Childminder in North Tyneside

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/06/2014 10/03/2009

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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 teaches children effectively as she listens to them and uses good questioning techniques, which improves children's learning and promotes conversation. This supports children's thinking and language skills very well.  The arrangements for safeguarding children are well established. Detailed policies and procedures, action planning and risk assessments are consistently reviewed to ensure that children remain safe.  Children are very happy, settled and have good relationships with the childminder. Consequently, young children's emotional needs are well met.  The childminder engages well with parents. This ensures a regular exchange of information and successfully promotes consistency in children's care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to provide children with further opportunities to develop their literacy skills, especially in outdoor activities.  The childminder does not yet make full use of all routines to support children's learning and independence further, around being involved in preparation of snacks and helping them to understand the importance of recycling.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children's activities in the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked the childminder's training certificates, children's assessment records, improvement plan and written information from parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1993 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband in a house in Wallsend, North Tyneside. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder visits the local parks and library on a regular basis. She drops off and collects children from the local school. There are currently seven children on roll, of whom, two are in the early years age range and they attend for set days. The childminder also regularly looks after her granddaughter. The childminding provision operates all year round from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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

 promote children's literacy skills further, by providing different writing materials and books when they play outside

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

 use routines to support children's learning such as, by allowing them further opportunities to prepare their own snacks and help them to understand and value the importance of recycling such as, by re-using their plastic yoghurt pots in art and craft activities.

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who attend

Children have not been attending the childminding provision long. However, the childminder uses, 'All about me' information from parents and holds regular discussions with them to help her establish children's starting points and individual interests. Therefore, she plans activities well based on this information and shows how she uses it alongside various guidance documents linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means that young children enjoy interesting and challenging activities and experiences that meet their individual needs. For example, when she established that a new child likes to play with dolls, the childminder provides lots of equipment, such as various sized dolls, cots, buggies, prams and blankets. This means that children play with a purpose and are fully engaged in what they do. As children settle-in, she aims to take them for walks in the local environment and will encourage them to take the prams, buggies and dolls for a

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who attend

picnic. This builds on their interests very well and promotes their learning. The childminder has a good grasp of how to assess children's progress. She has put together individual files and writes down her observations of what children are learning and what their next steps will be. She also uses a good tracker system that helps her identify if children are demonstrating typical development for their age or if they need further support. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning. The childminder is also aware of how to complete the required progress check for children between the ages of two and three years and to provide a summary for parents.

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who attend

The childminder uses effective teaching strategies to help children learn. During their play, she asks questions, makes statements and encourages children to finish the end of sentences. This successfully promotes their communication and language for thinking critically. For example, when children listen to the sounds in the garden and make squeaking noises they state, 'I can make this kind of noise.' The childminder asks them what kind of noise it is and she introduces new words, such as, 'squeaking' and 'chirping' to enhance their language skills further. When children choose spades, buckets and moulds for use in the sand, the childminder encourages them to think about the size they may need. She talks with them about how some spades and buckets are too big for the sand pit and asks them to think about where they may be able to use them instead. Consequently, children learn successfully about size and shape and recall events, such as

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who attend

a trip to the beach. Children love to be outside and most of the educational programmes are covered in the outdoors. For example, children use their imaginations as they tend to the 'babies,' they love to dig in the sand and experiment as they mix sand with water. They water the plants, sit on the rug and build with the wooden blocks, bang vigorously on the drum kit, use shakers and dance, as they make up their own band. However, there is scope to promote children's literacy skills further, by providing different writing materials and books in the outdoors.

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who attend

Children's progress in the prime areas of learning shows that they have the key skills needed for the next stage in their learning. For example, children sit together for social occasions, such as, snack and meal times. They learn the importance of why they need to wash their hands before eating and are encouraged to use good manners and consider the needs of others. This prepares them well for pre-school and nursery. The childminder exchanges regular verbal information with parents and provides good written daily notes for each child, which are shared with parents at the end of the day. The childminder ensures that parents contribute to the initial assessment of children's care and learning. She finds out what the children enjoy doing at home so that she can build on this. Consequently, the childminder gains a good knowledge of children's abilities from the start, which consistently helps them to make progress in their learning.

