Childminder in Walsall

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/02/2014 15/12/2008

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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

 The childminder has a good knowledge of how children play and learn, which means she provides interesting and worthwhile learning experiences for children.  Children are safe in the childminder's care, as she implements her effective knowledge of safeguarding and child protection.  Children are taught to be independent and they are confident and happy in the childminder's care. She promotes healthy lifestyles as children are active and play outdoors each day.  The childminder monitors and evaluates her provision well and has established effective links with other early years providers, with whom she engages in mutual support.  The childminder is well-motivated and attends regular training courses, which means there is continuous improvement in children's learning experiences.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to further strengthen the communication links with parents to enable them to support continuity of children's learning.

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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 engage in a range of learning activities, play and daily care routines with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at and discussed the childminder's self-evaluation process and improvement plans.  The inspector spoke to the childminder and children throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers and children, including recent letters from parents containing their comments on the provision.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2001 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, 20-year-old adult child and 17-year-old twins on the outskirts of Walsall. The whole of the premises are used for childminding purposes and there is an enclosed rear garden for outside play. The premises are accessed from the front via one step up to the front door or a flat slope through the side garage. The childminder is open all year round, from 7.15am to 6pm, Monday to Friday except for family holidays. She is registered to offer overnight care for one child under two years of age.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has a childcare qualification at level 3. She attends local playgroups, visits the shops and park on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and pre- schools. There are currently six children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. Four are school-age children who attend before and after school. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 strengthen further the communication links with parents, for example, by encouraging and enabling them to support children's continuity of children's learning.

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who attend

The childminder has a good knowledge of how children learn through play. She records her observations of children to add to their progress records, alongside the detailed information she obtains from parents when children first start. She uses this information to measure and monitor children's progress from their starting points. She gets to know each child well, so that she can plan suitable activities which build on their learning. She is continually adding to the wide range of resources, which children access easily from cupboards and shelves in a small playroom or outside. The childminder adapts her planning according to each child's interests or to take advantage of the weather, so that children have first hand experience of observing the effects of wind on the colourful streamers and windmills in the garden, or enjoy splashing in the puddles. She gives some encouragement to parents to share daily information about children's achievements at

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who attend

home and keeps them well-informed about children's activities and progress. However, this is not yet fully effective in enabling all parents to share what they know about their child's learning.

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who attend

Young children enjoy exploring the textures of flour as they bake or just play with this. They add different colours and see how the water changes the texture. They choose when they want to play outside and are imaginative as they wear hard hats and pretend to fix the shed with the toy tools. The childminder builds on children's next steps in learning through their daily routines and activities. She helps them to count the bricks or their plates and say what colours these are. She teaches children about nature and the seasons on their frequent trips to the park and they become familiar with their environment as they visit the shops and the library. Children are learning to recognise the shapes and sounds of letters and are becoming familiar with the words for the days and months, which are on display and are developing a love of books. The childminder helps them to learn the numbers on the chart in the playroom and to count objects. Children use a range

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who attend

of media to make marks and draw or paint. They are well-prepared for the next stage in their learning and for school in this way.

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who attend

The childminder teaches children about a range of cultures and beliefs as they find out about different festivals throughout the year, such as, Christmas, Diwali and Chinese New Year. Children taste noodles, prawn crackers and wontons, make lanterns and draw pictures of dragons and horses. Children develop their physical skills well as they use the slide, wheeled toys and balls in the garden and the large climbing and balancing equipment at the park. The childminder extends children's sentences and encourages young children to repeat words, so that they develop good communication and language skills. Children copy her and each other so they build on their vocabulary.

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

The childminder chats to parents each day so that she can obtain valuable information about children's welfare and routines, so that she can meet their needs. Children form close bonds with her, as she is very caring and is aware of all children's needs. They are very happy and confident in her care and have independent choice in their activities. Children learn to put on their own coats, access their drinks when they need them and learn to manage their self-care routines. A young child gets their own spoon from the drawer to eat their yoghurt with and they all chat happily at the table as they eat lunch. Children are emotionally secure in the welcoming, family environment.

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

Children bring their own lunches and they can help themselves to fruit and drinks throughout the day. The childminder promotes healthy eating and lifestyles and children are active and go outdoors each day. She practises good hygiene so that children know they need to wash their hands at certain times. Behaviour is very good and children enjoy playing together and with the childminder. They follow her good examples for good manners and respect for each other and are learning to share the toys.

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

Children learn to manage risks safely as they play on the climbing equipment and go on outings. The childminder manages children's moves to new settings well, so that children are not unsettled. They discuss what will happen at school or nursery, so that children are given a positive outlook and look forward to their moves.

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provision

Children are safe in the childminder's care, as she has a very good knowledge of how to implement effective safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures. She is very experienced and well trained in this. The premises are secure and she carries out regular emergency evacuation drills, so that children know what to do. Effective risk assessments for the premises and for outings mean that children are safe at all times. The childminder and all household members are suitably vetted and she supervises children well so that they are safe. She employs rigorous procedures for the collection of children and keeps careful records, so that children's health is well-protected.

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provision

There is effective monitoring of all aspects of the provision, as the childminder evaluates what children learn and reflects on how the activities can be adapted to suit their needs. She is very well-motivated and continually looks for ways in which to improve children's learning experiences. She seeks the views of parents and children, so she meets their needs in the care and learning she provides. The childminder attends regular training courses, which shapes her professional development and improves her teaching and knowledge of how children learn.

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provision

The childminder has established good links with other local early years providers and attends a childminders' group with children each week. This means she improves her provision through sharing ideas and best practice and they work together as a group to focus on specific areas for improvement. For example, ensuring children's progress records are more informative and are used effectively to measure and build on children's progress. Regular visits from a local authority early years development officer ensures her provision is of good quality. The childminder finds out what children are learning at school and other settings they attend so that she can complement this and pass on messages to parents, so that children's welfare is assured.

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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 260720 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 870660 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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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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