Childminder in Bedford

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/05/2014 22/09/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder uses her experience and her good knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage to implement purposeful teaching methods. Therefore, she promotes children's learning well through daily play and structured activities.  The childminder's honest and conscientious evaluation of her work means that all areas are considered. Therefore, children's welfare is promoted and they play happily in a safe, welcoming environment. This aids them in developing a positive approach to their play and learning.  The childminder maintains professional, yet friendly, relationships with parents and makes sure she knows each child well. As a result, children are offered pertinent support and play activities that interest them and promote their development.  The childminder demonstrates that she is genuinely interested in the children and enjoys their company. Her good interaction promotes children's communication and

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to gain a greater awareness of the wider diversities of society are not always fully explored.  Children's greater understanding of the relevance of all healthy lifestyle practices is not always promoted to the full.

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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 activities in the childminder's house.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the childminder and the children present and observed activities with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents, as given in their written feedback to the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1999 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, two adult children and one child aged 12 years in a house in Kempston, Bedfordshire. The whole of the ground floor, one bedroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder attends a toddler group and visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently nine children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 6.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family 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:

 enhance the opportunities for children to gain a greater understanding of the world, with regard to the diversities in families, abilities and traditions

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

 build on the opportunities for children to increase their awareness of the relevance of healthy practices, with particular reference to healthy eating and physical exercise.

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who attend

The childminder successfully combines her experience with her thorough knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means that she consistently uses effective teaching techniques to aid her in planning and presenting activities that support children in making good progress. She collects a wide range of information from parents, using this well to gauge children's starting points and guide the initial planning. The childminder uses a commercial computerised system to keep clear written records of her observations of children. She carefully assesses this information and uses it to develop children's next steps and inform the daily planning. The childminder is conscious that children need time to develop their own play. Therefore, she plans the weekly routine to ensure that they have plenty of time to initiate their own play, balancing this with a good range of opportunities to participate in structured activities. As a result,

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who attend

children are supported in playing an active part in their own learning and also learn how to work alongside their peers in a structured environment. This prepares them well for school and future learning. The childminder ensures that parents have regular opportunities to share updates about their children. For example, they log on to their child's electronic diaries and add comments to these. They are also well supported in extending their child's learning. For example, the childminder provides information about the activities children have been doing with her and any books or songs they have particularly enjoyed, enabling parents to share these with their children.

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who attend

Children are supported well in developing the necessary skills to learn effectively. The childminder plans activities effectively, intervening appropriately and confidently enabling children to take the lead, thus encouraging them to extend their thinking and problem solving skills. For example, children playing with a tray of scented, coloured rice are encouraged to name the colours and to smell the lemon scent. They experiment by using a wide range of implements to scoop and pour the rice. When they try to fill a narrow- necked bottle, the childminder wonders how they can do this and the children work out that they can use a smaller scoop or their hands. The children pour the rice from a height and the childminder wonders what it sounds like. The children decide that it sounds like rain and laugh as they trickle the rice onto their own and the childminder's hands. Children's knowledge is further extended as the childminder makes good use of incidental

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who attend

learning opportunities. For example, when a family of robins nest in the garden children learn to use binoculars to watch the birds, make their own binoculars and look at associated books and pictures.

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who attend

Children's play and learning are enhanced as the childminder makes resources. For example, children of all ages enjoy exploring the sensory bottles. Babies safely explore items, such as pine cones and feathers in plastic jars. Older children turn a bottle upside down and note the different items that sink and float in a bottle and shake the pasta and rice bottles and compare the different sounds. Children participate in a good selection of activities that promote their physical development. For example, they practice and develop skills in balance and coordination as they participate in music and movement sessions and use large play equipment at the park. Children are offered appropriate opportunities to develop their awareness of diversity. For example, they access role play resources and books that give positive images and information about different ways of life. However, resources and activities are not always fully used to promote children's greater awareness

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who attend

of the wider diversities of society, such as communities and different family compositions. Children's language and communication skills are promoted well as the childminder interacts with them, showing she is interested to hear what they are saying and encouraging them to talk about what they are doing. For example, young children readily name the colours of the cars they are using and make a good attempt to describe how the cars go down the slopes.

