Childminder in Wirral

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/06/2014 12/06/2009

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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 builds close bonds with children and effectively promotes their learning and development through playful interactions. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and development.  Children are motivated to explore and learn in the stimulating indoor and outdoor play environments.  Children are effectively safeguarded as the childminder has a strong knowledge of child protection and has effective policies to support her practice. Good attention is given to keeping the premises safe and secure and positive steps are taken to minimise risks to children.  The childminder evaluates her performance so that practice is developed and areas for improvement are identified.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to increase the opportunities for parents to contribute to their child's ongoing assessments to further enhance children's learning and development.  There is scope to extend the use of resources and activities promoting positive images of diversity to support children's learning and appreciation of the similarities and differences in society.

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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 designated indoor and outdoor play areas and viewed the resources and equipment available to the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection and conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of qualifications and suitability of the childminder and household members aged over 16 and her improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of documents, including children's records, policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the written views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her two children aged 12 and 23 years in a house in Bebington, Wirral. The whole of the ground floor and rear garden is used for childminding. The family has a pet dog. The childminder collects children from local pre-schools and schools and carries out visits to the local park and areas of interest. There are currently three children on roll in the early years age group who attend for a variety of sessions. Older children also attend. The childminder is open all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays.

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

 extend opportunities for parents to contribute to their child's ongoing assessments to further enhance partnership working and to fully support children's learning and development

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

 extend the use of resources and activities which promote positive images of the diversity within society, to further support children's learning, and to enable children to develop an appreciation of the similarities and differences in the world.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She provides a wide range of activities, toys and experiences to ensure children are supported to make progress across all areas of learning. Teaching is effective and the childminder ensures children's individual interests and preferences are catered for. She plans activities suited to children's particular learning needs, enabling them to develop in all aspects of learning. This provides a good foundation for children's future learning and prepares them for the eventual move on to pre-school and school. Play materials and books are set out at low-level to give children opportunities to make independent choices in their play. The childminder varies the readily available range of resources and equipment to match children's interests and to offer greater challenge. From a young age children confidently explore, investigate and play.

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who attend

The childminder is knowledgeable about children's individual stages of learning and development. She considers partnership working with parents to be essential to help her to effectively meet children's individual needs and to support their learning. Partnership working is established during the settling in period. During these visits the childminder gathers information from parents about all areas of children's development. Personalised planning is in place to support each child's continued good progress in relation to their starting points. The childminder compiles comprehensive, individual records of learning for children, which detail what children can do and their next steps for learning. The childminder has a recording system to track children's progress. This system is used to identify and to prioritise the children's planning to effectively support their progress towards the early learning goals. Parents review their child's record of learning. However,

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who attend

opportunities for parents to contribute to their child's ongoing assessments are not fully utilised, to enhance the use of shared knowledge to inform planning. Two-way communications provide parents with information which can be used as a guide to continue their children's development at home. The childminder undertakes developmental and assessment checks for the required progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. This helps to support young children's progress and to identify if there are any concerns, so that further support can be put in place if required. The childminder liaises with children's key persons if they also attend other settings, to share information in order to plan complementary learning experiences.

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who attend

Children clearly enjoy playing with the childminder. She gives children plenty of individual attention, which helps to develop their skills. The childminder talks to young children as they play and responds to their communications. She talks clearly to enable children to hear the correct pronunciation of words. The childminder develops effective strategies to extend children's learning and support their language development. Children and the childminder laugh together as they look at their facial expressions in the mirror. This promotes young children's self-awareness and their understanding of emotions, as the childminder identifies happy and sad expressions. Children explore a range of interactive play materials. As they play, children show they are developing the characteristic of active learners. Their concentration is sustained when they are playing with challenging resources and they persevere until they complete activities to their satisfaction. For

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who attend

example, through trial and error children guide a ball along a circuit and are delighted with their success. The childminder is very aware of younger children's emerging interest in pretend play and she introduces resources to support this interest. In role-play situations, young children show care and consideration as they use the play kitchen resources to make pretend drinks for everyone present.

