Childminder in Oldham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/07/2013 20/04/2009

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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 has an excellent knowledge of how children learn and provides a rich, varied and imaginative educational programme, with precise assessment and planning for individual children. Consequently, children consistently make excellent progress in relation to their starting points.  Children thrive as a result of the individual attention, support and encouragement they receive from the childminder. Her excellent knowledge of each child's development enables her to meet their needs and promote their progress highly effectively.  The childminder demonstrates a high level of understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The rigorous and extremely effective implementation of robust policies and procedures successfully promotes children's safety and well-being.  The childminder is highly skilled and sensitive and helps children to form strong

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This provision is outstanding

emotional attachments and feel very secure within the provision. This provides a strong foundation to enable them to develop their independence and motivates them to explore.  Partnerships with parents and other providers are exemplary and make a highly significant contribution to meeting the needs of all children. Transitions are exceptionally well organised to promote continuity of care and learning.

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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 children's activities in the dining room and outdoor environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder and talked to children throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents including a sample of policies and procedures, planning, observation and assessment systems and children's individual learning records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of a parent spoken to on the day of the inspection and from written questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004. She lives with her husband, one adult child and one child aged 15 years in the Shaw area of Oldham. The whole of the ground floor and bathroom facilities on the first floor are used for childminding purposes. There is a secure rear garden available for outdoor play. The childminder attends local toddler groups, a childminding group and local parks. The family have three cats and a dog. The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 10 children on roll, four of whom are within the early years age range and six are school-age children who attend before and after school and during school holidays. The childminder operates from Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm all year round.

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Information about the setting

The childminder holds an early years qualification at level 4 and is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years. She has links with the local school and Sure Start children's centre.

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

 consolidate reflective evaluation to ensure that the high quality, first-rate practice already achieved is sustained and constantly improved upon.

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who attend

The childminder provides a calm, nurturing, caring environment where babies and young children can thrive and develop to their full potential. She is highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic and provides a rich learning environment where children's individuality is recognised and cherished. Consequently, learning outcomes are excellent for children. The childminder gets to know each child extremely well through the development of positive partnerships with parents which enables her to form caring relationships with the children. This enhances their ability to quickly settle in the provision and consequently enjoy and benefit from the learning experiences available. Children thoroughly enjoy the time they spend with the childminder and the exciting, stimulating and interesting array of resources and activities on offer mean that they consistently demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning. For example, children laugh, scream and squeal with delight as they

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who attend

race to find the animals that are hidden in the outdoor environment.

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who attend

There is an extremely sharp focus on helping children to acquire communication and language skills and supporting their physical, personal, social and emotional development. As a result, children are exceptionally well prepared for school and their next stage of learning. Children develop their social skills because the childminder teaches them to play cooperatively with each other, share resources, negotiate and problem solve when carrying out activities. For example, children demonstrate their understanding of taking turns as they throw the dice to make a beetle and participate in a spinning top activity. The childminder regularly takes children to childminding groups and playgroups in the local community which helps children interact and socialise with children and adults away from the childminder's home.

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who attend

The childminder encourages children's communication and language development particularly well. She has completed the 'Every Child a Talker' programme and the knowledge and skills she has gained is very successfully translated into practice. The separate assessment tool she uses to track children's language development enables her to quickly identify children who may need external intervention in this area. She attentively listens to children and intuitively 'tunes in' to the individual words, facial expressions and gestures they use to communicate. The childminder models language exceptionally well and skilfully uses open ended questioning techniques to develop children's thinking skills. For example, she asks children 'Why is it wet?', 'Why are your hands freezing?' and 'What happened?' The indoor and outdoor environment is rich in print, signs and symbols which help to develop children's literacy skills as they begin to

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who attend

understand that print carries meaning. Children benefit from the cosy and inviting book area, where they choose from a wide range of books and are totally engrossed as they listen to stories. They confidently retell the alien story and describe what the aliens look like as they say 'He's only got one eye'. Their imagination is ignited by the story and they subsequently draw pictures and paint stones to represent their favourite characters.

