Eastman, Sophie Jane

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/11/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children are making excellent progress as they take part in purposeful adult-led activities and benefit from a wide range of learning experiences.  The childminder forms warm and caring relationships with the children, which enables them to feel exceptionally safe and secure in her care.  Children benefit from the childminder's highly effective interaction that stimulates their progress extremely well.  The childminder's home is welcoming and retains a home from home environment, while being stimulating and inviting.  There are excellent communication and partnerships with parents. They are provided with high quality information about their children and the childminder's service.  The childminder has thorough paperwork, including risk assessments, children's progress records and written policies and procedures.  The childminder's self-evaluation is robust and identifies her strengths and further

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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 children's play and activities indoors and outside in the garden.  The inspector viewed all areas of the childminder's home, which children use.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a selection of the childminder's paperwork including some written policies and children's progress records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views through reading information completed by them including questionnaires and a written reference.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and interacted with the children present at the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013. She lives with her husband and young child in Reading, Berkshire. The downstairs of the childminder's home is mainly used for childminding with access to the first floor mostly for sleeping and toilet facilities. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

Local facilities are within walking distance, such as parks, schools and shops. The childminder is able to take children to and collect them from local schools and pre-schools. She is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently two children on roll in the early years age group, who attend on a full and part-time basis. The childminding service is offered Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, all year round except for the childminder's holidays. The childminder holds a recognised early years qualification and has many years experience working in early years settings.

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

 enhance children's understanding through more consistent use of signs and actions when talking to them.

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who attend

Children are very active learners. They are highly motivated to explore and investigate through the wide range of stimulating activities, play experiences and outings provided by the childminder. She has an excellent understanding of children's individual learning styles and complements these very effectively. For example, she obtains baskets and boxes after observing a child's ideas and plans to put items in and out of containers. As a result, children make excellent progress as the childminder incorporates their interests and builds upon these with highly effective activities.

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who attend

Parents are encouraged to share extensive information about their children on entry and on an ongoing basis. This enables the childminder to establish children's starting points effectively, and promotes an excellent shared approach to supporting children's learning and development. For instance, she encourages parents to keep her up to date with children's progress at home, such as new words spoken. Ongoing effective observations identify children's next steps of learning accurately. In addition, the childminder undertakes regular summaries of children's progress, which she shares with parents. This enables the childminder and parents to assess children's progress thoroughly. Children benefit from the childminder's excellent interaction. She provides activities that extend and challenge children's thinking. Babies begin to match pictures of animals with small world model animals, develop awareness of counting and number, and the

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who attend

childminder introduces language about the animals, such as the sound they make. This promotes their language skills, understanding of the world, and stimulates early mathematical learning. Children enjoy looking at different types of books; for example, babies investigate electronic buttons and different textures in the books. The babies show they are extremely familiar with handling books, as they turn them the right way up and turn the pages to look at the pictures. The childminder follows the children's interests and reads the books to the children, asking age appropriate questions to stimulate their thinking skills and understanding.

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who attend

Children explore natural materials and different mediums. The childminder recognises children's individual preferences to handle different materials. She encourages children to create using different techniques to develop their confidence in touching different mediums, such as painting with cotton bud sticks. Outside children investigate and explore using plastic tubes and balls, and enjoy kicking and throwing fallen leaves around. The childminder sings songs to the children and talks to them, providing a running commentary about what the young children are doing. She encourages the babies to repeat words and uses some actions and signs when she talks with them to further support their understanding, although not always consistently. Children enjoy playing with musical instruments and learn the actions to familiar songs and rhymes. Languages spoken at home are extremely well valued. For instance, the childminder uses greetings in

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who attend

other languages spoken to children at home, uses books in dual languages and takes children to 'rhyme time' held in other languages at the library. The childminder's highly effective teaching, learning experiences and activities build children's skills extremely well for their future learning.

