Childminder in Buckinghamshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/06/2014 01/07/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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 happy, confident and secure. They have very good relationships with the childminder, assistants and each other.  The childminder makes keeping children safe high priority helping them to develop a growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  Children have many opportunities to extend their learning outdoors as they enjoy outdoor play in the garden, visits in the local community and trips further afield.  Communication with parents and others involved in the children's care is good. Parents receive clear information about the children's development to provide a joint approach to children's learning.  The childminder is committed to improving her practice, updating both her and her assistants' knowledge and understanding of good practice. This has a good impact on children's well-being.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's language development and thought processes are not fully extended as adults do not always ask open-ended questions to expand their vocabulary and sentence structure.  Children are not always given sufficient time to explore the resources. This means they do not always have the opportunity to practise new or reinforce existing skills.

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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 speaking with the childminder, assistance and children at appropriate times.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of documentation including children's development records, policies and procedures and the childminder's self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2006. She lives with her husband and three children in Burnham, Buckinghamshire. The childminder uses the whole of the ground floor of the house for childminding with facilities for sleeping on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder makes use of local facilities such as parks, the library and toddler groups. The family has two cats. The childminder works with a team of assistants. The childminder and one assistant hold recognised childcare qualifications. The childminder is currently minding 11 children in the early years age range who attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder also cares for a number of school age children. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register.

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

 promote children's language and thought processes with particular regard to open- ended questions, to highlight vocabulary and language structures

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

 allow more time for children to explore resources and activities at their own pace to enable them to reinforce and practice new skills.

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who attend

The childminder is a qualified childcare practitioner with a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She demonstrates a clear understanding of how children learn and plans a broad range of activities that cover all areas of learning. The childminder demonstrates good teaching skills and is a positive role model for the assistants with whom she works. Children's progress is recorded in a record of development that includes photographs, examples of children's work and shared initial and ongoing information from parents. This means the childminder can identify children's next steps and plan activities to suit their needs. The ongoing use of regular observations and assessments help her, when working with her assistants, to effectively plan suitably challenging activities to move children's learning forward. The childminder holds regular reviews with parents that, when applicable, will include the progress check for children aged two. Planning is flexible

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who attend

and reflects the interests of the children. Activities are appropriate and fun, and children are curious, enthusiastic and eager to take part. This positive attitude helps to provide them with the skills they need as they move through the education system and on to school. The adults support children's language development by chatting with them as they play. They listen very carefully and work hard to understand exactly what children say. This gives children the confidence to speak as they know what they say is valued. However, at times some questions and conversations are limited, requiring children to give one word answers. This does not fully promote children's language and thought processes or highlight vocabulary and language structure. Children regularly play in the garden where they can choose from a further range of resources that provide learning opportunities. For example, children play with large construction to help develop problem solving, or smell

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who attend

and handle the herbs and plants in the sensory part of the garden. This gives children the opportunities to learn both indoors and outdoors in their preferred learning style. The range of activities available enable children to initiate their own learning. Although on occasion adults interrupt children's play which means they do not always have sufficient time to explore, reinforce and practise new and existing skills. However, overall children's development is very well supported and they make good progress in their learning.

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who attend

Examples of children's artwork are displayed throughout the childminder's home demonstrating the range of media and materials available to help children explore their creativity. For example, children make pictures using paint and collage material such as different types of paper and straws. They use tools as they access glue sticks, scissors and pens as they colour in their own placemats before lunch. Children enjoy music and actively seek out the musical instruments, singing along as they demonstrate an increasing range of songs they know. Young children enjoy playing with books where they can press the buttons to make sounds they then dance along to. During spontaneous play, the childminder is skilled at using practical activities to extend learning. For example, they count the number of spots on the ladybird and talk about the shapes and colours of the beads they are threading. Children enjoy stories and listen with pleasure to a caterpillar

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who attend

story where they recognise and count the different types of food the caterpillar eats and talk about what happens as the caterpillar makes a cocoon and turns into a butterfly.

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

The childminder builds very caring relationships with the children who have very good relationships with her and her assistants. She is very attentive to their needs. She knows their routines very well and recognises when they are sleepy or hungry. As a result, children's needs are met very effectively and they are contented and happy. The childminder adapts the learning environment every day to provide activities that will be interesting to particular children. All children and their families are welcome and children begin to learn about similarities and differences, and other cultures through festivals and celebrations important to them. Resources are in good condition, easily accessible and keep children happily occupied across the age range from the very youngest to be older children who attend after school.

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

Children enjoy a healthy lifestyle. The childminder works with parents to provide a healthy, balanced diet. Children talk about their favourite foods and demonstrate a good understanding of healthy eating. For example, they decide which fruit they would like to have for snack. They begin to learn where food comes from as they pick fruit in the childminder's garden and begin to learn about looking after their bodies as they know the fruit must be washed before it can be eaten. Children adopt good hygiene habits because the childminder has well-established routines. For example, the childminder announces it is snack time and children automatically know it is time to wash their hands and go to the bathroom. Play equipment is cleaned regularly, surfaces are wiped with an antibacterial spray before preparing food and the use of individual paper towels in the bathroom mean the risk of cross-infection is effectively minimised. Children benefit from good

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

opportunities for physical play to develop their strength and physical skills. For example, they build their large muscles playing on the pirate ship and using ride-on toys. They also develop their control and coordination when they blow bubbles and thread beads. Children begin to understand how to keep themselves safe as they are given age-appropriate explanations about the reasons why some things are not a good idea. For example, the childminder explains that when it is wet it is not a good idea to run on the decking as it becomes slippery. The childminder encourages children to be independent in their self- care skills as they find their own coats and put on their own shoes.

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

Children are very well behaved. They understand what is expected of them because the childminder has clear rules to promote sociable and safe play. Children enjoy playing together, they are cooperative and even very young children are happy to take turns. Children socialise as they attend a variety of groups and play with each other and older children in the childminder's home. The childminder and assistants give praise frequently and children show pride in their achievements. This helps to develop children's confidence and self-esteem.

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provision

The childminder has made considerable progress since the last inspection. She is very experienced and establishes a professional foundation for her work by making sure that she has all the required records and consents from parents. This includes written records of medication and accurate registers of children and staff. She has written policies and procedures for her guidance and for parents' information. There is a wide range of further information displayed for parents along with the Ofsted certificate. This underpins children's well-being. The childminder has a good understanding of how to protect children's welfare. She and the assistants with whom she works know what to do should she or they have concerns about a child. All adults who work with the children have appropriate checks, and complete child protection and first aid training. The childminder is well qualified. One of her assistants also holds a recognised childcare qualification and

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provision

other assistants now regularly undergo a variety of training courses. As a result, she and her assistants now have a strong understanding of how to meet children's care, learning and development requirements. The childminder reflects on her provision and makes enhancements that are rooted in best practice. She holds meetings with her assistants to share ideas and keeps up to date with childcare initiatives via her colleagues and ongoing training. This gives her a good capacity for continuous improvement. Parents are very appreciative of the care their children receive and enjoy seeing progress in their child's learning. The childminder is happy to provide advice and support on aspects of care and parents value her experience and expertise. For example, they comment that they like receiving suggestions about how they can continue learning at home. The childminder regularly asks parents for feedback and acts on their ideas or suggestions.

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provision

This creates a strong partnership and means that children have consistent, coherent care. The childminder has built links with local schools and works with parents and teachers to pass on information. The childminder also works with the local children's centre and other professionals to meet children's needs where appropriate. This means that children benefit from skilled and considerate care.

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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 EY342819 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 963277 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 11

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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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