Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/06/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 and her co-childminder are highly motivated and their extensive self- evaluation system enables them to quickly identify and consistently improve their already first-rate practice.  Children benefit from extensive outdoor play activities, this allows more active children to thrive.  The childminder has excellent knowledge of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is meticulous in observing and assessing children's development and consistently offers enriching experiences so that all children make excellent progress.  Highly effective partnerships are established with parents to enable children's needs to be exceptionally well met.  The key-person system is highly effective as children have formed significant bonds and attachments with the childminder and her co-childminder. Consequently, children's care and wellbeing is consistently promoted by all involved.  The settling in procedure is exceptional and parents state that they feel they have

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This provision is outstanding

received limitless support from the start. As a result, children settle rapidly into the childminder and her co-childminder's care.

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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 the childminder interacting with children.  The inspector carried out a discussion with the childminder.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector spoke with parents.  The inspector examined some records and documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013. She lives with her two teenage children in the town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire. The home is within easy travelling distance of local schools, pre- schools and amenities. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family has three cats. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She currently has two children on roll. The childminder has a level three qualification in Early Years. She works with her friend who is also a registered childminder.

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

 enhance the already excellent opportunities in place for young children to make independent choices by offering picture inventories.

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who attend

The childminder and her co-childminder provide babies and young children with extensive learning opportunities through high-quality sensory experiences. Babies relish rolling on to their backs on rugs purposely positioned in shaded areas under trees. They giggle as they watch the wind blowing the leaves. Younger children explore the herb garden and imitate the childminder as she bends to smell the fresh mint. Older children engage fully in imaginative play as they use a good range of products provided in plastic jars such as, mud and flour to pretend to bake mud cakes. Consequently, children are inquisitive and highly motivated learners who engage extremely well in play.

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who attend

The childminder has extensive experience in early years care. As a result of her experience, she skilfully uses opportunities to extend children's learning with highly effective interaction. For example, as young children find a spider in the garden, the childminder picks the spider up and lets them crawl over her hands as she sings 'incy wincy spider'. When children explore the herb garden she lifts plant pots providing the children with exciting opportunities to discover and investigate further types of bugs. She uses unlimited language with the children to develop their social and communication skills. For example, children learn words such as 'garden' and point to the door saying garden when they choose to play outside. Children are making excellent progress in their physical development. They thrive in the particularly well-resourced outdoor area. The childminder gives children exceptional space and time to master new skills as they independently climb

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who attend

over into the sand tray and over logs. Parent's state that the childminder and her co- childminder make an excellent effort to support children's early stages of walking. For example, by offering equipment and hands on support when children show initial signs of readiness to walk. Consequently, all children are making excellence progress.

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who attend

The childminder is highly effective in promoting children's literacy skills, as she reads children their favourite books. For example, she gives the children time to fill in the gaps in sentences and point out their favourite pictures on the pages. The childminder introduces mathematical language through every day routines such as, finding their own shoes for outdoor play. For example, she asks children to compare which shoes are big and small and they repeat the words as they finder their shoes. This excellent interaction exposes young children to new language and concepts. Therefore, children are prepared exceptionally well for their next stages in learning.

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who attend

The childminder and her co-childminder implement a highly successful system to monitor and promote children's learning and development. She accurately monitors children's progress from their starting points and keeps daily written or photographic records of their achievements and emerging interests. She makes notes for each individual child's next steps of learning and uses this information to inform future planning. As a result, children are thriving and fulfilling their potential in all areas. The childminder and her co- childminder actively involve parents in their child's development. For example, when children join she obtains details from parents of what children can do on a form called all about me. This information is used towards the planning over the child's settling in period. Children's learning journeys are shared with parents every term so that they are kept up to date with their child's stages of development. The childminder obtains the parents

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who attend

views and ideas on their child's development on forms called responsive planning sheets. These suggestions are then added to the future planning. For example, books on dinosaurs after visiting a museum. This fully enhances children's learning and development and provides excellent continuity in learning between parents and the childminder.

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

The childminder and her co-childminder take equal responsibility for all children in their care and this ensures that children built excellent relationships with them both. As a result, children have formed significant bonds and attachments to them both. This extends to their families, as the childminder and her co-childminder have established exceptional relationships with them. Consequently, the childminder meets children's individual needs consistently. These excellent relationships with parents are established from the start. Parents complete the all about me form to detail aspects of their child's needs, interests and routines. Children benefit from many flexible settling in visits to get to know the childminder, her co-childminder and the other children. The childminder and her co- childminder have exceptional systems in place to support the communication with parents. For example, home link books which detail the child's daily routine and parents comment

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

each evening to advise the childminder of any changes or important information such as, babies who are teething. The childminder and her co-childminder have introduced highly reflective strategies to continue to support settling in procedures. For example, an evaluation sheet is provided for new parents after their child has settle in to evaluate and suggest improvements.

