Childminder in Buckinghamshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/01/2014 22/05/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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 provides excellent teaching and learning experiences for children and this enables children to make excellent progress in all areas of learning and development.  The childminder understands fully how children learn and she uses this detailed knowledge to tailor children's learning and to consistently challenge their thinking.  Children are confident learners and they are flourishing in the enriched learning environment.  The childminder manages her provision extremely efficiently. There are established and effective procedures which support the efficient running of her provision.

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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's activities inside and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at assessment records and discussed activity plans with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documentation, self-evaluation and improvement plans with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to parents to obtain their views about the childminder's provision.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives with her partner and their young child in Wendover, in Buckinghamshire. The whole of the ground floor is available for childminding. Washing and toilet facilities and sleeping arrangements for children are on the first floor of the childminder's home. There is an enclosed garden at the rear of the premises for children's outdoor activities. The childminder holds a foundation degree in early years childcare and education. The childminder is registered to work with three assistants. The childminder is a member of the Buckinghamshire Community Childminding Network. She receives funding for free early education for children aged three and four.

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

 consider more ways to encourage all parents to regularly contribute to the programmes of activities in order to enhance children's outcomes even further.

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who attend

The childminder consistently plans and delivers a wide range of excellent quality learning opportunities for every child. She is meticulous in her planning for individual children across all areas. This enables her to consistently build on what each individual child can do and to challenge their understanding and thinking. She uses information from observations and children's interests to extend their imagination through a variety of themes and topics. The childminder develops the educational programmes with high quality resources, such as books and puzzles with three-dimensional views. She supports and challenges children's learning with many open questions and gives them detailed information to help children to fully understand and learn. For example, children are able to speak confidently about how the body works. They know the different jobs of muscles and bones, such as what the skull does to protect the head. The childminder continually

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who attend

teaches children about emotions and feelings and this helps children to fully express how they feel and to show great consideration for others when they show their feelings.

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who attend

The childminder helps children to develop their understanding of the world in exciting and practical ways. Chinese New Year is an exciting time for them. The childminder ties their interest to the animal of their particular year of birth; this captures children's imagination greatly and entices them to learn more. The childminder sustains their interest with stories, pictures, food, role-play and artwork. For example, the children role play being in a Chinese restaurant, with realistic resources. They develop early writing skills and start to write for different purposes as they record food orders. Children speak excitedly of their outings in the community, such as to the market, where they use money and select the ingredients for their cooking activities.

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who attend

The enriched learning environment, and the childminder's excellent support and teaching of the children, are instrumental in helping children to develop their individual learning styles. For example, children sit cosily in the snug to explore books at their leisure. They show their appreciation for music as they use the different instruments that are a part of the childminder's continuous provision. They work together to change the tempo of the recorded music to suit their liking, while enjoying the activity and having fun. With her deep knowledge of how young children learn best, the childminder expertly supports children to learn from each other and children are extremely keen to share their ideas with others. For example, through discussion and the use of resources such as hearing aids and eyeglasses, children speak knowledgably about why different people use such resources. They are beginning to understand about peoples' similarities and differences,

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who attend

including disabilities. For example, they explain clearly that glasses and hearing aids help people to see and hear better.

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who attend

The childminder is very quick to respond to children's changing needs because she tracks and monitors their progress very closely. For example, as children move items around, she plans to extend the active plans with more opportunities for children to transport items in different ways. The childminder fully understands the children's developmental stages and uses this knowledge to plan individual challenges for them. The childminder provides excellent opportunities to promote different aspects of children's physical development. Children get fresh air and exercise daily because the childminder and her assistant support and encourage them to make use of the outdoor play space everyday. This provision enables children who learn best outdoors to continuously engage in high quality learning across the seasons. The childminder teaches children to a high level and enables them to make excellent progress in readiness for school.

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who attend

The childminder works very closely with parents, as she shares children's progress records and their exciting moments with parents routinely. This helps parents to fully understand their children's learning journey. Parents state that their children are making amazing progress in their learning and development. They state that they know that they are able to contribute to children's activities. However, they do not all do this routinely and this slightly lessens their input to strengthen and drive children's achievements even further.

