Childminder in Leeds

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/05/2014 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 interacts very well with children and makes learning fun and exciting for them. This means children are motivated to take part in activities, and as a result, continually develop new knowledge and skills.  The childminder gives the highest priority to supporting children to learn about keeping themselves safe. Consequently, they learn to behave in a responsible manner and know how to manage risks.  The childminder has a very patient and empathetic approach to meeting children's needs and promoting their emotional well-being. As a result, children feel secure in her care and develop close and trusting bonds with her.  The childminder provides a well-managed, safe and secure environment for children to play and learn. This means they are well protected and kept free from harm at all times.  The childminder gives good attention to working in partnership with parents. This promotes good sharing of information, which benefits children's ongoing care and

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder is not yet making best use of her garden, to support all areas of children's learning outdoors.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children in the downstairs rooms of the house.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of planning documents, policies and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector made observations of and discussed the outcome of a planned baking activity with the childminder.

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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 lives with her child aged 11 years in Tingley, near Wakefield in West Yorkshire. The whole ground floor of the home, most of the first floor and the garden are used for childminding. The childminder has an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. She attends activities at the local toddler group and visits the park on a regular basis with children. She collects children from the local school and nursery. There are currently three children on roll, one of whom is in the early years age group. They attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates Monday to Friday all year round from 8am to 6pm, except for family holidays and Bank 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:

 strengthen the learning opportunities for children in the garden, with particular regard to further enriching their understanding of nature and supporting them to extend their early writing skills, such as providing opportunities for them to plant and grow items and regularly make marks on a large scale, for example, using water and brushes.

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who attend

The childminder is very confident in her teaching and makes clear links between observation, assessment and planning for the next steps in children's learning. This enables her to provide activities that fully support children's individual development needs. Consequently, children make good progress and have a good foundation for their future learning at school. The childminder makes activities fun for children, which means they want to take part. For example, to support one child's development in communication and language, she makes up and teaches the child 'rap' rhythms, with actions, to help in pronouncing more complex words. The childminder makes good use of everyday routines and activities to teach children how words and print have meaning. For example, she uses a simple weekly calendar to record which child is responsible for feeding the family fish each day. Children delight in checking this as they arrive, to see if it is their turn. The

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who attend

childminder also encourages children to personalise their drinks bottle, with their name and drawings of their choice. This helps them to identify which is their bottle and gives them a sense of ownership.

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who attend

The childminder provides a well-organised, bright and stimulating environment for children to play and learn. The playroom is set out with a range of toys that children can access easily, and use to shape their independent learning. For example, one child delights in accessing role play resources, such as crockery and play food, which she uses to make meals. This shows that children can act out real experiences in their play in their own way. The childminder also provides planned activities that focus on particular aspects of children's learning. For example, during a baking activity she encourages children to use scales, to teach them about weight and measure and to count out a certain number of bun cases for the mixture. This promotes children's mathematical development well. During the activity the childminder encourages children to develop their coordination and control of their small muscles as they mix with a large spoon and transfer the mixture to

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who attend

The childminder constantly engages children in conversation, which means they become immersed in the spoken word. She makes good use of open-ended questions which require more than one-word answers and gives children time to formulate their response. This actively encourages children to develop their thinking skills and use a range of vocabulary. For example, when one child tells the childminder she does not like a particular story, the childminder asks 'What don't you like about the story?' The child responds with 'Because the wizard is evil and turns everyone to ice'. The childminder provides good opportunities for children to broaden and extend their learning in the local community. She regularly takes them to venues, such as nearby woods to listen to the birds singing, and to a children's farm to observe various animals. It is evident that children enjoy such activities. For example, one child giggles with delight as she recalls

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who attend

how a calf licked the childminder's hand when they visited a farm. This shows children's learning is exciting and memorable. The childminder keeps clear records of children's progress and these are shared with their parents on a regular basis. This means parents are fully informed about their child's learning in the setting. Through regular discussion the childminder encourages parents to tell her about their children's achievements at home. She successfully uses the information to plan precisely for the next steps in children's learning.

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

The childminder gives very good attention to promoting children's emotional well-being. She fully understands that if children do not feel safe and emotionally secure they will not learn effectively. Consequently, she strives to make children's transitions into her care a stress-free and pleasant experience for them and their parents. For example, she makes a home visit to meet the child initially in their own environment, so they feel secure. She gathers a wealth of information about children's individual needs and how these can be met, and settling-in visits are offered over a period of time. As a result, when the placement begins, children settle well and quickly develop strong bonds with the childminder.