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

The childminder provides a vibrant and exciting environment, which she continually updates to reflect on the children's evolving interests. For example, one child particularly enjoys imaginative play so the childminder built a play kitchen from old storage units and collected cooking utensils. As a result, this keeps children highly motivated and interested in the environments indoors and outside.

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

Children behave exceptionally well, due to the childminder's calm approach. For example, calmly encouraging children to be kind to animals by gently stroking the pet cat and holding bugs carefully. Excellent strategies such as, positive reward charts praise children for their excellent behaviour. The childminder and her co-childminder provide parents with blank forms to record children's achievements at home. The achievements are then celebrated in the childminders home by adding it to an achievement tree. Consequently, children's self-esteem and confidence is highly promoted and it increases the consistency in partnerships between parents and the childminder.

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

The childminder and her co-childminder fully support children's awareness of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Children receive excellent healthy options for snacks such as, strawberries and the childminder always ensures water is freely available. The childminder shares a policy and a list of preferred healthy lunch options with parents to demonstrate their strong commitment to healthy eating. Mealtimes are used as opportunities to develop children's independence and self help skills as the childminder encourages the children to pour their own milk and put on their own shoes. Therefore, the childminder is fully supportive of children's skills for the future.

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

The childminder provides a safe excellently risk assessed environment, where children have the freedom to safely explore and play. She enhances older children's safety and well-being superbly by helping them learn to keep themselves safe and recognises potential dangers. For example, teaching them to cross roads safety on daily walks. The childminder attended training on road safety for children to extend her knowledge in this area. Children ask to apply their own sun cream before outdoor play to protect their skin from the sun. Therefore, children develop understanding of their own personal safety highly effectively. The childminder encourages children to take small risks such as, balancing on logs in the garden. She enhances risk taking opportunities by taking children to play centres regularly for more challenging opportunities such as, large climbing walls. The childminder and her co-childminder promote children's health highly successfully. For

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

example, children wash their own hands before meals and after toileting.

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provision

The childminder is highly experienced and qualified and shows this in her outstanding practice and detailed understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She demonstrates this in her comprehensive and detailed documentation, that she uses to include parents and underpins the high-quality service provided. For example, the responsive planning sheets to include parents in their child's learning and the all about me forms used to gain children's starting points. The well informed planning sheets include individual child's interests and next steps in learning, parent's ideas and comment boxes for activity evaluations. This enables the childminder to quickly highlight and monitor any potential gaps in children's learning and development.

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provision

The childminder is already highly qualified but continues to fully embrace opportunities to enhance her own knowledge and understanding of childcare. For example, she is currently awaiting her certificate in a level four in early childhood development. She holds a level two qualification in food hygiene and attends further local courses, for example, developing children's physical and sensory skills in play for young children. As a result, she keeps up to date with new developments for early years to ensure her provision maintains its high quality.

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provision

The childminder is exceptionally confident in the area of safeguarding children due to the training she has attended and from first-hand experiences of safeguarding issues, in her previous role's in early years settings. The childminder implements up to date policies and procedures. For example, mobile phone polices and reminders on the front door. She asks parents to the date, sign and record their arrival and collection times for enhanced security measures. Thorough risk assessments and in place and reviewed regularly. As a result, she maintains high standards of health and safety and security for all children. Robust vetting procedures are in place for household members to ensure their suitability. She has highly effective systems in place to keep children safe and children are exceedingly well protected as they securely and freely explore the premises.

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provision

The childminder and her co-childminder work exceptionally well together. They demonstrate a very clear commitment and genuine enthusiasm for their roles and responsibilities in promoting children's learning and development. The extensively evaluate and reflect on their practice to quickly identify and prioritise improvements to children's care and learning. For example, they have already begun to put improvements in place from their self-evaluation. They are now working on further improvements. The evaluations are enhanced by the inclusions of views from those who use the service. Parents' views are recorded in several ways such as, evaluations of settling in periods and responsive planning sheets. The childminder feeds general suggestions written in daily diaries into the extensive self-evaluation. The childminder and her co-childminder take prompt actions to secure improvements at the earliest opportunities. For example, one

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provision

parent suggested books on dinosaurs for his toddler's current interest and the childminder immediately adds this to planners and finds books she already has on offer.

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provision

The childminder and her co-childminder work in excellent partnership with local authority early year's advisors as they put effective systems into place immediately upon receiving their report actions. The childminder and her co-childminder establish excellent partnerships with parents from the start. Parent's state that they are offered limitless support. The childminder and her co-childminder go above and beyond their roles and responsibilities. For example, extending their hours when families need them to. This ensures high levels of continuity of care. She provides parents with a wealth of information regard all aspects of the provision. This highly effective partnership between the childminder, her co-childminder and the parents enable her to quickly identify children's needs and plan successfully for the next steps in learning. As a result, children make outstanding progress in their 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 EY468504 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 949261 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 2

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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