Childminder in Doncaster

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/10/2013 12/07/2011

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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 incorporates children's likes into the planning and she involves them in sharing their views when making improvements, such as designing the garden. Therefore, children have a strong sense of belonging and it means they are eager, motivated and enthusiastic learners.  The children are happy and they have secure attachments with the childminder, which means they feel safe and settled in her care. The childminder promotes children's health and understanding of leading a healthy lifestyle very well.  The childminder implements a broad range of policies and procedures to ensure she promotes and safeguards children's welfare.  Partnerships with parents are effective and parents are very complimentary about the good quality care their children experience.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Information sharing with others professionals involved in some of the newer children's learning are not yet highly effective to make a strong contribution to complement and promote continuity when planning for children's first rate learning.  Arrangements for continuous improvement and professional development are not always frequent enough to maintain the highest levels of achievement for children and highly successful practice.

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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 toured the premises and observed children playing in the living room and dining room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and assistant at appropriate times throughout the inspection and completed a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning records, planning information, a selection of policies, procedures and other documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through letters.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2003 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and their two teenage children in Edenthorpe, Doncaster. The whole of the ground floor, first floor bathroom and garden are used for childminding. The family has a dog as a pet. The childminder works with an assistant.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local children centre. She visits parks and other places of interest with children on a regular basis. She is able to collect children from the local schools, nursery and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 21 children on roll, of these, six are in the early years age group and they attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 6am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays and bank holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 strengthen partnership working with other professionals involved in children's learning, so that information sharing contributes to making a strong and highly effective contribution to complementing and promoting continuity in children's learning

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

 extend systems for promoting continuous improvement so that targeted action plans are frequent enough to contribute to maintaining the highest levels of achievement and maintain a well-established programme of professional development which contributes to achieving a first rate understanding of good quality practice.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of the importance of play and how young children learn. Therefore, she effectively organises a good selection of resources around the home so that children can make safe and independent choices in their play. In addition, she considers their likes when planning activities, such as, children's love of cars and trains. This results in children having a positive approach to their play. They are eager, excited, motivated and enthusiastic to join in the activities. The childminder regularly observes the children so that she has a good understanding of their abilities and next steps in learning. This contributes to her planning a broad range of experiences to support individual children in making good progress in their learning. For example, through drawing and making marks with paint, children are engaging in early literacy activities. In addition, children have good opportunities to be independent. They make

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who attend

their own choices in play and through everyday routines; young children develop their self-care skills, such as feeding themselves. These activities give children confidence and the skills required when they embark on their next stage in learning, such as starting school.

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who attend

The childminder and her assistant are actively involved in children's play. They interact with them well and this supports children's progress in their communication and language development. For instance, they ask a good range of open-ended questions so that children respond and think for themselves. In addition, they repeat words and provide a running commentary in play so that young children extend their vocabulary. Therefore, they encourage children to have the confidence to engage in conversations with others. The childminder provides many experiences to promote children's development in expressive arts and design. Children thoroughly enjoy using their imagination as they play with the cars and trains. In addition, through arts and crafts, exploring different textures and media, such as paint, dough and glue, children have good opportunities to be creative. The childminder provides a good range of activities to support children's

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who attend

mathematical development. Through songs and rhymes, she introduces young children to number. In addition, by letting children explore, she encourages them to work things out and solve simple problems. For example, when young children drop their cars over the chair arm, they soon work out the cars still exist when out of sight. The childminder fosters children's development in understanding the world. Children learn about early technology and how things work because they play with toys that they have to twist, turn, press and lift flaps to make work. The childminder also encourages children to explore their environment and learn about nature and the world in which they live. For example, they go on nature walks, they talk about a variety of cultural events and festivals and they plant and grow flowers and vegetables.

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who attend

The relationships with parents are good. The childminder regularly shares with them children's daily care experiences, achievements, next steps and activities planned to support their progress. She does this through discussion and by sending home their child's learning record. Therefore, they work together to promote continuity in children's learning and care. In addition, through her detailed policy file, she keeps parents well informed about the service and education programme in place for their children.

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

Children are happy and they feel safe and secure in the childminder's care. This is because they have good relationships and strong bonds with her and her assistant. When children first start, she discusses with parents children's individual needs, likes, routines and abilities. This means she has a good understanding of children's starting points and this enables her to promote continuity in their care and learning. Therefore, the transition from home is smooth for children because routines and resources are familiar to them. For example, during settling-in visits she ensures she provides resources that reflect children's likes, which means they settle quickly. This effectively supports children's personal, social and emotional development and gives children confidence to embrace future change, such as starting school.