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who attend

The childminder provides children with a wealth of opportunities to develop their physical skills and the outdoor environment is exceptionally well resourced and organised to support this area of development. For example, children move in different ways as they climb, run and crawl and develop coordination and control as they throw, catch and kick balls. Children learn to negotiate space as they ride wheeled toys, successfully manoeuvring around obstacles. They develop their finer hand movements as they enjoy making marks with assorted sized paintbrushes, pens and crayons, pick up small buttons and fill and empty containers with water. As a result, children's physical development is effectively promoted.

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who attend

The childminder closely observes what children like to do and responds to their developmental needs by planning the resources, environment and activities to reflect their interests and next steps in their learning. As a result, children are thoroughly engrossed in their play, which keeps them motivated and eager to learn. Each child has an individual learning record which contains observations of significant learning, children's work and photographic evidence of their achievements. Children's learning is positively enhanced because parents are fully involved in their children's learning from the point of entry into the provision. The childminder gathers detailed information from parents to establish what children can do and builds on this information by completing a baseline assessment to use as a starting point for their future learning and development needs. Parents can access their children's learning records at any time and are provided with a summary of their

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who attend

activities and progress on a regular basis. They are offered many opportunities to contribute to their children's assessment records and share significant experiences, interests and observations of their children's achievements at home. For instance, when children plant potato head cress seeds with the childminder, parents send a photograph of their delighted child and the potato head with hair as the seeds have grown. The childminder is highly effective in helping parents to support their children's learning at home. For example, she suggests simple activities that they can do and provides book bags to take home so that they can read stories with their children. This provides excellent continuity for children.

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who attend

The childminder has excellent systems in place to support children with their transition to the next stage in their learning and school. She has very close links with teaching staff and other early years providers in order to provide children with consistency and continuity of care and education. In addition, she makes photograph albums of the school staff and learning environment to use with children to discuss what they will be doing when they go to school. Parents are also provided with an album so that they can continue to talk to their children about school life at home. Furthermore, the childminder takes children into school on a regular basis to help them become familiar with the environment and, consequently, develop their confidence. She completes a transition document, which summarises children's learning and achievements, to share with teachers so that they are aware of their developmental needs on entry. As a result, children's needs

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

Children's emotional well-being is extremely well supported. They share very positive relationships with the highly skilled childminder who is caring and sensitive to each child's individual needs. Children are confident and content in the childminder's home and actively seek out her comfort if they are tired or upset. The childminder spends time talking to parents in detail about their children's likes, dislikes and daily routines and provides a highly effective settling in process to ensure every child feels especially secure. She is always nearby to offer support and encouragement, resulting in children being confident to try new things and who fully participate in the high quality resources and exciting activities the provision has to offer. The childminder provides opportunities for children to make choices in their activities but also, very importantly, provides a familiar routine which helps them feel safe and self-assured. This successfully supports children in

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

the transition from home to the childminder's home. Children have their own trays in which they place their possessions and artwork and this helps them to feel welcome and secure and develop a sense of belonging within the provision. They benefit greatly from the opportunity to play and socialise with children of different ages. Older children are superb role models; they demonstrate a kind, helpful and caring attitude which is often imitated by the younger children. The childminder is exceptionally skilled at managing children's behaviour and has attended training in this area to further develop her knowledge and understanding. She is calm and patient in her interactions and acts as an excellent role model. The childminder provides clear and consistent boundaries and children respond well as they listen to her explanations of how their actions affect the feelings of others. She also recognises that

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

sometimes children need time to resolve their disputes independently and teaches them effective strategies to enable them to do this. Consequently, children's behaviour is exemplary. The childminder consistently uses positive praise, encourages good behaviour and values children's achievements by displaying their own work around the room. This helps children to develop a strong sense of self-esteem and feel welcome and secure.

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

The childminder consistently gives the highest priority to the safety of children and effectively supports them to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. She talks to them about 'stranger danger' and teaches them how to cross roads when they are out walking. Children display high levels of confidence with day to day routines and understand the procedures in place to ensure they are kept safe. They demonstrate their awareness of their own and others safety as they help each other climb steps.