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

The childminder's home is welcoming and provides a 'home from home' environment, which is stimulating and inviting both indoors and outside. Photographs, pictures, words, sentences and numbers are on display at child height, enabling children to observe them easily. The low-level storage units have picture and word labels. As a result, even the youngest children are able to recognise the contents and make their own play choices. The childminder widens children's play experiences by borrowing additional toys and equipment. This means children benefit from familiar toys and resources, and those that offer additional stimulation and interest.

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

Children develop an extremely good understanding of hygiene practice. They have regular routines, such as hand washing before eating, with pictures of hand washing to encourage children's understanding further. Children have individual hand drying towels, which they easily recognise as being theirs. They develop excellent healthy tastes as the childminder provides nutritious, well balanced and varied meals and snacks. These encourage them to widen the variety of foods they eat as she offers a wide selection of dishes, including those that reflect different cultures and countries. The childminder promotes children's understanding of caring for their bodies extremely well. For example, through discussions with them and using pictures of what children need to put on before going outside, such as their coat and boots. Children spend time outside daily in the fresh air, building their physical skills and strength. The childminder encourages babies to experience different

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

surfaces to walk on, such as outdoors, which gives them confidence in their new skills. She develops their understanding of safety by talking to them about holding onto the buggy while walking, and practises the evacuation procedure with them.

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

Regular routines and expectations enable children to feel safe and secure in the childminder's care. Excellent and flexible settling-in procedures tailored to children's individual needs enable children to settle easily. Children form excellent relationships with the childminder, who responds to them warmly and positively. Children confidently move around the childminder's home and make choices from the toys and resources independently. The childminder encourages children to be independent, such as babies feeding themselves. She provides very clear expectations of behaviour for children, which are consistent. This enables children to develop their very good understanding of the rules and boundaries in place. Children receive plenty of warm and positive praise and encouragement that supports their self-esteem exceptionally well. Outings to social groups enable children to learn to mix with a larger group of adults and children of different ages.

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

As a result, this develops their confidence and social skills effectively and supports them in becoming ready for attending pre-school or nursery sessions in the future.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of her responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare, and learning and development requirements of The Early Years Foundation Stage. She shows a proactive approach to promoting the highest standards when meeting the needs of children's care and learning needs. The childminder promotes the children's welfare and wellbeing through thoroughly completed paperwork. Risk assessments are meticulous and fully promote children's safety at all times. The childminder is vigilant in promoting children's safety and is proactive in responding to changes. For example, when babies start climbing, she puts the chairs away so that they cannot reach the table or work surfaces. The childminder has an excellent understanding of her responsibilities to safeguard children. She demonstrates a thorough understanding of what signs or symptoms might raise her concerns, and the steps to take in the event of

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provision

concerns arising about children's welfare.

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provision

The childminder has a highly effective knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. For example, she has a thorough knowledge of completing progress checks for children aged two, and how she will complete these. The childminder successfully implements adult-led and child-initiated experiences for children, which stimulates their learning and progress extremely effectively. The childminder uses her excellent understanding of children's progress, learning styles and activities she provides to monitor the effectiveness of the educational programmes she provides. There are excellent partnerships and communication with parents. Parents receive a wealth of information, such as in displays and written policies. The childminder shares information about children on a daily basis both verbally, electronically and through extremely informative daily written diaries. This keeps parents exceptionally well informed

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provision

about the childminder's service, their children's time with the childminder and their ongoing progress. Parents comment reflect that they think very highly of her service and practice, and the learning experiences their children receive. The childminder demonstrates an excellent approach to forming partnerships and has initiated these in advance to support future changes for children, such as when they start school.

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provision

Robust self-evaluation enables the childminder to identify the strengths of her practice extremely well, along with further areas to enhance children's learning experiences on a continual basis. The process for self-evaluation is thorough. The childminder very actively seeks parents' views and opinions, and she takes excellent account of young children's interests and provides for their individual learning styles highly effectively. She demonstrates a commitment to continue her professional development through additional training. This reflects the childminder has an exceptionally strong capacity to maintain improvement in the future.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY462349 Local authority Reading Inspection number 920437 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 2

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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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