Samantha Louise Koch

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/02/2014 24/07/2013

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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 plans activities to help children to make good progress in their learning and development.  The childminder makes good use of the local community to help children to gain confidence and to develop their social skills.  The childminder establishes trusting relationships with parents and information is shared to meet the children's welfare requirements effectively.  The childminder evaluates the effectiveness of her childminding service and she is keen to make continuous improvements to benefit the children.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder has not ensured that risk assessments are robust enough to identify all hazards to children, particularly in the garden.  There are few opportunities for children to play with natural materials to develop their senses further.  The childminder does not provide a wide range of materials and resources to further ignite children's play in the garden.

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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 in the dining room and play room.  The inspector observed the interaction between the childminder and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's observational files and a selection of policies and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of the parents through their written comments.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013. She lives with her partner and young child in Stony Stratford in Buckinghamshire. The whole of the ground floor of the house, except for the living room, is available for childminding and there is a garden for outside play. The family has a pet cat. The childminder walks or drives to local schools to take and collect children and she attends the local pre-school groups. The childminder's provision is open all year round from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays agreed in advance. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She sometimes works with one or two assistants. The childminder is currently minding four children in the early years age range and one child over five years of age before and after school. Children attend on different days and at different times.

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must:

 ensure there is a clear and well understood policy and procedure for assessing any risk to children's safety in the garden. These should identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked regularly, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised.

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

 provide a wide range of natural materials to encourage children to use their senses to explore colour, texture and space further.

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

 extend the range of materials and resources outdoors so children can find new ways to represent and develop their ideas.

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who attend

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of how to help children to make good progress in their all-round development. She finds out all she can from parents about their child's learning and development, to establish their starting points, and then plans their next steps for learning. During all activities, the childminder uses effective teaching techniques such as open questioning, modelling language and making suggestions. Children develop independence skills as they make choices about what to play with by helping themselves to toys and resources.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their communication, language and literacy. The childminder encourages children's interest in reading by providing a good variety of books and by taking them to visit the local library. Children talk about the pictures they see on the posters displayed in their environment. The childminder plans opportunities to help children to practise their early writing, for example, as they make marks with their fingers in salt and paint. Children build on their good large physical skills as they slide, swing and climb on apparatus at the park and the gym. However, they play with a limited range of toys and resources in the childminder's garden, which does not promote the all-round development of children who prefer to learn outdoors.

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who attend

Children particularly enjoy taking part in action songs and rhymes and playing musical instruments. They enthusiastically clap their hands, stamp their feet and move their bodies to the music. Furthermore, children engage in make-believe play as they dress up and look after their baby dolls. They enjoy art and craft activities that help them to develop their creativity and imagination. However, children have fewer opportunities to use natural materials to fully explore colour, texture and shape through their senses.

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who attend

Children develop good problem-solving skills as they post shapes, build with bricks and weigh ingredients when cooking, for example. During a sticking activity, the childminder models mathematical language which helps children to explore colour, number and shape. The childminder plans many worthwhile experiences to help children learn about the world in which they live. Children learn to take care of living things as they feed the ducks, observe the snails making trails on paper and caterpillars developing into butterflies. Children celebrate festivals from around the world and play with toys and resources which help them to begin to understand about diversity. For example, children recall eating noodles and making a horse to celebrate Chinese New Year. Children find out how things work as they use the stethoscope and toys with buttons and levers. The childminder helps children to make good progress in preparation for moving on to nursery and school.

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

Children develop close attachments to the childminder and her family, which helps them to separate happily from their parents. Children are very familiar with the daily routine, which provides a sense of security. Children are well-behaved and clear about what is acceptable because the childminder models and encourages good behaviour. The childminder praises the children for the smallest of achievements and this develops their confidence and self- esteem. Children are very kind to one another and they tell each other they are clever as they name colours and shapes correctly. Overall, the childminder provides a range of suitable toys and resources, which provides sufficient challenges to capture children's ongoing interest. Children have access to suitable furniture and equipment, such as booster seats and a buggy, to support their individual needs.

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

The childminder teaches children about living a healthy lifestyle. They follow good hygiene routines such as hand washing before eating, which encourages them to develop their self-care skills. The childminder discusses children's dietary requirements with their parents and she provides healthy snacks and meals. At lunch time, children enjoy sociable meal times as they sit together around the dining table to eat their packed lunch.

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

The childminder and her assistants hold current first aid qualifications to manage accidents appropriately. Accidents and medication administration systems are suitable to support the welfare of the children. Children do not attend when they are sick in order to minimise cross infection.

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

Children generally develop an understanding of keeping themselves safe as they talk about crossing roads and using scissors in the correct way. The childminder closely supervises children as they take small risks and increase their skills; for example, as they climb on apparatus at the park. This helps them to develop an awareness of their personal safety. Overall, the childminder promotes children's health and welfare effectively.

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provision

The childminder is aware of her responsibility to safeguard the children in her care. She knows the signs and symptoms to look out for and the necessary steps to take should she have concerns. The childminder clearly demonstrates that she is aware of changes that must be notified to Ofsted. Adults working or living on the premises have undergone suitability checks to be with the children. This inspection was brought forward to check that the childminder was continuing to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. This was because last August Ofsted received concerns about the use of assistants and the suitability of the childminder and household members. Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit and looked at whether the childminder was meeting requirements in relation to safeguarding practice, safeguarding policy, suitable people, child supervision, information for parents and carers and changes that must be notified to Ofsted. The

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provision

childminder was found to be compliant with these; however, she was not maintaining clear records to indicate when assistants were present. Therefore, Ofsted issued a notice to improve that asked the childminder to improve the records kept to safeguard children, this refers to the recording of the daily hours of attendance and names of each child's key person and details of anyone else who will be regularly be in unsupervised contact with the children attending the early years provision. The childminder took prompt and appropriate action and now keeps records of the children's daily hours of attendance and the names of each child's key person when she is working with her assistants.

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provision

There are appropriate safety measures in place in the home, for example, the use of safety gates to limit the children's access to the first floor. However, the childminder has not addressed all hazards in the garden. This is because the pond is accessible to children and the safety netting used is not sufficiently robust to ensure children's safety. This is a breach of a legal welfare requirement.

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provision

The childminder evaluates her practice effectively to identify her strengths and areas for further development. The childminder is keen to build on her current skills and she has completed food safety, and planning and assessment training to further support children's welfare and learning. The childminder values the parents' views gathered in the children's learning journals and through discussions. She uses these to inform her self-evaluation.

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provision

The childminder establishes effective partnerships with parents and others in order to meet the children's needs. Parents share information about their child's routine and activities in a daily diary and through discussions, and the childminder keeps parents up- to-date on a daily basis. The childminder has a good understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. Each child has an informative assessment file, which includes parents' comments about their child's progress and what they feel their child needs to work towards next to prepare them well for school. The children thoroughly enjoy looking at and talking about the photographs of themselves and their friends. The childminder provides a written progress check for two year old children and parents are involved in this process. Parents' comments highlight t that they are pleased with the progress their children are making and the variety of activities on offer.

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provision

As the need arises, the childminder establishes good relationships with others involved in the children's lives in order to complement children's care and learning.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 EY457540 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 944217 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 5

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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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