Cutts Caroline

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/06/2014 07/12/2009

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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 is passionate about providing high quality care and education for the children. Her enthusiastic drive for improvement means that children are given the best possible start to their learning.  The childminder uses her exceptionally high quality teaching skills to promote and nurture children's learning through well used interactions. As a result, children make excellent progress in all areas of learning.  The childminder's in-depth knowledge of the children ensures she plans a rich and varied learning environment. This supports children to be active, motivated learners.  Children benefit from extensively secure emotional attachments with the childminder. This ensures children feel safe in the childminder's home and develop high levels of confidence and independence.  Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Close, positive relationships ensure highly successful transitions, effective sharing of information and a consistent approach

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This provision is outstanding

to children's learning across the setting and home.  The childminder has an exemplary understanding of safeguarding and the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Robust policies and procedures are in place to safeguard children. This means children's safety is given the very highest priority.  The childminder makes excellent use of ongoing reflective practice and constantly monitors and evaluates the quality of provision and children's progress. This means there is a very strong drive to continuously improve.

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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 kitchen and garden.  The inspector observed children at play and interacting with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held ongoing discussions with the childminder throughout the inspection about children's learning and development.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked the suitability of all persons living in the home and working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers from information including children's records and questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2000 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her two adult children and her 16 year old daughter in Chafford Hundred, Essex. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and family holidays. There are currently three children on roll in the early years age range. The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder is just completing an early years qualification at level 3. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 consider ways to enhance the already secure understanding of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, by accessing targeted training opportunities.

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who attend

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how to support children's different learning styles. The childminder is an experienced and highly motivated provider. Her exemplary quality of teaching is of a consistently high standard. As a consequence, children make exceptional progress in all areas of learning. The childminder's support for children's language development is excellent, helping them to build confident skills in their communication. The childminder has developed excellent systems to support children with a wide variety of communication skills. This is very effective in ensuring that both children with speech and language delays and those with English as an additional language are exceptionally well supported. For example, the childminder has developed a number of visual aids, including a picture board, which support children to develop their communication skills. The childminder uses her skills to

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who attend

sensitively support children to develop their speech and language skills at their own pace. As a result, children are using language with confidence to talk with the childminder at a range of activities. The childminder uses careful descriptions of the children's play to encourage and extend the children's language. For example, the children play in the garden, they are collecting plants with different colours and shapes to fill their sensory bottles. The childminder describes the plants using a wide variety of words to extend children's vocabulary. The childminder uses carefully chosen, open questions to encourage the children to name the colours and to talk about how the plants feel and smell. Children are actively encouraged to work independently and the childminder provides a basket for each child to collect their finds. Children carry their own basket and the childminder supports them to pick the plants independently. The childminder uses all opportunities for

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who attend

extending children's mathematical development. For example, the children are encouraged to count using real objects as she supports them to count the number of plants they have in their baskets. The childminder talks to the children about the different positions of the toys they have in the sand and encourages them to think about sizes as they talk about bigger and smaller containers. She provides an extensive range of activities to teach children about the wider and natural world. For example, in the garden, the children have planting areas where they are growing vegetables and flowers. The childminder's in-depth knowledge of each child and how they learn results in rich, flexible opportunities for learning suited to their individual needs. The childminder provides exciting and engaging activities and experiences in her home and on a very wide range of outings. The childminder makes best possible use of all planned and naturally occurring situations to

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who attend

Weekly planning provides structure, but a flexible daily routine allows the pattern of the day to follow the children's interests. For example, the children talk about the woodlouse they found this morning. The childminder encourages them to describe what the creature looked like, supporting their language skills. To extend the children's learning the childminder provides an activity where they identify more mini-beasts. The childminder gives each child a clip board with pictures of the mini-beasts. She supports the children to show which mini-beast they saw this morning and they go off around the garden to see how many more mini-beasts they can find. As a result, children are highly motivated and enthusiastic as they continue their search. The childminder shows a thorough understanding of the need to support children by allowing them time and space to solve their own problems. For example, she provides a good learning environment and activities

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who attend

but allows children to decide how to use the environment and to make free choices. Opportunities for children to experiment and practise early writing skills, include paper and pens at activities and chalk at the chalk board. This supports children to practice writing their names and the childminder talks to them about the letters that make up their names. The children are encouraged to use the sounds of the letters, as well as naming the letters as they write. At all activities the childminder gives the children lots of praise for their efforts and achievements. The childminder's home provides an excellent variety of well- organised spaces for play. For example, children have opportunities to explore, discover and experiment in the garden by using the mud kitchen and playing in the sand pit or helping to grow vegetables in the planting area. In the house, children have dedicated play space with cosy areas for quiet play and easy access to very high quality resources

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who attend

and equipment. The childminder ensures that resources are appropriate for the children's ages and stages of development. The resources are all stored at child-height so children can access them and child-sized tables and chairs are provided to support children to have high levels of independence.

