Childminder in Barnsley

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/03/2014 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

 The childminder provides a very good range of activities that stimulate and engage children in their play very well. Consequently, children are highly motivated to explore, learn and develop.  The childminder develops warm and caring relationships with the children, consequently, they are very happy and settled in her care.  The childminder provides a safe and secure environment for the children and understands her responsibilities to safeguard them.  The childminder has strong partnerships with parents; information is shared and the two-way flow of information has a positive impact on meeting children's individual needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities to practise early writing skills and experience a print-rich environment are not as well promoted outdoors as they are inside.  Although there are many resources and activities that promote children's understanding of diversity, there are fewer that positively represent disability.

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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 engaged in the activities and the quality of interactions.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and considered the views of parents on the childminder's own parent questionnaires.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation and children's development records.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to work with an assistant. She lives with her husband and two children aged 11 and seven years in a house in Barnsley, West Yorkshire. The whole of the ground floor of the home and a bedroom on the first floor is used for childminding. The rear garden is used for outdoor play. The is used for children and childminder visits the shops and the park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools. There are currently 11 children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, except bank holidays and family holidays. 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:

 enhance resources that provide positive images, which challenge children's thinking and help them embrace diversity in society, in particular around disability

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

 strengthen the already good opportunities for children to develop their literacy skills, by providing an outdoor play area that is rich in print and has more resources to enable children to practise early writing skills.

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who attend

The childminder has a strong understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, children make good progress in their overall learning. She works effectively with parents to gather information about children's development, interests and their likes and dislikes before they first start and during daily discussions. The childminder assesses children's progress on a regular basis and carefully identifies their interests, levels of development and next steps in their learning. She uses this information to provide a stimulating range of relevant activities that motivate and engage the children. Consequently, children develop the skills that they need in readiness for school. The childminder shares information about daily care routines and activities with parents regularly through discussions, daily diaries and text messages. Parents have good access

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who attend

to their child's development records and any contributions they make to this are valued by the childminder. The childminder informs parents of children's next steps in their learning and gives them ideas on how they can extend this at home. This effectively promotes continuity of care and learning. The childminder is fully aware of the need to complete children's progress checks at age two to help identify any additional support the children may need.

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who attend

The environment is inclusive for all children and the chilminder provides activities and resources that positively represent multiculturalism to help children value and respect the differences and similarities in people. However, there are fewer resources that positively represent disability in our society to further promote children's understanding. The outdoor area is used effectively to extend children's learning. Children explore pebbles, acorns, sticks and leaves using magnifying glasses. They learn about growth and decay as they plant and grow flowers and vegetables in containers. In addition, the childminder displays different sized pans on the fence so that children can hit them and experiment in making different sounds. However, opportunities to practise early writing skills and experience a print-rich environment are not as well promoted outdoors as they are inside.

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who attend

The childminder uses good teaching methods and skilfully allows children to initiate their own play and provides good levels of support, interaction and intervention when needed. As a result, learning is meaningful. The childminder promotes children's communication and language development well. She talks consistently with babies about what they are doing to help them link words to actions. She engages babies in playful activities that encourages turn taking and in verbal responses, including 'peekaboo' games. In addition, she uses a lively voice that encourages babies to listen. Consequently, babies engage well in active learning and maintain focus on activities for quite long periods of time. The childminder tunes in well to the different messages that babies attempt to convey through their babbles and attempts at words. Furthermore, she repeats back words so that babies can hear them more clearly. This fosters children's language skills well. Children are given

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who attend

lots of opportunities to discover the world around them through their senses. They delight in discovering the contents of the treasure basket and the childminder talks with them about the 'prickliness of the brushes' and the 'softness of the sponge'. Babies show an interest in the banging sounds that they make with the wooden spoons and the bricks. To extend this activity further the childminder supplements resources by providing plastic bowls for the children to hit. She then talks with them about the different sounds using terms, such as 'big noise' and 'little noise', 'quiet' and 'loud'. In addition, mathematical language is brought into activities, such as the names of numbers when she counts the bricks with the children. The childminder provides lots of opportunities for children to investigate resources and to find out how things work and happen. For example, babies push, lift and press parts on toys and electronic activities to make sounds and discover

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who attend

what is underneath the flaps. As a result, children are fully engaged in all of the activities and learn effectively.

