Watler, Sarah

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/07/2013 25/01/2011

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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

 The childminder is highly motivated in ensuring that children's natural curiosity is promoted and the choice of activities and resources is varied. She uses her extensive knowledge, skills and experience with full effect to make sure that children are continually challenged to reach the next stage in their learning and development.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is given an extremely high priority by the childminder. Consequently, children are settled and secure and relationships are excellent, thus fostering a sense of belonging and ensuring that children are confident learners.  Highly effective partnerships with parents and other early years providers ensure excellent continuity of care and learning for children.  The childminder supports children's communication and language development with full effect. She continually engages in conversation with children and promotes their

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This provision is outstanding

thinking and vocabulary because when questions are asked, they are open-ended and children are given plenty of time to respond.  Steps taken to safeguard children and promote their good health are comprehensive. The childminder identifies and successfully minimises potential risks to children. Her excellent knowledge of the signs of abuse and her responsibilities to protect children ensures that children in her care are fully safeguarded.  Children's problem-solving skills are promoted with full effect by the childminder as she supports their play activities. Children confidently use mathematical language, talk about shapes and size, and begin to calculate.

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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 as children played in the ground floor playroom and outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's assessment records and planning, policies and procedures and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives in Cambridge with her husband, adult daughter and children aged 15 years and six years. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding and includes toilet facilities. A bathroom on the first floor is also used and a second floor bedroom is used for sleeping children. There is an enclosed garden for outside play.

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Information about the setting

There are currently seven children aged under eight years on roll and all attend on a part- time basis. Of these, six are in the early years age group. The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language. She cares for children all year round, all day Monday to Friday. The childminder walks and drives to local schools and pre-schools to take and collect children. The family has a dog and tropical fish.

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

 enhance further children's mathematical learning with regard to numbers, for example, by displaying more numerals in the play environment.

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who attend

Children are extremely well supported because the childminder has an excellent knowledge and understanding of how each child develops and learns. She is fully aware of the prime and specific areas of learning and challenges children with full effect to reach next learning steps. Consequently, children are well prepared with the skills they need in readiness for school. Comprehensive observation and assessment of children leads to planning for learning that is tailored to individual needs and interests. The childminder creates an exceptionally stimulating learning environment and children show great confidence and curiosity as they take part in their chosen activities. Information provided by parents enables the childminder to clearly identify starting points for learning and parents' views are highly valued. Consultation meetings are arranged regularly in order to share information and plan for children's learning. The childminder works extremely well

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who attend

with other early years providers to ensure consistency of care and learning for children. The childminder is aware of the requirement to provide parents with a progress check when their child is aged two years and completes these where necessary. Children move freely between indoor and outdoor play space and confidently choose from an excellent variety of activities and resources that are safe and meet their development needs exceptionally well. Children are happy and motivated and the childminder constantly offers excellent support. She promotes children's communication and language development effectively at all times. The childminder is alert to the wants and needs of younger children as they express themselves through expression, gestures and body language. She uses non-verbal communication well with use of gestures learned as a result of Makaton training. The childminder promotes older children's speaking skills with

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who attend

full effect as she talks with them, and children are never hurried for a response when she asks them open-ended questions. Consequently children are given time to think about what they want to say. Older children speak confidently and use full sentences. Children who speak English as an additional language are encouraged to use their home language as well as learn to speak confidently in English. For example, children with different home languages engage in conversation with each other and with the childminder about colours as they draw with chalks. Children speak in English and the childminder suggests that they name and compare colours in home languages, which are German and Italian. They enjoy doing so, and they talk about the colours in the rainbow. Older children are learning the sounds of letters in their names. They are proud of their achievement when writing the first letter of their name on the chalk board.

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who attend

Children's physical development is promoted with full effect by the childminder. Manipulative skills are practised with use of a full range of safe small tools and toys. Older children build with small construction toys, thread with beads and carefully create pictures with small collage pieces, such as sequins. This has led to a controlled three-finger grip when children use writing materials. The childminder skilfully promotes children's mathematical development as she supports different play activities. For example, they play games with balls ranging in size from golf balls to footballs. The childminder follows children's lead as they talk about the different sizes. She suggests that they gather other balls together so that they can compare them. Children confidently use mathematical language as they identify the biggest and the smallest. They count the eight balls that they find competently with one-to-one correspondence. To extend their learning the

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who attend

childminder suggests that they order the balls by size and she offers clear explanation and excellent support in helping children to achieve this. Problem solving is constantly promoted effectively. Children sort toys by colour and the childminder encourages them to count toys in a group and then count the total when two groups are combined. Children plant and grow sunflower seeds. They know that they must water their plants to make sure that they grow. They are comparing which plant is growing the fastest, which is the tallest and how many leaves each plant has. Children balance skilfully while they climb and the childminder suggests that they extend their skills and control by creating different shapes with their bodies. She models this for them and children mimic star and triangle shapes. Children are gaining knowledge of numerals because they are encouraged to notice and talk about house numbers and registration numbers on cars. However, their

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who attend

awareness is not fully maximised because opportunities to display numerals purposefully in the indoor and outdoor play areas are not maximised by the childminder.

