Childminder in East Riding of Yorkshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/03/2014 09/02/2009

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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

 Children feel very safe with the childminder because she provides them with a very caring environment and consistently follows their individual routines. This provides them with good stability and security.  The childminder is confident in her teaching and meticulously observes, assesses and records children's progress. This means she has a concise picture of their development and can plan very successfully for their next steps. Consequently, children achieve well in all areas of their learning.  Partnerships with parents are excellent, which promotes the highly effective ongoing two-way sharing of information. This is extremely beneficial to children's ongoing care and learning.  The childminder has a dedicated and professional approach to managing her service. This means she is well organised and efficient in fulfilling her responsibilities to all families and children. She gives high regard to safeguarding children, keeping them

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This provision is good

free from harm, and to continuously enhancing the outcomes for their care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder is not yet making best use of her garden, to fully support children's outdoor learning experiences.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children playing in the downstairs rooms of the house and the garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents, policies and the childminder's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector made observations of and discussed the outcome of a planned activity that involved children exploring a mix of cornflour and water with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents from written comments they had provided.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children aged 10, eight and four years on the outskirts of Hessle. The whole ground floor of the home, the bathroom and two bedrooms on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet dog.

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Information about the setting

The childminder regularly attends activities at the local children's centre and toddler group and visits the park on a regular basis with children. She takes children to and collects them from the local school. There are currently 10 children on roll, five of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates Monday to Thursday all year round from 7.45am to 5.45pm, except for Bank Holidays and family holidays. She has a recognised early years qualification at level 3 and is accredited to provide funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. 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:

 maximise the learning opportunities for children in the garden by providing a wider range of activities to further enrich their understanding of nature and how items, such fruit and vegetables, grow and develop over time, and how words and numbers can be used in context in different environments.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their learning because the childminder's teaching is securely rooted in her knowledge of how children develop. She knows each child in her care well and provides them with a good range of activities that capture their imagination. This means they want to take part and become highly motivated learners who are not afraid to 'have a go' at trying new experiences. This means they continually increase their knowledge and skills and are well-prepared for school when the time comes. For example, the childminder understands fully that young children learn to make sense of their world through exploration. To support this she provides a mix of cornflour and water for them to investigate. She gives children time to touch and feel this at their own pace, in order to become familiar with the sensation. To further their learning she models how to scoop the mixture up using her hand and lets it trickle through her fingers. This arouses children's

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who attend

curiosity and they copy her actions, which enables them to learn about the properties of the mixture. She also provides spoons to use with the mixture. This effectively supports children to develop their small muscles and gain control in using small tools to promote their physical development.

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who attend

The childminder provides a stimulating environment indoors where children can make choices in their play and access resources easily. This means they develop independence in their learning. For instance, a young child becomes immersed in using a spoon to make mixing actions in a bowl. This shows the child is relating her own experience of mealtimes to her play. Good use is made of labelling indoors to show children words have meaning and how they are used in context. For example, the word 'toilet' is displayed on the outside of the cloakroom door and a poster is displayed above the basin to remind children to wash their hands after personal care. Numbers are also displayed to show children how these are ordered and sequenced. However, these rich opportunities are not extended to the outdoor area, to support children in fully understanding how words and numbers can be used in context in different environments. In addition, the opportunities

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who attend

for children to explore and learn about nature and how things grow and develop over time in the outdoor area are not fully embraced. Consequently, this area of children's learning is not supported as well as it could be.

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who attend

The childminder gives good attention to supporting children's development in communication and language. For example, she engages them in singing rhymes so they learn to use language through repetition and word patterns. The childminder sits with children at their level and makes good use of props, such as puppets and soft toys, during the activity to capture their attention and maintain their interest. This means children concentrate well and develop good listening skills. For example, they delight in bouncing 'spiders' up and down and placing these on their arm and knee to match the words in the song. They squeal with enjoyment as they rise from pretending to be 'sleeping bunnies' and jump up and down. They request to repeat the activity several times, which clearly shows they are very motivated learners who have also have fun as they develop their skills. Parents are kept extremely well informed of their children's learning in the setting.

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who attend

The childminder keeps a highly detailed learning record for each child and this is shared with parents on a regular basis. They also receive a summative assessment each half term of their child's progress. Parents are asked to complete an 'All about me' form for their child, detailing their current interests and achievements at home. This means the childminder can plan very precisely for the next steps in children's learning because she has a very good picture of their development, both in and outside her care. The learning records clearly celebrate each child's progress and development, and provide parents with a very valuable memento of their child's formative years.

