Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/10/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 completes regular observations of the children to assess what they enjoy and achieve, in order to take them forward in their learning. This results in children making good progress.  The children are happy and secure and have formed close relationships with the childminder. She is sensitive to their individual needs and encourages and praises them in what they do. Consequently, children's behaviour is good and their growing self- awareness is promoted very effectively.  Positive partnerships are established with parents and other early years providers by the childminder. This results in an effective shared approach, which supports children's changing needs and their ongoing learning and development.  Children readily access a good selection of resources and equipment, and visit a variety of community activities. This results in the their interests being well supported so they actively engage in their play and learning experiences.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities to build on younger children's varied sensory experiences, to further explore different textures and more natural resources through their play, are not fully extended.

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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 with the childminder and children, and held discussions with them throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at the children's learning journals and daily diaries.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at relevant records, policies, procedures and risk assessments and the childminder's self-evaluation and planning.  The inspector took account of parents' views through written information.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner in the Leeman Road area of York. The whole ground floor of the house and a bedroom on the first floor are used for childminding. There is a rear enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family has a pet rabbit.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a local childminding group, the children's centre and other community activities, including visits to the shops and park, on a regular basis. She collects children from the pre-school. There are currently seven children on roll, six of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays. She is a member of a local childminder support group and has a childcare qualification at level 3.

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

 build on younger children's varied sensory experiences, to further explore different textures and more natural resources, for example, through the use of treasure baskets.

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who attend

The childminder completes information with the parents before a child starts, to understand their children's needs and routines and what they enjoy and do at home. This assists the childminder in her support for the children, to provide familiar activities and experiences relevant to their starting points. The childminder regularly observes and assesses the children, and the information is recorded in their individual learning journey files. This enables the childminder to clearly identify and plan for the next stages in children's learning. Children's files and daily diaries are accessible to parents at all times. They regularly share what their children enjoy and do at home and contribute to their ongoing learning experiences. This is highly effective in how the childminder plans for each child and, as a result, they make good progress.

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who attend

Children enjoy being outside in the garden. They use the space effectively to be active and extend their physical skills. A younger child throws the football and aims to kick it, and another child rolls the hula hoop across the grass. The wheelbarrow is pushed along by the children to collect the leaves for their collage and painting activity. These activities all enhance their balance and awareness of their own bodies. The childminder provides different creative resources to engage the children. The use of different materials and media supports the children to make choices, such as what colour paints they want to use as they make different marks with the brushes. They use various musical instruments and sing action songs and rhymes together. These activities contribute positively to the children experimenting with different materials, sounds and rhythms through their play. There are stacking rings of different sizes and colours, and children press buttons that

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who attend

enable them to create different sounds and actions that challenge them. However, the opportunity to build on younger children's varied sensory experiences through their play, to further explore different textures and more natural resources, is not fully extended, for example, through the use of different treasure baskets. Consequently, children's experiences are not fully enriched.

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who attend

The childminder skilfully communicates with the children through their activities, talking with them, repeating words and sounds. They enjoy sitting together and looking at the story books, listening to the childminder who asks them questions about what they can see in the pictures. A child points to the car and another one names the animals, such as the elephant and lion. This effectively supports and develops children's early communication and language skills. The range of role play activities foster children's own imagination, such as dressing up as a builder or wearing a police helmet. The small world resources enable younger children to sort the different animals in the zoo or line up the trucks and cars. The childminder introduces simple counting games and jigsaws with the children and they help put the train track together. Children enjoy using the sand tray to fill and empty different containers. This results in developing children's early mathematical

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who attend

skills through their everyday play. The care and support provided by the childminder to develop children's learning is good. This enables them to be well prepared with the necessary skills to move on in their learning.

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

The childminder gathers good information from parents about their child's routines and care, to ensure the settling-in process is relevant to their individual needs. This results in the children being secure as the move from home to the setting is managed sensitively. Children form secure relationships with the childminder, smiling and seeking responses and reassurance as and when they need. The childminder provides daily snacks and freshly cooked meals for the children. This includes a good selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and meat, to offer them a healthy and nutritional balance in their diet. The younger children are becoming familiar with the routine of washing their hands and their early toilet training, taking pride in managing this for themselves. This fosters their understanding of being healthy and in developing their self-care needs very well. Information is shared with parents to assist the childminder in her approach to the

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

prevention of accidents and cross-infection. The childminder supports the children to learn to share and take turns. She encourages and praises them in what they do, and uses simple routines and boundaries they understand. The use of distraction and providing different options for the children through their play are effectively promoted by the childminder. Consequently, children's behaviour is good and their growing self-awareness is promoted very effectively.

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

The range of resources and equipment and the use of space, both inside and outside, provide the children with a good range of interesting learning experiences. This ensures they are motivated in what they do, so they make ongoing progress relevant to their needs and abilities. The childminder supports the children to develop their independence, such as starting to put their coats and shoes on to go outside. She completes a summary assessment of each child's development and progress that is shared with the parents and the nursery where children move on to in support of their transition. The childminder uses community activities to further their experiences and build their social and physical skills, as well as gaining an awareness of safety issues. She gently guides the children in how they keep safe, and offers assistance where needed, such as when using new equipment and resources or when getting up and down the step into the garden. As a result, children

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

learn to take levels of risk that support their need to explore in a safe environment.

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provision

The childminder has attended recent safeguarding training and is informed about her responsibility in protecting children and their ongoing well-being. She has detailed records, policies and procedures that are shared with parents. The childminder has completed risk assessments of all areas used by the children, including outings and use of the car. These are reviewed and dated as part of the childminder's safety management of her provision. Through discussion, the childminder is fully aware of how to work in partnership with other professionals if additional support is required for a child.

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provision

The childminder monitors children's ongoing learning through tracking their progress, which clearly identifies where children are in all areas of their learning. This enables her to focus and target activities to their individual needs. The childminder evaluates her practice and provision as part of her self-development plan. She seeks regular feedback from the parents, and children through their play and interests. This includes guidance from the local authority development worker and the sharing of ideas and best practice with other early years providers. This is effective in enabling and supporting the childminder to make ongoing progress, to further develop the already good quality of her provision for children.

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provision

The partnerships established with parents are good. The childminder provides details of her provision through her website and booklet. The completion of the 'all about me' information by parents as their children start fully supports the settling-in process, to ensure their children's needs and routines are respected and valued. The childminder seeks parents' views on a regular basis, both verbally and through questionnaires. They provide positive feedback on the quality of care their children receive. They are very complimentary about the progress their children make, particularly in their independence, confidence, speech and language. The positive sharing of children's diaries and learning journals enables parents to actively contribute to their children's ongoing learning, development and care needs. The positive sharing of information with other early years providers promotes consistency for the 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 EY461431 Local authority York Inspection number 917842 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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