Childminder in PlymouthOfsted inspection, 28 May 2014

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/05/2014 20/10/2010

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder forms secure, nurturing attachments with children, which underpins and supports their progress very well.  The environment is welcoming, exceptionally well resourced and rich with opportunities to explore.  The childminder is dedicated and committed to constantly moving forward and improving so that the children in his care thrive.  Partnerships with parents are very strong and they value the flexible and supportive care, which enables children to make excellent progress.

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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 indoors and outside.  The inspector sampled relevant documents, including policies and procedures.  The inspector took into account the views of parents and children.  The inspector spoke to the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector invited the childminder to carry out a joint observation of children engaged in activities.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2005. He lives and co-childminds with his wife in the Derriford area of Plymouth; they also employ two assistants. The whole of the childminder's house is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. Currently the childminder and co-minder have 25 children on roll. Children attend at various times throughout the week. Care is also provided for older children. The childminder is registered to provide overnight care. He is registered with Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is accredited and has achieved a childcare qualification at level 3.

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

 develop the range of resources outdoors to enhance the development of literacy skills even further.

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who attend

The childminder has an excellent understanding of how children learn and develop, which underpins the provision of the care and support of children's well-being, learning and development. He provides nurturing care and support for children, greeting them warmly as they arrive. He realises the importance of this part of the day and talks to parents about children's routines and how they are feeling. The very youngest children settle immediately and are content and secure as the childminder supports them, reassuring and talking to them until they are ready to explore. Parents speak of their very high regard for the childminder and for their complete satisfaction with the care their children receive. The childminder offers extensive support to families, providing flexible care throughout the day for parents who work irregular hours, and overnight care when required. Some families are willing to travel some distance for the service provided by the childminder, who

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who attend

supports the families exceptionally well.

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who attend

Educational programmes for all children are very well planned and focus precisely on individual children's needs. The childminder provides rich and varied experiences through which children develop and thrive. Areas of learning and development are skillfully linked through a broad range of first-hand experiences; for example, children go on regular outings to the aquarium, parks, and they explore the local area to learn about the world around them. This learning is then developed and extended through collecting leaves, taking photographs to look at when they return and looking at books for more information. The childminder has an excellent knowledge of child development and how children learn. His interactions with children are playful and enthusiastic, encouraging joyful participation in activities. He is skillful in developing and extending skills in all areas of learning as children engage in activities throughout the day. For example, as children gather eagerly

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who attend

to share a book about insects, he encourages them to think about spiders and how they spin webs to catch insects to eat. This leads to discussion about what the children like to eat and where food comes from and how food is grown. The childminder reminds them of a visit to the zoo and they talk excitedly about the animals they saw. Language is developed as children contribute confidently and predict endings to the rhyming sentences.

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who attend

The environment is well organized with an extensive and rich range of resources and activities, which encourage exploration and independence. The childminder interacts very effectively with children, carefully listening and commenting to support language development. He encourages children to develop ideas and knows when to stand back as they take the idea further, interacting and cooperating with each other. For example, he supports them as they begin to build a rocket, encouraging their attempts, but allows them to develop the idea together as he stands back, praising their efforts when they have finished.

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who attend

Equality and diversity are effectively promoted and there is an excellent range of resources, including books, which reflect different languages and cultures. There is also a wealth of information provided for parents in different languages.

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who attend

The childminder makes regular, very precise observations, which are linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage and which clearly identify next steps for development. He engages very well with parents to enable them to contribute extensively to learning journals, and makes excellent use of summative assessment so that planning is tailored to children's individual needs. Consequently, they make very good, consistent progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder plans activities from children's ideas and interests and, as a result, children display high levels of involvement and motivation, ensuring they develop and consolidate skills across the areas of learning. For example, cooking activities are developed from children's baking in the role-play area. They make shopping lists and are taken out to the shops to buy ingredients, which they then use for cooking. Following this, parents then cook with children at home and send in food for

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who attend

The childminder knows the children very well and makes and records careful observations in learning journals. Children's records are very comprehensive. They are detailed and well organised, with photographs and observations, and they include special moments which parents notice at home. This ensures children are working within the typical range of development expected for their age, and most children are working above this level.

