Childminder, Out-of school day care in North Northamptonshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/06/2014 02/03/2009

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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 safeguarded because the childminder is aware of her responsibilities to protect them from harm. She successfully identifies and minimises risks in her home and on outings.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well by the childminder. Consequently, children are happy, settled and secure and the relationship between the childminder and the children is good.  The partnership with parents and other early years providers is strong. Consequently, continuity of care and learning for children is addressed well.  The childminder ensures that the outdoor play area is used effectively to promote children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The development of children's speaking skills are not always fully extended because the childminder does not consistently ask the children open-ended questions when she talks with them.  Opportunities for children to recognise similarities and differences and learn about cultural and religious events and experiences are not fully maximised to extend their awareness of the wider world.

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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 as children played in ground floor play areas and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, suitability of adults information, policies and procedures and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2003. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives in Desborough, Northamptonshire, with her husband, adult son and two children aged 12 and eight years. Children have access to the whole of the ground floor and the first floor bathroom and bedroom. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The family has a cat and a dog. There are currently 26 children on roll, including a number of children aged over eight years, and all but one child attends on a part-time basis. There are nine children in the early years age group on roll. Some older children attend only occasionally during school holidays.

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

 make sure that when asking children questions, these are open ended, and give children time to think about what they want to say and put their thoughts into words

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

 extend practice so that children gain a greater awareness of their similarities and their differences and develop awareness of the wider world, for example, by celebrating and valuing cultural and religious events and experiences.

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who attend

Children are supported effectively by the childminder to acquire the skills and capacity to learn and develop in order to reach the next steps in their learning. Children enjoy and are involved in activities that interest them. The childminder works well with parents to ensure continuity for children, and she communicates effectively with other early years providers to ensure consistency. The childminder supports children well so that they develop skills in readiness for nursery class and school. She is aware of the requirement to provide parents with details of the progress check carried out on children aged between two and three years, and completes this where necessary.

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who attend

Children are happy and settled and they participate in purposeful play and exploration. They enjoy activities inside and in the outdoor play area throughout the year, enjoying the themed play the childminder organises. For example, she is currently promoting their interests in mini beasts. Children play with leaves and toy bugs in a large tray and they happily join in with some of the words when the childminder sings 'incey wincey spider'. Children practise manipulative skills because they copy the childminder's actions to the song. Young children's interest changes as they begin to focus on cardboard tubes that the childminder has placed on the tray. She encourages them to hide the bugs in the tubes and goes on to promote mathematical learning effectively because children are asked to anticipate if different bugs will fit inside the tubes. Children explore this with different ones and declare that some are 'stuck' and they decide that these are 'too big'.

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who attend

The childminder makes different sounds with her voice into a tube and she encourages the children to explore their own voices and mimic her. Children's language development is promoted generally well by the childminder as she talks with them. However, she does not always extend children's thinking and speaking skills with full effect. This is because her questioning is sometimes closed, and when questions are open ended, she sometimes answers herself before a child has the opportunity to do so.

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who attend

Young children are learning shapes and colours and toys, such as inset jigsaw puzzles and shape sorters, are available to support their learning and promote the development of manipulative skills. The childminder teaches children to count with one-to-one correspondence, for example, while they build with bricks. Children make marks in sand with their fingers and with toys, and they enjoy using chalk to draw on the wall of the outdoor playhouse. Books are always available and some of these currently link to the mini beast theme. More able young children are beginning to recognise their names in print and the difference between letters and numbers. The childminder encourages children to explore different textures. They use their hands to explore paint and mould dough. Role-play resources are always available and some of these, along with some books, reflect diversity in a positive way. However, the childminder does not always fully

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who attend

extend children's awareness of their similarities and their differences in order to fully promote an understanding of others.

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

Children are settled and happy and relationships are good. Their personal, social and emotional development is addressed well by the childminder. A settling-in period is agreed with parents in order to aid children's emotional security. Children are prepared well emotionally for their transition into other early years settings and reception class in school. For example, they learn to socialise with other adults and children at groups. The childminder identifies the importance of positive reinforcement as a strategy for managing children's behaviour. She makes sure that children are praised for behaviour, such as sharing and turn taking. Children's independence is promoted well. For example, they choose and easily select resources for themselves and they collect and try to put on their own coats. Resources are safe and meet children's learning and development needs well.

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

The childminder creates a warm and welcoming environment for children and their parents. Clear admission information obtained from parents ensures that individual care needs are well met. Information on the childminder's good practice with regard to safety, illness and accidents is shared with parents. Children's good health is protected because the childminder encourages them to be physically active. For example, they develop physical skills using ride-on toys at home and large equipment at the park and at groups. They are also developing an ability to attend to their self-care needs. Children's welfare is addressed effectively because the childminder ensures that the environment is healthy and safe. She teaches children how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to cross the road safely and they practise the fire drill. Children's good health and well-being is promoted well by the childminder because she puts her food hygiene knowledge into

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provision

The childminder ensures that her home is safe, secure and welcoming. She is aware of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. Necessary checks for her family have been completed and the childminder ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted. Parents are made aware of the childminder's safeguarding policy.

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provision

The childminder successfully monitors the educational programmes to ensure that children make good progress. She is aware of the requirements within the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses this and guidance documents successfully to meet children's care and learning needs. In order to review and improve her practice the childminder attends training courses. She welcomes advice offered by local authority development workers and family members who hold early years qualifications. The childminder's current priority for improvement is to improve the availability of large equipment in her garden to better support children's physical development. Resources meet children's different learning needs effectively and are maintained in a good state of repair. Required documentation is kept up-to-date and in good order.

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provision

Good communication between the childminder and parents means that children's care and learning needs are met well. The childminder requests feedback from parents on the service she provides. A range of written policies successfully reflects the childminder's practice with regard to meeting children's needs. The childminder is fully aware of the importance of obtaining as much information as possible about each child's individual needs from parents and agreeing with them how they can work together to meet these needs. She maintains strong links with other early years providers to ensure continuity of care and learning for 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 EY252340 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 872617 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 26

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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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