminder. She has high expectations and encourages children to use social niceties, such as 'please' and 'thank you'. Practical routines including tidying away toys at the end of the day, or helping put away their plates and cups after lunch, teach children a good sense of responsibility. Children help to feed the rabbits, and learn safe ways to handle the pet cats. As a result, they develop kind and caring attitudes.

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

The childminder is conscientious about hygiene, particularly as the home has a number of pets. The home and paved areas of the garden are cleaned daily and children quickly learn how to minimise health hazards by regularly washing their hands. The childminder provides children with healthy meals and snacks, some of which are home cooked. She encourages children to take part in cooking activities that extend their understanding of which foods are good for them. All of this contributes well to children's healthy lifestyles.

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

Children benefit from regular trips into their local community. They visit the shops to buy ingredients for their cooking activities, and choose books from the library. They develop their social skills at a range of toddler and activity groups, which helps to prepare them for the more challenging social environments of pre-school and school. Daily visits to local parks and play areas enables children to enhance their physical coordination and confidence on large apparatus. During walks, the childminder teaches children to keep themselves safe as they look for possible hazards, for example they check for traffic when crossing roads. Children use the garden every day for fresh air and exercise; they use wheeled toys and have enjoyable learning opportunities with sand and water.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the procedures to be followed if there are concerns about a child's safety. She keeps contact numbers of relevant agencies available so she can make a referral should the need arise. There are clear written policies to share with parents so they are aware of her responsibilities to keep children safe. The childminder informs Ofsted of her assistants so appropriate suitability checks are carried out, which promotes children's safety well. She monitors the assistants when they work with the children, which helps to ensure all children receive the same good quality learning experiences. Mostly, she works in partnership with her co-minder, and together they review and assess the educational programme to ensure all children make good progress in their learning and development.

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provision

Parents indicate they are very satisfied with the childminding service. They say their children enjoy attending and believe they are safe and secure. Some parents comment particularly on their children's smooth transition from home into the childminder's home. The childminder communicates with parents effectively, making good use of telephone and email to stay in touch. Parents receive detailed policies and procedures that help to ensure they have a good understanding of the childminding provision. This gives parents confidence in the provision and promotes children's sense of security well.

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provision

The childminder has a strong commitment to improve and has developed a secure self- evaluation programme. This has enabled her to meet all the recommendations from the last inspection and raise the quality of the provision. She and her co-minder develop effective action plans that benefit the children. For example, they have introduced a new sand tray and exciting equipment to support children's understanding of the world, including technology. The childminder has strong links with other local early years providers, including the pre-school. This enables her to share information for those children to attend more than one setting, therefore, helping to ensure continuity of care and learning. There are no children on roll who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the childminder has previous experience working with children with a variety of complex needs. This would help her support any additional needs as

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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 EY285290 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 919670 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 9

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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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