Childminder in Swindon

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/03/2014 03/11/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 The childminder has positive relationships with parents and children, which helps children to form secure emotional attachments to her.  Children have opportunities to play with others of different ages which helps to develop their social skills.  The childminder attends regular training opportunities which support continual improvement of her practice. Consequently, children make steady progress from their starting points in their learning and development.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not meet the required adult to child ratio for young children in her care. This is a breach of requirements of The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The childminder does not always challenge children during play and activities to maximise their learning.  Resources are not labelled in the play areas to help children to select toys and equipment or to further support children's early literacy skills.

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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 spoke with the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of the childminder's interaction with children indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's records and a selection of policies and regulatory documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account of the views of several parents through written references.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2001. She lives with her husband and two children in Chiseldon, near Swindon, in Wiltshire. Shops, parks and toddler groups, are a short walk away. The childminder takes and collects children from local schools and pre-schools. The family keeps two pet dogs. Minded children may use the entire house, although in practice, remain mostly downstairs. A fully enclosed rear garden is available for outside play. The childminder holds a childcare qualification at level 3.

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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 eight children on roll, of whom six are in the early years age range and attend on a part-time basis.

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must:

 ensure the required adult to child ratio is met in order to fully meet children's needs and well-being

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must:

 ensure children are challenged during activities and experiences to enable them to fulfil their potential.

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

 support children to select toys and equipment, and promote early literacy skills by, for example, labelling resources within the play areas.

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who attend

The childminder has a sound knowledge of the seven areas of learning and how children develop and has appropriate expectations of the children. The childminder gathers information from parents before the children start attending about what each child likes and can do so that she can support their future learning. She forms positive relationships with parents and makes herself available for discussion each day. The childminder has made links with other early years provisions attended by some of the children to share information about the children's learning to support continuity for each child.

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who attend

The childminder uses a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities to ensure children have fun. She observes them as they play and uses appropriate guidance to assess children's abilities. These assessments, together with the information gathered from parents and other early years settings enable the childminder to plan children's next steps in learning. As a result children make steady progress from their starting points overall.

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who attend

The childminder continually talks to the children about what they are doing. She develops their communication and language skills by using correct terminology and repeating words that they say. For example, she encourages them to name toy insects hanging from the ceiling. However, the childminder sometimes fails to challenge children fully to maximise their learning. For instance, she does not always use effective questioning to encourage children's thinking skills and further promote language development. The childminder sits on the floor with the children as they try to match numbered keys to numbered door locks of a house to reveal the toy inside. The childminder encourages the children to talk about the things that they see. They laugh delightedly when the door opens to reveal a dog, a cat and a variety of different people such as a doctor and a nurse. The childminder teaches them the correct names for the shapes decorating the roof of the house, for

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who attend

example 'a circle, which is round'. This helps to suitably promote their mathematical development. She encourages children to persevere and keep on trying to turn the key in the lock when they identify the correct key. As a result this suitably helps children to develop their small muscle movements.

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who attend

The childminder provides children with opportunities to use all their senses through play. For example, children enjoy playing with musical instruments as they listen intently to the sounds. They explore a variety of messy play such as a corn flour mixture, water, bubbles, ice play, hand and finger painting. Children are developing suitable physical skills. For example, they go for regular walks in the local environment and climb on the play equipment in the park. They develop control and hand-to-eye co-ordination when they connect bricks together during construction activities, or use scissors to cut paper. Children develop an awareness of nature as the childminder encourages them to examine plants and flowers. She talks to them about the different birds that they see in the garden. The childminder promotes children's interest in books as she reads them stories and talks about the pictures they can see.

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who attend

The childminder encourages the children to be independent, for example, dressing and undressing themselves and uses dressing up clothes appropriately to support this. She provides suitable opportunities for the children to socialise with others at toddler groups, and play with different ages of children after school in the designated area at the local school. As a result, children are beginning to learn the necessary skills to prepare them for the next stage in their learning, such as pre-school and school.