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

The childminder is very welcoming and has a very calm and patient manner. Children respond very well to her and are at ease and clearly comfortable in her care. Consequently, they develop warm and secure relationships with her, which promotes their emotional well-being very successfully. This means they enjoy the time they spend away from their parents and have a good base for their learning and development. The childminder collects comprehensive information about each child, particularly their routines, interests, likes and dislikes, when they first start with her, and parents are asked to update this information on a regular basis. This means she can provide resources and activities for their enjoyment. The childminder values children as individuals and promotes their self-esteem and confidence very effectively. For instance, as one child makes the actions to a rhyme, the childminder expresses her delight at this. This means children gain

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

confidence and belief in their abilities.

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

Children enjoy each other's company and the childminder sensitively promotes their understanding of sharing and turn taking as they take part in activities together. For instance, she gives each one the opportunity to take an item from the 'song bag' during a singing activity. This teaches children to be responsive to the needs of others. Such activities, alongside secure boundaries within the home and the childminder's expectation that children are capable, means children behave very well and develop independence in doing things for themselves. For instance, they know to sit at the table to eat and are given time to have a go at putting on their own coats and shoes before going outdoors. This results in even very young children opening the fastening on their shoes and putting their feet in them unaided. This very effectively supports children to feel confident in their abilities and prepares them further for their transition to school.

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

The childminder provides good support and guidance for children, to help them understand how to keep themselves healthy. For example, she explains the importance of hand washing before eating. Children's lunches are supplied by parents and the childminder provides healthy, nutritious snacks and meals at teatime. She provides good support to help very young children to learn how to eat independently and drinks are available at all times for them to help themselves to. Through daily outdoor play children benefit from fresh air and develop coordination and control of their bodies as they use equipment in the garden. For example, they learn to manoeuvre wheeled toys and gain confidence in throwing and rolling balls. These activities are complemented by visits to the park to use large play equipment, which means children can develop their climbing and balancing skills. The childminder makes sure any hazards to children's safety are

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

minimised and this means they are able to move safely and independently about the home. Their safety is further promoted by gentle reminders from the childminder. For example, she explains to a very young child the importance of sitting safely on her chair at the table now she has progressed from using a highchair.

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provision

The childminder has a very good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has comprehensive policies, documents and records that underpin the safe and efficient management of her service. These are shared with parents to ensure they are fully aware of how the service operates. The childminder is passionate about her role and has a good understanding of her responsibilities to safeguard children and keep them safe and protected from harm. She attends training in child protection, and as a result, she is confident in discussing the possible indicators of abuse or neglect and knows to whom she should refer any concerns about a child's welfare. The premises are kept secure and a record is kept of any visitors to the home. This means there is no unauthorised access to children. Consequently, parents can be assured their children are kept safe and consistently well cared for.

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provision

The childminder has a very secure understanding of the learning and development requirements. She meticulously monitors children's progress and her overall tracking sheets mean that she can see at a glance where there may be any gaps in children's learning, so she can address these. The childminder constantly looks for ways to enhance the learning opportunities for children. For example, she takes them on regular outings in the local community to attractions, such as a children's farm and activities each week at a childminder group. This successfully broadens their understanding of the world and their social experiences. The childminder has a good number of years experience of working with children. She gives good attention to her continuous professional development. For example, she regularly attends additional training, which enables her to hone her skills even further. She regularly reflects on her practice and the quality of her service, and fully

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provision

involves children and parents in this. For example, they are asked to express their views through questionnaires, which means they help to shape the service to meet their needs. Comments from the latest questionnaires are very positive, with older children describing how 'everyone is lovely' and the food is 'always lovely' and 'different all the time'. This means the childminder can draw up a detailed self-evaluation document of her strengths and areas for improvement and can successfully plan for how she intends to take her service forward. This means the outcomes for children's care and learning are continually enhanced.

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provision

The childminder has excellent relationships with parents and keeps them very well informed about the service and their children's care. For example, daily diaries, newsletters regarding forthcoming events and activities, verbal discussion and electronic communication are all used on an ongoing basis. This leaves parents in no doubt as to how their children have spent their day with the childminder. Parents are unanimous in their praise for the childminder's service. For example, they write that they find the childminder very welcoming and professional and that they feel privileged to have her as their children's childminder. They also write that they feel secure in the knowledge that their children are in 'excellent hands'. Links with other professionals, such as childminder colleagues and local authority advisors, are well established. This provides good opportunities to discuss best practice and means the childminder is continually updated on

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provision

current childcare issues. The childminder has links with teaching staff at the local school, to promote continuity in children's care and learning when they start full-time education. She is proactive in providing regular updates about the learning and development of children for whom she shares care with other early years providers, to support transitions between settings. Currently, there are no children on roll who speak English as an additional language, or require support from outside agencies. However, the childminder is aware of who to contact for support and advice when necessary.

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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 EY294383 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 861510 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 10

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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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