Home Childcarer in West NorthamptonshireOfsted inspection, 15 Jan 2014

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/01/2014 05/03/2009

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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 observes and assesses their level of achievement, and then plans effectively for the next steps in their learning.  The childminder successfully identifies and minimises risks in her home. Children are safeguarded because the childminder is aware of her responsibilities to protect them from harm.  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.  Children's communication and language development is promoted well by the childminder. When she talks with children her questions are open-ended and she gives them time to think before responding.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The partnership with parents is not initially maximised fully with regard to working together to identify what a child already knows and can do, so that the childminder can use this for initial planning for learning.  Opportunities for children to learn about similarities and differences and about cultural and religious events and experiences are not fully maximised to extend their awareness of the wider world.

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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 as children played in ground floor playrooms.

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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 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in Kings Sutton near Banbury with her husband, mother and three children aged one, seven and 12 years. The whole of the ground floor, which includes toilet facilities, and two bedrooms are used for childminding. There is an enclosed rear garden for outside play. Family pets are two tortoises.

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Information about the setting

There are currently five children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age group and attend on a part-time basis. The childminder walks to the local school to take and collect children. She cares for children Monday to Thursday from 7.30am until 5.30pm, all year round, except for public and family holidays. The childminder holds an early years qualification at level 3.

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

 enhance the partnership with parents by increasing the initial information obtained from them on what their child already knows and can do, so that early planning is fully effective in challenging children to make as much progress as they can

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

 extend children's understanding of the world by maximising their learning with regard to people's similarities and differences.

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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 the next steps in their learning. She uses her observations and assessment well to plan for learning that is tailored to individual needs and interests. Information is regularly shared with parents, who are asked to share detail on learning at home, which the childminder uses for planning children's next steps. However, information obtained initially from parents during their child's induction links more to care than to learning. Therefore, the partnership at this time is not maximised with regard to working together to plan for learning in accordance with what the child already knows and can do. 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 the progress check at age two and completes this where necessary.

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who attend

Children participate in purposeful play and exploration. The childminder promotes their independence well and they confidently choose from a good variety of resources. The childminder also suggests other activities that children may like to play with, and they choose to play with dough. Children explore the texture of the dough as they mould it with their fingers, and the childminder encourages them to tell her how it feels, for example, whether it is warm or cold. Children make marks with different cutters. The childminder models how to cut the dough with a plastic knife, and children demonstrate good manipulative skills as they copy her. They are beginning to progress from using a palm grip when drawing and painting, to a thumb and two-finger grip. The childminder supports children well because she encourages children to name different shapes and colours while they play.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their communication and language development. They are confident and the childminder promotes their speaking skills well. She gives children thinking time so that they can consider their responses to her open-ended questions, and she introduces new words to extend their vocabulary. Children talk about the things they like to do and they recall past events, for example, they talk about 'the pretty lights' that they looked at in the village at Christmas time. Children are interested in animals and enjoy trips to the library, where they select books showing pictures of different ones. The childminder looks at the books with the children and encourages them to name the animals. Children choose favourite story books for the childminder to read, and they listen intently as she reads using great expression. She often leaves out words because she knows that the story is so familiar to the children that they will say the missing words

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who attend

themselves. Counting is promoted effectively by the childminder in play activities and as part of daily routines. For example, children count as they climb the stairs. Children learn to count with one-to-one correspondence, initially to three and then to five. Role play resources are always available and some reflect diversity in a positive way. However, the childminder's practice is not fully maximised with regard to raising children's awareness of their similarities and 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 make good progress and 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 in order to boost children's confidence and self-esteem. 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.

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

The childminder creates a warm and welcoming environment for children and their parents. Clear admission information obtained from parents ensures that individual care 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. They develop confidence and skills while they climb and use ride-on toys, and develop hand-eye coordination while they play ball games. They are developing an ability to attend to their self-care needs. Children's 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, children learn how to walk safely on pavements at the side of the road and how to cross the road safely. Children's good health and well-being are promoted well by the

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

childminder. She provides a choice of fruits for them to select at snack times.

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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 her family 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 and the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

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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 uses her experience and knowledge successfully to meet 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 seek more feedback from children as well as from parents on the service she provides, and to access training on special educational needs. Resources meet children's different 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

Partnerships between the childminder and parents are good. Consequently, children's care and learning needs are well met. In order to ensure best practice, 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. She obtains as much information as possible about each child's individual needs from parents and agrees with them how they can work together to meet these. The childminder is aware of the importance of establishing links with other early years providers in order to ensure continuity of care and learning when the need arises.

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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 EY376830 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 878736 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 5

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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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