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

Through good use of praise, providing consistent routines and boundaries, children are developing a secure understanding of right and wrong. The childminder adopts positive ways of supporting children's good behaviour during activities. Through play, children demonstrate that they know it is kind to share and take turns, and the older children show a sense of responsibility when playing with the younger children. For example, when playing card games, they team up with their younger peers and explain what the need to do so that they can join in the game. This demonstrates children have positive and harmonious relationships with each other. The childminder listens to children and she values their contributions. For example, children contribute to the planning of activities and when making improvements, she encourages children to share their ideas. For example, the ongoing development of the garden incorporates children's wishes, such as

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

deciding they want stepping stones, duck, chicken and other animal ornaments in the garden. This means children have a strong sense of belonging, high self-esteem and confidence to share their ideas and opinions.

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

Children have a good understanding of why they need to adopt effective health and hygiene routines. The childminder provides a healthy and nutritious diet. This includes freshly baked bread, fresh fruit, vegetables and home-cooked meals. She also involves children in food preparation activities, such as baking and they enjoy eating the foods they grow in the garden. This means children have good opportunities to discuss why it is important to have a balanced diet. The children's understanding of effective health and hygiene practices is good. They independently engage in daily routines, such as hand washing and they know they need to do this because germs make them ill. This independence in hand washing and making healthy choices at mealtimes, effectively promotes children's self-care skills. The children have regular opportunities to be active and to play in the fresh air. This promotes their physical development and their

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

understanding of the importance of exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle. For example, children play in the garden, they go on walks and enjoy going to indoor play centres. These activities mean children climb, crawl under, over and through a varied range of apparatus. The children are learning about ways in which they can keep themselves safe. For example, the childminder involves them in regular fire evacuation practices. In addition, they discuss road safety on outings and the childminder ensures they know the importance of using car seats and wearing seat belts when travelling in the car.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of her responsibilities in in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She provides a safe and clean learning environment for children to play. She manages this effectively because she carries out daily safety checks, supervises children's play and completes regular risk assessments. Therefore, she puts in place good precautions to minimise accidents. In addition, to support keeping children safe, the childminder maintains and implements a wide range of effective policies and procedures. These include ensuring children travel safely in the car by authorised drivers and safe procedures for collecting children from school. In addition, she ensures the management of the family pet poses no risk to children. She ensures her assistant is aware of his responsibilities because he is actively involved in devising the policies and procedures.

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provision

The childminder accesses relevant safeguarding training and this means she has a good understanding of child protection issues. She is aware of potential signs of abuse and neglect and her detailed safeguarding policy clearly outlines the agencies she contacts when dealing with concerns. This means she understands her responsibilities in protecting children from harm.

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provision

The childminder is taking some positive steps to evaluate and monitor her service and provision for children. She monitors the educational programmes and children's progress on a regular, basis. In children's learning records she uses a different coloured sticker for each area of learning, therefore, she quickly notices any gaps in the educational programmes. She also uses a self-evaluation document to monitor the quality of her service and this contributes to identifying areas to improve, such as the ongoing development of the garden. However, her reflections on the quality of practice have recently been less frequent to ensure her targeted action plans maintain the highest levels of achievement. In addition, the childminder and her assistant have not recently made full use of training opportunities to contribute to achieving a first rate understanding of good quality practice. The childminder demonstrates her commitment to improve because she

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provision

has successfully addressed the recommendations from her last inspection. For example, she maintains detailed risk assessments records and involves children in regular evaluation practices. This contributes to promoting and safeguarding children's welfare.

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provision

The childminder has good relationships with parents. She provides them with good information about the service, activities children enjoy through her daily records and written policies and procedures. Therefore, she keeps parents well informed about the service and their children's progress. Comments from parents are very complementary. Numerous letters from parents express how happy they are with the service provided. They say their children are happy, they make good progress in their learning and that the childminder meets the needs of the children and family. A number of children have recently started school, and the childminder is beginning to build up relationships with these settings. However, relationships are still new and not yet highly effective in sharing information about children's learning experiences and progress so that she can fully complement and promote continuity when planning for their already good learning. The

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provision

childminder fully understands the importance of working in partnership with external agencies, such as health professionals, so that appropriate measures are in place to meet any identified needs children may have.

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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 EY260677 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 938750 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 10 Number of children on roll 21

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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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