Childminder in Somerset

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/05/2014 16/04/2010

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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

 Children are cared for in a safe, stimulating and enabling environment.  Children's overall learning is promoted well. The childminder's positive interaction encourages young children's development through a broad range of interesting resources and fun activities.  Ongoing links with parents and other practitioners provide a consistent and shared approach that benefits children's learning and development.  The indoor environment is welcoming and well-resourced. Therefore, children are making good progress in their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Partnerships with parents are not fully embedded to enable them to fully contribute to their child's continuous learning and development.

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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 home and garden, speaking with the childminder and the children at appropriate times.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documents, sampled policies, contracts and records relating to the Early Years Foundation Stage, including children's development records and observations.  The inspector gave feedback to the childminder at the end of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2003. She lives with her husband and their three children aged 17, 16 and eight years, in a house in the town of Yeovil, Somerset. Childminding takes place mainly on the ground floor which consists of a lounge, dining room, kitchen and toilet facilities. Sleeping facilities are provided on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden available for outdoor play. The family has a cat and a rabbit, to which the children have supervised access. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 17 children on roll; of these five are in the early years age range. The childminder holds an early years qualification at level 3.

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

 develop systems to encourage parents to regularly share their child's learning and achievements from home.

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who attend

Children access many interesting resources, which support their development. Opportunities for children to become aware of communication, language and mathematics are provided through daily routines and in many play activities. For example, the childminder responds to children's conversation, supporting them to develop their thinking, understanding and ideas through play. The childminder uses rhyme and story bags with puppets, as well cards letter cards to teach children to talk about the pictures in the books and make sense of the story sequences. This helps children increase their vocabulary and structure simple sentences. The childminder spontaneously incorporates numbers in children's play to support their early mathematical development. For example, she asks children to count the farm animals as they place them on the farm. Children use a range of technical resources to learn how to interact electronically with other children.

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who attend

This effectively promotes children's development of future skills. Children explore the garden looking for bugs, and the childminder spontaneously enhances children's learning through instant occurrences such as a spider spinning a web on the fence. Children use the bug barn, magnifying glasses and tweezers to hunt for bugs in the woods. They use the pictorial reference sheets designed by the childminder to learn about the different bugs and insects. The childminder used a butterfly kit to help children learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. They have just put the caterpillars in the hatching pots and will learn about the evolving life process by watched as the caterpillar changes in a chrysalis, and then into a butterfly before they can watch it fly away in the garden.Many opportunities exist for children to be physically active on a daily basis to develop their coordination, control and movements. For example, in the garden children use a range of bikes, slides,

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who attend

the large-bug splat game and the bug mini-golf. Children enjoy using the playhouse and dressing up. They make up plays and act them out for the childminder. This promotes their imagination and creativity. Children observe many positive images of diversity through books, and dressing-up costumes. In celebration of Chinese New Year, children tried a variety of dishes from the Chinese takeaway so that they could learn how different cultural foods taste. Regular visits to toddler groups, parks, the library and shopping experiences further promote children's learning and enhance children's opportunities to develop social skills and make sense of the world. Here children take part in a range of activities and learn many different skills. For example, they make caterpillar tortilla wraps using ham, cheese and lettuce to make the shape of the caterpillar. The childminder has a secure knowledge of the educational programmes and of how children learn.

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who attend

Consequently, her methods of teaching young children are very good. Children are making good progress in their learning and development and are acquiring the skills, attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for the next stage of learning. They take part in a variety of fun and interesting indoor and outside activities, which motivates them and sustains their interest. Through ongoing assessment, the childminder effectively identifies children's next steps and monitors their progress to ensure that they are reaching expected levels of development. The childminder knows the children very well and has a clear picture of their developmental stages and of how she can help them progress further. There are regular opportunities for parents to discuss and view their children's learning records. However, systems to enable parents to fully contribute to their child's ongoing learning and development are not yet well embedded. The childminder draws on

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who attend

children's interests to engage them with their learning and plans the educational programmes to build on their existing knowledge and skills. For example, children are very interested in farm animals so the childminder takes them to the farm to see them, and discuss the how the different animals are cared for. While they are at the farm, the children collect a duck egg to have as part of their snack. To extend children's knowledge and understanding of the farm animals, the childminder takes photographs of the animals for the children to look at. Using these pictures, they made chick masks using feathers and cotton wool sheep.

