Morrissey, Ann Marie

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/04/2014 Not Applicable

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 The childminder is responsive to children's interests and extends their learning effectively to engage and sustain their attention.  The childminder works closely with parents and the local school to successfully complement and enhance children's learning and development.  Children behave well because the childminder uses creative ways to help teach them about expectations for behaviour.  The childminder is fully aware of her responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and supervises children closely in her care.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance the teaching of literacy even further by making books more accessible for young children.  The childminder has no current plans to enhance her already good knowledge even further by undertaking a formal qualification.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the living room, dining area and garden.  The inspector had discussions with the childminder and children.  The inspector discussed a planned activity with the childminder.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of household members, and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged four and nine in a house in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. She uses the whole of the ground floor and the front and rear garden which are secured by electric gates, for childminding. The childminder attends a childminder group and the local children's centre. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently three children on roll, all are in the early years age group who attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder is open all year round from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays and bank holidays.

p.3

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

 enhance children's literacy even further by making the book corner more welcoming and accessible for younger children

p.3

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

 build upon the already good knowledge of children's learning and development even further by undertaking a formal childcare qualification.

p.3

who attend

The childminder has a good capacity to support children's learning and builds upon what they already know and what interests them. When planning activities, she identifies how to guide children's learning appropriate to their age and stage of development. This helps to excite, interest and motivate children to learn. These positive attitudes towards learning prepare children very well for their eventual entry to school. Children display good levels of independence and problem solving as they lead their play and the childminder responds to their changing interests. For example, when children play with sand they find a star hidden within it and start to do the actions to a familiar song. The childminder enhances this by providing children with musical instruments which they blow, bang and shake with excitement.

p.3

who attend

The childminder teaches children about early mathematics particularly well. She displays number lines which help older children to count and she helps younger children to find foam numbers which are hidden within sand. Together, the childminder and children sing counting songs where they start to add and subtract numbers in rhyme. This helps children to feel confident in using mathematical language and increases their awareness of basic addition and subtraction. Children develop coordination and balance well as they climb and negotiate steps into the tree house in the garden. Older children bounce on the trampoline and ride-on toys which strengthen the muscles in their legs. Children have a wide range of opportunities to increase their smaller muscles. They enjoy craft activities and use chalks, crayons and pens to draw and create as they develop early writing skills.

p.3

who attend

The childminder understands the important of creating a print rich environment for children. She increases children's awareness of letters by displaying the alphabet and supports children's learning of phonics by following the programme they study at school. This helps children to feel confident in sounding out the letters of their name and recognising that words carry meaning. Older children can choose from a range of books and the childminder reads with young children frequently. There is scope to enhance the book area for younger children, who at the moment, cannot reach the book shelf, and therefore, cannot make independent choices about which books they would like to look at. Children use their imagination as they engage in role play and the childminder uses this play to help teach children about changes within their family lives. When children have a new sibling, the childminder uses play with dolls and pushchairs to help them understand

p.4

who attend

about being gentle and caring towards babies. The childminder promotes children's communication and language well. Young children who are not yet verbal use sign language to tell the childminder when they are hungry or tired. She responds to them, naming the way they are feeling to increase their language. The children make imitation sounds as they copy what they hear. The childminder extends this by following up upon what interests children. For example, she takes children to a local farm where they name animals and practise the noises the animals make.

p.4

who attend

The childminder develops effective ways to observe, monitor and assess children's development. She identifies children's starting points in consultation with parents and builds upon their learning by identifying their next steps and sharing these with parents. Parents readily share their own observations of what children can do and as a result, children make consistently good progress in their development. The childminder effectively complements children's learning when they attend school. She finds out about what they are learning and also recognises when they have less opportunity to explore different areas. She plans her own activities to compensate for this meaning that children have a very good balance of activities which support their all-round development. The childminder is able to demonstrate how the tracking system she uses would identify if children's learning did not meet expectations for their age, and is aware of what action she would

p.4

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

Children develop close relationships with the childminder because she is warm and responsive to them. She helps children to experience a smooth move into her care as she works closely with families. She creates family books for children which contain photographs of people who are important to them. Several times throughout the day the children sit with the childminder to look at these together, naming those who appear inside and displaying their obvious pleasure in doing so. This helps children to make connections with home when they are apart from their loved ones. In turn, children feel secure and safe in the childminder's care as she reminds them that parents will collect them at the end of the day. The childminder increases children's confidence in group situations by taking them to local toddler groups and activities where they meet with other children. This helps children to feel confident with their peers and prepares them well for

p.4

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

their move into pre-school and school. The childminder discusses children's home routines to make sure her own mirror these so children feel secure. Consequently, children display high levels of self-esteem and are emotionally ready and willing to learn in the childminder's care.

