Childminder in Salford

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/05/2013 03/10/2011

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 2 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

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The childminder has an excellent understanding of how children learn and provides challenging, varied and imaginative activities, as a result of precise assessment and planning.  The childminder provides exemplary support to develop children's early communication and information communication technology skills. This is by providing children with opportunities to make independent use of information communication technology and undertaking training to implement practice to enhance children's knowledge of letters and sounds.  Children are very confident and make strong progress in learning, irrespective of their starting points. This is as a result of first class practice and a dynamic learning environment with varied outings to enrich children's learning.  The childminder is successful in supporting parents to be directly involved in their children's learning because parents contribute directly to their children' individual

p.1

This provision is outstanding

planning.  Transitions in and out of the childminding provision are consistently well-managed to promote children's emotional security and learning. The childminder shows a very strong understanding of how learning is best achieved when children feel secure.  Monitoring of all aspects of the childminder's practice are robust, leading to excellent provision. The childminder is highly enthusiastic about her work. There is a strong ethos of continual professional development, in order to enhance practice with children.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a range of information available about the childminder, to prepare for the inspection.  A tour of the areas of premises used for childminding was made.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out observations on the childminder and her interactions with children throughout the inspection and examined samples of documentation related to children's welfare and learning.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The childminder was interviewed to ascertain her knowledge of areas such as safeguarding and individual children's learning.  The inspector also spoke to children to gain information about their learning.  The inspector spoke to parents to gain their views on the childminding provision.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder was first registered in 1978 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two adult children in the Little Hulton area of Salford. The childminder is a co-childminder with her husband. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding, as well as two upstairs bathrooms. There are also accessible toilet facilities on the ground floor. There is a large securely enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play. The childminder keeps hens in part of the rear garden and these are not accessible to children.

p.3

Information about the setting

The childminder is qualified to level 3 in childcare and belongs to the local accredited childminding network. She provides early, funded education for two-, three- and four year-olds. Childcare is provided flexibly from 7.30am to 7pm, Mondays to Fridays, all year round except for family holidays and bank holidays. The childminder provides wraparound care for children in full-time education, including school holidays. There are currently 16 children on roll, of whom 10 are in the early years age range. A very small number of children who speak English as an additional language attend the childminding setting.

p.3

Information about the setting

The childminder receives support from the local authority.

p.3

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

 refine the detail of information exchanged with other settings attended by children in order to further enhance planning for learning.

p.3

who attend

The childminder makes an excellent contribution to all areas of children's learning, due to precise assessment and planning. She has very high expectations for all children, including those whose first language is not English. She has exceptional practice in recording children's progress and makes highly effective use of the local authority's recording sheets to track children's progress. This is by a colour-coded system to show when children demonstrate learning in relation to age linked developmental bands. Children new to the setting are observed to form a baseline of their capabilities in order to inform planning for their needs and this is supplemented by information from parents about their children's development. The childminder's exemplary approach to assessment has enabled her to successfully implement the Progress check at age two, using her own exceptional knowledge of individual children and information provided by parents. The childminder

p.3

who attend

makes individual plans based on observations in each child's daily diary in order to extend their development. She also uses their interests and a variety of themes, such as festivals, seasons and national events to enrich the educational programmes. Parents make observations in the diaries and regularly write next steps based on these, showing excellent engagement with their child's learning.

p.4

who attend

The childminder writes weekly plans specifically for the first phase of the 'Letters and Sounds' sessions she provides, in addition to her other planning. She also incorporates activities from this into play wherever possible, such as encouraging children to stop and listen to the sounds they can hear in the garden. She asks what they can hear, helping them to tune into the different sounds and link them to sources, such as birds or aeroplanes. As a result of this strong practice, children make rapid progress in communication and language, including children with English as an additional language. The childminder makes excellent use of her 'Every Child a Talker' training to help support school readiness in terms of early communication for all children. This includes displaying text at child level in the playroom on the toy boxes which helps children to learn that text carries meaning. Children and babies enjoy action songs and rhymes with the childminder,

p.4

who attend

and join in by clapping or trying to copy the actions. This helps to extend their experience of rhythm, as preparation for later learning in literacy.

p.4

who attend

Babies play persistently with cause and effect toys, and explore the full range of effects these toys can offer, before moving on to other activities, such as building with large pieces of train track or trying to build with large interlocking blocks. They show excellent physical development through the activities accessible. Babies demonstrate a high curiosity about the play of older children, such as when they follow three-year-olds into the playroom and copy them by using the playdough and simple tools provided. The childminder makes effective use of this learning opportunity by asking questions to find out which colour names children know correctly and encouraging them to use the role play kitchen toys to extend their play. This enables her to introduce talk about the items they choose, developing their knowledge of words and also their ability to maintain a sustained conversation. She also covers learning about shapes and numbers in her interactions with

p.4

who attend

children, extending their knowledge of early mathematics.

p.4

who attend

Babies and children explore sand and water in the garden and enhance their hand-eye co- ordination by pouring, and filling containers. Older children take great delight in being able to independently use an outside tap to spray water through a short length of hose pipe, whilst playing in a child level sink. They experiment with turning the tap in the different directions, to alter the speed of the water flow and take turns to try this. This develops their social skills and also provides basic learning in technology. The childminder also provides tablet computers on which children can play simple games, developing their experience of information communication technology. Babies take delight in watching the hens in their enclosure, and as a result, they learn about the animals and also gain first- hand experience of the natural world, when they see eggs that have been laid. The childminder works with her co-childminder to provide outings further afield so that

p.4

who attend

children can have experiences such as pond-dipping, as well as to zoos, museums and the seaside. The highly comprehensive range of outings supports children's progress across all seven areas of learning, including knowledge of the world and expressive arts.

