Gardiner-Catlow, Natalie Ruth

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/04/2014 09/06/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children progress well in a stimulating environment that includes a wide range of activities based on children's interests and ability. The childminder has well developed documentation in place to ensure parents are well informed about the daily routine and activities provided.  The induction and settling in process for both parents and children is effective, resulting in good relationships with parents and secure attachments with children.  Children's behaviour and learning is well supported so that children are well prepared for their transitions to school.

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It is not yet good because

 Not all adults have appropriate checks in place to ensure their suitability to be in the company of minded children.  The childminder has a good understanding of children's current level of development but does not yet adequately share this progress with others involved in children's learning.

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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 planned and child-initiated play activities.  The inspector observed care routines.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a range of documentation, including children's records planning and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a variety of professional discussions with the childminder concerning children's progress, her provision and documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2008. She lives with her husband in Colerne, in Wiltshire. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She currently has six children on roll in the early years age group. There is easy access at street level and the whole ground floor of the childminders house is used for childminding with the bathroom and sleeping facilities upstairs. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She attends the local parent and toddler group, a singing group and takes children to the local library and to the church and local park. The childminder has a level 3 qualification in Children's Care, Learning and Development.

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must:

 ensure that persons with whom the children are left in an emergency situation hold relevant suitability checks

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must:

 obtain parental permission to leave children with an assistant, including for very short periods of time.

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

 provide information to other settings that children attend in order to ensure consistency in their ongoing learning

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

 provide outdoor clothing so that children who learn better outside have opportunities to utilise this area in all conditions

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

 request more information from children's parents when they start to ensure consistency of learning from children's starting points.

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who attend

The childminder provides a range of resources that meet the needs of a variety of ages, abilities and interests. Most resources are easily accessible to children to enable them to make choices about activities. Resources such as letter and number learning games or jigsaw puzzles are available when children request them. This enables the childminder to support their learning as they take part in such activities. For example, children ask for a fishing game and the childminder supports their learning throughout the activity, using appropriate questions and comments. Children use a magnetic fishing rod, for example, to find the correct letters. These are then used to make copy words on picture cards. The childminder helps children understand the difference between letters such as d and b, or i and j. She develops their understanding of word and letter formation through fun and engaging teaching throughout activities.

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who attend

The childminder gives priority to children's learning and development. Planning is varied and interesting. Anything planned for inside is taken outside, weather permitting. Planning also includes children's current interests and next steps in learning as identified by the childminder. Children's records contain observations that cover all areas of learning when children meet a new goal or complete a special task. The childminder assesses children when they first join her but parent's views on their child's current level of development are not always included in this assessment. Consequently, children's initial starting points are not effectively recorded to enable their progress to be suitably measured.

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who attend

The childminder supports children's learning through activities using effective praise and questioning that encourages children to develop their ability to think for themselves. In addition, the childminder uses children's different learning styles to ensure that they progress. Using children's preference to play with physical activity resources such as balls and blocks, for example, the childminder supports the development of skills such as counting and shape. The childminder models ideas and concepts to support children's play during construction activities. For example, the childminder suggests she will build a castle to compliment a child's tower. After a few attempts the child decides to build a castle too. Her play is extended through the use of characters such as fairies and pirates and as the child develops her game, the childminder makes suggestions designed to help the child develop a storyline.

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who attend

The childminder supports children's transition onto school by encouraging their self-care skills. Children learn to write their name, change their clothes and shoes and use the toilet independently, for example. In addition, children often attend the childminder after school and any gaps identified in their learning are carefully supported at this time.

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

The childminder establishes effective relationships with the children in her care. They enjoy playing with her, sitting on her lap as they develop a storyline together or cuddling up next to her on the settee as she reads a story. Children learn how to have a healthy lifestyle. They have regular opportunities for physical play and benefit from healthy snack and lunch choices. They learn how to wash and dry their hands using their own towels, and this prevents cross-infection. Children sit and eat at the table joined by the childminder who talks with them as they enjoy this quality social time together. Children have a choice of fruit for snack and are encouraged to feed themselves at lunchtime, developing important independence skills.

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

Behaviour in the setting is good and helps children to feel safe in the environment. The childminder models the use of good manners, and children help her to tidy away toys before more resources are brought out. For example, she encourages children to choose which resources they would like to tidy up such as the blocks or the fairies and pirates. The childminder has a good understanding of children's difficulties, such as shyness and supports children's development of confidence and self-esteem well. For example, the childminder praises children for their knowledge during activities where they are required to count and to match number cards. She gives much praise for their achievements, thereby boosting their self-esteem.

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

Children go outside daily, either to play with resources in the garden or to pick up older children from school. During these occasions the childminder at times, takes children to the park to develop their physical skills. There are also regular visits to the mobile library, various toddler groups and a singing group which helps children develop important social skills as they interact with other children. However, outdoor play can be weather dependent as the childminder relies on parents providing appropriate clothing such as boots. This hinders learning for those children who learn better outdoors.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a good knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. She uses activities planned to develop children's identified next steps. For example, she plans activities using shaving foam and toy animals to develop the children's understanding of texture and to encourage their vocabulary through interesting and sensory experiences. Through the use of the foam activity, the childminder uses discussion to explore with children how the foam feels and changes in their hands. The childminder extends children's learning through books about different occupations, for example to engage a particular child's interest in vets, followed by a visit to a mobile library.

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provision

The childminder has a sound understanding of the welfare and safeguarding requirements overall. She records pre-existing injuries and has the relevant policies in place that cover the use of mobile phones and camera's. The childminder understands the process for reporting concerns and has a flow chart displayed to refer to should she require an extra prompt. The childminder has also completed a child protection training course. The childminder has detailed records in place to keep children safe. These include enrolment records, pre-existing injury, accident forms and medication forms that detail when medication was last administered at home. Consent forms cover areas such as the use of photographs and permission to leave children with other registered childminders in an emergency. However, although verbal permission has been granted to leave children with a named adult, on rare occasions children have been left in the care of an adult who has

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provision

not been checked by Ofsted as suitable to do so. This compromises children's safety and is a breach of requirement. The childminder regularly updates her training and has attended a course in child psychology to give her a further insight into how children develop. The childminder is currently developing a self-assessment form that identifies areas of her provision that she would like to improve further, regarding health and safety. For example, through including children in developing golden safety rules and enhancing children's understanding of healthy foods while they help to prepare snacks.

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provision

The childminder provides parents with annual and bi-annual written assessment reports that cover all aspects of learning, areas that could be worked on at home and children's next steps. The childminder also completes the checks for those children who are aged two years old and shares these with parents and other settings that children may attend. However, there are no links developed with the local school to support children's future transitions.

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provision

The childminder's partnership with parents is effective; parents are given copies of regular assessment reports and attend a comprehensive induction. They meet with the childminder to discuss policies and procedures. The childminder talks with parents during drop off and pick up times and encourages them to provide her with 'wow moments' on achievements at home, that can be included in their child's learning journey files. Parents are well informed of their child's progress and are involved in their children's learning. This aids children's continuous progress in learning and future outcomes.

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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 any person having unsupervised contact with children is suitable to be in regular contact with children and an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check has been obtained through Ofsted in respect of that person. (compulsory part of the Childcare register)  ensure that any person having unsupervised contact with children is suitable to be in regular contact with children and an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check has been obtained through Ofsted in respect of that person. (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 EY384250 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 838244 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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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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