Childminder in Wiltshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/01/2014 21/10/2010

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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 are very happy and confident because the childminder has developed close bonds and relationships with them.  The childminder provides a wide range of stimulating activities and resources that build on children's interests. This contributes to them being enthusiastic in their play and exploration, ready for their future learning.  The childminder accurately assesses children's learning and development and plans for their next steps in learning, which enables them to make good progress in their learning.  The childminder builds positive relationships with parents from the start, so that children's individual interests and needs are shared and supported well.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children have good access to books, but the environment does not fully support opportunities for them to see, and learn about, words and numbers.  There is scope to increase the availability and range of resources to promote the learning of children who learn best outdoors.

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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 took account of the views of parents by reading written references and talking to them.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the childminder about children's records, the self-evaluation and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and interactions between the childminder and the children.  Throughout the inspection, discussion was held with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2010. She lives with her husband and their three school aged children. Their home is on the western outskirts of Chippenham, Wiltshire. The whole of the property is available for childminding purposes, though children generally play downstairs. There is an enclosed garden available for outdoor play. There are shops and local amenities within walking distance. The childminder takes, and collects, children from the local primary school. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is currently caring for three children, all of whom are within the early years age range. The childminder offers care for children all year round.

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

 increase the resources available in the outside area to help promote the learning of children who learn best outdoors.

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

 create an environment rich in print and numbers to further extend children's recognition and use of words and numbers

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who attend

The childminder provides a wide range of interesting activities for the different ages of children in her care. She takes careful account of their interests and needs and has a good understanding of the seven areas of learning required by the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She initiates activities which are closely linked to the children's interests, for example, helping them to make a large pirate ship to extend their interest in playing pirates. When children want to have a door on the ship that opens, the childminder helps them to achieve this. As a result, children begin to understand how to solve problems and design props. The childminder supports the children's play and introduces new vocabulary from books and songs, which extends their communication and language skills. The childminder is an enthusiastic reader and, consequently, children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories in their pirate ship and cuddled up with the

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who attend

childminder on the sofa. They delight in looking at books on their own, and older children pretend to read stories to younger ones, showing good pre-reading skills. However, there are few examples of writing in the environment, for example, signs, and labels on toy boxes, to extend children's early reading skills further. Children have easy access to resources with which to practise drawing and writing, using chalks, pencils, paints and crayons. They use chalks to make marks on a chalk board, and the childminder encourages them to keep trying when they want to make a circle and draw a person. Her positive interaction helps children to complete their task and builds their confidence and self-esteem.

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who attend

The childminder's teaching through play is good, and she has high expectations for children, which are based on regular and accurate assessments and record keeping. From observations of the children's play, which include photos and samples of their work, she plans next steps in their learning. The 'Learning journey' folders show children's good progress from their starting points and demonstrate the childminder's close working with parents from the beginning, when they complete an "All about me" form. The childminder includes parents' views in the regular assessment, and she liaises closely with other settings that children attend, to ensure consistency for children.

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who attend

The childminder supports children's language and communication through appropriate interactions. When the youngest children babble and make sounds when singing with older children, the childminder gives lots of eye contact and smiles, while repeating their sounds back to them and encouraging communication. The childminder uses open-ended questions with older children, helping them develop language for thinking and problem solving. Children access toys independently as the childminder stores them in boxes on low open shelving. She has separate areas for toys, to suit the different ages of children who attend. The childminder uses the daily routine to develop children's understanding of number and shape. She encourages older children to collect enough plates for everyone, and to count how many biscuits are needed at snack time. Children show good counting skills as they accurately count the fingers on their drawing of a hand up to 10. The

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who attend

childminder describes how to draw a circle, 'Going round and round and joining up the ends', which develops children fine motor skills ready for early writing. However, there are few numbers in the learning environment, which means that opportunities to develop children's number recognition are missed.

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who attend

Children have access to a large enclosed garden and have ample opportunities to develop physical skills when walking and playing in the local park. This means that children benefit from regular exercise and fresh air. The childminder supports younger children who are learning to walk by ensuring that low-level furniture is safe and secure, so that they can safely move around holding on to it. There is a good range of resources for children to use outdoors, including diggers, sand, water, paint and a vegetable garden, although there are fewer resources, such as magnifying glasses, to encourage children to observe nature: to look closely at worms and spiders, for example.

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

Children are cared for in a warm and welcoming environment where they settle quickly and build trusting relationships with the childminder. They often go to her for cuddles, showing they feel safe and happy with her. Parents say that they are very happy with how well their children have settled and the good relationship they have with the childminder. The childminder is a very good role model of positive behaviour and, as a result, older children are gentle and caring with younger ones. The childminder supervises children well. She explains clearly to children the reasons for any changes in routine, for example, that because of a visitor, they are going to the park after lunch, rather than before as they usually do, so that children understand and feel safe. The childminder supports children to develop self-care skills and independence, and to take responsibility for themselves and others through small tasks. She encourages the children to tidy away their toys, to help

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

set the table for snack time, to wash and dry their own hands and to be independent in going to the toilet. The childminder maintains high standards of hygiene in her home, and she organises the environment well to keep children healthy; for example, children readily identify their own towel in the bathroom, which helps to prevent cross infection.

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

Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. The childminder keeps her front and back doors locked to prevent unauthorised access, and the garden is currently having new, secure gates fitted so that children can choose to play inside or outside. The childminder makes good use of the local parks and walks, to provide children with exercise, fresh air and outdoor play, while the work is being completed. The childminder provides good supervision and carries out good risk assessments. She has appropriate equipment to help keep children safe depending on their abilities. For example, she has a stair gate to prevent young children accessing the stairs unsupervised and there are locks on the kitchen cupboard doors, to keep children safe. The childminder carries out regular fire drills, and older children can confidently describe what they have to do if they need to leave the house in an emergency.

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

The childminder works closely with parents to share information so that children are able to sleep, eat and play, according to their individual needs and routines. This ensures that their physical and health needs are met appropriately. The childminder provides a healthy snack menu and allows the children to choose from a range of foods. She monitors their choices to ensure that children eat a balanced diet across the week. Children help to grow carrots and vegetables in the garden, which further supports their understanding of healthy eating.

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

The childminder has built very good relationships with parents, and with other settings that children attend. This helps to ensure smooth moves for children between home and the childminder, and to prepare children well when they move on to preschool or school.

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provision

The childminder is committed to improving her practice and has sought support from the local authority development officer to evaluate her provision. She includes feedback from parents in self-evaluation and also uses childminding groups to obtain advice and guidance. She has identified areas for improvement, including areas for her own professional development and training, for example, in understanding how to help older children link sounds to letters. She has already made changes to her provision as a result of self-evaluation, including developing improved relationships with local preschools. In partnership with parents, she has developed strategies for sharing information with other providers. This ensures that children's needs are being consistently met in the different settings that they attend. The childminder completes the progress check for two-year-old children and she monitors children's learning and progress well.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of all her responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has completed safeguarding training and she is clear about the steps to take in the event of safeguarding concern. The childminder has current first aid training and she is committed to continuous improvement and ongoing training to develop her understanding and skills even more. She has all the required policies, records and procedures in place, which she shares with parents and uses effectively to promote children's welfare, learning and development.

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provision

Parents are very happy with the childminder's service and feel fully informed about their children's care. They value the formal written reports which the childminder gives them, as well as the daily informal conversations. They speak very highly of the care their children receive and are very satisfied with the service the childminder provides.

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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 EY410653 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 816359 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 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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