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

The childminder is very careful to settle every child individually. She engages closely with parents to find out essential information about children so that she is clear about children's starting points. The childminder meticulously follows parents' guidance for children to the smallest detail. For example, she agrees the use of a carrying sling for babies if this is what they are used to, and keeps their feeding to their exact home routine. The childminder is very careful to make sure that children get all of the support they need to make secure attachments with her as she is their main carer when they are away from their parents. The childminder extends the settling-in period according to children's needs and helps parents to realise that it is vital for children to observe positive interaction between her and them during this time. Such practices assure parents that the childminder puts the needs of every child first. Parents provide good information about

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

children's personal care needs, health conditions, familiar words and cultural observances, which helps the childminder to fully promote children's well-being.

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

The childminder warmly welcomes children and families from all backgrounds. She is confident about equality and she teaches her assistant that equality is central to meeting every child's needs. The childminder monitors and tracks every child's progress and supports them to make and sustain good and outstanding progress in all areas of their learning and development. This promotes equality very well for children. All children use resources that reflect cultural diversity and disabilities as a core part of the daily provision. The childminder supports the use of these resources with clear and positive information and this extends children's knowledge and confidence about diversity.

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

Children are developing a deep understanding of the practices that support healthy lifestyles. They are able to explain why exercise is good for the body and why it is important to eat fruits and vegetables each day. To continually develop children's learning about healthy lifestyles, the childminder involves children in the preparation of some foods. She uses these activities to teach children the importance of good hygiene practices. such as hand washing and safe food handling. Children wash their hands regularly throughout the day and particularly after using the toilet and at mealtimes. Very good hygiene habits are ingrained in the children through regular routines. Older children are toilet trained and need little or no assistance and the childminder is prompt in meeting the personal hygiene and care needs of younger children.

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

The childminder makes it a very high priority to increase children's understanding of personal safety. Children learn to assess risks in the environment. For example, they know why it is important for them to pick up items that may cause them to slip or trip and why it is important not to run indoors. Children are confident in their understanding of road safety, under the childminder's guidance. For example, they know that they must not start to cross the road until they hear the childminder or her assistant say 'It's safe to cross'. The childminder provides many opportunities for children to use a wide range of tools safely; for example, as they prepare food or use gardening tools under the supervision of the childminder and her assistants.

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

The childminder and her assistants are consistent in the way they manage children's behaviour. They set high expectations for behaviour and children learn this from early ages. For example, children remind each other to make the right choices and spontaneously use the sand timer to help them to share fairly. Children are learning how to moderate their behaviour independently. They respond positively to the guidance of the childminder and her assistants and show them, and other children and adults, respect and good manners. These are positive attitudes which will serve them well when they go to school.

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provision

The childminder makes excellent arrangements to meet the learning and development and the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has an excellent working knowledge of safeguarding matters. She attends to every detail of this area of practice. For example, she is confident and experienced to take action in line with her safeguarding procedures to deal with child protection matters. She teaches her assistants what to do if concerns arise about safeguarding matters and consolidates their knowledge of this area of practice with training. As a result, the childminder and her assistants are clear and confident about do if concerns arise about children. The childminder makes sure that her assistants are all fully vetted through the Disclosure and Barring Services procedures. She gains parents' written permission before she leaves her assistants in sole charge of children. In addition, the

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provision

childminder gives her assistants a full induction about their roles and responsibilities. As result, the childminder and her assistants have clear understanding of the policies, procedures and practices that are in place. For example, individually and collectively, they know and maintain the adult to child ratio requirements. Additionally, they are confident and clear about the risk assessments and practices for the home and on outings. This includes the use of additional equipment, such as reins, for children who need them.

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provision

The childminder's home is safe and secure for children to use, including arrangements for fire safety and the safe storage of dangerous equipment or substances. The childminder maintains clear records of children's attendance, including the adults who look after them. The childminder is meticulous in her management of documentation to safeguard children and promote their welfare.

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provision

The childminder has well established systems for planning, tracking and evaluating children's progress. She is meticulous in tailoring children's learning opportunities to their precise developmental stage. This enables her to respond quickly and to change the learning environment to consistently meet children's learning needs to extremely high standards. The childminder supports children to make outstanding progress in learning and development from their starting points. Children are extremely confident and excited to learn. The childminder is confident in her knowledge and experience to complete the progress check for two-year-old children. She gains information from parents and uses her ongoing observations and tracking of children to complete these reports.

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provision

The childminder is highly committed to ensuring a high quality provision for all children. Since her previous inspection, the childminder has joined a Quality Assurance Scheme. The childminder consistently evaluates her childcare provision and practices. As result, weaknesses in her practices are few and have a very limited impact on children's excellent progress.

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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 EY435496 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 937419 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 16

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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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