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

Children have very good opportunities to be outside in the fresh air. They eagerly play and explore in the garden and the childminder ensures that children wear sun hats and sun cream in hot weather. Their drinks of water are readily available on the child-sized, shaded picnic table and the childminder re-fills children's beakers throughout the session. This ensures that children are safe in the sun and well hydrated. The childminder offers children a range of healthy food, such as, fresh sandwiches, fruit and jellies and discusses the benefits of making healthy choices. Consequently, children are beginning to learn about how to stay healthy. Children also have good opportunities to climb up and slide down the slide, build with bricks and use a range of tools in the sand, which promotes their physical skills successfully.

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

Children make independent decisions about what they would like to do. They choose equipment from a range of relevant pre-school toys and take them outside. The childminder also ensures that they make choices at lunch time regarding what they would like to eat. This shows that children's decision making is valued, which raises their confidence and self-esteem. There is scope to use routines to support children's learning further. For example, by allowing them more opportunities to prepare their own snacks and to help them understand and value the importance of recycling, such as by re-using their plastic yoghurt pots in art and craft activities. Children's behaviour is very good because they are fully occupied and engaged during activities. They also know how to behave when going up and downstairs, as they walk carefully in a line and hold onto bannisters. This is due to the childminder reinforcing safe practices with the children very

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

well. The children are also given gentle reminders to use good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you' when they ask for something. The childminder gives children lots of positive, meaningful praise, which means that they are very settled and happy and feel safe and secure in the setting.

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

Children who are new to the setting settle in well, as they are fully supported with their transition from home to an unfamiliar environment. The childminder finds out all she can from parents about their individual needs and routines. She knows when to sit back and observe children, so that they gain their own confidence when they are ready to play with others. Therefore, when other children play instruments they choose when to join in and play cooperatively, happily jumping and dancing to the sounds. The childminder remains close by so that they can seek her out if need be. This successfully supports children's emotional needs during the transition period.

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provision

The childminder understands her role and responsibilities to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She updates and maintains her good written polices and shares these with parents effectively, so that they are clear about her role. She is well aware of what to do if she has any concerns about a child's care or welfare or if there are any changes to the suitability of adults living in the household. She has all the relevant contact details she needs should she need to seek advice or make a referral. This ensures that children are effectively safeguarded. She is a dedicated, longstanding and experienced childminder. Therefore, she is competent in her approach with children, which supports their safety, well-being and emotional needs very well.

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provision

The childminder regularly attends the local authority quality improvement childminding network meetings. This ensures that she receives short, regular training sessions, which helps to keep her childcare knowledge up-to-date. The childminder has also successfully addressed the action and recommendations from the last inspection. Risk assessments are in place and reviewed and she now has a good understanding of how to monitor children's development by using her observations to plan effective learning activities. Consequently, children remain safe and their learning is well supported. The childminder has a clear drive for improvement. For example, before taking on children she reviewed the Early Years Foundation Stage requirement's, sought the help and advice of a local authority advisor and ensured that she had all relevant documents she needed. Self-evaluation is in the early stages, as children have only recently started. However, she does record focussed

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provision

action plans, which highlight her priorities for improvement and development. This demonstrates that she has a professional approach to her career and aims to provide effective learning opportunities for the children, so that they make good progress.

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provision

Over the years, the childminder has received an abundance of 'thank you' cards and messages from grateful parents and children. Current parents are pleased with the setting as their children settle-in. They state that they are happy with their progress and that their children enjoy going. They also feel that good communication and exchange of information is in place, which supports consistency in children's development and learning overall. Currently, as no children attend other early years settings, the childminder does not need to exchange information. However, she is aware of her role in this and would supplement verbal information by using a contact diary with pre-schools and nurseries. This supports consistency in children's learning well.

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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 309984 Local authority North Tyneside Inspection number 959484 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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