Childminder in South Gloucestershire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/06/2014 09/04/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder provides a highly inclusive provision, ensuring excellent support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language.  The childminder has outstanding partnerships with parents and any other adults supporting children's care and development, so that she can meet children's individual needs extremely well.  The childminder provides a highly stimulating and assessable environment for children to become independent learners.  The childminder keeps precise observations and uses very successful systems to monitor children's progress and have a thorough understanding of how to support their next stages of learning and development.  The childminder empowers older children to develop an excellent understanding of keeping themselves safe and healthy.

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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 inside and outdoors.  The inspector checked the safeguarding information and the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation, including policies and procedures, observation and planning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the childminder self-evaluation, and parents were written and verbal feedback for the inspection.  The inspector discussed the activities with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1998. She lives with her husband and two grown-up children in Emersons Green, South Gloucestershire. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's home is used for childminding, and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The family has a pet cat. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is currently minding seven children in the early years age group. The childminder walks to local schools and pre-school to take and collect children. The childminder is an accredited member of the South Gloucestershire Children Come First Network. She receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The childminder holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level three.

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

 consider extending literacy development in the outdoor area, for example by providing more words and pictures.

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who attend

The childminder has an outstanding awareness of how children learn and seeks extensive information from parents on the children's starting point. This enables her to plan extremely effectively as soon as they start at her setting. She makes regular, precise observations of children's development, using photographs and identifying children's characteristics of learning. She shares these with parents and includes their feedback so that they can work together to support children's development. The childminder listens to children's ideas and interests to use in planning, which highly motivates them to take part. The childminder provides excellent support for children's key areas of development, which prepares them extremely well for their next stage of learning. As a result, children make rapid progress in their learning and development. Parents state that the childminder particularly impresses them with the extensive variety of educational activities and their

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who attend

Children of all ages join in with activities and the childminder provides the right amount of support for all to take part and to challenge the more able children. For example, older children self-register by finding their name and sounding letters. Toddlers find their own photograph and the childminder shows babies their picture so that they start to recognise themselves. The childminder writes their name for some children to copy and children that are more able write their names unaided. The childminder notices what catches young children's attention and provides excellent support. For example, when they explore a shape sorter, the childminder asks 'will that fit?' Children find the correct hole through trial and error and the childminder reinforces what they did to achieve their goal. The children clap their hands and are extremely pleased, so they try another. The childminder points and counts how many shapes children learning English as an additional language are

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who attend

holding. She names the shapes, keeping to just two choices so children begin to use the appropriate words and recognise shapes. The childminder extends children's language and promotes communication extremely well, for example by pretending to have a conversation with a toddler on the telephone. She uses English and some words from children's first language. This supports their understanding and their sense of value. Older children talk to each other and extend their ideas, following on from each other's suggestions. The childminder engages children in purposeful conversations that interest them and encourage their language. For example, while children create get-well cards using a wide range of textures and materials, they discuss other reasons they would make a card such as for a birthday. This leads to children initiating discussions about parties.

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who attend

Children are extremely independent, initiating their own learning and putting resourcesback where they belong. They make outstanding progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Children are eager to help with daily routines such as setting the table for lunch and older children independently go to wash their hands. They know to take it in turns to use the cloakroom and wait patiently for their turn, ensuring they swap over next time so everyone gets to go first. Children choose their favourite stories for whole group story time. As a result, children regularly join in with familiar words and fill in the gaps when the childminder stops reading, even babies babble, staring at the childminder's face as she reads, showing their interest. The childminder uses props to support children of all ages and understanding to choose songs and rhymes. For example, babies choose a spider, bounce on their bottom and clap their hands as older

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who attend

children sing and do the actions. Children make up their own stories using puppets, with older children thinking of a storyline and extending her ideas. Children develop an excellent understanding of the world through celebrating their similarities and differences. They enjoy growing their own produce and closely watching life cycles, such as caterpillars making a cocoon and turning into a butterfly. Children thoroughly enjoy being active, exploring and developing new skills, which prepares them extremely well for school.

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

The childminder has excellent settling in procedures, individual to every child and their family. Consequently, parents comment extremely positively about the exceptional support the childminder provides for their children's emotional security. They state that she provides a highly inclusive environment where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language, build extremely confident and positive relationships. The childminder seeks extensive information from parents so that she can have everything in place and/or extend her knowledge to meet children's individual needs extremely well. The childminder watches out for signs of tiredness from younger children, stating that they sleep according to their individual needs, such as how they have slept the night before. The childminder provides a calm role model and has high expectations. Older children display good

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

manners and the childminder praises them. As a result, children behave extremely well and are kind to each other. Children are extremely thoughtful and are eager to make a get-well card for another minded child for example. They explain that they are using certain decorations because the child loves them. Children recognise that people have different preferences to them, such as some like cats but they prefer dogs. They develop an extremely positive attitude to people's differences and demonstrate high self-esteem. This prepares children exceptionally well for moving on to another setting and school.

