Childminder in Warwickshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/01/2014 18/11/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 Children make good progress because the childminder effectively observes and assesses their level of achievement. She is aware of and plans in accordance with their different interests as well as their stage of development.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well by the childminder. Consequently, children are happy, settled and secure and the relationship between the childminder and the children is good.  The childminder successfully identifies and minimises risks in her home and on outings. Children are safeguarded because the childminder is aware of her responsibilities to protect them from abuse and neglect.  The childminder supports children's mathematical development well. Counting and calculation are promoted effectively as part of play activities and daily routines.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always use good opportunities to ask the children open- ended questions. In addition, the childminder does not always give children time to think, before answering the question herself.  Opportunities for children to explore, build and role play are not maximised in the outdoor learning environment because there is a lack of flexibility with regard to use of the garden throughout the year.

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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 compulsory part 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 as children played in a ground floor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, policies and procedures and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took account of parents' views.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives in Cawston on the outskirts of Rugby with her two children aged 14 years and 12 years. The whole of the ground floor of the house is used for childminding. A first floor bedroom and bathroom are also used. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The family has a dog.

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Information about the setting

There are currently three children in the early years age group on roll. The childminder cares for children all year round, all day Monday to Friday. The childminder is able to walk with children to and from a local school. She holds an early years qualification at level 3 and 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 better use of opportunities to ask children open-ended questions and and give them more time to think about what they want to say and put their thoughts into words

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

 extend opportunities for children to play in the outdoor environment throughout the year to explore, build and role play.

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who attend

Children are supported effectively by the childminder to acquire the skills and capacity to learn and develop in order to reach next steps in their learning. Children enjoy and are involved in activities that interest them. The childminder works well with parents to ensure continuity for children and she communicates effectively with other early years providers to ensure consistency. The childminder supports children well so that they develop skills in readiness for nursery class and school. She is aware of the requirement to provide parents with details of the 'progress check at age two' and completes this where necessary.

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who attend

Children participate in purposeful play, and the childminder encourages them to make decisions and find things out for themselves. They decide that they would like to eat blueberries and apricots, and drink milk at morning snack time. Children demonstrate good manipulative skills as they use a large spoon to serve the fruit for themselves. The childminder promotes children's mathematical development effectively because she asks them to identify how many children are present and then count out the corresponding number of plates and cups. She talks with children about needing 'one more'. Older children identify their age by demonstrating with the corresponding number of fingers. When the age they say does not match the number of fingers they show, the childminder gently encourages children to recognise this and count their fingers with one-to-one correspondence. A child notices the ring that her cup leaves on the table and confidently

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who attend

names it as a circle. Young children are encouraged to count the number of pieces of fruit that they have served to themselves. After snack children decide that they would like to remain seated at the table and draw. Older children ask for the childminder's help to hold their hand still while they carefully draw around it, skilfully using a thumb and two finger grip to do so. Older children are beginning to write their own names and younger children enjoy pretending to write in small note books. Older children are able to cut with scissors and choose to cut tape from a roll and stick pieces of paper together. Young children are keen to learn how to use the scissors and the childminder is skilfully teaching them how to do so. For example, children mimic the childminder as she shows them how to open and close their hands.

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who attend

Children's language development is promoted well by the childminder as she talks with them. Older children speak clearly and confidently, and they enjoy engaging in conversations with the childminder. Younger children repeat words and sounds and are beginning to put two words together. The childminder promotes their learning well as she repeats what children say back to them. However, the childminder does not always extend children's thinking and speaking skills with full effect. This is because her questioning is occasionally closed, and when questions are open-ended she sometimes answers herself before a child has the opportunity to do so.

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who attend

Children benefit from good opportunities to explore and investigate. They make marks in paint, foam and dough with their hands and with tools, and they explore a good range of resources in a 'naturals bowl'. Older children enjoy listening to stories and their favourites are about princesses and dragons. The childminder supports them well when they make up their own stories. Younger children show an interest in books that contain different textures. Children enjoy continual access to role-play resources and older children use their imagination, for example, while they pretend to be a doctor. Younger children are beginning to show care for baby dolls. Some books and role-play toys reflect diversity in a positive way and the childminder ensures that children gain an awareness of their similarities and their differences in order to promote an understanding of others.

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

Children are settled and happy and relationships are good. Their personal, social and emotional development is addressed well by the childminder. A settling-in period is agreed with parents in order to aid children's emotional security. Children are prepared well for their transition into other early years settings and Reception Class in school. For example, they socialise with other adults and children at groups. The childminder identifies the importance of positive reinforcement as a strategy for managing children's behaviour. She makes sure that children are praised for behaviour, such as helping others. Children's independence is promoted well. For example, they choose and easily select resources for themselves. Resources are safe and meet children's learning and development needs well. The childminder creates a warm and welcoming environment for children and their parents. Clear admission information obtained from parents ensures that individual care

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

needs are well met. Information on the childminder's good practice with regard to safety, illness and accidents is shared with parents. Children's good health is protected because the childminder encourages them to be physically active. For example, they develop confidence and skills while they use challenging physical play equipment at the park and at the childminder's home. The childminder also organises trips to local country parks. The childminder explains that she provides different play activities in the garden during part of the year, however, during winter months use of the outdoor play environment is not maximised to promote learning.

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

Children are developing an ability to attend to their self-care needs. Their welfare is addressed effectively because the childminder ensures that the environment is healthy and safe. She teaches children how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to cross the road safely. Children's good health and well-being is promoted well by the childminder. She puts her food hygiene knowledge into practice effectively and provides healthy food.

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provision

The childminder ensures that her home is safe, secure and welcoming. She is aware of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. Necessary checks for everyone aged over 16 years living or working in the childminder's home have been completed, and the childminder ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted. Parents are made aware of the childminder's safeguarding policy.

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provision

The childminder successfully monitors the educational programmes to ensure that children make good progress. She is aware of the requirements within the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and successfully meets children's care and learning needs. The childminder offers children good support. In order to review and improve her practice she welcomes advice offered by local authority development workers. Her current priority for improvement is to develop a fully effective way of keeping records of children's achievements to use for next steps planning for learning. The childminder has introduced, 'at home learning/achievement' sheets in order to encourage parents to share more information on achievements at home. The childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to improving her knowledge and skills and she achieved a Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce. Resources meet children's different

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provision

learning needs effectively and are maintained in a good state of repair. Required documentation is kept up to date and in good order.

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provision

Good communication between the childminder and parents means that children's care and learning needs are met well. The childminder requests feedback from parents on the service she provides. A range of written policies successfully reflect the childminder's practice with regard to meeting children's needs. The childminder is fully aware of the importance of obtaining as much information as possible about each child's individual needs from parents and agreeing with them how they can work together to meet these needs. She establishes good links with other early years providers to ensure continuity of care and learning.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY387106 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 821707 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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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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