Whaley, Natalie

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/05/2014 11/11/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 4 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder has an in-depth understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is highly effective in how she observes, assesses and tracks children's play and learning. This results in them exceeding expectations in their learning and development, especially in the prime areas.  Children readily and eagerly engage in a full and wide range of worthwhile and exciting activities. These are exceptionally well planned by the childminder as she uses what she knows about the children, from her observations and takes full account of their individual interests.  Children are developing high levels of independence as they are able to take control of their own self-care and independently choose the direction of their play.  The childminder is totally attentive and sensitive to children's well-being and their individual requests and needs. This results in them forming secure attachments and frienships with both herself and their peers and gives them a strong feeling of security

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This provision is outstanding

in the setting.  Partnerships with parents are highly effective. The childminder keeps them fully informed of children's care, well-being and learning, she ensures any information from nursery is passed on and encourages parents to support their child's learning at home.  Children are exceptionally safe with this childminder who has a fully secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding.

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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 children within the provision as they engaged in activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the practice of the childminder and jointly observed a planned activity with her.

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Inspection activities

 A range of documents, including children's development records, were looked at by the inspector and discussions were held with the childminder throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and one child aged six years in a house in Long Eaton. The whole of the ground floor, the first floor bathroom, front bedroom, smaller rear bedroom and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder attends toddler groups within the community and collects children from local schools and pre-schools. There are currently seven children on roll, of whom, four are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She also cares for children over eight years of age. She operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and weekends, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and receives support from the local authority.

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

 consolidate further the already excellent partnerships with other providers where children attend, by fully establishing what the key person has identified as children's next steps, so that all children's learning and development is consistently supported and complemented in the setting.

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who attend

The childminder has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She routinely undertakes observations of children during their play and uses these extremely effectively, to clearly show children's learning through all areas of learning and how they are exceeding the expected levels of progress for their ages. She uses a thoroughly effective system for assessing and tracking children's progress. This is effective in enabling her to plan activities that are individual to children's next steps, their interests and prepares them very well for their eventual move to school. Parents are encouraged to be fully involved in their children's learning and development. For example, a daily journal is completed by the childminder and shared with parents to show what the children have been doing at her setting. Parents provide additional and valuable information for the childminder, within the journals, about what children have been doing

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who attend

at home. This enables the childminder to effectively plan and provide additional activities to fully support children's interests. The journal also provides information for parents which enables them to contribute further to their children's learning at home.

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who attend

Teaching is excellent. Children's development in the prime areas is extremely well supported as the childminder fully engages with the children in their activities and introduces new vocabulary. She plans and provides a wide range of activities, taking full account of their individual interests and which she knows the children thoroughly enjoy. For example, their recent interest in worms and bugs that they have discovered in the garden, the childminder has planned an activity, to make a wormery. This has been very well planned to enhance children's interest and for the chidminder to introduce new words, songs and stories. She talks to them about making a wormery, how it works and encourages all children, even the very young, to use tools for digging the soil, magnifiers to look for worms and to gather leaves from around the garden to place in their wormery. Children enthusiastically join in and enjoy repeating the new words the childminder uses

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who attend

to enhance children's language. For example, she uses very good descriptive language and new words, such as, 'slimy' 'squidgy' and 'wriggly' which the children find amusing and are keen to repeat. To further enhance their interest in the activity, the childminder has taught them a new song, 'There's a worm at the bottom of the garden', which the children thoroughly enjoy singing. They also enjoy sitting together with the childminder in the tent, as she reads them stories about wriggly worms.

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who attend

Children totally enjoy the company of their peers and the childminder and they comfortably engage in conversations with visitors. The childminder is highly skilled and provides a nurturing environment which fosters children's personal, social and emotional development extremely well. She clearly recognises that children's learning begins with their emotional stability, taking account of their interests and enabling them to take control of their own initiated activities and games. This helps to develop their confidence, self-esteem and enables them to become active learners. Children are able to make independent choices about what they want to do and they fully participate in imaginative activities, such as, small world play. For example, they confidently manoeuvre the small diggers and trucks with ease and precise movement, as they pick up, move around and tip out stones and pebbles that they are able to use within a designated area of the garden.

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who attend

They also use their imagination very well as they play with the dinosaurs, covering them and then seeking to find them again in a tray of rolled oats. The childminder skilfully joins in with children's play and enhances their learning by asking open ended questions, such as, 'How many dinosaurs have you hidden?' and 'Count how many can you find again.' encouraging children to consolidate their learning and understanding.