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who attend

The areas used for childminding provide plenty of clear floor space for children to play and to enjoy being active. The childminder is confident in her risk assessments to allow children to enjoy lively energetic play indoors to promote their physical development. Children play with musical instruments and twirl their bodies around as they dance to the rhythms of sounds they are making. The childminder fully embraces outdoor learning, both at her setting and through outings. She understands that for many children this is their preferred learning environment. Consequently, the childminder has created an outdoor learning environment which is well resourced and stimulates children's interests. Outside children continue their pretend play and use dens made by older children as their play house. The childminder plans activities for children to learn about the natural world from first hand experiences. They are currently growing salad and vegetable plants.

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who attend

Watering the plants triggers children's interest to pursue water play. This activity promotes mathematical concepts of measure and size as they fill, pour and empty water in and out of different sized containers. The childminder makes effective use of community facilities and plans visits to places of interest to broaden children's learning experiences.

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

The childminder provides a comfortable and welcoming environment, where children are happy and clearly feel secure. There is a sense of fun and children and the childminder laugh as they play together. Well-established daily routines enable children to form happy, secure attachments with the childminder, which promotes their emotional well-being and independence. As a result, children's emotional needs are effectively met. The childminder provides opportunities for children to play in larger groups by, for example, attending activities at toddler groups and the library. Consequently, children are making relationships and developing their social skills in preparation for their later transitions into nursery or school. The childminder effectively supports children's learning and development. She provides a stimulating learning environment where children confidently make their own choices about what they want to play with. Children's play preferences are

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

respected and all children have equal opportunities to use the resources and activities provided. However, there are limited resources which help children nurture an understanding and respect for diversity within society.

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

The childminder is a positive role model for children's behaviour. She is courteous and shows respect for the choices children make in their play. The childminder is fully aware of the need to manage behaviour at an appropriate level to individual children's ages and stages of development and their level of understanding. Children are becoming increasingly aware of their own safety because the childminder provides simple explanations which raise their awareness of potential hazards. The childminder involves children from a young age in implementing the safety procedures. For example, she role models the road safety and emergency evacuation procedures for children to observe her actions.

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

The childminder has a current paediatric first-aid qualification, which means she has the skills to protect children's health in emergency situations. During daily routines she promotes children's health and well-being positively. The childminder works with parents to ensure she meets children's dietary needs and ensures all children are well nourished. She provides home cooked meals and healthy snacks. The childminder encourages and supports young children to feed themselves, developing their self-care skills. Children have access to their drinking beakers and learn to respond to their bodily needs and to drink when thirsty. Routines and planned activities encourage children to enjoy being physically active. They benefit from being taken on regular walks and outings to the local parks, where they have space to pursue energetic play and develop their skills, using larger apparatus. The comfortable seating in the play room gives children the opportunity to

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

have quiet times and rest their bodies. The childminder arranges facilities where younger children can sleep undisturbed. As a result, children are supported to engage in a healthy lifestyle.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures regarding child protection issues. She demonstrates a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and is fully aware of procedures to follow should she have any concerns. This is supported by a written policy, which she shares with parents, to make them fully aware of her role and responsibility to protect children from harm. The childminder ensures she is always close to children to ensure good supervision for their safety. Her home is a safe environment for children and she ensures they are also safe when on outings. Records are maintained, as legally required, for children's safety and well-being.

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provision

The childminder meets the safeguarding and welfare requirements and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She provides children with interesting activities and experiences, which promote their learning and development. The childminder monitors children's development to ensure they make good progress. She has met the recommendations from the last inspection. For example, the childminder has developed her knowledge of the seven areas of learning. As a result, she completes regular assessments and uses these to plan suitably challenging activities to support children's progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder has also improved upon how she evaluates her provision and considers her main strengths and areas for improvement. She develops her skills by accessing training and seeking support from other early years providers. The childminder involves children and parents in this process

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provision

by asking for their opinion of the service she provides.

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provision

The childminder is committed to partnership working to help her meet children's individual needs. Parents express their great satisfaction with the provision. Their written comments indicate the childminder supports children's learning and development very well. The childminder has established procedures to work with other professionals and childcare providers, to promote continuity and progression in children's learning and development.

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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 EY385025 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 878932 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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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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