Childminder in Bath and North East Somerset

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/01/2014 14/11/2011

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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 is friendly and caring, which helps children to settle in well.  The childminder provides an interesting range of motivating play experiences, which effectively support children's development.  Children play with a wide range of bright, colourful toys, which encourage their participation in play.  The childminder develops her knowledge of child development through ongoing training, which helps her make continual improvements to her practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not maximise the learning opportunities of younger children's early schema's, such as through their fascination with particular objects and movement.  The childminder has not fully established ways of using information shared on children's developmental starting points with parents.

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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 children in their play activities with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation, such as risk assessments and operational policies and procedures.  The inspector viewed the childminder's self-evaluation form.  The inspector took into account written comments made by parents.  The inspector viewed children's learning journals.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2008. She lives with her partner and her two children in Bath. Children have use of a lounge, dining room and toilet facilities downstairs and there is a bedroom available upstairs for children to sleep. They also have use of an enclosed garden at the back of the premises. The family has two guinea pigs.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently five children on roll, of whom three are in the early years age range.

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

 provide more opportunities for young children to explore particular patterns of interest and movement in their play, sometimes referred to as schemas

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

 make more use of the information sought from parents on their child's initial development to fully support their learning on entry to the setting.

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who attend

The childminder has a positive understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She understands children's stages of development from her observations and provides a wide variety of play activities that motivate their interests. For example, she uses mirrors with babies to see their reflection and talks to them about their faces. This encourages babies well in starting to recognise and point to their eyes, nose and mouth and consequently they develop a sense of self. The childminder carefully reinforces the sounds and babbles toddlers make in their play. For instance, she praises them for their efforts to say 'tractor' and repeats the word correctly and shows them this toy. Toddlers enjoy this interaction and make positive attempts to repeat the words she says. As a result, the childminder actively helps younger children develop positive attitudes to 'having a go' at using

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who attend

language to express their ideas. This effectively promotes children's communication skills and helps them in gaining the necessary interest to develop their future skills.

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who attend

The childminder provides exciting treasure baskets of natural objects, such as shells, shiny bangles or a nail brush. Children explore these objects of different weights and sizes with great interest and put them in and out of the basket. This actively promotes children's awareness of early mathematical concepts, such as space, size and shape. Toddlers show great excitement playing with toys producing circular movements. For example, they move the dial on a toy telephone or push a musical train along the carpet. They enjoy spinning the wheels of their toys cars and ride on bikes. In addition, they have a fascination of putting objects in and out of containers. For example, they become absorbed in transferring colourful shaped buttons from a drawer into a long tube. This helps children develop their hand eye co-ordination well. However, the childminder has not fully considered how to use and extend these interests more effectively to promote all areas of

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who attend

their development. This slightly reduces the learning opportunities within planned activities. The childminder encourages children to make marks in shaving foam, gloop or paint mixtures. She provides cereal, lard and bird seed for children to make a bird feeder. They mix this together with their hands and say 'It is squidgy and sticky'. The childminder effectively extends children's learning in this activity as she talks to them about the things birds eat, such as worms. Consequently, she effectively encourages children's exploration of colour and texture and their understanding of their world. In addition, their language skills are encouraged well as they use different words to describe their ideas. The childminder provides a variety of role play activities that children enjoy. For instance, they like dressing up as firemen, princesses or superheroes. They have tea parties and pretend to make meals together using play food. This provides positive opportunities for children

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who attend

to develop their imagination and act out their experiences through play.

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who attend

Written feedback from parents shows they feel their children are well stimulated and loves going to the different groups the childminder takes them too. The childminder uses an 'All about me' form with parents to find out each child's likes, dislikes and routines, which helps her settle them in easily. However, she has not fully established ways of obtaining and using information shared on children's developmental starting points. This means play activities on entry are not always based securely on children's existing abilities, to fully support their initial progress. The childminder understands the process of completing the progress check for two-year-old children. She uses her observations to identify where children make progress and where they may need further support. This effectively helps to monitor children's development from an early age.