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

The childminder pays good attention to promoting children's independence in their self- care. For example, she teaches them how to put their shoes on the correct feet and to fasten buttons and zips on their clothes. She gives them time to practice and refine their skills. This means they become self-reliant, which further prepares them for school. The childminder actively encourages children to try new experiences and makes it clear that it does not matter if they make a mistake, as that is how they learn. The positive impact of this approach is clearly evident, and children enjoy meeting challenges. The childminder acknowledges children's efforts and achievements with meaningful praise. For example, she tells one child that she is making good 'stirring actions' during a baking activity. This successfully helps children to feel good about themselves and to have faith in their abilities, which in turn raises their self-esteem.

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

The childminder provides daily opportunities for children to benefit from fresh air and physical exercise, which means they keep fit and healthy. For example, they use resources, such as wheeled toys, in the garden and regularly visit the park to use large play equipment, to further help them develop coordination in their movements. This supports their physical development well. However, rich opportunities for children to engage in activities in the garden that support other areas of learning are not always provided. For example, children do not have regular opportunities to plant and grow items, such as fruit and vegetables, so they observe how things change over time, or to make marks on a large scale, to further support their early writing skills. This means these areas of children's learning are not supported as well as they could be.

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

The childminder is highly effective in helping children to learn to behave in a safe and responsible manner and to minimise risks to themselves. For example, on outings she provides high-visibility jackets for children to wear, so she can see them easily. The childminder talks to children about 'stranger danger' at their level of understanding and teaches them how to cross the road safely. The positive impact of this is evident. For example, one child confidently explains how 'safe people' are the childminder, her parents and the school crossing patrol person. The child also clearly explains about stopping and looking for cars before crossing the road. The childminder also involves children in adapting her risks assessments. For example, in preparation for a baby starting, the childminder has discussed how the seating arrangements in the car will have to be changed to accommodate the baby's safety seat. This means children learn to consider

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

and be accepting of the needs of others.

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provision

The childminder has a good range of policies and procedures in place that underpin the safe and efficient management of her setting. All necessary records are in place. These are kept up to date and stored securely to maintain confidentiality. Assessments and daily checks identify any risks to children's safety, and effective action is taken to minimise any hazards. This means children are kept safe at all times. The childminder has a good understanding of her responsibilities in terms of child protection issues and is confident in recognising the possible indicators of abuse or neglect. She knows to refer any concerns to the Local Safeguarding Children Board and she makes parents fully aware of this when the placement starts.

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provision

The childminder has high aspirations for her service and regularly reflects on her practice and her personal development. For example, since registration she has gained a childcare qualification at level 3 and attended various additional short training courses. This means she can hone her skills and improve the outcomes for children's care and learning. The childminder successfully reviews and assess the effectiveness of the educational programmes she provides. She establishes children's starting points in their learning and plots their ongoing progress using a tracker sheet. This means at a glance she can identify any gaps in children's learning and plan activities to close these. This means children reach their full potential. The childminder has a good understanding of her strengths and areas for improvement, and has clear plans in place as to how she intends to move her service forward in the future. She seeks advice from the local authority as necessary and

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provision

makes sure she keeps up to date with changes in legislation, so her practice is line with this. Children's views are regularly sought and taken into account, which means they help to shape the service to meet their needs. For example, older children decide what outings they would like to see included during the school holidays, taking into consideration the needs of any younger children attending.

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provision

The childminder works very well in partnership with parents. They receive good information when the placement begins and on an ongoing basis. For example, they are provided with copies of the childminder's policies and procedures in electronic form. This means they are fully informed of how the service operates. Daily discussion and newsletters give them a good account of their child's day and any forthcoming events. The childminder regularly asks parents if they are happy with the service they receive and keeps them informed of any changes she makes and the reasons for these. The childminder has good links with providers of other early years settings children also attend, such as the local school nursery. She has ongoing discussion about children's learning across the two settings and the weekly programme of activities the nursery provides. This enables her to talk positively to children about what to expect each day,

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provision

which very successfully supports their transitions between settings.

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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 EY469124 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 940970 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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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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