Churcher, Nicola Jane

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/11/2013 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

 All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress in their language and communication because the childminder supports them in learning new vocabulary and attaching meaning to print by sharing books and stories.  Children settle quickly and feel confident and secure in the childminder's care. Consequently, they are able to play and learn, and take risks, in a supported environment.  The childminder organises her time very well and maintains the documentation and paperwork needed to support children's safety and welfare highly effectively.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The range of resources includes fewer open-ended play resources, such as items and materials that are found, recycled or natural, so children have fewer opportunities to use their senses and creative thinking by imaginatively exploring this type of resource.

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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 interacted with children in the playroom and as they ate lunch.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder and carried out a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of documentation, including evidence of suitability checks and qualifications, policies and children's development profiles.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents gathered in advance of the inspection.

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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 and one child aged eight years in Warley, Essex. The ground floor of the house and the rear garden are used for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local school. There are currently five children on roll, of whom two are in the early years age range. The childminder operates all year round from 7.30am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and family 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:

 make greater use of a wide range of natural and found materials, indoors and outside, to develop children's problem-solving skills and creative thinking through open-ended and sensory play.

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who attend

Children make good progress in the prime and specific areas of learning because the childminder provides a balanced range of well-thought-out activities, and outings to local places of interest, to stimulate and interest them. Young children can select and enjoy a wide variety of interesting toys and resources to inspire their curiosity and intrigue them. They enjoy creating masks with a Halloween theme, using crayons and pens, shapes and collage materials to decorate them. Children are pleased with the finished results and recall the fun they had going 'trick or treating' the night before.

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who attend

Children's language development and communication are very well promoted, including those for whom English is not their first language. The childminder speaks constantly to children, narrating actions and telling them what will be happening next. She praises children for attempting new words and uses some key vocabulary for children who have a dual-language home, helping them to feel secure and confident to speak. Children choose books that appeal to them when they visit the library, ensuring they are interested and eager to have the stories read to them. These early positive experiences are valuable and aid children's development, increasing their understanding and vocabulary. Children enjoy a rich programme of outings to local places of interest, such as country parks, woodland and a petting farm. They engage with the natural world and begin to learn about life cycles and how to care for living things. They collect leaves and other

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who attend

specimens which help them understand the changing seasons. The childminder continues these activities at home, for example, with art and craft work, such as collage and painting. They can also recall events by viewing the photographs as a slideshow on a laptop computer.

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who attend

Sensory activities for young children include sand and water play in the garden, as well as sowing seeds and planting bulbs for a spring flower display. They use play dough and cornflour paste to explore different textures and materials. To date, the childminder has provided fewer natural, recycled and household items to aid children's exploratory play and sensory development.

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who attend

Children use the small world figures and characters to create play scenarios. Using their imagination this way helps them understand the world around them. The homely, child- centred environment is welcoming, colourful and stimulating. Floor play includes puzzles and wooden blocks, small balls, a garage and vehicles. Children move between activities, creating imaginary play scenarios and repeating certain tasks to perfect them. By giving children time and space to freely explore and manipulate the play materials and toys, they seek solutions to problems and refine their skills. This helps children's readiness for school when the time comes.

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who attend

The childminder observes and notes children's development and achievements, and compiles a record, along with her tracking system, which shows what stage each child is at. Realistic and appropriate next steps are suggested so parents can continue the learning at home. For children aged two years, the childminder completes a progress check and shares the results with parents. This enables any intervention needed to be put into place early, for children who are found to be below expected levels of development at this point.

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

The childminder provides warm and friendly care to the children. They settle quickly and become confident in her care, and form strong, close emotional attachments. Children are treated as members of the family and look forward to interacting with the older children when they return from school. By finding out about care and health needs in advance of them attending, the childminder can tailor care and manage the welfare of each individual child. This also enables her to start planning activities based on what children can do and need to do next to progress their learning.

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

An effective partnership with parents is established as the childminder routinely takes photographs of the children engaged in activities and provides copies to parents. In this way, parents are reassured and feel very well informed about their child's care and well- being. There is always time for an informal chat at pick-up time; children benefit emotionally from seeing that the relationship between their family and the childminder is positive.

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

Children enjoy fresh air and exercise as they play in the garden, and on daily walks to and from school to collect older children. Indoors they have plenty of opportunities for free movement as the care space is large and safe for them to negotiate freely. Children sleep or nap as required, on a sofa or in a bedroom if they need a quiet space. Children learn to face physical challenge and manage risk in a safe and controlled way while visiting country parks or local play areas. The childminder is encouraging while having regard to safety at all times. Risk assessments are effective in creating a safe and secure environment, and consideration is given to safe travel whether in a car or on foot. Children do not open the door to anyone; this and other simple 'house rules' keep them safe and secure. By practising an evacuation drill, children become familiar with the routine and are able to respond quickly in the case of any emergency.

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

Children are emotionally prepared for transitions and changes. They become used to sharing the attention of the childminder with other children, and develop resilience and an understanding of acceptable behaviour as they understand the simple and consistently applied behaviour management strategies. Competence in self-care develops as children gain independence in feeding themselves and using the bathroom, sensitively supported by the childminder. Children are praised for kind and thoughtful behaviour, such as sharing or helping to tidy up, which encourages them to think about the positive effects of their own behaviour on others. The childminder talks to children about the next stages of their learning, such as school or pre-school. This helps prepare them for the changes ahead and allay any anxieties they may have.

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provision

The childminder's success is due to her very strong organisational skills and professional approach to managing a busy week. She plans the day's events well, incorporating active and quiet times, outings and routine events efficiently. Children's needs always come first and routines are flexible to allow for spontaneous play and fun learning opportunities, such as a visit to the library or a stomp through the woods.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements, enabling her to care for children safely. She has completed training in child protection to enable her to respond swiftly and appropriately to any concerns about children's welfare. Her policy explains her responsibilities in detail so parents can be reassured that their children are well cared for. Children's safety and welfare have a high priority and the childminder strives at all times to put children's needs first.

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provision

Although she is relatively new to childminding, the childminder reflects on her practice and considers her future development, constantly seeking improvements. All mandatory training and qualifications, including first aid, are up to date. However, she is ambitious and keen to extend her knowledge of childcare related matters and reads widely. The childminder is keen to gain further qualifications which will increase the scope of her practice. By seeking and analysing the views of parents and the older children who attend, she is able to make improvements, such as providing further resources which children suggest, to enhance their play and learning.

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provision

Parents report their complete satisfaction and confidence in the childminding arrangements. They are confident that their children are in safe hands and are developing well, and report that children are eager to attend every day. They appreciate the childminder's flexibility to cope with their varying work patterns. Good communication ensures an effective two-way flow of information and ensures that children's needs are always managed well. The childminder has developed effective links with other early years settings attended by children. By finding out what they have been doing, the childminder can complement the learning, and also keep parents informed. As yet, the childminder has not experienced any partnership working with outside agencies, but she is aware of how she can seek support and work with parents and other professionals to help all children who need additional support to make good progress.

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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 EY462429 Local authority Essex Inspection number 921365 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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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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