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

Children's emotional and physical well-being is promoted very well. The childminder provides a quiet, calm and reassuring approach, which helps children feel safe in her care. She praises them often, for example, as toddlers start to repeat her words and sounds. Consistent boundaries are maintained and clear daily routines established. For instance, children wash their hands before eating and sit at the table or in highchairs for their snacks and meals. The childminder reads stories with children about sharing toys and being kind to their friends. This effectively encourages children's understanding of suitable personal care routines and helps them develop positive attitudes to others and respect their needs. As a result, children start to develop skills that will help them when they move onto pre-school and school.

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

Children's individual routines are followed in liaison with parents. For instance, the childminder recognises when toddlers are tired and settles them for a comfortable sleep. She often takes children on outings, such as to local toddler and childminding groups. This provides children with a good range of play opportunities. In addition, this supports children well in becoming confident away from their main care setting and effectively encourages their socialisation skills. The childminder keeps consistent, age appropriate boundaries for children, which helps them feel secure. The childminder provides a comfortable home for children, where they are welcomed and valued. Children can easily access a good variety of toys, which she uses effectively to support their learning. For instance, younger children show a fascination with toy mobile phones as they press the colourful buttons, which activate different sounds. As a result, children develop a clear

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

sense of cause and effect and gain interest in exploring how things work. The childminder also makes good use of local resources to extend children's learning. For example, they visit a local library to choose their own books. Consequently, they are actively supported in developing an enjoyment of stories, which promotes their early literacy skills.

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

The childminder lets younger children explore their food with their fingers and they happily start to feed themselves snacks, such as crumpets, raisins, grapes, kiwi or pineapple pieces. Children like making fruit smoothies or pizzas together and talk about the colourful pictures of fruit and vegetables on their table mats. This helps to actively raise children's awareness of foods that will help them stay healthy and strong. The childminder encourages children to try foods from other cultures. For instance, she provides Chinese noodles for children to eat and they attempt to do this using chopsticks. Children join in painting activities at a toddler group to celebrate Australia Day. In addition, the childminder borrows resources from a local toy library that reflect diversity and uses these with children in their general play. This effectively promotes children's early awareness of other cultures and ways of living.

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provision

The childminder has developed a good understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is organised in her practice and attends regular training courses, such as for safeguarding and first aid. The childminder demonstrates a clear awareness of child protection issues and procedures to follow any concern arising. She understands her responsibility in assessing the suitability of those in regular contact with children. This helps to protect children's welfare. The childminder uses questionnaires and ongoing discussion to gain parent's views of her provision. She is self-reflective of her practice and identifies how she can make improvements. For instance, she forms required policies and procedures and reviews and updates these to support her practice. The childminder has also started a level 3 child care course, which shows clear commitment to developing her

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provision

own knowledge and practice and consequently promotes outcomes for children.

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provision

The childminder completes suitable risk assessments of her home and outings and has put suitable prevention in place. For instance, she has removed loose hanging curtain cords and replaced these with wide tie-back fastenings. The oven is switched off at the mains and cupboard locks are fitted where cleaning materials are stored. She continues to assess identified safety issues on a daily basis. In addition, she regularly updates of her overall risk assessments according to children's developing abilities. This effectively helps to minimise risks to children's well-being. The childminder provides parents with clear details on the provision offered to their children. For example, she gives parents copies of her policies and provides clear information on the aspects of each area of learning and how these support children's development. The childminder keeps them well-informed of their child's daily activities through the use of daily diaries and discussion. She also understands

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provision

the benefit of sharing information on children's development with other providers they attend and initiates ongoing liaison with them. This actively promotes a continuous approach to their care and learning needs.

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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 EY368034 Local authority Bath & NE Somerset Inspection number 914447 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

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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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