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

Children are cared for in a very warm, welcoming and extremely well organised environment. Within both the indoor environment and the outside play area they have easy access to a wide and varied range of toys, games and natural resources which fully promote their learning in all areas. Regular risk assessments of the premises, resources and outings ensure children are able to explore and investigate their surroundings safely. This fully supports their feelings of security and self-confidence. Through her positive interaction with the children in their play, children have formed very strong bonds and attachments with the childminder. They demonstrate their confidence as they comfortably approach her for cuddles and support and they clearly enjoy how she engages in their play. For example, she supports children as they are learning to walk by providing equipment, such as, baby walkers, to encourage and develop this area of their

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

The childminder gathers all relevant information from parents about children's welfare needs and requirements, offering settling-in visits to all parents and children. This enables her to provide an effective transition for children between their home to her setting. Children are familiar with the daily routines, such as, snack and meal times and they are fully independent in making their own choices as they select from the wide and varied range of toys and resources. Children's understanding of their own well-being and health needs is totally supported. They sit together for snacks and meals, the children talk about the different healthy fruits with the childminder, encouraging social skills. The childminder effectively uses snack and meal times to further enhance children's learning. For example, she introduces new fruits, such as, pomegranate, showing the children the fruit before it is cut up and talking to them about the taste and texture. Children are enthusiastic to try

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

this new fruit and tell the childminder that they really like it. Regular drinks are available to children throughout the day, which ensures they do not get thirsty.

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

Children's physical development is promoted exceptionally well. They have regular access to the extremely well organised outdoor rear garden which is safely enclosed. Children enjoy regular visits to parks, farms and nature reserves, enhancing their knowledge and understanding of the wider world and the local community. The rear garden has been imaginatively set out into different areas for children to freely explore and investigate. An area of hard standing enables them to skilfully manoeuvre wheeled vehicles and to play with the small world vehicles. This area has been effectively resourced with small stones and pebbles, promoting their imaginative play. As they move through the different areas of the garden, children are able to see and touch a 'fairy garden' that has mirrors, hanging mobiles that shine in the light and make sounds in the wind. In addition to all this, there is another area that has been established as a grassed area. Here children can play ball

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

games and there is room to have the tent set up, which the children use for shade on very sunny days, where they enjoy listening to stories and playing their musical instruments. Children are very proud and extremely keen to show off their vegetable patch, explaining about what they have planted and how they need to water the plants, so that they will grow and then they can eat them. They confidently name the various fruit and vegetables they have planted, such as, potatoes, onions and strawberries. Indoors, the children have access to a dedicated play room which is resourced with further toys and games. These are all within easy reach of the children, enabling them to make their individual choices. Children have an excellent understanding of their own personal care. For example, they know to wash their hands after participating in their digging activity in the garden, before eating and after using the bathroom. Clear boundaries for children to adhere to are in

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

place and the childminder is very pro-active in using effective strategies for behaviour management. This results in children being well behaved, playing co-operatively as they share and take turns.

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provision

The childminder has a fully secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. She has all relevant and required documentation fully in place to safeguard children in her care. For example, suitability checks ensure children are cared for by suitable people and that all adults living or working on the premises have been vetted. She is very clear about the signs and symptoms of abuse and is clear about the procedures to follow in the event of any concerns arising. A well-written and detailed policy is in place and shared with parents, ensuring they are fully aware of her responsibilities. The childminder has attended first-aid training and all relevant documentation is in place with regard to the recording of accidents and the administration of any medication. This further supports the safety and well-being of all children.

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provision

The childminder evaluates her provision and has effectively identified areas for further development of her setting. She gathers the views of parents and uses these as part of her evaluation process. The childminder's excellent knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements means that the activities she plans and provides for children, enhances their already rapid progress and development further. Since the last inspection by Ofsted, where the childminder received a number of actions to improve and a subsequent monitoring visit, she has been extremely pro-active in implementing effective changes to her practice. For example, she has worked very closely with the local authority by positively accepting the support on offer and by attending further training which she has effectively put into practice. Actions raised at the previous inspection included the maintenance of ratios when working with another childminder, the

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provision

organisation of the premises and space, ensuring that observation and assessment is used to shape learning experiences for children. Additionally, the childminder was required to achieve a balance of adult led and child initiated activities, to complete the progress check at age two between the ages of two and three years. She now no longer works with another childminder and works from her own home where she organises the available space extremely well. The support she has been pro-active in accepting, has enabled her to fully establish a highly effective system of how she observes, monitors and tracks children's learning and development. The progress check at age two has been completed for relevant children and shared with parents. She has also undertaken additional training in behaviour management, self-evaluation and a course on how to ensure children's language and communication is fully promoted.

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provision

The childminder has secure partnerships with parents. She shares information with them on a daily basis through the use of a daily journal. This is very effective as it enables the childminder and parents to share information about children's interests and shows how parents are contributing to children's learning at home. In addition to the daily journals, the childminder regularly meets with parents to discuss children's learning and development, the progress they are making and the identified next steps that the childminder is planning for. Partnerships with the nursery where some children attend, fully supports their welfare. She has been fully involved in meetings with parents, the nursery and any outside agencies to ensure she is able to fully support any identified needs children have. However, there is scope to further enhance the partnerships with the nursery, by ensuring the information which is shared complements what children are

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provision

learning, by a more streamlined approach to their identified next steps. The childminder has a firm commitment to continually supporting children's learning and to ensuring that transitions between her setting and others continue to a positive experience for all 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 EY419112 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 963412 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 3 Number of children on roll 7

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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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