Martin, Wendy

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/01/2014 24/08/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder forms extremely positive relationships with the children, which means they feel exceptionally safe and secure in her care.  Children benefit from a wide range of play experiences, activities and outings that supports their learning very effectively.  The childminder monitors children's learning and development progress extensively through meticulous records that identify any gaps in their achievements.  The childminder meets children's individual learning and care needs exceptionally well through the excellent partnerships the childminder has with parents and other settings.  The childminder has extremely good self-evaluation processes that include parents and children.  Children benefit from a wide range of very well considered resources and activities that stimulates their learning highly effectively.

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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 viewed the areas of the home used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the childminder's interaction and children's play and activities indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector asked the childminder questions about her practice, and interacted with the children at appropriate times.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views from written feedback provided by them.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of the childminder's paperwork including written policies, self-evaluation documentation and children's records of progress.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1995. She lives with her family in the Winklebury area of Basingstoke, Hampshire. The downstairs is mainly used for childminding with access to the first floor for sleeping facilities when needed. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family has a pet cat. The childminder works with an assistant at times. She is in receipt of funding for free early years education for children aged two, who meet the criteria, and for three- and four-year-olds.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently four children on roll in the early years age group. Local facilities are within walking distance, such as, parks, schools and shops. The childminder is able to take children to and collect them from local schools and pre-schools. She has a recognised early years qualification at level 3 and she is currently working towards an early years foundation degree.

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

 enhance the younger children's awareness of mathematical concepts during play and activities.

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who attend

Children make very good progress in their learning and development as the childminder provides a wide range of stimulating and interesting play experiences, activities and outings. These promote children's learning extremely well. She undertakes meaningful observations and uses these very effectively to identify children's next steps in learning. Highly detailed progress records reflect that the childminder evaluates children's progress thoroughly and tracks their progress exceptionally well. This means she quickly identifies if children require any further support or challenge to enable them to reach their full potential.

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who attend

The childminder works very closely with parents. For example, she gains very detailed information about children's starting points on entry and works closely with parents to identify children's next steps in learning together. She provides extremely good information that clearly explains the support children need. As a result, parents are able to take an active part in their children's learning and can continue to fully support their progress. The childminder has a 'sharing book' established with parents and other settings children attend, which effectively promotes 'three-way' communication. The childminder successfully complements children's learning experiences in their main setting, such as learning letter sounds.

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who attend

The childminder provides very effective interaction with children alongside her activities and play experiences. She and the children have fun together and she encourages their learning through an excellent teaching approach using play based activities. For example, during an activity with dry and cooked noodles, the childminder introduces new words to children about how the different noodles feel. She praises children when they make their own observations, valuing their input highly. The childminder considers the activities she offers extremely well overall to ensure children receive the maximum benefit from them. For instance, she provides a range of tools for children to use with the noodles, such as wooden spoons, teaspoons and tweezers. These promote children's small physical skills extremely well as they stir, scoop and pick up the noodles using the different tools. As a result, children develop highly effective skills in readiness for their future learning. For

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who attend

example, this contributes towards the skills needed for writing as children develop extremely good control with small tools. The childminder encourages counting through play and activities, and children independently start to count as they play, using the knowledge they have gained. Children have access to interactive matching and sorting activity boards the childminder has made, where they match size, shape and colours. This promotes their mathematical understanding extremely well. However, occasionally during some play based activities the childminder does not always raise the younger children's awareness of mathematical concepts, such as comparing 'small' and 'big' bowls to extend their learning further.

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who attend

Children confidently make independent choices from the toys and resources on offer. The childminder welcomes these and skilfully includes them in the activities, enabling children to learn through their own play led choices. For example, when a child chooses a doll to play with, the childminder gets out the toy highchair for the 'baby' to sit in. The child then feeds the baby with the noodles from the activity, using the tools to pick up noodles and to 'serve' to the 'baby'. As a result, children use their imaginations as they role play and take part in activities that target their learning and development seamlessly. Children develop their large physical skills extremely well indoors and outside. Children use the low level stools indoors as stepping stones and count these as they walk across. They use the garden, which has a wide range of different learning experiences that support all areas of their development. For example, children learn about cause and effect when they roll

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who attend

items down the pieces of drainpipe fixed to the wall. They use rollers with water to make marks and paint with brushes outside, which promotes their early writing and creative skills. The childminder takes children to the nearby parks, woods and playing fields. This means children can challenge their physical skills through using different types of play equipment and natural resources. They develop their understanding of the world effectively as they collect natural items and experience the different weather. These outdoor experiences enable all children and particularly those who learn better outside to progress extremely well across all areas of learning.

