Childminder, Out-of school day care in Hampshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/10/2013 04/10/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: Met 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 sets very high standards across all aspects of her work with exceptional educational programmes for children of all ages.  The highly caring and sensitive childminder nurtures all children, especially very young children and those in need of additional support, to form appropriate bonds and secure emotional attachments.  The childminder consistently gives the highest priority to the safety of children in her care and supports their growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  Highly effective systems for assessment and planning help children make excellent progress and be exceptionally well prepared for their next stage of 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 a wide range of activities and care routines across the indoor and outdoor play areas and considered arrangements for overnight care.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the childminder's practice and talked to him throughout the inspection. The inspector also observed and talked with the children present.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documents relating to safeguarding and self-evaluation and checked a selection of other policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records and progress checks, the childminder's planning and evaluation documents and information sharing with parents.  The inspector considered parents' views from recent written recommendations.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has been registered since 2008. She lives with her husband and two school-aged children in Hook, Hampshire. The spacious downstairs is mainly used for childminding with access to the first floor for sleeping facilities. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play and nearby access to woodland walks. The home is accessible at street level and without internal steps downstairs. The childminder welcomes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language. Local facilities, including parks, schools and shops are within walking distance.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She offers a flexible package of care which includes day care, before and after school care and overnight stays.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is a qualified teacher with considerable experience of teaching children in the early years age range. She also holds a Diploma in Home-based Childcare at level 3. There are currently seven children on her register, all of whom are in the early years age range.

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

 enhance children's social experiences, so as to further support their preparation for school

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who attend

The childminder provides an extensive variety of inspiring activities to help children make excellent progress across all areas of learning and development. She has high expectations for each child in her care and challenges them accordingly. For example, while playing with cars, she encourages older children to measure how far cars travel, and give instructions using simple maps. Younger children use cars to make a road layout in the sand tray. She promotes children's communication and language development very effectively, modelling the use of language well and inviting them to join in. For example, as young children spin wheels round, the childminder sings an appropriate rhyme, encouraging toddlers to copy a word or two. She has a clear understanding of how to deliver rich, varied and imaginative experiences for children of all ages and stages. This encourages all children to think creatively and test out new words or ideas.

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who attend

As an Early Years class teacher, with considerable experience across the primary age group in a range of schools, the childminder is exceptionally well-prepared for childminding. Her knowledge of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage is exemplary. She is thoroughly accountable, meticulous in meeting all legal requirements, and has very high standards for all aspects of her work with children. She has excellent strategies for planning, assessment and evaluations. The childminder notes each observation on a record sheet and carefully identifies what the observations tell her about children's achievements and interests. She then skilfully incorporates what she knows about each child into her future planning. As a result the activities and experiences children have are tailored extremely well to help them make outstanding progress in their learning and development. The dated observations and photographs are added to

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who attend

children's 'Learning Journey' books which are shared with parents. Together they celebrate children's achievements and progress and plan for children's future learning. Required progress checks for two-year-old children are routinely completed and are used highly effectively to secure timely interventions and inform planning. Her expert knowledge of each child is the basis for new activities that enrich and excite the children. Through monthly themes, such as the story of the 'Gingerbread Man', 'cars' and 'teddy bears', the childminder delivers an outstanding programme of learning in a highly playful way.

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who attend

The learning environment is challenging and diverse both indoors and outside. Children have the flexibility to choose where and how they play because resources are well prepared and made easily accessible to them. For example, children can chalk or paint a paper roadway in the kitchen or outside on the patio. They can role-play with a toy petrol station inside or make one out in the garden. Children choose between pushing and riding wheeled toys through an outdoor obstacle course, before coming inside to make a smaller version for their cars. When children return from school, remote controlled cars challenge their dexterity and use of technology. All children are highly motivated to explore their own ideas and try new activities, and they enjoy achieving what they set out to do. They make excellent progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next steps in their learning.

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who attend

During initial meetings, the childminder and parents establish children's individual needs, preferences and skills; this enables the childminder to make excellent provision for children right from the start. Babies form secure attachments easily because they have their needs met immediately and so feel safe. New parents are often reassured with a quick text message during the day and individual learning journals are always available to show parents and grandparents. Parents appreciate the opportunity to exchange information at 'drop off' and collection times. Parents provide exceptionally positive feedback and clearly value the high quality childcare and education provided by the childminder.

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who attend

One parent's comment is testimony to the childminder's services: 'I don't have any suggestions for how to improve your level of care. Keep it up!'

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

All children, including babies, feel secure and settle in quickly because the childminder is highly caring and sensitive. She attends to their needs calmly and kindly, keeping to a familiar routine and soothing them with a gentle voice or nursery rhyme so that children soon grow in confidence. A wide range of toys entices them to move between rooms, so that they gain independence and are confident to explore further, in the knowledge that the childminder is never far away.

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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 in her care and supports their growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Children who engage in messy play with a wide range of materials, know they must wash their hands before mealtimes and are supported to do so. Snacks and meals are well balanced, nutritious and healthy. Colourful pictures illustrate a sheet of house rules so that even the youngest children soon learn simple ways to be healthy and safe.

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

The childminder consistently models expected behaviour and has a vast range of strategies and experience to manage the behaviour of large numbers of young children. Consequently, children have secure boundaries and expectations and learn how to behave in different contexts. All children and families are welcome in the childminder's home. Children's backgrounds and cultures are valued and respected.

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

Children find out about their local community through regular outings and the childminder recognises the benefits of making the most of opportunities for children to socialise to help them prepare for school. They get good exercise because they walk to school and back on some days in the week, choosing which park to play in on the return journey. The childminder also makes regular trips to the local country park where children access a wide range of physical challenges and meet a few farm animals. In the woodland nearby, children gain confidence at assessing everyday risks as they jump off fallen logs and across puddles, collect sticks and sweet chestnuts. Children also enjoy daily opportunities to play on the large apparatus and equipment in the childminder's garden. This provides a complete change of stimulation at the end of the school day and extends children's physical abilities.

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

Highly effective links between home, school and the childminder provide stability for children and give them a secure basis from which to move on. The childminder uses her experience as a primary school teacher to provide excellent support for children when they start school. She is skilled at knowing when to liaise with staff at the school and how to advise parents with helpful ideas and strategies. Children also receive excellent support with their homework if they and their parents wish it.

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provision

The childminder is diligent in fulfilling her responsibilities and meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a rigorous and effective system for self- evaluation that informs her priorities, The childminder has an excellent understanding of her responsibility to ensure that the provision meets the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and has effective systems to monitor their implementation. All required documentation to support children's safety and welfare is maintained. She has a comprehensive range of well thought-through policies and procedures to support the welfare requirements which are made available to parents. She keeps her first aid training up to date, as required and demonstrates an excellent awareness of safeguarding matters and knows exactly what to do if she has any concerns about a child's well-being. The premises are highly suitable for meeting the needs of all

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provision

the children who attend. Written risk assessments for the home and for outings are prepared and reviewed and visitors sign in and out of the home. Safety and security measures are excellent. This helps the childminder to fulfil her role in keeping children safe.

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provision

The childminder continues to develop her own knowledge base; she actively reviews recent early years' research and is committed to maintaining continued professional development. This helps to keep her fully informed and current in the service she provides to children and families. She meets regularly with a small group of other highly qualified childminders to discuss and share good practice.

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provision

The childminder understands the importance of partnership working with parents and external agencies and takes their views, and those of the children, into account when considering areas for future improvement. She has an uncompromising drive to provide and maintain an exemplary service which results in excellent progress for all children over a sustained period.

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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 EY377483 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 813099 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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