p.5

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

The childminder gives children clear expectations for behaviour. There are house rules for older children to follow and the childminder explains how they can to play together well. Following an approach adopted by the local school, the childminder implements a visual chart of children's behaviour where their good behaviour is recognised by moving their name onto a sunshine and behaviour which is not welcome sees their name moved on to a cloud. The childminder explains that this is beneficial for older children who like to rectify their behaviour to get their name moved, and therefore, start to implement their own restraint self-control. Children play well together because resources are plentiful and activities are well planned. Children have choices throughout the day where they can decide where and how they play. Children become independent as the childminder encourages them to have a go for themselves. For example, young children feed

p.5

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

themselves and are encouraged to walk to school at their own pace.

p.5

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

Children enjoy healthy lifestyles because the childminder teaches them where food comes from. They grow vegetables in the garden and visit the childminder's family members to see their pet chickens and pick apples from their trees. This helps children to gain an awareness of how to make healthy food choices. Children play outside in all weathers and enjoy playing in the local park and soft play areas where they test out what they can do. Children learn that exercise is part of their routine and beneficial for their well-being. The childminder helps young children to understand about safety as she explains to them why they must be strapped into the highchair and wear reins when walking near the roads. This means that children learn that there are measures in place for their safety which must be in place.

p.5

provision

The childminder has a very good understanding about how to keep children safe in her care. She has a fire evacuation plan in place and practises this frequently with children. The childminder assesses risks within her home and puts into place gates to prevent access to the stairs and areas where children cannot play. The childminder is aware of the signs and symptoms which might cause her concern about children's welfare and has a list of contact numbers on display for herself and parents. This means they she is aware of her responsibility to report any concerns. The childminder considers the possible risk to children from using information and communication technology and takes steps to reduce this. For example, she does not use her mobile phone unless necessary when caring for children and has passwords to protect her electronic records of children's photographs. The childminder supervises children closely at all times and is vigilant in monitoring them

p.5

provision

to make sure they experience meaningful play in safe ways.

p.6

provision

The childminder has completed many online training courses and uses her learning to enhance the care she provides for children. For example, she adapted and fine tuned her observations after completing recent training. There is scope for the childminder to build upon these secure foundations, enhancing her good knowledge of children's learning and development by undertaking a formal childcare qualification. The childminder uses self- evaluation effectively. She reviews the care she provides in consultation with parents and children to identify areas she would like to strengthen. This means that the childminder is able to build upon the good care she provides and sustain ongoing improvements in the quality of care she provides for children. The childminder monitors the activities she provides for children. She assesses how popular the activities are and finds ways for the children to enjoy their learning inside and outside of the home. The careful planning she

p.6

provision

puts into place means that activities are flexible and differentiated well to meet the needs of all children. The childminder monitors the progress children make by tracking their development against expected milestones. She shares regular summaries with parents to help keep them informed of children's learning and has plans in place for completing the progress check for children aged two, when the time arises.

p.6

provision

The childminder understands the benefit of working with others to support her role as a childminder. She makes good use of the local children's centre and attends groups with other childminders to share good practice. The childminder uses feedback from her local authority development worker to further sharpen her practice and enhance the care she provides. Close working with local school is a strength which is highly beneficial for older children. The childminder is aware of how to work with other professionals to support children should this be required. Parents provide glowing references for the childminder which illustrate their contentment and confidence in the childminder's ability to care for their children. They praise her flexibility and genuine care, which they feel is the reason why children enjoy attending so much.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY460157 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 931142 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 3

p.8

Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10