Childminder in Suffolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/11/2013 13/02/2009

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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 undertakes purposeful observations and subsequent assessment which helps to identify children's achievements and build securely on what they know and can do. Careful planning by the childminder means that children are supported well and continue to be successful in their learning and development.  The childminder actively encourages the children to develop their growing understanding about the importance of exercise,fresh air and embracing a healthy lifestyle.  The childminder fully supports the care and education of the children in her setting. She works closely with parents and staff of the local school and other early years settings. This makes certain that the children have good continuity of care and learning opportunities as they move between home and different settings.  The childminder puts the welfare and safeguarding children as the utmost priority in her setting. The end result means that the children are secure and well protected.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not consistently include the assistant, children and parents in the monitoring of her practice and the educational programmes in order to confirm that she continues to meet user needs.

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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 taking part in activities in the living room of the childminder's setting.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked through a range of documentation including policies, procedures, children's development records and the childminder's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a wide range of discussions with the childminder, interacted with minded children and discussed a joint observation about the childminder's interaction with the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through information provided by the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2005 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, their four children and their foster child. The family in a house in Haverhill, Suffolk. The whole of the house and the garden are used for childminding. The childminder attends local activity groups, the local children's centre and parks. The childminder drops and collects children from the local pre-school and primary school.

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Information about the setting

The childminder operates throughout the year from 7am until 7pm. There are currently 11 children on roll, five are in the early years age group and six are over five-years-old. All of these children attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder works with her husband who is a registered co-minder and she is registered to work with an assistant. The childminders have both completed relevant early years training including completing National Vocational Qualification Level 3 training in Early Years Childhood Care and Education.

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

 develop further the current monitoring and self-evaluation process to take full account of the views of staff, children and their parents, and use these to enhance ongoing improvements to the provision for children.

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who attend

Time is taken to encourage parents and carers to share information about their child's abilities. Sharing this specific information enables the childminder to plan activities for each child, taking into account their particular interests and learning requirements. The childminder offers an emotionally supportive environment where the children and adults are comfortable with one another and excited about learning. Very good quality learning opportunities are organised which capture the children's imagination and participation. Attention to planning a fun environment helps them to settle quickly and feel at home and safe within the setting. Once settled, the children quickly grow in confidence. This, coupled with the childminder's sensitive interactions, provides a positive learning environment where children try things out for themselves, ask questions and explore how things work or what happens next. They are enabled to develop and entrench the

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who attend

characteristics of effective learners. This means that important early learning skills are securely embedded to support future development. The children are making good progress overall as their voices and perspectives are heard. Children are confident communicators, sharing their ideas. For example, they talk with adults about taking story books home to share with their mummy. The children are proud of their developing ability to understand that print carries meaning. They learn that they can decipher stories using clues. For instance, they find that the pictures tell them what is happening within the story or they hear adults read their favourite books over and over. They excitedly exclaim that they will take a popular children's story book about going on a bear hunt. The delight on their faces is real as they anticipate sharing the book and how they will read it to mummy because, they can read it 'literally'. The childminder is

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who attend

supporting the children in her care using 'Every Child a Talker'. She provides time for them to think and respond. The use of open questions encourages the children to join in conversations, sharing their ideas and views and developing their understanding of how verbal interaction takes place. For example, she encourages them to talk, listen and take turns.

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who attend

Observations are ongoing as the childminder assesses how the children are progressing and if there are any areas where additional support is required. Focus initially is on the prime areas of learning. This enables the children to embed firm foundations on which they can access and build other learning opportunities. These opportunities help them in making sense of the world around them. Learning records are shared with parents and carers and in turn they actively share learning which occurs at home. Children develop positive dispositions and attitudes towards learning, they are enabled to flourish. This is due to the good quality learning environment and opportunities, along with the positive attention and input from the significant adults in their lives.