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

The warm relationships children have with the childminder means they are very confident, happy and develop secure attachments. This allows them to try new experiences and develop their abilities. The children approach her readily and with affection, which the childminder returns. Children benefit from consistent routines as they help them settle quickly and feel secure. The childminder promotes children's well- being in a very nurturing and sensitive way. For example, the childminder works closely to ensure that settling- in sessions are thoroughly guided by parents' wishes and children's individual needs, which she adopts in her everyday practice. This information allows the childminder to be attentive to children's needs, which fosters their emotional and physical well-being. Parents provide their child's individual food and the childminder ensures that it is stored appropriately. Drinks are readily accessible at all times. This promotes a greater

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

continuity of care for the children between home and with the childminder. Good organisation and arrangements at snack and meal times mean that children are learning good social skills, independence and table manners in readiness for school. Sensible hygiene routines are followed and children demonstrate their increasing knowledge of good hygiene practices.

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

The children's physical development is encouraged effectively by their use of the wide range of toys and equipment available outside to build their strength and promote their balance. They enjoy the use of the local park and enjoy the benefits from daily outings in the fresh air. The childminder further promotes children's physical development as they use tools for play dough. They confidently make pictures with various textured materials and enjoy painting, using different size brushes to make their marks. This shows they are developing their small-muscle control effectively.

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

Children are kept safe within the setting because the childminder supervises them closely. Everyday opportunities are used by the childminder to teach children how to keep themselves safe, which are developmentally appropriate and enable them to take, risks safely. For example, the childminder talks about the importance of road safety when they are out and offers gentle reminders about being careful and using resources safely in the home. Children's behaviour is good and managed positively, with plenty of praise. They learn from a young age the boundaries that are in place to protect them without restricting their independence. Children respond well to the childminder's clear guidance and reassurance and are becoming increasingly confident and self-assured. Consequently, children show a strong sense of belonging at the setting.

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provision

The childminder has a very good understanding of the statutory requirements. She is an experienced, knowledgeable early years practitioner and provides a very good service. The childminder has a thorough knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures, and has completed safeguarding training. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place, which the childminder regularly reviews and shares with parents. All required documentation to effectively support children's safety and welfare is in place. For example, she uses accurate documentation to maintain thorough recordings of accidents, incidents and medication administered promoting children's welfare. The childminder has written risk assessments for the home and for outings and keeps a record of visitors to her home. This helps her to fulfil her role in keeping children safe.

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provision

The childminder is continually reflecting on her provision to see how she can make activities and the general organisation better for the children she cares for. She effectively uses Ofsted's self-evaluation document to evaluate on her service. She reflects on activities and uses this information, along with her secure knowledge of children's interests, to help with future planning. Children are happy and secure in the environment. They respond well to the childminder's positive interaction; they clearly have built positive relationships with her. The childminder organises the available play space very well, so that it is attractive for children and conducive to learning. She stores resources around the room or in boxes, so that children can readily select what they want to play with. She also displays educational posters around the room help children learn numbers, letters and shapes as part of their natural learning process.

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provision

Children point to the shapes and the childminder skilfully engages them to teach them the name and colour of the shapes as well of the differences in other shapes and colours on the posters. Lovely displays of children's art work all over the play room helps children learn to take pride in their achievements. Consequently this raises their self- confidence in their abilities and their self-esteem.

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provision

Overall, the childminder works closely in partnership with parents. The childminder shares her policies and procedures with parents so everyone is aware how she manages day-to- day issues such as behaviour. The childminder has detailed daily discussions with the parents to support her good working relationships with them and to inform her practice further. Communication books are used to exchange information about children's general health and well-being while they are at the childminder's home. Therefore, parents can rest assured that their child's individual needs are being met. There are good systems in place to liaise with others involved in children's development to provide continuity in their learning. The childminder develops links with the other early years providers care for the children. They meet frequently to exchange relevant information about the children in their care in order to promote a cohesive approach to

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provision

children's learning and development needs.

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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 EY232046 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 968390 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 17

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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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