Childminder in Cambridgeshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/06/2014 27/07/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 The childminder continues to develop her knowledge and understanding in relation to positive teaching techniques. This provides the children with very good learning opportunities, which clearly build on what they know and can do. This enables them to embed the skills they need for future learning.  Positive partnerships with parents are fostered from the beginning. For example, the childminder takes time at placement interviews, to provide opportunities to share relevant information relating to the individual care requirements of each child. This enables her to care for each child well.  The childminder pays particular attention to the ongoing monitoring and development of her setting. She identifies her strengths and looks to see where continuous improvements can be made. Action is taken, such as attending training in order that children continue to enjoy good quality experiences in her setting.

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This provision is good

 Safeguarding children at all times, remains the childminder's most important concern. Attending regular training means that her knowledge and understanding of child protection concerns, remains up to date and relevant.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to strengthen learning opportunities for children, to expand their knowledge and understanding of natural materials and the natural 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 spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection and reviewed emails from parents currently using the childminder's service.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities which engaged the children and reviewed their learning records with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures and relevant documentation, including safeguarding records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out joint discussions with the childminder, in relation to her reflective practice and the improvements she has made since her last inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1989 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is registered to provide overnight care for one child. She lives with her husband and two adult children. The family live in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. They have a pet dog and two cats. The whole of the property and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder takes and collects children from local schools and pre-schools. She provides early education for three and four-year-old funded children. There are currently four children on roll who attend for a variety of sessions. Of these, three are in the early years age group and there is one older child. There are currently a small number of children attending who speak English as an additional language. The childminder operates her service all year round, excluding Bank and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare

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

 increase learning opportunities to support children's emerging investigation skills, for example, by extending the provision of natural resources and teaching about the natural world.

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who attend

The childminder has a very good understanding about how children learn through high quality, play-based learning opportunities. Time is taken to plan activities which spark the children's interest and curiosity. This engages them and the childminder is able to promote their participation and concentration through good quality interactions and teaching strategies. All learning and development is fully recorded in the children's individual learning records. These records clearly detail what the children do and know and what their next steps in learning are. The records show that the childminder knows each child very well, including their individual interests. She uses this information to plan future learning opportunities, which enable the children to successfully embed the skills they need for their future learning and move into pre-school or school.

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who attend

During initial visits, parents are encouraged to share information relating to their child's age and ability. This provides the childminder with a starting point on which to plan learning activities. The childminder takes time to learn about the children's interests, helping her to make sure that the activities she plans capture their attention. Ongoing partnerships are also promoted well. Parents are warmly encouraged to share learning and achievements that happen at home. This provides the childminder with clear, ongoing information relating to their child's abilities, including when they are relaxed in their own homes. This practice also helps her to keep up-to-date with milestones the children achieve, so that her planning for their future development remains relevant. Parents are included in progress checks when their children are between the ages of two and three years, as well as with ongoing assessments throughout their time in the childminder's

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who attend

The children enjoy playing inside and outside. During good weather, the rear door to the enclosed garden remains open, encouraging the children to move between these different environments with ease. Children are fully involved in making decisions about their play and learning. The childminder organises more structured activities and this provides the children with a very good balance of child-initiated and adult-led learning opportunities. This approach helps the childminder to build directly on the children's emerging communication, emotional and physical development. In addition, the children can communicate what they want to do or explore and access toys and resources for their own purposes. Children demonstrate that they are acquiring good problem-solving skills. For example, while playing in their mud kitchen, they talk about needing water to add to the chocolate cake there are making. They look around to see what they can use to

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who attend

represent the water. They notice a bucket they had been using earlier, while using brushes to apply water to the garden fence. Quickly and carefully the children get the bucket of water and begin adding it spoonful by spoonful to their dry soil and dirt mixture. While stirring with the spoon, they decide that more water is needed, so they tip the remaining water into the saucepan, demonstrating good hand-eye coordination as they do this.

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who attend

Children enjoy using their imagination as they create collages from recycled art materials. The childminder is on hand to support and offer ideas. However, she only does this in order to extend children's learning. The childminder is careful not to do things for the children. She gives them time to think and make decisions independently, helping them to enjoy a sense of achievement and encourage confidence in their own abilities and skills. Open questions enable the children to build what they know and can do, as they listen, think and then respond. Children learn about the correct etiquette, in relation to joining in conversations, providing time for the other person to hear and respond, taking turns and being polite. They build their vocabulary as they hear and mimic words used by the childminder and other adults. For example, children add soil and dirt to the saucepan; they learn that if they were making a real cake, it would be ingredients that need mixing

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who attend

together. The children like this word, repeating it back as they become more comfortable with using it. Children are keen learners. They ask questions and show curiosity in all that is around them. They enjoy a very wide range of man-made plastic toys and resources, which enable them to explore across the prime and specific areas of learning, both inside and outside. The childminder has introduced a mud kitchen to her garden and also makes sure that the children have daily access to a secure outdoor learning environment. However, there is room to further enrich the current learning opportunities for children, by introducing a wider range of natural media, materials and resources, to help children learn about and discover the natural world around them through an enhanced range of first- hand experiences.