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

Prior to placement the childminder and co-minder meet with families. This is in order to support smooth moves into their setting for the children. Clear and relevant information is shared relating to each child's individual care needs. Information includes how the childminder can meet their dietary and, where necessary, medical requirements. What their likes and dislikes are and what levels of independence they have. Time is also taken to make sure that the childminder meets the wishes of parents in relation to routines and respecting religious or cultural differences. This information sharing enables the childminder to more accurately plan play and learning opportunities to interest the children and help them feel at home. This means that the children's ongoing and changing care needs continue to be met effectively.

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

The children build secure relationships with the childminder, co-minder and other children in the setting. All the children appear well settled and at home. They are very confident to share their ideas and make their own decisions or choices about what they want to play with or do. This supports them in developing their self-help skills, confidence and self- esteem and prepares them emotionally for the transfer to pre-school or school. The childminder enables children to learn about healthy eating. This is achieved through cooking activities, joining in the preparation of snack and open discussion about foods which are good for you and those which are not so good. This is further brought to life for the children through books. For example, as they enjoy the a popular children's story book about a hungry caterpillar. Children explore how, by eating a variety of junk food, he ends up with a sore tummy. They then talk about the effects the fresh green leaf has on him

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

and how it makes him feel better. They conclude that this is because it is good for him. In addition to developing their understanding about healthy eating, daily routines help them to establish their knowledge about the importance of personal hygiene. For example, they learn that washing their hands at pertinent times means that they then do not spread germs to other people. The childminder also makes sure that the adults in the setting adopt good hygiene routines and attend relevant training in order that they can then more effectively protect the children's health.

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

The childminder plans plenty of opportunities for the children to enjoy getting out and about. The fresh air and exercise helps them to notice how it affects their bodies. They learn that running makes their hearts beat faster. They discover that they can make their bodies move in different ways. For example, as they climb and use larger apparatus in soft play centres and local parks. The children learn how to move safely and develop good coordination. Safety is of the highest priority. The setting is secure and attention to risk assessing all child accessible areas means that the children are protected from potential hazards. The children are encouraged to take appropriate risks, under the watchful eye of the childminder and co-minder. For example, they enjoy climbing and using single-handed tools with care. They use knives for cutting during snack and cooking activities. As the children are encouraged to use the correct tools for the job, they learn from an early age

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provision

The childminder has a clear understanding about the procedures for making a safeguarding referral and implements these effectively and in a timely manner when the need arises. Regular safeguarding training, including updating of first aid, enables her to take appropriate action in the event of a concern or accident. The childminder has a clear understanding about meeting her responsibility to protect the welfare of children. Risk assessments of the home and garden ensure that the children can play and learn in safety and comfort. The childminder has a clear understanding about the importance of police checks and would never leave a child unsupervised with visitors to her setting. All family members living in the house over the age of 16 years, have undergone police checks. This attention to detail makes sure that the children are protected from unsuitable adults. There are a range of pertinent policies and procedures which have been personalised to

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provision

the setting. These are shared with parents and carers in order to support the smooth daily running of the setting and to provide positive outcomes for the children.

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provision

Since the last inspection, the childminder has continued to improve the service she offers. Resources reflecting diversity have been extended, giving the children a wider range of artefacts to explore first hand. This helps them to learn about similarities and differences along with discovering the wider world around them. The childminder and co-minder have developed their reflective practice, evaluating the service they provide, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. However, the ongoing evaluations they make do not currently take full or consistent account of the views of children, parents and carers. This means that she cannot clearly evaluate if the service offered continues to securely meet user requirements. Continuing professional development is having a positive impact on outcomes for children. Updating training, such as safeguarding and paediatric first aid means the welfare of the children is protected. While training, such as positive behaviour

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provision

management, sensory play and 'Every child a talker' enables the childminder to interact and support learning and development through positive teaching methods and focused interaction.

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provision

Parents and carers report positively about the setting. They find the daily diaries and access to their children's learning records really helpful and informative. It enables them to share learning that happens at home and means that they are actively involved in their children's early learning and development. Purposeful links with other early years settings the children attend are in place. This means that the childminder can share relevant information. Together they can support learning to build firmly on what the children know and can do.

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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 EY308241 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 942075 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 10 Number of children on roll 11

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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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