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

Children demonstrate through routines that they have an excellent understanding of the importance of regular exercise, a healthy diet and attending to their own personal needs. They understand that they need to wash their hands so that they do not get germs. Children use tissues to wipe their nose and know instinctively that they need to dispose of them in the bin. Physical exercise is positively promoted on a daily basis and children are involved in activities, such as playing football, regular walks and using climbing and balancing equipment. The childminder provides children with opportunities to rest and relax when they need to and babies sleep in travel cots in a calm, quiet room, so that they wake up refreshed and re-energised. Children know about foods that are good for them and independently make healthy choices when asked what they would like for lunch. Their understanding is further enhanced as they grow, harvest and eat the herbs and tomatoes

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

they have planted in the outdoor area. The childminder provides children with nutritious snacks and meals, such as shepherd's pie, pasta dishes and healthy sandwiches to promote their understanding of the importance of a healthy diet. Consequently, their physical well-being is extremely well promoted.

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provision

The childminder gives safeguarding very high priority and is fully aware of her roles and responsibilities to ensure children are protected from harm. Thorough and recently updated safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, shared with parents and underpin the excellent practice. In addition, the childminder has a safeguarding training certificate at level 2. Consistent supervision of children, safety gates and security measures, such as locked doors and the verification of the identity of visitors, ensures children are kept safe. Comprehensive risk assessments and daily checks are completed to the highest standard and include all areas and activities accessed by children. As a result, children's safety is exceptionally well promoted. The childminder has an exceptional knowledge of the educational programmes and consistent and highly accurate monitoring ensures that children experience a broad and

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provision

balanced curriculum. Systems for monitoring educational programmes are robust, so that children receive a rich and varied learning experience based on their individual needs. The highly precise system for monitoring and assessment means that the childminder can implement early interventions to support children's learning if necessary. As a result, children make rapid progress in relation to their starting points.

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provision

Self-evaluation is well documented and highlights the strong emphasis on maintaining high levels of achievement for all children. The childminder is totally dedicated to her work with the children and consistently strives to provide them with the best possible care. Strengths and areas for development are clearly identified and targeted plans are in place to secure continuous improvement. Children and parents are involved in the self-evaluation process through questionnaires and discussions. Their views are actively listened to and ideas and suggestions are implemented. In addition, the childminder works with the local authority quality assurance scheme to self-reflect on her practice and provision. She completes regular audits of the environment to identify areas for development to improve the provision. Significant improvements have recently been made to the reorganised outdoor area, following the childminder's evaluation of the environment and consultation with the

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provision

children. For example, children can now access various lengths of guttering to make musical sounds, enjoy a 'chill out den' where they read stories and can play football in a separate area without disturbing other activities. The childminder is proactive in identifying her own professional development training needs and the training she attends is purposeful and carefully planned. This ensures it has a significant impact on enhancing children's learning outcomes and extensively supporting their individual needs. For example, she has attended training courses about behaviour management, messy play and the progress check at age two, and is currently studying for a Foundation Degree in Early Years.

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provision

The childminder recognises that ongoing reflection is important to maintaining and improving the already outstanding provision and is considering how best to do this to develop even further. She has high expectations of herself and children and thoroughly embraces any new initiatives and ideas that will improve her practice. She is an active member and facilitator for the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years where she organises training groups and shares good practice with other childminders in the area.

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provision

The childminder establishes outstanding relationships with parents and other providers. Consistent communication sharing and strong links with the local school help ensure that the transition process is sensitively handled. Parents are provided with a comprehensive range of information about the service. For example, they receive an extensive induction pack and access clear policies and procedures. In addition, ongoing verbal discussions and text messages continually update parents about the service. They are eager to express their opinions of the childminder and the care and education their children receive. Parents comment that their children are 'happy and make good progress in all areas of learning' because the childminder 'fully understands the individual needs of the children that she cares for'. They say that the childminder is 'amazing', she 'welcomes children and their families' and that their children can't understand why they cannot go to the

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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 EY288682 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 902283 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 10

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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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