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

The childminder has purposefully designed her setting so that children can independently access the good quality, extensive range of resources both inside and outdoors. She provides wet weather clothes and footwear for children to be outdoors all year round. In addition, she identifies any additional resources children with special educational needs and/or disabilities need. She ensures that children achieve through positive and supportive relationships. The childminder has material boxes, with large photographs and words showing the contents, although there are fewer words in the outdoor area. Low-level shelving enables older children to use resources such as scissors, whilst still out of the reach of babies to keep them safe. The childminder has treasure baskets for babies to explore and an active learning tray, which she changes regularly. This may be dry sand, shaving foam, soap flakes to mix with water or ice cubes to notice what effect heat has on

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

them for example. The childminder provides an effective balance of adult led and child initiated activities. She plans exciting outings to extend children's understanding of the world and provide them with real experiences, including a trip to a mill and zoo.

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

Children develop an outstanding awareness of safe and healthy practices. The childminder skilfully involves older children in her risk assessments, so that they decide what may be a risk and how to minimise them. The childminder displays the outcome so that children revisit them before using the equipment or area. On the parrot's cage there are signs saying not to put their fingers through the bars for example. Parents comment positively on how secure their children feel in talking to the childminder about anything that upsets them, particularly when they attend another setting. Babies pull themselves up on furniture and manoeuvre themselves around under the childminder's supervision. Older children look at the photographs on the toilet wall reminding them how to wash their hands thoroughly. They display an excellent understanding stating that they do not want to have dirty hands for snack or they will get germs in their tummy. Children use soap and

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

place the paper towel in the pedal bin when they have finished. Children enjoy their healthy snacks and the home cooked meals, which the childminder provides. She caters for special diets, ensuring she meets every child's individual needs. Children help themselves to their bottles or beakers of water. Older children have the same bottle and find their name to know which is theirs. This incidental learning promotes their physical and literacy development.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of her responsibilities in meeting all the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She implements her policies and procedures extremely well to promote and protect children's welfare. The childminder keeps up-to-date with safeguarding training and has extensive documentation so that she has an excellent knowledge of child protection procedures. The childminder carries out excellent risk assessments to ensure the premises are safe and secure. The childminder has extensive documentation, which she organises extremely well for the safe and efficient management of her setting. Since her last inspection, the childminder has implemented a very good system to have an overview of children's learning to monitor their development highly effectively. She regularly summarises their development, including the required progress check for two-year-old children. This enables her to quickly

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provision

identify any gaps in children's learning and seek additional support where necessary.

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provision

The childminder has outstanding partnerships with parents, which has a significant impact on children's well-being and development. Parents state that the childminder provides a highly positive, professional and caring service. They comment that they appreciate the extensive information she provides and can see that she knows their children extremely well. The childminder provides parents with an extensive prospectus, including written policies and procedures, keeping parents extremely well informed of how she cares for their children. The childminder supports parents extremely well in their partnerships with outside agencies to ensure children receive additional professional support when appropriate. This ensures an excellent, consistent approach to children's care and learning. The childminder has regular contact with local teachers or the key person at the pre-school, where some of the children also attend. In addition, she meets with them once

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provision

a term to formally assess children's development, share records and discuss their next stages of learning.

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provision

The qualified childminder continues to assess her personal development needs to review her practice and continually update her knowledge. Since her last inspection, she has attended a wide variety of training days. These include play through boys' eyes, observing and capturing real learning, characteristics of effective teaching and learning, and cooking for festivals and celebrations for example. As a result, she has implemented many new ideas and raised the quality of her provision. For example, she has trained in Forest skills and now goes with a childminding group for children to explore streams, build dens, and pretend to go on a Bear Hunt and even toast marshmallows on a fire. The childminder successfully evaluates her provision, including seeking children and parents' opinions. In addition, she receives extremely positive feedback from other providers she works in partnership with. The childminder belongs to a quality improvement scheme, which

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provision

includes peer-to-peer observations and meetings with a development worker to look at ways to improve further. The childminder is currently providing a mud kitchen for children, which has a tap and wide range of everyday equipment. She involves children by asking them to collect natural objects such as pinecones, shells and interesting stones for example. The childminder has already been through the new Early Years Foundation Stage Framework to identify and prepare for any differences. This demonstrates her strong commitment to ensuring she maintains and extends her already outstanding provision and consequently excellent outcomes for children.

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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 136195 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 842991 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 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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