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

Children are consistently offered relevant support and activities as the childminder has good procedures to gather information from parents, enabling her to understand children's needs and interests. Her thoughtful procedures mean that children feel valued and their self-esteem is promoted. For example, each child has their own bedding, towel and basket to keep personal belongings and items to take home. Children are also involved in making decisions about activities and resources. These procedures help them to feel valued and welcome, as a result, they are confident and develop positive attitudes that enable them to learn effectively. Therefore, they are well prepared for the move to school.

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

New children settle well because the childminder takes care to ensure that she understands their usual routines and preferences, including these in the daily planning. For example, she knows which are their favourite toys and books and makes sure these are readily available as children come in, helping them to settle and to feel welcome. This thoughtful approach also supports children in feeling secure and they quickly develop good relationships with the childminder. They show that they enjoy her company as they take toys to her to share and snuggle next to her to read books. Children develop a good understanding of how to manage their behaviour. The childminder offers them clear explanations about this and encourages them to share. She is aware that children follow her lead and so sets a good example by showing a caring, respectful approach. Children mirror this and so learn to understand and respect each other.

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

Thoughtful daily routines support children well in developing their self-care skills. For example, the childminder makes sure that their drinks are accessible and reminds them to take regular drinks, helping them to understand how to recognise and meet their own needs. Children gain an appropriate awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, their understanding of good hygiene is promoted as they wash their hands before eating. The childminder reminds them to make 'hedgehog fingers' so that they can make sure that they wash their hands thoroughly and so minimise the spread of germs. However, their wider understanding of health issues, such as the effects of exercise and the relevance of a healthy diet, is not always promoted to the maximum. Well-planned activities support children in understanding how to keep themselves safe. For example, they enjoy role play where they set out a road system, dress as crossing patrol persons

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

and learn how to use different types of road crossings.

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provision

Children's safety is well considered as the childminder carries out practical risk assessments and reviews these regularly. Their health is promoted as the childminder ensures that she keeps her first-aid qualification up to date. Thorough safeguarding arrangements mean that children's welfare is consistently promoted. The childminder attends regular training to refresh her knowledge of this area and so has a good understanding of the process to follow if she had concerns about children in her care.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of her role and responsibilities to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. To this end, she frequently reviews her policies and procedures to ensure that they support her in promoting children's safety, well-being and development. She is experienced and remains enthusiastic and committed to further developing her knowledge and practice. This has a positive impact on children. For example, after exchanging information with the childminder support group she attends, she now carries out an evaluation of activities. This enables her to look in more detail at each child's participation and to use this information when planning further activities, ensuring that all children are included and their development promoted. Practical monitoring procedures support the childminder in assessing each child's progress and enable her to identify where children require

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provision

additional support. The childminder continuously evaluates the effectiveness of her work. She seeks the views of children and parents so that she builds a comprehensive overview of her strengths and weaknesses and can thereby plan relevant improvements. For example, she has changed the parental questionnaires she uses. These now offer parents increased opportunities to answer in more detail and so enable the childminder to develop more precise action plans for future improvements.

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provision

The childminder appreciates the relevance of working in partnership with others caring for the children, so that they can ensure consistent care and promote children's welfare and learning. Therefore, she talks regularly with children's key persons at pre-school, in order to exchange assessment and planning information. The childminder has previous experience of working with a range of other professionals. This has given her a good understanding of the support available and so enables her to seek additional help for children and their families, should the need arise. The childminder builds good relationships with parents. She keeps them well informed of their child's activities and progress, for example, through a detailed diary.

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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 219385 Local authority Bedford Borough Inspection number 865797 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

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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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