Meachin, Emma-Jayne Louise

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/05/2014 30/04/2012

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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

 Children relate well to the childminder's warm, patient manner and are happy and settled in her care.  The childminder understands the importance of behaviour management, and consequently, children behave well.  Children's communication and language skills are developing as the childminder supports this well during children's play and activities.  Children enjoy the use of open-ended materials during planned activity sessions so that they can experiment with how to use them in a variety of different ways.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder has not yet developed systems in order to ensure the children's next steps in learning are well planned for within the prime areas of learning.  There are limited opportunities for children to access outdoor activities and to use natural resources.  The childminder has not developed robust systems for monitoring her service in order to identify her strengths and weaknesses fully.

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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 an activity that took place.  The inspector looked at children's individual files and tracking documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at paperwork, including policies and procedures, and discussed planning for activities with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 and is on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged 10 and 11 years in Clone, Lancashire. The whole of the ground floor and the first floor bathroom are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area to the rear of the property. There are currently three children on roll who are within the early years age range. The childminder is supported by the local authority.

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must:

 review the progress of children fully in order to identify the children's next steps in their learning, and use this information to provide challenging activities to ensure that children make good progress.

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

 develop ways of regularly reflecting on all aspects of the service, in order to bring about improvement

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

 provide opportunities for regular outdoor activities and support children to experiment and investigate a wider range of natural materials

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

 develop children's self-help skills during daily routines, for example, as they wash their hands, in order to allow children to develop an understanding of personal hygiene.

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who attend

Children enjoy their time at the setting and are occupied with resources and activities. They are supported to carry out activities and are eager to become involved in them. For example, children participate in an activity of singing songs while playing with a selection of musical instruments. Children are encouraged to 'shake' and 'bang' the musical instruments along with the selected music that the childminder and the children sing along to. This supports and develops children's communication, language and literacy skills and they are supported with effective praise and encouragement throughout the session. The childminder supports the use of open-ended materials. For example, she plans and prepares an activity which allows and encourages children to make their own instruments through the use of old pots and tubs. Children carefully pour dried pasta, rice and lentils into the tubs, which helps them to make home-made instruments. Children relish in this

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who attend

activity and seek full enjoyment. The childminder generally adapts the activity in order to meet the individual needs and ages of the children. This encourages children to actively learn during these activities. However, at times the activity is less challenging and there are missed opportunities to extend the session further, for example, by questioning and challenging the older children. The childminder has some knowledge of effective teaching and the learning and development requirements. She organises some activities and there is a weekly plan in place, which meets the seven areas of learning. However, as the childminder only has a basic understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, teaching and the learning of the children who attend are variable. Children's individual next steps in learning are not always effectively planned for and routine assessments lack rigour. Consequently, children are not always challenged to aspire to reach their next

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who attend

developmental levels of learning, and therefore make satisfactory, rather than good, progress. Children's general achievement is discussed with the parents. Children's individual needs and specific interests are discussed at the start and the end of the day so that parents are adequately involved in their children's learning.

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

Children who attend the setting are happy. Positive relationships are well formed and children feel at ease with the childminder. Children benefit from a calm and relaxed atmosphere. The childminder knows and understands the children well and is knowledgeable about their individual needs. She encourages parents to complete 'all about me' forms during the gradual admission process. This allows the childminder to take into consideration children's interests and individual needs so that she can plan to meet these during the time that the children spend at the setting. The childminder operates a gradual admission process where time is spent with the parents and the child to become aware and familiar within the setting. Therefore, children's transitions are planned for and their emotional needs are suitably met. Children behave well within the setting. Children of all ages are encouraged to play and learn together. The childminder has an understanding

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

of behaviour management and encourages children to say 'please' and 'thank you' during their time at the setting. Overall, the childminder is a positive role model who offers lots of praise and encouragement to the children, for example, to share and take turns. These practices encourage children's social development, which contributes to them acquiring the skills needed for school.

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

Children enjoy healthy snacks while at the setting and gather together around a small table in order to make the occasion a sociable event. The childminder, however, misses opportunities to develop the children's self-care skills, for example, understanding the importance of children washing their own hands prior to eating in order to keep themselves clean and free from germs.

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

The environment is welcoming and adequately resourced. There are a selection of books and toys which meet the age ranges of the children who attend the setting. The childminder has links to the library within the local community where she takes the children to enjoy the facilities and resources. However, the use of outdoor facilities are less well planned for. There is an opportunity for children to enjoy a small outdoor space within the setting. However, this is not always accessible to them on a daily basis. There are also fewer opportunities for children to make use of natural resources in the outdoor facility and use this as continuous provision, so that they have the best opportunities to develop their understanding of the world.

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provision

The childminder has an understanding of safeguarding children. There is a policy and procedure in place within the setting, and the childminder is able to discuss this. She is aware of the Local Safeguarding Children Board and who to contact in times of need. The childminder has undertaken the required vetting procedures and complies with statutory requirements. Accident recording and reporting procedures meet the welfare requirements, and the childminder is able to discuss the importance of using them within the setting. The childminder has in place a policy and procedure for risk assessment, and documentation to record risks and hazards is in place.

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provision

The childminder has a basic understanding of her responsibility to meet the learning and development requirements. She knows the children well and is able to provide activities that help them make suitable progress in their learning and development. The childminder can identify her own strengths and weaknesses to address practice. Some thought has been given to identifying areas for improvement. For example, the childminder talks about improving her planning and assessment of the children and how she can do this by obtaining some further training and support to more readily identify children's learning and development needs, in order to extend children's development. However, she does not use the self-evaluation process effectively enough to bring about change within her practice so that the standard of care and learning offered to children improves steadily over time.

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provision

Parents are welcomed into the setting and are encouraged to provide some information about their children's starting points on entry. The childminder has an adequate understanding of the importance of working in partnership with other professionals, in order to ensure continuity for children.

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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 EY437606 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 876088 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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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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