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

The childminder provides a welcoming and homely environment. As a result, children are happy and confident in her care. She develops strong relationships with the children and consistently praises their achievements, which further boosts their confidence and promotes their self-esteem and emotional development well. The childminder sits on the floor with the babies and they frequently return to her for cuddles and reassurance as they play. Children are familiar with the daily routines as the childminder talks with them about what she and they are doing. This helps children to feel secure. The childminder uses a gradual settling-in process for all new children and uses this time to get to know parents and their children well. This ensures that children settle quickly and easily and supports their emotional well-being. The childminder is a good role model as she has a calm and gentle approach. She provides consistent boundaries and gentle but firm

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

reminders for children to share, take turns and be kind to each other. This helps them to develop positive attitudes towards others and respect their needs. The childminder is fully aware that babies and toddlers find it difficult to share, therefore, she provides additional items of the same resources to help the sharing process. The childminder takes the children to the local toddler groups, where they develop relationships with other adults and build friendships with children. Consequently, this promotes their social skills and children start to develop skills that help them when they move onto pre-school and school.

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

Children have free access to a good range of toys and resources, which are well organised in labelled containers to promote early literacy skills. This effectively supports children's independence in their choices and play. The childminder provides consistent messages in regards to the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. She provides a choice of healthy snacks and meals for the children and works with parents to ensure children's individual dietary needs are met. Menus are displayed for parents' information in the entrance area. Drinks are accessible for the children in their own cups throughout the session to keep them hydrated. Children have a good range of opportunities to be active indoors and outdoors and benefit from daily physical exercise in the fresh air. Children are beginning to manage their own self-care needs, as they learn about the importance of washing their hands before they eat food and after they use the bathroom.

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

Children learn about how to keep safe and manage risk for themselves through play. For example, the childminder supports toddlers as they negotiate steps in the garden and the uneven ground. Older children manage risk by climbing slides and other large apparatus. This boosts their confidence and self-esteem. Children also learn about keeping themselves safe in the environment. For example, they learn how to cross roads safely and they take part in the regular fire drills so that they know what to do in an emergency.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge of the learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a range of robust written policies and procedures, which help her implement her business consistently and share her ethos effectively with parents. Safeguarding is a priority to the childminder. She understands and knows the procedures to follow if she has any concerns about the children in her care. This includes who to contact and the records she needs to keep. The childminder has comprehensive written risk assessments in place that she regularly reviews and updates. This helps to minimise any hazards to the children and enables children to play and explore in a safe environment.

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provision

The childminder's monitoring and evaluation systems are strong. She effectively identifies her strengths and areas for development, therefore, she shows a good capacity to continually improve. The childminder seeks the views of parents through questionnaires and those of the children through her observations. She uses these views to assist her in shaping the future of the provision. For example, the childminder has extended her opening hours owing to parents' suggestions and children's views influence the planning of the activities and the food on the menus. The childminder works closely with the local authority's development workers and acts on any advice given to improve her setting. She is committed to her continual professional development. Alongside those qualifications necessary to run her business, she is also working towards a formal qualification in childcare and education. This means the childminder constantly increases her knowledge

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provision

and skills and keeps up to date with current thinking and legislation. This has a positive impact on the service she provides and supports her to deliver good quality childcare and education. The childminder effectively oversees the educational programmes for the children to ensure that they make good progress in their learning. Each child's progress is tracked and activities effectively match the needs of all of the children.

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provision

The childminder shows a good understanding of the need to work in partnership with other professionals involved in the care and learning of the children. She understands the importance of this to help ensure children receive consistency of care and the support they need to reach their full potential. Partnerships with parents are effective and strong. The childminder works very closely with parents and provides them with good information about her service. This includes asking them to read her policies and procedures and they have access to a noticeboard. The childminder and parents regularly discuss the children's progress. In addition, the childminder uses a daily diary to share information, which is particularly supportive for parents who may not always be able to speak with the childminder. Written comments from the parents indicate they are very happy with the care their children receive. For example, they say that the childminder is 'extremely

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provision

flexible and always on hand if needed' and 'excellent choices and always takes account of children's likes and dislikes'.

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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 EY468486 Local authority Barnsley Inspection number 940965 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 11

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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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