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

Children show that they are competent, effective learners. They move around the childminder's home with confidence, demonstrating that they feel safe and can access toys and resources freely. The children's personal, social and emotional well-being is fostered effectively. They learn how to care for themselves and each other. Children develop very positive attitudes to the people around them. For example, they ask their peers to join in their games either inside or outside. They take turns with resources and are helpful to each other, such as when they are creating collages together. These important skills are embedded well in order that children make smooth future moves into pre-school or school. Links with parents are very good and the clearly established channels of communication, along with sharing relevant information, means the childminder can make sure that the welfare needs of children are well met. For example,

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

information shared with parents includes any particular dietary, medical or religious requirements. Attention to detail allows the childminder to meet and respect parental wishes.

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

All children are supported in developing positive attitudes with regard to leading healthy lifestyles. From the earliest age, the childminder helps them learn about the importance of making good choices at snack and meal times. Children are also encouraged to drink lots of water throughout the day, in order to keep their bodies hydrated and working well. She is attentive while encouraging the children to develop their independence with regard to personal hygiene. A sensitive approach is undertaken, in order that the children learn through positive opportunities and reinforcement, boosting their confidence with regard to toileting and hand-washing at pertinent times. Behaviour is good and the childminder is consistent in her approach. This provides the children with clear messages in relation to her expectations and boundaries, and learning how to treat each other kindly.

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

The childminder is good at making sure that children develop personal safety awareness. For example, they are supported to understand about the dangers around them while out walking, such as crossing the road safely and not talking to strangers. Children also develop their understanding with regard to using equipment safely, for example, being careful with scissors or using cutlery sensibly during meal times. In addition, the childminder also takes the time to provide the children with suitable and safe resources which are appropriate for their age and stage of development. Child-height furniture and storage enables them to enjoy investigating and playing with toys and resources within an environment which is conducive to keeping them safe and secure.

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provision

The childminder undertakes child protection training regularly. This enables her to remain up-to-date with any changes in legislation and ways she can make prompt referrals to the relevant agencies if she has a concern about a child in her care. The childminder understands about the importance of Disclosure and Barring Service checks. She makes sure that the children are never left unsupervised with adults or visitors who are unchecked. This makes sure that the children are protected from potentially unsuitable adults. All records, policies and procedures, required by legislation are in place and maintained very well. The childminder respects the confidentiality that families are entitled to and always makes sure that records relating to them are kept securely. Risks within her home and garden, and those associated with taking trips are minimised. This is because the childminder undertakes regular risk assessments in order to safeguard children.

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provision

The childminder belongs to a local childminding network group. Here, she is able to talk with other professional childminder's about practice issues, changes in legislation and share good practice ideas. This helps the childminder to monitor her practice and make sure that it remains effective in meeting the development and learning needs of the children; along with the care requirements of their parents. In addition, the childminder continues her professional development by attending regular training. The childminder finds that through ongoing training, she is developing her own skills and abilities, enabling her to provide a more varied and pertinent teaching programme for all children. The childminder closely monitors the records she compiles, in relation to the developing abilities of the children. From this, she is able to identify that their progress is consistently good across all areas of learning. The childminder has secure strategies and partnerships

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provision

in place for sharing information with other early years providers the children attend. This helps to offer each child and their family, consistency of care and education.

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provision

In addition to undertaking monitoring of teaching and learning, the childminder also talks with parents and children about their needs, ideas or interests. This information is used well to help the childminder adapt practice where necessary, thereby making sure that she continues to meet the needs of all families effectively. Parents are extremely pleased with the service they receive. They talk about how happy and well-settled their children are with the childminder and her family. They appreciate how the childminder keeps them fully informed about every aspect of their child's time with her. For example, they really like the learning records, which provide clear, detailed, descriptive information and photographs relating the progress their children make towards the early learning goals. Parents report that the childminder and her family are very welcoming and kind. They genuinely feel safe when leaving their children in her care and would recommend her

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provision

services to other families, without hesitation. The provider has addressed the recommendations raised at her previous inspection. She reflects on her practice in order to make sure that she continually improves and develops the service she provides, for children and their families.

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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 222342 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 876376 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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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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