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who attend

The childminder is highly effective in engaging and working with parents in relation to children's care and education. For example, she gathers very good information about children's learning at the time of admission. Each family completes a record to provide the childminder with information about children's likes and dislikes and their learning styles and interests. To further support her in-depth knowledge of each child the childminder uses a formal assessment system. This clearly provides the childminder with a very secure understanding of the children's starting points. Using her excellent knowledge of children's learning the childminder carries out frequent observations for each child. The exemplary children's records provide sharply focused and precise assessments of children's learning. The childminder skilfully uses all information she collects to very effectively plan for individual next steps in learning. This ensures that children make excellent progress in all

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who attend

areas of learning. The childminder shares the records with parents to provide them with a picture of their children's learning and to support them to continue children's learning at home. Information is very effectively exchanged on a daily basis during discussions and through daily diaries for each child. Consequently, parents have excellent opportunities to be involved in their children's learning, which has a significantly positive impact on their progress. The childminder works effectively to support children's smooth transitions. She plans school visits for children in her care and has worked carefully to build good relationships with local schools. She ensures that she continues to work to support children to make the best possible transitions at each stage of their learning.

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

This warm, exceptionally calm environment very effectively supports children's personal, social and emotional development. Their well-being is very sensitively fostered and the childminder's careful support ensures transition from home to the setting is well supported. The childminder is an excellent role model. She has very high expectations of herself and the children, who clearly develop exceptional levels of confidence in this nurturing environment. Children have very warm, close relationships with the childminder which ensures they form secure attachments. Children are happy and very well settled, they clearly delight in their time at the childminder's home. These positive relationships result in extremely confident children who can explore freely and develop high levels of independence, self-assurance and self-esteem. The childminder's careful support of children's emotional development provides them with the confidence and skills to be fully

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

ready for the next stage in their learning.

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

The childminder's good role modelling and clear expectations of children ensure that the children's positive behaviour is exceptionally well promoted. The childminder's calm and positive attitude is shown through the high levels of enthusiastic, meaningful praise and encouragement she gives to children. This clearly builds the children's confidence and nurtures their self-esteem. Children are treated with the utmost respect and their contributions are valued. The childminder actively encourages children to be polite to each other, supporting them to be aware of the feelings of others. Children are supported to develop good levels of independence. For example, children are actively encouraged to make choices about what to play with and at snack time the children spread their own crackers with skill.

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

Children's health is extremely well promoted. They learn to manage their own personal hygiene to support good independence. Children can explain why they need to wash their hands before they have their lunch or snack, showing they are learning good hygiene practice. Children are provided with healthy and nutritious meals and snacks and they have drinks with them at all times. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure individual dietary needs are effectively met. Children have extensive opportunities to play in the fresh air. In the childminder's garden, children can practise and develop good physical skills through play on the slide and trampoline and using the ride-on toys. The children effectively learn to assess risks for themselves. For example, the childminder talks to the children about safety while they are picking the plants. The childminder explains to the children that one of the plants has thorns and shows them how to see where the

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of safeguarding procedures and she has completed safeguarding training to keep updated. She has an exemplary knowledge of child protection procedures and how to record and report any concerns she may have. The childminder's comprehensive risk assessments and daily checks ensure that children enjoy an extremely safe and secure play and learning environment. The childminder's provision is exceptionally well organised. Her documentation is meticulous and accessible which extensively supports her exemplary practice. The childminder's house is secure and she is highly conscientious in ensuring the safety and supervision of the children. The childminder's comprehensive range of policies, means that children are extremely well protected and supported at all times. The childminder shows an excellent commitment to developing her practice and knowledge, she regularly attends training to update her skills

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provision

and understanding. For example, she is completing an early years qualification at level 3. This helps to promote her own professional development and to ensure she continues to develop her knowledge and understanding of child development. Nevertheless, there is scope to consider ways to enhance the already secure understanding of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, for example, by accessing targeted training opportunities.

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provision

Self-evaluation is excellent as the childminder makes exceptionally effective use of reflective practice. She accurately identifies what she does well and what areas require improvement. The childminder evaluates activities daily and uses this information, along with her secure knowledge of children's interests, to plan effectively for children's learning. The childminder has completed a detailed written self-evaluation document that successfully highlights areas for development. There is an extremely strong commitment to providing the best for the children in her care and providing the best possible service for the families. This commitment, together with a thorough understanding of the significance of self-evaluation and reflective practice, means the childminder has an excellent capacity to sustain continuous improvement.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are extremely strong. Settling children in is a gradual process that is tailored to suit the individual needs of each child and parent. This results in highly effective transitions and children being settled, happy and emotionally secure. Parents complete an 'All about me' book when their child comes in to the childminder's care. This provides the childminder with a good range of information which she continues to build on throughout the children's time in her care. Each child has a daily diary which parents add comments to and the childminder provides a regular newsletter. Children's learning records are regularly shared with parents who sign to confirm they have seen them. Parents have completed feedback sheets which show how confident and delighted they are with both the care and education their children receive. Parents find the childminder easy to talk to, they are very happy with routines and good healthy variety of food

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provision

provided. Parents give very high praise to the childminder's support of children's development, they say their children have grown to be very confident and independent learners. Children's speech development is seen as very positive and the parents find excellent care is given to younger children. The childminder is aware of the importance of working with other agencies to support children's individual needs. She works closely with the schools that the children attend so that she can support and extend learning. As a result, children have opportunities to reinforce and practise their knowledge and skills. The childminder attends the local children's centre on a regular basis, she attends training and networking opportunities wherever possible to support and develop her knowledge.

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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 204193 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 865237 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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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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