Childminder in Swindon

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/03/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 are settled, comfortable and happy in the childminder's company, because she has a friendly caring approach towards the children in her care.  The childminder provides enjoyable learning experiences that enable children to make good progress in their learning and development.  The childminder fully promotes children's well-being as she has a good understanding of the safeguarding requirements.  The childminder builds good partnerships with parents and she shares regular information with them about their child's day and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Links are not fully developed with other early years settings that children attend, to promote consistency in children's learning.  The childminder has not fully developed her self-evaluation process to identify areas for improvement.

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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 talked to the childminder and the children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's records and a selection of policies and regulatory documentation.  The inspector talked to a parent to obtain their views.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013. She works at the home of another childminder, her sister, in the Stratton area of Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently, they are caring for 11 children between them. Both childminders have equal responsibility for the childminding practice, although the co-childminder currently takes the lead on the overall management of the premises. Both childminders are trained in first aid and food safety. The co-childminder occasionally takes responsibility for the supervision of the children. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently three children on her roll, of whom two are in the early years age range and attend on a part time basis.

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Information about the setting

The whole of the home is used for childminding, but in practice the children mainly use downstairs. Children have access to toilet facilities on the ground floor. There is an enclosed paved outdoor play area. The home is accessible via steps. The family have a cat and a dog. Local facilities are within walking distance, such as, parks, schools and shops. The childminder takes and collects children from local schools and pre-schools.

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

 strengthen the self-evaluation process to more accurately identify areas for development, and involve parents and children in this process

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

 strengthen systems of sharing information with other early years providers to improve the consistency of children's learning and development

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding about her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. She works well with her co-childminder to ensure that they meet the needs of the children who attend. She gathers information about children's individual needs, interests and routines before they first start, and through daily conversations with parents. This helps to maintain continuity in children's care and prepare them emotionally for their next steps in learning. However, the childminder has not made strong links with other settings that children attend to further promote consistency in learning. Through the completion of observations and assessment on the children, the childminder is able to clearly identify the stage of learning and development children are at. She plans activities around their next steps and interests, which helps to capture children's imaginations. For example, she knows that children show an interest in

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who attend

snails, so she organises a walk to collect empty snail shells so that they can compare the different patterns on the shells. The childminder talks to the children about plans for the day. This helps children feel secure and provide predictability to the day. Parents receive detailed information about their child's day and activities they have taken part in through the use of daily diaries, text messages and accessible learning journals. As a result, good partnerships with parents develop.

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who attend

Children's language skills are developing well, through the use of clear language used by the childminder. She responds to the younger children by repeating words back to them and saying the words correctly. This helps children develop their early language skills. She teaches them the correct names for the herbs such as 'rosemary and mint,' which help to develop children's vocabulary. Children have opportunities to use all their senses as they plant a sensory herb garden in a tub. The childminder teaches them that if they water the plants and then touch the leaves the scents will be released into the air. Consequently, children enjoy tending the plants as they transport water in a jug to 'give the herbs a drink.'

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who attend

Children enjoy developing their imagination as they play harmoniously with dolls, pretending to feed them and putting them to sleep in pushchairs. They enjoy taking the pushchairs out into the garden and pretend to take the dolls for walks. The childminder provides the children with windmills and tells them that if the flag in the garden is flying and flapping the windmill should spin. She extends learning for the older children by teaching them to hold the windmill in the same direction as the flag to make it spin faster. Children are enthralled and engaged as they experiment by holding the windmill up and adjusting the direction to make it go faster. The childminder encourages children to link letters and sounds during daily routines. For example, children form the letter 'I' using cutlery at lunchtime, and the childminder supports them to think of children who have an 'I' in their name. This together with the regular visits to the local library to choose books

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who attend

to share at home promotes their early reading skills well. Through the childminder's guidance and support, the children are acquiring the skills, attitudes and dispositions they require to prepare them for their next stages in their learning such as school.

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

Children benefit from secure and trusting relationships with the childminder. Children are relaxed and confident in the friendly welcoming home where they feel safe to explore and learn. The childminder arranges 'stay and play' settling-in routines with parents, to help promote positive bonds with the children when they first arrive. There are good systems in place to support consistency of care for the children, as the childminder has regular discussions with parents. Daily diaries further inform parents of what their child has eaten, how they have slept and how they have been.

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

The childminder is enthusiastic and interacts well with children during their play but knows when to step back to enable children to follow their own ideas. She encourages older children to make independent choices in their play as they select resources from the wide range available in the play room to take outside. She leads by example as she encourages children to be polite and use good manners during routines and activities. Children take pleasure in helping each other, for example older children smile with pride when locating a pushchair for younger children to use in their role play. The positive reaction from the childminder boosts their self-esteem and further motivates children to continue to help each other. As a result, children are well behaved.

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

Children are beginning to learn about healthy lifestyles. The childminder uses good hygiene practices to prevent the possible spread of infection. She encourages children to wash their hands before meals, after using the toilet and being outside. The childminder implements the healthy eating policy by providing home cooked, healthy and nutritious meals. She takes careful account of children's dietary needs to maintain good health. Drinks are accessible throughout the day and children access them when they are thirsty. Children and childminders sit together to eat at meal times and this is a social occasion when they chat happily with each other, which promotes their social skills well. This helps them to develop the skills they require to move on to school. Children have opportunities to develop good physical skills as they go outside in the fresh air every day. They walk to school and visit the library to choose books to take home. They visit the park to climb and

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

balance on the play equipment and play in the outside area with their friends. The co- childminder has an old cat which is segregated from the children as it lives upstairs. There is a small dog that is also kept segregated from the playroom. The dog accompanies the childminder and the children on their walks and children who choose can interact with it under the supervision of the childminder. This helps to develop children's confidence with animals well.

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provision

The childminders documentation is extremely well organised and easily accessible. She has a good understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She has completed safeguarding training to secure her knowledge of the procedures to follow should she have a concern about the welfare of a child.

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provision

The childminder works effectively with her co-childminder to develop and implement a range of policies and procedures to ensure consistency for all children who attend. She shares these with parents before a child starts at the setting to enable them to have clear expectations of the childminder's practice. She ensures that all the required documentation is maintained and shared with parents to help her meet children's individual needs. For example, she records the administration of medication to children. The childminder or her co-childminder complete a daily visual check that covers all areas of the home, both inside and outside to minimise any risks to children. She keeps an accurate record of children's attendance. The childminder hold a current first aid certificate to help her to provide appropriate care if a child has an accident. As a result, this helps to support children's on-going welfare.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a positive attitude towards driving improvement forward for the benefit of the children. She is developing her self-evaluation practice and has made use of support from the local authority to identify some areas for improvement. However, she has not sought the views of parents to help to fully inform and evaluative her practice and provision.

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provision

The childminder forms positive bonds with parents. Parents' report the childminder communicates with them daily about their children's care, learning and development. Their children's learning journals are always available to view and can be discussed at any time. Their children are happy and enjoy their time with the childminders. Parents are pleased with the progress that their children have made. They state that their children have gained in confidence and their communication and language is developing very well.

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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 EY464123 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 935659 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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