Childminder in Coventry

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/03/2014 29/04/2009

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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

 The childminder has a good understanding of children's individual needs. She uses her knowledge and their interests to plan activities that motivate children and promote their overall learning.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is well supported. They are content, comfortable and develop a good sense of belonging because of the secure attachments they form with the childminder.  Children are safeguarded because the childminder is aware of her responsibility to protect them from harm. Furthermore, she effectively identifies potential risks within her home and garden and takes appropriate action to minimise them.  The childminder strives for continuous improvement of her provision. She monitors the education programme well and her plans for improvement are well-targeted to strengthen her practice and benefit children in her care.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children do not consistently have opportunities to use their developing imagination. This is because there are fewer chances for children to take part in make belief and fantasy play.  There is room to improve the existing good partnerships with other agencies involved in some children's care and learning, in order to help all children make the very best progress they can.

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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 activities taking place in the lounge and dining room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises and garden used for childminding.  The inspector took account of the views of written feedback from parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's observation and assessment records, the register of attendance and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of all members of the household, the childminder's qualifications and her self-evaluation and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1998 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and adult child in a house in Coventry. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet dog. The childminder attends a toddler group and visits nearby recreational areas. She takes children to and collects them from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently four children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group and they attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round, from 7am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years. She holds an early years qualification at level 3.

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

 extend opportunities for children to experience make believe play to fully promote the development of their imagination

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

 strengthen existing partnerships, especially where children receive support from other agencies, in order to consistently complement their learning and development and maximise the progress that they make.

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who attend

The childminder's practice is based on her secure understanding of how to support children's learning and development through their play. Children are keen learners who enjoy their time with the childminder. This is because she interacts well and provides activities that are stimulating and of interest to them. As a result, children engage enthusiastically in activities. The childminder regularly observes children as they play and makes accurate assessments of their abilities. She takes time to meet with parents and gather important information when children first start in her care. This information is used alongside her own observations, to effectively plan for each child's next stage of learning. Individual play plans help to ensure that children are well supported to make good progress in readiness for school. The childminder shares information about children's ongoing progress and milestones with their parents on a daily basis, through discussion

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who attend

and learning journals. This keeps parents well-informed about children's ongoing development and encourages them to engage in their children's learning at home.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. The childminder plays alongside children asking questions, which encourages them to think. She makes suggestions which challenge and extend their learning. For example, the childminder teaches children how to match pieces of a jigsaw puzzle by looking at the picture on the box and fitting the straight edges first. Children learn to match colours and patterns until the picture forms. The childminder talks to children continually, asking questions about what they are doing and encouraging them to repeat words. She supports children in sounding the letters on their name card and encourages them to find items in the room that start with the same letter. This helps children to develop good communication and language skills. A range of familiar books and stories are readily available. Children listen attentively to their favourite stories and learn that some books provide them with factual information. They are intrigued to learn

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who attend

why tigers have stripes and birds build their nest in trees. These activities effectively develop children's literacy skills and foster their understanding of the world.

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who attend

The childminder skilfully supports mathematical development. Children excitedly sing counting rhymes, working out how many monkeys they have left if one falls out of the bed. Furthermore, they recognise numbers as they put them into a clock puzzle and learn that when the hand points to the number six, it is half past the hour. Children are encouraged to participate in creative activities, such as painting and sticking. They design cards for Mother's Day, carefully using scissors to cut out flower shapes. This supports children's physical skills. However, opportunities for pretend play are not consistently offered to fully extend children's imagination and enable them to express their own ideas. The outdoor area is well-resourced. Children are encouraged to move and be physical, as they play ball games and ride on wheeled toys. They plant bulbs in pots and grow salad vegetables which they water and harvest. Children learn that tomatoes ripen if they place

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who attend

them on the window sill in sunlight. These activities provide good opportunities for children to learn about nature and the natural environment.

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

Children are happy, confident and enjoy their time with the childminder. They have close bonds with her and this helps them to feel safe and secure in her care. The childminder is attentive to children's needs and they readily seek comfort and reassurance from her. This supports children's emotional well-being. Flexible settling-in procedures mean that children experience a smooth move into her home. The childminder gathers good information from parents about their child to ensure their individual needs are well met. The childminder is polite and respectful to children, therefore, providing a good role model. Children are encouraged to use good manners and learn to respect each other's differences. The childminder recognises and praises children's achievements throughout the day. As a result, they develop good self-esteem. Clear and consistent expectations of behaviour result in children playing cooperatively together.

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

Children readily help themselves to toys and resources to support their play because the childminder provides a well-organised playroom. They confidently move around to investigate the activities. Consequently, children's independence is effectively promoted. Children gain a good awareness of the diverse society in which they live. They access a general range of resources, which help them to learn about themselves and the wider world. Flexible routines incorporate trips out to offer new experiences, such as introducing young children to larger group activities when visiting the local childminding group. These experiences help to prepare children for the transition to pre-school. The childminder has a good understanding of working with other providers who may care for children and is developing partnerships with others to aid transitions.

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

Children's understanding of a healthy life style is promoted well. They enjoy outdoor play, which effectively promotes their physical development. The childminder makes good use of local venues, such as parks, to extend the options for physical play so that children benefit from fresh air and exercise. Parents provide healthy packed lunches and children have access to fresh fruit and drinking water throughout the day. Their self-help skills develop rapidly. Children open their own yogurt pots at lunchtime and need little prompting to wash their hands before meals. Furthermore, children put on their own shoes and coats before going outside and readily help the childminder to tidy toys away. They learn about keeping themselves safe, as the childminder keeps children well- informed about any potential risks and ensures that they are aware of the boundaries as they play.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge of safeguarding and keeps her training in this regularly updated. This means that she has a clear understanding of possible child protection concerns and is confident in the steps to take in dealing with them. As a result, children are protected from harm. The childminder has a secure knowledge of the learning and welfare requirements and ensures that these are all met. A range of relevant policies and procedures support the smooth running of her provision. These are all regularly reviewed and shared with parents so that they are aware of the childminder's role and responsibilities in effectively promoting children's welfare. Children play in a safe and secure environment as the childminder carries out regular risk assessments of her home, garden and any venues children visit. Relevant suitability checks are completed on all members of the household. This means that children are kept safe.

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provision

The childminder reflects on her practice, identifying where she can improve to develop outcomes for children. For example, she identified a gap in literacy which led to the labelling of resources and displaying words around the environment. This supported children's understanding that print has meaning. Since the last inspection, the childminder has developed her knowledge on observation, assessment and planning and this is now embedded in her practice. The childminder reviews the activities that she provides for children by looking at their achievements and enjoyment. This helps ensure children make good progress.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of 'the progress check at age two' and how this further supports children's learning at home and helps to identify any additional support that might be needed. Furthermore, she is clear about the benefits of sharing information between settings when children attend more than one provision or where other agencies may be involved. However, there is scope to enhance these already good partnerships to consistently support children's learning in her home and help them to make the best possible progress. All parents are warmly welcomed into the home and they are provided with in-depth information about the childminding service. This is through discussion, text updates, daily diaries, posters and notices. The childminder takes account of parents' views by giving them opportunity to complete regular questionnaires. Parents speak highly of the childminder. They make positive comments in the recent

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provision

questionnaires, such as 'has come on leaps and bounds and 'she instils good manners and good behaviour in children and frequently organises lots of activities to keep all engaged'.

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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 504787 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 872309 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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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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