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

Children settle extremely well in the childminder's care. They have very positive relationships with her and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. For example, children confidently approach the childminder and freely move around her home, finding the toys they wish to play with independently. The childminder provides very effective settling-in arrangements. Parents' complete in-depth information about their children's needs, such as routines, likes and interests. This enables the childminder to tailor her care to children's individual needs very effectively. Children develop very good self-care skills as the childminder actively encourages them to find their own belongings, such as their coats and shoes and to attempt to put these on. They learn to be responsible and to help, for example, they know that the rubbish needs to go in the bin and take it from the childminder and put it in there.

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

Children visit the local toddler group, which supports their social skills and confidence with other children and adults very effectively. The childminder provides excellent support to children so that they are emotionally ready to start school. She introduces routines to support children's self-care skills so that they can confidently manage lunch box items on their own, for example. Children have plenty of opportunities to discuss their feelings about starting school. This enables the childminder to discuss and support children exceptionally well so they feel confident about changes in the future.

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

Children's behaviour is extremely good. The childminder provides plenty of very positive praise and encouragement, along with clear boundaries and expectations of behaviour. Children demonstrate a high level of understanding of possible dangers and the childminder explains clearly when something might be dangerous. For example, she shows children the noodles cooking and raises their awareness of potential dangers, explaining about the water boiling. Later when she has cooled the cooked noodles, children remember that the noodles will be hot, and say 'they're hot' and the childminder reassures them that they are now safe to touch and play with as she has cooled them down.

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

Children benefit from a stimulating environment with a dedicated child orientated playroom. The childminder values their contributions highly as she displays children's artwork and photographs of them. She carefully considers her resources to ensure they support children's learning and development extensively. She thoroughly evaluates the need for new resources, taking into account children's individual needs. For example, after discussions with children she bought a book about feelings to support the children in understanding these.

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

Children develop an extremely good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. For instance, the childminder encourages children to help apply sun protection cream and raises their very effective understanding of why they need to put this on. The childminder promotes healthy eating through growing vegetables with the children for them to eat and by eating healthy foods with the children. Although parents mostly provide children's food, the childminder provides a healthy breakfast for some children, such as porridge and fruit for snacks. Children benefit from fresh air and physical activity as the childminder and children spend plenty of time outdoors. This benefits children's good health exceptionally well.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of her responsibilities to meet the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. She has all required paperwork in place and additional paperwork that supports her very good practice, such as additional written policies. The childminder is extremely vigilant in keeping children safe in her care. She has appropriate safety equipment in place and raises children's awareness of safety, such as practising the evacuation drill regularly. In addition, the childminder provides role play items for children to practise safety procedures as part of their play. The childminder has an excellent understanding of her responsibilities to children's welfare. She undertakes advanced child protection training at regular intervals to keep up to date with current practice. She also has a wide range of information to refer to in the event of concerns arising about children.

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provision

The childminder has excellent self-evaluation processes that include parents and children. For example, she encourages children to reflect on their learning by talking to them about activities and showing them photographs. This enables the childminder to gain their feedback about the learning and development experiences she provides. The childminder reflects exceptionally well on her practice, using her ongoing training to continuously review her service and to identify ongoing improvements. This highly benefits the children and families she childminds for. The childminder demonstrates an excellent capacity to maintain ongoing continuous improvement of her service.

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provision

Excellent monitoring of children's progress means that the childminder swiftly identifies any gaps in children's achievements. She targets their individual learning needs extremely well through the activities she provides. The childminder completes regular summaries of children's progress and is fully aware of her responsibilities to carry out progress checks for children at age two. The childminder shares ongoing information about children's learning and development with parents and other settings children attend. This leads to exceptionally good continuity in supporting children's progress. The childminder makes a wide range of information available to parents about her service and provides ongoing feedback both verbally and through written information, such as written policies, daily diaries and children's progress records. This keeps parents extremely well informed about the childminder's service and their children's progress and time with her.

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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 111402 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 846008 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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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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