Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/07/2013 17/03/2010

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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 quality of observation, planning and assessment provides interesting and stimulating activities that engage children and enable them to make good progress.  Children's spoken language is well promoted and the childminder and her assistant encourage communication and extend children's vocabulary.  The childminder effectively meets each child's unique needs. Both the childminder and her assistant interact and communicate well with children and positively promote their emotional well-being.  The childminder and her assistant are dedicated to their role and the children. They seek all opportunities for further professional development, in order to improve practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to provide more opportunities to stimulate children's interest in literacy outdoors, for example, through signs, symbols and print and providing resources to mark make and write.

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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 in the two main rooms used for childminding, along with the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant at suitable points throughout the inspection, made observations and spoke to children present.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2009. She lives with her husband and her two step children aged 15 and 18 years in Lytham St Annes. The whole of the ground floor of the house is used for childminding. Bathroom facilities are on the first floor and there is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. Family pets include a dog.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are 12 children on roll, of whom eight are within the early years age range. Children attend for a variety of sessions. She works with an assistant, her husband. They are open from 7.30am until 7pm, all year round, except family holidays.

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

 provide further opportunities during outdoor play to stimulate children's literacy development. For example, through the use of signs, symbols and other forms of print, along with resources to make marks and write.

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who attend

The childminder provides a broad range of activities and experiences, which promote children's development well in all areas. She observes and assesses children's progress as they play and purposefully extends their learning. For example, children have a keen interest in pirates, she extends this by taking the children to playgrounds with climbing equipment that resemble ships to extend their imaginary play while practising their climbing skills. While she plays alongside children, she effectively encourages their communication and language skills and promotes their physical and personal, social and emotional development. Their good progress in these three areas ensures that they have the key skills needed for the next steps in their learning, such as nursery or school. The childminder keeps aware of children's abilities at home and their learning at other settings mainly through talking with parents. Parents are kept well informed about their children's

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who attend

progress. They receive plenty of information about their children's care and daily activities, verbally and written in a comprehensive daily diary. They also read each observation written in their children's learning journey and make comments about their progress. All children are working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their age. Children help themselves to toys from a broad range kept in the dedicated playroom. They move freely around the ground floor and enjoy the freedom to use the space imaginatively. For example, they make treasure maps, dress-up as pirates, turn the playhouse into a ship and hide their treasure. Children are progressing well towards the early learning goals while enjoying fun activities. They are interested and keen learners. Children show good levels of concentration and perseverance on self-chosen tasks, such as arranging furniture within the doll's house. They develop good hand to eye coordination

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who attend

as they carefully place each piece into the correct space. Children have opportunities to practise writing for a purpose as they attempt to label the diagrams on their treasure maps. The childminder and her assistant continually engage children in conversation about what they are doing and what might happen next, while introducing new vocabulary. For example, they discuss how they have successfully grown their own strawberries, recalling the process using language, such as 'compost' and 'ripen'. These discussions broaden children's vocabulary and understanding. Consequently, children make very good progress in all areas of communication and language development.

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who attend

Children thrive as they explore the exciting outdoor area, enjoying many activities, such as, growing fruit and vegetables, role play, sand, water and scooters. However, this area does not include print, through signs, symbols and letters, or include resources to mark make to support children's literacy development. Children enjoy a wide range of outings that complement their learning. These offer interesting and challenging experiences, which effectively support children to make good progress. They gain awareness of their local area, such as when they go on nature walks to explore the environment, follow the paths looking at the different wood carvings and collect leaves and twigs to make pictures with on their return. These outings successfully promote their understanding of the world as well as their physical development. The childminder provides a wide range of art and craft activities, some of which raise children's awareness of cultural events.

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

The childminder and her assistant establishes strong relationships with children, who demonstrate a secure attachment to them. Children regularly, spontaneously burst into song that demonstrates that they feel content and safe. They find out as much as they can from parents about children's likes, dislikes and routines and takes care to use the information effectively. This ensures that routines are familiar and comforting and enables children to feel very secure and settle well. Each child's individual health, physical and dietary needs are met to a high standard. Children eat nutritious home-cooked meals, such as pasta and vegetables. They talk about the importance of a healthy diet and gain an awareness of healthy foods as they help to prepare fruit for snack and grow peppers, peas and tomatoes in the garden.

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

The childminder encourages children to be independent and to hygienically manage their own personal needs. For example, children wash their hands prior to helping prepare snack and talk about getting rid of the germs that may harm their tummies. Young children are developing good self-help skills as they attempt to feed themselves using a spoon and fork and they are encouraged to wipe their own hands and faces afterwards. Many planned activities successfully promote their physical development. For example, they participate in regular music and dance sessions and manoeuvre sit and rides around the garden. They also walk in the local area and practise climbing skills on equipment at the park.

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

The childminder effectively promotes children's well-being and independence. She allows children time to investigate on their own but knows when to offer help. Children gain a secure understanding of risk as they explore their environment. They regularly practise the emergency evacuation plan, which raises their awareness of what to do in an emergency and they carefully use knives to chop fruit. The childminder and her assistant positively promote children's sense of belonging and self-esteem and effectively praises them. Children behave well and relate well to each other. Regular outings to toddler groups are purposefully planned to help develop confidence and independence as children become aware of others. This helps them to prepare for the next stage in their learning, such as nursery or school.

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provision

Since the last inspection, the childminder has built a good service and demonstrates a strong drive to build on her success. Most of the childminder's plans for improvement are self-identified but she is open to the views of parents. She has gained a level 3 qualification to improve her knowledge, understanding and practice. Through actively seeking information, she has improved her ability to record and track children's progress. The childminder also attends training events. Since the last inspection, she has completed a number of additional courses, including equality and diversity training. She also seeks further training that will benefit the children, such as a higher level qualification. The childminder and her assistant have completed additional safeguarding training and demonstrate a clear knowledge of the indicators of abuse and how to work with other agencies to protect children.

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provision

The childminder regularly reviews her written risk assessment and follows a useful checklist to help her to visually check that the home is suitable and safe for children. Recent breaches of the welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage required Ofsted to issue a notice to improve that asks the provider to: Promote the good health of the children and take appropriate action when they are ill with specific regard to keeping a record of accidents and first aid treatment. All documentation for the protection and safeguarding of children is in place and is well organised. In addition, accident records are completed appropriately and are fully discussed with parents, which they then sign to acknowledge that they have been informed. She fully understands her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She keeps all the required records and a wealth of others to help to keep children safe,

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provision

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals. This is because the childminder and her assistant use their secure understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to assess children's progress. The childminder demonstrates the benefits of working with others to support children's continuity of care and learning. She obtains regular information from parents about children's progress with other professionals and at other settings. These active partnerships result in the exchange of information, which enable her to identify any gaps in their learning and any children, who may need extra support. Partnerships with parents are good. Parents access good quality information about the way that the childminder and her assistant work through informative policies. They receive plenty of information about their children's care and daily activities, verbally and through the daily use of multimedia

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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 EY396460 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 915239 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 10 Number of children on roll 12

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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

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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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