Childminder in North Northamptonshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/08/2013 01/04/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder's effective observation, assessment and planning ensure that children are challenged well to reach the next steps in their learning.  The partnerships with parents and other early years providers are effective in ensuring that each child's care and learning needs are met well. Consequently, children make good progress.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well by the childminder. Consequently, children are happy, settled and secure, and the relationship between the childminder and the children is good.  Children learn through play in a stimulating environment that is safe and secure. They are safeguarded because the childminder is fully aware of her responsibilities to protect them from harm.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The development of children's speaking skills is not fully maximised. This is because the childminder does not always ask the children open-ended questions when she talks with them, or give them time to think and then respond to her questions.  Opportunities for children to learn about their similarities and their differences and learn about cultural and religious events and experiences are not fully maximised to extend their awareness of the wider world.

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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 ground floor play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's assessment records and planning, the childminder's self-evaluation and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant, and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1986. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives with her husband and two adult sons in the village of Earls Barton on the outskirts of Northampton. She cares for children with an assistant. The ground floor of the premises is used for childminding and a first floor bedroom is used for sleeping children. There is an enclosed garden used for outside play. The family has two dogs. There are currently 12 children on role. Of these, seven are in the early years age group and two are aged over eight years. The childminder cares for children all year round, all day Monday to Friday. She also offers weekend and overnight care. The childminder and her assistant walk with children to and from local schools.

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Information about the setting

The childminder holds an early years qualification at level 3. She is a member of a Northamptonshire quality assurance scheme for childminders, and is accredited to provide funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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

 enhance children's language development by consistently asking them open-ended questions , and giving them time to think about what they want to say and put their thoughts into words

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

 extend practice for children to gain a greater awareness of their similarities and their differences; for example, by celebrating and valuing a wider range of cultural and religious events and experiences.

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who attend

The childminder supports children effectively, so they acquire the skills and capacity to learn and develop in order to reach next steps in their learning. The childminder observes and assesses their progress to plan activities that interest and challenge them. She works well with parents to ensure continuity for children and communicates effectively with other early years providers to ensure consistency. She is aware of the requirement to provide parents with progress check at age two and completes this when necessary.

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who attend

Children enjoy activities in a very well-organised and stimulating designated playroom, and in the childminder's garden. They are happy and confident, and participate in purposeful play and exploration planned and provided by the childminder. For example, they enjoy cooking activities and explore the change as they mix ingredients and as they see cakes rise in the oven. Children's mathematical knowledge is promoted effectively because they help to weigh ingredients. They demonstrate good manipulative skills as they scoop the mixture out of a large bowl with a spoon and then use another spoon to carefully deposit the mixture into individual cake cases. The childminder promotes children's developing interest in the natural world. For example, her large garden includes areas of flowers that attract butterflies and children show interest in the different colours and patterns on the butterflies' wings. Children enjoy the outdoor play environment, as the childminder plans

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who attend

games that promote children's learning effectively. For example, she provides sets of balls in several different colours and each child chooses a set. The childminder then hides the balls and children search the garden to find their chosen colour as quickly as they can. This activity challenges them effectively, because they need to count the balls that they have found to establish if they have managed to find them all. They then enjoy declaring themselves the winner of the game.

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who attend

Children choose from a good variety of role play resources and the childminder generally supports their communication and language development well, when she talks with them about their pretend situations. Children enjoy the conversations they have with the childminder. However, she does not always extend children's thinking and speaking skills with full effect. This is because her questioning is sometimes closed, and she sometimes answers herself before children have the opportunity to do so. Role play resources are always available and some of these, and some books, reflect diversity in a positive way. However, the childminder's practice is not fully maximised with regard to raising all children's awareness of their similarities and their differences in order to promote an understanding of others.

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who attend

Children use mathematical language confidently and spontaneously while they play. For example, they count how many pictures are the same when they complete a jigsaw puzzle, and they talk about and show fingers that represent their ages. Children that are more able are challenged effectively, because they repeat complex patterns on a board with beads, while other children thread beads onto a string. Children learn to recognise numerals, initially to five and then to 10. The childminder sings songs such as, 'Five little ducks' that promote an early awareness of calculation effectively.

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who attend

The childminder ensures that children enjoy using a full range of media and materials, so they have opportunities to explore their senses. Children make marks in a variety of ways and pencil control is developing well. Older children's knowledge of phonics is good and they confidently say the sounds of the letters in their own names, and some other basic words. Therefore, children progress well in preparation for school.

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

Children are settled, confident and emotionally secure. Relationships are good between the children and the childminder, and between children and the childminder's assistant. Their personal, social and emotional development is given a high priority. A settling-in period is agreed with parents in accordance with children's different needs. Children are prepared well for their move into other early years settings and reception class in school. For example, they socialise with other adults and children at groups and at other childminders' homes. The childminder identifies the importance of positive reinforcement as a strategy for managing children's behaviour. Children behave well and in order to boost their self-esteem the childminder praises them consistently for positive behaviour. The childminder supports children's growing independence well. For example, she arranges resources so that children can choose and easily select resources for themselves.

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

The childminder creates a warm and welcoming environment for children and their parents. Clear admission information obtained from parents ensures that she meets thier individual care needs effectively. Information on the childminder's good practice with regard to safety, illness and accidents is shared with parents so that they gain an awareness of the care provided. The childminder supports children's healthy lifestyles by encouraging them to be physically active and eat healthy and nutritious food. They enjoy activities equally in the indoor and outdoor play environment and at the park, and they develop physical skills and confidence with use of challenging equipment. Children develop the ability to attend to their self-care needs. The childminder ensures that the environment is healthy and safe, to support children's welfare. She teaches children how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to cross the road safely and older

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

children know why small toys are dangerous for younger children.

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provision

The childminder addresses health and safety in her home and garden extremely well. She is fully aware of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. This includes the completion of necessary checks for any person living or working on the premises who is aged 16 years and over. The childminder ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted. Parents are made aware of the childminder's safeguarding policy and the Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

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provision

The childminder successfully monitors the educational programmes to ensure that children make good progress. She is aware of the requirements within the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses this successfully to meet children's care and learning needs well. In order to review and improve her practice the childminder welcomes advice offered by local authority development workers. She is an accredited childminder and so provides funded early education. As such, the quality of the childminder's provision is assessed by the local authority and she is able to access training courses in order to maintain and improve her knowledge and skills. In order to extend her knowledge, the childminder plans to complete training on special educational needs and disabilities. In the future she hopes to achieve a degree in early years. Parents are meaningfully involved in the childminder's self-evaluation process, verbally and through

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provision

Good communication between the childminder and parents means that children's care and learning needs are met well. The childminder is fully aware of the importance of obtaining as much information as possible about each child's individual needs from parents and agreeing with them how they can work together to meet these needs. The childminder has a range of written policies, which successfully reflect her practice with regard to meeting children's needs. Links with other early years providers are successful in ensuring continuity of care and learning for children.

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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 221239 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 871283 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 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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