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

The childminder is in breach of the safeguarding and welfare requirements as she is not always meeting the required adult to child ratios for the younger children in her care. This puts children's safety and well-being at risk. Although during the inspection there was no significant impact on children's safety and well-being. The childminder recognises signs when children are tired, hungry or need their nappy changing. While she is seeing to one child she ensures that she also cares appropriately for others. For example, as she rocks a tired child in her arms to soothe them she talks to others who are still eating their lunch. Children demonstrate that they have formed secure attachments with the childminder. The childminder has a secure knowledge of all the children and families for whom she provides a childminding service, which means that she can better address the needs of the children. Children behave well and learn good

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

manners because the childminder is consistent in her approach. The childminder consistently uses praise and encouragement to promote children's self-esteem and confidence.

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

Children feel at home and develop a sense of belonging. They show they feel secure in the childminder's care, as they sit happily beside her while playing and include her in their play. The children move around freely within the indoor rooms. They are able to free flow between the inside and outside environment to meet their learning preferences. The childminder provides a variety of toys and equipment for the children to explore. The childminder rotates these resources according to the children attending and their interests, to help motivate and enthuse children in their learning. Resources are accessible to children and are appropriate to their age and stage of development. For example, the resources are stored so that those for the youngest are at floor level so that children can make independent choices. However, the resources in the play areas are not labelled which does not support children to easily identify the toys and equipment, or promote

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

The childminder works with parents to provide children with healthy snacks and meals. Children of all ages sit down together to eat at the table which helps to promote family style meals and develops social skills. However, younger children are not always challenged during meal times as the childminder does not encourage them to hold their own spoon and feed themselves. The children sow seeds and tend to fruit and vegetables growing in the garden, harvesting some to eat at snack times, for example, strawberries and peas. This suitably helps children learn about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

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

The childminder teaches the children how to keep themselves safe. For example, they are aware that they need to clean their hands using wet wipes before eating snack and meals. Children learn how to evacuate the home safely in the event of an emergency as they regularly practise fire drills with the childminder. She encourages children to tidy away toys when they have finished playing with them so that they do not become a trip hazard. Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise which promotes their physical development and develops their awareness of the wider community. They play in the garden, and go on regular outings to the local parks, animal parks and adventure playgrounds. This helps children to learn about healthy lifestyles.

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provision

The childminder is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage in relation to the required adult to child ratios for the younger children in her care. This means that children's safety and well-being is at risk.

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provision

Nonetheless, the childminder has a sound understanding of her responsibilities to safeguard children. She has recently updated her safeguarding training, and is aware of possible symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk. She has a secure understanding of the procedures to follow should she have a concern about a child's welfare, to help protect their well-being. The childminder carries out regular risk assessments on her home and outings, which help her to identify potential hazards and reviews these regularly to keep children safe. The childminder holds a current first aid qualification to help her to provide appropriate care to protect and promote the children's well-being. All documentation including insurances and permissions for outings are in place.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates an appropriate commitment to continued improvement to develop her practice. She attends regular training opportunities and obtains support from the local authority and the local childminding network to share good practice. As a result children benefit from the childminder's continuous improvement. Since her last inspection she has developed her knowledge of outdoor play so that she can promote all areas of learning outside to cater for children's individual learning preferences. She has established links to exchange information with the preschool and school that some children attend to further promote learning in all areas. The childminder uses a written self-evaluation document in order to reflect on her practice. She takes into account written and verbal feedback from parents to make sure that she continues to support children's individual progress.

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provision

The childminder establishes positive relationships with parents. All policies and procedures are available to parents in an information pack before the children start attending. This informs parents about the care their children will receive. The childminder completes the required progress check for two-year-old children and provides parents with a written report about their children's learning. Children's learning journals are available to parents to view and can be discussed at any time. Parents speak positively about the childminder. They report that the childminder is very flexible, reliable, kind and fair. Their children have fun and are happy in the family environment.

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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 954278 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 843345 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 8

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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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