Childminder in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/12/2013 08/12/2009

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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 brings learning to life for children as she allows them to handle objects, such as reindeer antlers as they learn about Arctic animals.  The childminder uses her very good knowledge about children's development to work alongside others who care for them. This enables her to accurately monitor their progress and build upon their prior learning.  The childminder teaches children about healthy lifestyles as they talk about the effect of exercise upon their bodies and look at models of teeth while discussing healthy eating.  The childminder is highly committed to professional development in order to extend upon her knowledge and skills.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always encourage children to talk about the way they are feeling when they display strong emotions in order for them to fully understand them.  Children do not always have a range of opportunities to write for different purposes during their everyday play.

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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 activities in the kitchen and living room.  The inspector had discussions with the childminder and children.  The inspector discussed a planned activity with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records, safeguarding procedures and self-evaluation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2000, although she has previously minded for periods over the last 20 years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Childminding is contained to the ground floor of the childminder's home, however, washing and toilet facilities are located on the first floor. There is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis.

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Information about the setting

Currently, there are seven children on roll, four of whom are all in the early years age group. Older children attend after school and in the school holidays. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. The family pets are three dogs, a cat and tortoise. The childminder is able to provide funded early education for two-three-and four-year-old children.

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Information about the setting

The childminder holds a childcare qualification at level 3. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years. The childminder is accredited to a local authority quality scheme. She provides care from 8am until 6pm except for Bank holidays and family holidays.

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

 enhance children's understanding of difficult emotions further by helping them to name and talk about their feelings

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

 encourage children's developing interest in literacy by providing opportunities for them to write purposefully during their everyday play.

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who attend

The childminder displays a good understanding about the way that children learn best. Consequently, she brings learning to life for them as she teaches them about subjects which peak their curiosity. For example, children learn about animals that live in the Arctic. They talk with excitement about polar bears and Father Christmas. The childminder responds to their discussion on the subject of reindeer by showing them an antler she previously brought back from a holiday. This sensory experience excites children's imagination and their interest. The children continue with their theme as they make polar bear faces from cotton wool and paper plates. The childminder allows children to use their own ideas and imagination as they create. Children use glue spreaders with increasing control to stick the cotton wool and features to make the face. The childminder is in tune to children's needs and does not insist they stay at the activity, allowing them to get down

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who attend

and return to it throughout the day. Children become competent and skilful in their learning because of the ample choices the childminder gives them. This fosters positive attitudes, which will equip them well for their future learning and readiness for school.

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who attend

Children enjoy engaging in social play at local toddler groups. Here, they learn to get along with others while also developing their physical skills. Children run, climb and jump as they play on soft foam shapes and increase their balance and confidence. They become articulate and expressive, because the childminder allows them opportunity to talk and listens to what they say showing them it is of value. Children use talk in their play as they negotiate games and roles for each other while playing with baskets of pretend food. There is scope to further extend upon children everyday play activities by increasing the availability of materials for writing to develop their literacy skills. The childminder reads stories to children, helping them to develop a love of books. Children snuggle up close and point out their favourite characters and things they notice in the illustrations. This increases their interest in stories and helps them to understand that print carries meaning.

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who attend

The childminder keeps extensive records about children's learning and development. She uses a daily journal to record children's activities through photographs and supporting observations. This enables her to effectively share children's learning with parents. Parents share their own observations of what children do at home and the childminder uses these to formulate plans for what children need to learn next. The childminder is confident in her knowledge of what children can do and uses it to discuss children's learning and development with other professionals. This allows children and their families to know about children's achievements and their level of working. The childminder uses available literature to track children's learning in differing age bands. This accompanied with her many years' experience of caring for children, means her assessments are accurate and children, therefore, make good progress. The childminder works very closely with local

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who attend

schools and pre-schools where children attend. They successfully combine their knowledge of children to complement each other meaning children experience continual challenge in their learning.

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

Children are affectionate and content in the care of the childminder. This is because she provides a calm and relaxed environment, with routines, which meet their needs well. The childminder is aware that some children experience several changes in their day as they move from home, to her care, to pre-school and then back into her care again before home. She plans activities that help children to rest and unwind and children feel secure as a result. At times children display strong emotions as they resist some activities and lay on the floor away from the childminder and other children. The childminder manages their behaviour by offering them comfort, distraction and suggesting activities where they can sit close, such as story time. Children respond to this and settle again. However, the childminder does not encourage children to express or name the way they are feeling in order to help them to understand their actions and that it is acceptable to feel this way to

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

enhance their emotional well-being. The childminder shares close relationships with families who share daily information about expectations for behaviour and children's daily routines, meaning children experience consistency.

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

Children have a good understanding about healthy lifestyles. This is because the childminder teaches them about the effects of exercise on their bodies. The childminder asks them how they feel when they are trying to lift heavy items in the home and when they talk about the gym where their parents attend. They learn about teeth by looking at a life scale size model of teeth. Children take out each tooth and the childminder gets them to feel the corresponding tooth in their mouth. This paves the way for discussion about the importance of keeping teeth healthy by visiting the dentist and eating the right foods. Children delight in these activities, which enable them to have depth of understanding and excellent awareness of their own bodies. Children become independent and capable as they use the toilet by themselves and wash their hands when they need. This helps them to manage their own personal needs well.

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

Children understand about risks and keeping themselves safe as the childminder gets them to think about their actions. When children say that they are going to throw a plastic fruit, the childminder asks them what might happen. Children talk about this together before deciding not to throw it and talking about places where they can throw balls, such as, the garden and soft play areas. As children are able to understand the consequences of their behaviour they are learning to moderate what they do and behave well and become safety conscious as a result. This prepares them well for enjoying physical challenge and small risk taking when they play in local parks and play areas, as they enjoy fresh air and exercise.

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provision

The childminder can confidently discuss her responsibility for keeping children safe in her care. She uses policies and procedures to underpin her work. By reading widely and attending regular training, she remains abreast of changes to requirements and further ways to protect children through good practice. The childminder is aware of how to recognise the signs and symptoms that might cause her concern about children's welfare and has clear and concise procedures for reporting any such concern. The childminder carries out risk assessments of the areas where children play and takes measures to reduce any risk, such as having gates to block off certain areas of the home.

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provision

The childminder is committed to professional development and undertakes frequent training to further extend upon her knowledge and skills. She uses this to provide activities and support for children and to remain aware of their changing needs. In her pursuit of providing high quality care for children, the childminder is part of an accredited network and liaises with local authority development workers. Along with her own methods of self- evaluation, this enables her to effectively put into place action plans to target weaker areas. The childminder has thoroughly addressed the recommendations from the previous inspection and demonstrates a very positive attitude towards ongoing improvement in quality for children in the future. The childminder monitors the programmes of learning she provides and uses evaluation to measure their effectiveness. She is driven by children's own interests and needs and is reflective if activities do not go to plan. This

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provision

means that children experience consistently good quality teaching experiences that help them to make progress in their development.

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provision

Parents compliment the childminder on the care she provides for children and say that they feel her care is 'home from home' for children. She works closely to exchange meaningful information to support children's development. For example, when completing the progress check at age two for required children where she liaises with parents and other settings who care for children. If this alerts to perceived differences in children's abilities, she provides more information and supplements this with the extensive observations she keeps. This close working with other professionals benefits children and their families who value the reliable assessments the childminder makes. Children are happy and stable in the childminder's care and enjoy attending.

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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 505402 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 872327 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 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

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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