Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/05/2014 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

 Children make good progress because the childminder plays and talks with them effectively throughout the day. She uses her knowledge to provide plenty of activities, which interest children and develop their skills.  Children enjoy good relationships with the childminder and with each other because she supports their self-esteem and behaviour skills well. They are confident, settled and happy in her care.  The childminder understands how to protect children from harm and children show in their behaviour that they feel safe and secure with her.  Children's learning, emotional and care needs are met well because the childminder works well with parents to share information.  The childminder evaluates her practice, in order to make improvements and she has demonstrated good progress in establishing a strong service.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to improve the outside area to provide more opportunities for children to explore and experiment.

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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 compulsory part 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 rooms and outside area used for childminding and spoke to the childminder and children at appropriate opportunities.  The inspector discussed an observed activity with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documents, including evidence of training, the safeguarding policy, suitability records of the adults in the household and the childminder's self- evaluation.  The inspector looked at documents used to support children's learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents from information included in the childminder's own parents' survey.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and their two children aged one and four years in a house in Leyland, Lancashire. The whole of the ground floor, the bathroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet rabbit. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently four children on roll, one of whom is in the early years age group and attends for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except family holidays.

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

 enhance the outside area with different opportunities for children to explore and experiment.

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who attend

Children make good progress because the quality of teaching is good. The childminder supports children's learning with interesting activities, which develops their skills. They learn about colours as they paint and mix different combinations of coloured paint. She uses natural conversations and open-ended questions to develop children's communication skills and to extend their thinking. For example, they learn to express their ideas and use their imagination as she encourages them to talk about their paintings. She extends children's vocabulary and understanding of their world as they talk throughout the day and discuss their ideas. Children learn about similarities and differences in the world around them, as they enjoy looking at a scrapbook of pictures and talking about them together.

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who attend

The childminder makes regular assessments of children's progress and plans activities to meet their individual learning needs and interests. For example, she plans a bug hunt after a child was fascinated by a ladybird. Children show that they are keen to learn, asking questions and persisting at their chosen activities. The childminder identifies areas where children need extra challenge or support and she makes sure that they develop in all of the areas of learning. Consequently, children are developing the key skills that will support them in their eventual move to school.

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who attend

The childminder encourages parents to share information on children's development and learning. When children start in her care, she talks to parents and asks them to complete questionnaires to find out about children's abilities and interests. As a result, she is able to plan for children's learning from their first day with her. She completes the progress check for children aged between two and three years to ensure that any early intervention needs are identified and she shares children's progress information with parents to support their learning at home. Parents' comment, in the childminder's own survey, that they are very happy with the communication methods used and the information, which she shares with them.

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

Children enjoy their time with the childminder. They form good relationships with her and with each other because she supports their social and behaviour skills well. Children are given lots of praise and positive comments about their good sharing and turn taking, which develops their self-esteem and encourages good behaviour. The childminder is a good role model who uses calm interactions and clear explanations. Children learn to respect each other and care for each other because of the way she behaves and talks to them. Children show in their behaviour that they feel secure and safe with her. They ask for support when they need help with an activity and they enjoy including her in their play. They are confident and happy because their emotional needs are met well.

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

The childminder helps children to feel secure in her home with familiar routines. She supports children in the move to her care by working closely with parents and consequently, children settle well. Children learn to manage their own needs and help with tasks because the childminder encourages them to try thing for themselves. For example, children have low hooks for their coats to support independent dressing and they help to tidy toys away and prepare their own lunch. Their contribution to their own care helps to develop their self-esteem and prepares them well for when they move onto school.

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

Children learn to understand risks and how to keep themselves safe with physical challenges in the garden and on outings to parks. They enjoy a stimulating indoor environment with a wide range of resources and activities from which they can choose how to spend their time. However, there is scope to improve the opportunities for children to experiment and explore in the outside area. Children learn how to look after their bodies and develop healthy habits. They enjoy activities, such as blackberry picking, which encourage them to try different healthy foods and they talk about their bodies. For example, at lunchtime, they talk about eating cheese to help their bodies to grow strong bones.

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provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of her responsibilities to meet children's learning and development needs. She monitors children's progress to ensure that they make good progress in all areas and she provides good quality teaching. The childminder understands and meets her responsibilities in relation to the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She manages risks to children's safety and supervises them closely to keep them safe. The childminder has completed safeguarding training and demonstrates that she understands what to do if she has concerns about a child in her care.

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provision

The childminder has completed a childcare qualification at level 3 and has experience of working in different early years settings. This contributes to her secure knowledge and skills. She evaluates her practice and is keen to continue developing it. For example, she routinely evaluates activities to identify what could be improved. The childminder receives support from local authority development workers to evaluate and improve the quality of her childminding business and she has acted on their advice. For example, as a result of advice on the paperwork used by the childminder to support children's learning, she has improved the effectiveness and reduced the quantity of the written records that she uses. The childminder has demonstrated good progress in establishing a strong setting.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are effective in supporting children's emotional, care and learning needs. The childminder takes time each day to talk to parents about children's development, interests and the activities they have enjoyed. Parents make very positive comments in the childminder's own survey that they are 'very happy' with her 'brilliant service'. The childminder takes children to activities at the local children's centre and is able to share information with parents about the local activities and support, which are signposted there. She has completed training to understand how to refer children for additional support if it is required.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY468806 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 943991 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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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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