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who attend

Children enjoy a full range of opportunities to explore and investigate. Young children explore interactive toys and books that promote their senses. They explore the texture and make marks in sand. They play with water and lift containers high so that they can see the water falling back into the tray. Trays containing sand and water are placed approximately one metre apart and young children persist until they are successful in carrying a scoop of water and depositing it into the sand. Older children notice how quickly chalk boards dry after chalk is removed with a wet cloth. They experiment to see how quickly ice melts on a very hot day. Children play with toys in the water that are linked to the sea, for example, turtles, shells and jelly fish. Children say that submarines are in the sea and, 'we know a song about a submarine'. They confidently and clearly go on to sing, 'We all live in a yellow submarine'.

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

Children are fully supported in the transition from home to the childminding setting in a manner sensitive to their different needs and those of parents. This includes a gradual introduction into the childminder's care, home visits, and an invitation for parents to visit toddler groups with the childminder and other minded children. Children are settled, happy and confident and relationships are excellent. They are extremely well prepared for the transition to pre-school settings and reception class in school because at toddler groups they socialise with larger groups of people. Superb organisation of resources on low-level shelving encourages children's independence as they are able to choose and easily select resources for themselves. The childminder consistently meets the care needs of each child and responds sensitively to them as individuals. Children behave well and the childminder identifies the importance of positive reinforcement in order to boost children's

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

self-esteem. The childminder fully promotes children's understanding of their differences and their similarities. For example, she provides resources that reflect positive images and children learn about different traditions, customs and beliefs.

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

Children's well-being is addressed extremely well and parents are provided with clear detail on the childminder's practice in policies on safety, illness and accidents. Children's physical development is fostered with full effect. They enjoy activities equally in the indoor and outdoor play environments and the childminder fully promotes their well-being on a very hot day. For example, they are encouraged to play in the shade under a gazebo. Children enjoy fresh air and exercise and develop physical skills and confidence as they play on large equipment at the childminder's home and at the park. The childminder supports children well in understanding the importance of a healthy diet and managing their own hygiene and self-care needs. Dietary needs are met because these are fully discussed with parents, and the childminder ensures that food provided is healthy and nutritious. She uses her food hygiene knowledge with full effect to protect children's good

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

health. The childminder's superior practice ensures that children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to cross the road safely and develop an awareness of the fire procedure because it is regularly practised.

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provision

The childminder provides an exceptionally stimulating and welcoming environment. Excellent measures are in place to promote children's health and safety. This includes ensuring that an area of the garden where there is a pond is made inaccessible to children. Necessary checks for family members have been completed and the childminder ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted. She is fully aware of her responsibilities with regard to supervising the children in her care. Superior systems are in place to protect children from abuse. The childminder makes sure that parents are aware of her clear safeguarding procedure and the Cambridgeshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures. She is fully aware of her responsibilities and keeps her child protection knowledge up-to-date.

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provision

The childminder uses her experience and skills effectively to continually monitor the educational programmes successfully. Consequently, she ensures that children's care and learning needs are fully addressed. She is highly successful in ensuring that all children make as much progress as they can in relation to their starting points. The childminder continually reviews and seeks to improve her practice to ensure that she provides the best possible quality of care and education. To this end she regularly attends training to enhance her knowledge and skills, and she shares good practice ideas when taking part in on-line forums for childminders. The choice of resources is extensive and toys are chosen for their quality and durability as well as to meet children's needs extremely well at their different stages of development.

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provision

The information obtained from parents on their child's individual care and learning is outstanding and communication between the childminder and parents is excellent. This ensures that they work exceptionally well together to meet these needs. The childminder seeks and welcomes parents' views on her provision in order to review and improve her practice. She ensures that links with other early years providers are strong in order to ensure a fully cohesive approach to each child's care and learning. Policies and procedures fully support the safe and efficient management of the provision and parents are aware of them. All documentation is exceptionally well maintained.

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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 EY275212 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 901855 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 7

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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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