p.4

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

Children and babies show consistently good behaviour and awareness of others for their age and stage. Children co-operate well with requests from the childminder, such as to share toys and she demonstrates use of excellent behaviour management strategies to prevent conflict. For example, when a child is reluctant to help tidy up the construction blocks, she engages their attention by asking them to find blocks of different colours and sizes for her and she then puts the blocks in the box, and they begin to copy her. She also encourages children to eat more at lunchtime by suggesting they have three more spoonfuls of soup to match the number of their age, showing her long experience in supporting young children's welfare. Babies explore the resources and space indoors and out, showing strong security. They are highly confident and show very strong development in self-care. For example, children only 13 months old are keen to use the

p.5

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

child-sized toilet, like the three-year-olds. The childminder displays artwork created by children in order to enhance their self-esteem. She also seeks permission to send photos by email to parents in order to build partnerships with them. Parents are well-informed about their child's care, learning and activities using daily diaries, to promote continuity between home and the childminder's care. The childminder has also begun to share photographs of children with parents using a secure commercial website for childminders and parents, to help them engage further with their children's learning.

p.5

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

The resources on the premises are well-chosen and reflect the need to develop children's early learning in all areas. Resources are accessible to children as appropriate to their age and stage, including books, and resources are stored so that those for the youngest are at floor level. This helps children to make their own choices about what to play with and extends their independence. The resources for outdoor play and exercise are excellent, with many opportunities for children to take reasonable risk in play, combined with careful supervision. The childminder seeks permission from parents for children to use large play equipment such as trampolines on and off the premises, as part of her provision for this. Children and walking babies can pedal or push themselves on tricycles and wheeled toys, developing their whole body control. The childminder provides swings and slides at different heights, so that children can have a go at getting on and off them independently,

p.5

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

with supervision. The rear garden is very large and children have considerable space to run and play, developing their co-ordination and reactions, for example to learn how to change direction quickly when running. Local outings are frequent and include parks, toddler dance sessions and soft play centres to provide a variety of environments for enjoying exercise. The childminder takes particular care to develop children's knowledge of road safety when walking locally to shops or parks. This means that routines are used on a regular basis to reinforce important learning for later independence skills.

p.5

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

The house is exceptionally clean and well-maintained, with a wide range of measures to promote children's safety and help prevent illness due to infection. The childminder provides a very healthy diet for children and all meals are cooked on the premises, with an emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables. The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of how individual children's emotional security can affect their motivation to learn and adapts her practice to meet individual needs. For example, she recognises that children are most likely to respond better to toilet or potty training when they have stability at home as well as in her care. The childminder has a very strong knowledge of all the children and families for whom she provides a childminding service, which means that she can better address the needs of children.

p.5

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

The childminder seeks detailed information regarding children's starting points and welfare from parents prior to them joining. She uses this to plan and help children to settle more quickly. Information regarding children's progress is passed on to their next settings, including full-time school or nursery, using a format provided by the local authority. This supports continuity for their future learning and care.

p.6

provision

Risk assessments and safety checks are highly detailed and regularly reviewed. As a result, children can play safely and freely, and also access a wide variety of outings locally and further afield. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that children are collected by permitted adults. The childminder undertakes regular externally delivered training in safeguarding. Consequently, she demonstrates excellent knowledge of procedures to manage any concerns she may have about a child's welfare. Adults who live on the premises are checked for suitability through vetting and barring disclosures. All documentation related to the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage is meticulously completed to support the safe and effective running of the setting. This includes including a policy for the use of portable devices with cameras on the premises. As a result, confidentiality is maintained and children are protected. Practice is

p.6

provision

significantly enhanced by robust policies that underpin all aspects of children's welfare and learning, combined with the expert skill and experience of the childminder.

p.6

provision

The childminder demonstrates superb knowledge and practice of how children learn, and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, children's progress is excellent, including for those children with English as an additional language. The teaching of early communication, literacy, and information and communication technology skills is exceptionally strong. This is because the childminder recognises how important these areas are for children to be ready for full-time school. The use of frequent outings for all children means that children receive rich and varied educational programmes, which further motivates them to learn. Educational programmes have superb depth and breadth.

p.6

provision

The childminder demonstrates an exemplary approach to evaluating the learning environment in order to ensure that children are provided with a wealth of fully accessible resources indoors and outside. This supports them to make independent choices about what to play with. She uses evaluative discussions with her co-childminder to make mutual decisions about all aspects of provision, to bring about continuous improvement. The childminder uses the Ofsted self-evaluation tool in order to evaluate practice and keep a record of how this is developed. Parents and children are encouraged to contribute to evaluating the childminding practice, in order to meet their needs and bring about continuous improvement. The methods for monitoring educational programmes, individual planning and assessment are meticulous. This means that all children receive a vibrant learning experience based on their individual needs. There are precise methods for

p.6

provision

assessing children's learning, in order to plan interventions based on their observed needs, and narrow any gaps in progress. The childminder makes outstanding use of specific assessments of children's communication and language development to identify and plan for learning in this area. This is as a result of training in the Every Child a Talker scheme, demonstrating her commitment to enhancing children's progress.

p.7

provision

Partnership working with other professionals to support children's individual needs is highly effective, as a result of the childminder's training and experience. As a result, she is able to signpost parents to the correct professional for their child and contact appropriate services, such as speech and language therapy. The childminder frequently exchanges information regarding children's well-being and some learning, with other settings that children attend, and uses this in order to plan. However, this has not been formalised into a regular and detailed exchange of information, to further enhance planning for learning. Partnerships with other settings attended by children are, however, long-standing and well-established, which supports continuity of care and learning.

p.7

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

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number 307424 Local authority Salford Inspection number 919094 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 8

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

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’.

p.11

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11