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who attend

As a result of parental consultation, the childminder and co-minder continually adapt their home to improve the environment for children. The range of resources, including many natural resources is exceptionally rich and varied, both indoors and outside. Resources are plentiful and appropriate for all ages and stages of development. Children can access them for themselves, encouraging independence and exploration.

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who attend

The prime areas of learning are a priority and children develop well, particularly in Communication and Language. The childminder has taken part in the Every Child A Talker project and is accredited with a leading children's communication charity. Children listen well to others and speak confidently because what they say is listened to and valued. The childminder has close, nurturing relationships with the children and families and this means that children develop personal, social and emotional skills exceptionally well. He and his co-minder are committed to establishing and developing emotional attachments with the children, which enable then to feel safe and secure. Consequently, children display high levels of involvement in activities, which maximizes learning.

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

The childminder and co-minder understand the importance of the development of secure attachments and this is central to their work. Consequently, children form good relationships with the childminder and each other, and they interact well. This ensures that they develop well socially and emotionally. The childminder is a good role model and fosters caring relationships. As a result, children behave well, and consider the feelings of others, taking turns and sharing naturally.

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

The environment is welcoming, very well organised and child focused. Careful consideration has been given to the balance of the areas used by children. Some areas encourage children to be physical, and others invite them to rest or sit quietly, sharing books or engaging in role play. This has a positive impact upon communication and language development because children are able to cooperate and talk to each other, listening and sharing thoughts and ideas.

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

The childminder encourages children to be safe, but allows them to develop their own sense of risk when exploring, ensuring that they develop personal, social and emotional skills. He promotes the importance of a healthy lifestyle by, for example, encouraging children, during a relaxed and social snack time, to talk about how the fruit they eat gives them energy to play. There is an area for planting and growing in the garden, where children learn to grow fruits and vegetables and develop their understanding about where healthy food comes from. Children enjoy daily access to an exceptionally well-resourced, secure outdoor space that enables children to develop physical and creative skills.

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

The childminder supports children as they learn good hygiene routines and develop independence and understanding of the importance of washing their hands before snack. The bedroom areas used for sleeping are cosy and adapted for children's security and comfort. The childminder provides flexible overnight care.

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

The childminder supports children very well when they first attend, working with parents to ensure that they settle happily. Families visit and there are settling sessions and parents comment that children settle quickly due to the nurturing and welcoming environment. The childminder and co-minder provide care for a high proportion of children who speak English as an additional language, and implements very successful strategies to ensure that children feel secure and happy and make good progress. He works with parents, who provide lists of familiar words, signs and symbols in the home language. A support sack full of resources is provided by the childminder so that children can share what they are doing with parents. As a result of this partnership working, children settle quickly and develop very well. Children are exceptionally well prepared for school, and transition arrangements are carefully considered.

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provision

The childminder is fully aware of his responsibilities for keeping children safe and meets fully the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. He is vigilant about keeping children safe from harm. He knows the safeguarding procedures and has a good knowledge of child protection issues, and how to act if such issues arise. He ensures that the environment is safe and secure for children to explore by continually assessing risk. All relevant documentation is meticulously maintained and safety policies and procedures and training are up to date and effectively implemented.

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provision

The childminder and co-minder are highly reflective of their practice and continually strive to develop and improve the service for families. All recommendations from previous inspections have been fully implemented. He is driven by a desire to provide the best possible experiences for children so that they develop and thrive. The views of parents are often used as a starting point for improvement. For example, following a request from parents for more information, he started to include the lunch menu on the daily planning sheet, which is displayed for parents to see. The environment is continually extended and adapted following comments from parents.

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provision

The childminder seeks help and advice promptly from outside agencies when necessary and works closely with the local authority, to access appropriate training and to improve and enhance his practice. The childminder is a member of national and local childminding associations and meets with other childminders at the local children's centres. Some local childminders visit the provision to develop their own practice and share ideas.

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provision

The support and flexibility provided by the childminder for parents is a strength of the provision. Parents express their complete satisfaction and close relationship with the childminder and co-minder. They describe the, 'absolute dedication and commitment' of the childminders and say that, 'They give more than a hundred percent.' Parental contributions towards children's learning and development are valued, and the childminder works in partnership with them, which enables children to flourish and make excellent progress.

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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 EY318586 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 834545 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 16 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 25

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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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