Childminder in Shropshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/07/2014 06/01/2014

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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

 Children are very happy and settled in the childminder's home. They have good attachments to the childminder, who is very caring and attentive to their needs. Consequently, children's emotional well-being is very well supported.  Teaching is good and has a very positive effect on children's learning, as the childminder uses a range of methods to help children engage with challenging activities. She has established successful ways to observe children's development and to plan for the next steps in their learning.  Partnerships with parents are well established and are actively encouraged by the childminder, so that parents make regular and positive contributions to their children's learning and assessment.  The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of her role and responsibility with regard to protecting children in her care from abuse and neglect. This ensures that safeguarding requirements are met to promote the safety of children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always provide children with a wide range of activities in order to enhance their exploration and investigation skills.

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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 children as they played in the indoor and outdoor environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the childminder, her co-childminder and assistants.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder at appropriate times and looked at and discussed a range of policies and procedures, including her self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector sought the views of parents through written accounts.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary part of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, who is registered as an assistant, and four children aged four months, four, five and six years in Ludlow, Shropshire. Her sister is a co-childminder. The whole of the house is used for childminding and there is an enclosed garden available for outside play. There are currently 20 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years range. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, including Bank Holidays, and can offer extended hours on an individual basis. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 extend opportunities for children to engage in activities, such as water play, in order to enhance and enrich their exploration and investigation skills.

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who attend

Children are happy and content to be in the childminder's home and benefit from an organised and stimulating learning environment, which they happily explore. Teaching is good and children are particularly well supported in their personal, social and emotional development. For example, the childminder encourages children to become independent in everyday tasks and promotes a 'can-do' attitude. As a result, children's confidence is promoted well and they begin to learn skills and attitudes to prepare them for their future learning at school. Children's communication and language is promoted through action songs and constant interactions between the childminder and the children. She listens to what they have to say and responds sensitively, enriching their learning through purposeful play. Resources are plentiful and well maintained. The indoor environment has been rearranged to provide children with a range of play opportunities and ensure that all

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who attend

seven areas of learning are addressed. The outdoor area has benefited from being renovated and is well organised and thought out. Children enjoy being outside and benefit from a good range of adult-led and child-initiated activities. However, the childminder does not provide children with regular opportunities to play and experiment with activities, such as water play. As a result, children are not always offered opportunities to enhance their exploration and investigation skills.

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who attend

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and this results in children making good progress in their learning and development. Each child has a personal learning journey record, which includes detailed observations and assessments of their progress and a good selection of annotated photographs. The childminder is competent in linking observations to future planned activities to target gaps in children's learning. The progress check for children between the ages of two and three years provides a detailed summary of children's development and is completed in a timely manner to ensure that, if necessary, early intervention is obtained. Children are encouraged to be active learners as the childminder sits with them to ensure they get plenty of support and encouragement with their play. This also promotes their self-esteem and confidence.

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who attend

Partnerships with parents are promoted well. The childminder encourages parents to share information about their child, both when they first attend and on a regular basis, so that children's individual needs are met effectively. She continually shares information with parents about how they can support children's learning at home through regular discussions and a detailed daily diary. This means that children's learning is consistently supported by both the childminder and parents.

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

The welcoming environment and the childminder's friendly, informal interaction help children feel relaxed and secure in her company. As a result of her calm and easy-going personality, children flourish in her care. Children form warm, trusting relationships with the childminder and her co-childminder, which positively enhances their capacity for learning. Children are happy and secure in the provision and settle well. The childminder and her co-childminder work well together to offer support and reassurance to children. This helps to promote their emotional well-being. Children grow in confidence and self- esteem as the childminder focuses on their social and emotional development, offering them frequent praise and encouragement. The childminder knows the children well. This enables her to tailor activities to meet their individual needs. She encourages children to manage their own safety in the provision. For example, she reminds them to be careful

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

when climbing large apparatus outside and to consider their actions when younger children are nearby. As a result, children learn to manage risks well. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure all children's needs are known and met; this promotes their smooth transition from home to the childminder's care. Parent questionnaires display comments that commend the childminder in the quality of her care. They comment on how their children are very happy and make good progress with her.

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

The key-person system is well embedded. The childminder discusses individual settling-in plans for children with their parents, and ensures that they are kept informed of the benefits of this for their child. Children sleep and rest according to parents' wishes. Both childminders ensure that they know all children very well and are good role models. This helps them to form secure relationships with all children and promotes their emotional well-being. The childminder listens to what children have to say and responds sensitively. She reminds children to use good manners and to be kind and considerate to each other. She praises children's efforts and ensures they are given clear boundaries. Consequently, children behave well and understand what is expected of them.

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

Children have access to daily outdoor activities which include playing in the childminder's garden or visiting local toddler groups. This ensures they benefit from regular physical exercise and fresh air. The childminder ensures that children have a nutritional and well- balanced diet. They enjoy snack time outside and the childminder promotes their independence as they are encouraged to select their own plates and snack. Children manage their personal hygiene and care needs well. They learn how to use the toilet independently and are encouraged in this by the childminder. The childminder supports children to wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet. This helps them to learn about good personal hygiene and promotes their self-care skills. As a result, children are becoming well prepared for the routines of school. The childminder has good links with the local schools. These support children's move to their next stage of learning.

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provision

Children are effectively protected from harm as the childminder demonstrates a secure knowledge of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. She has completed training to support her understanding of child protection. Children remain safe and secure in the childminder's care. As a result of actions raised at her last inspection, she now ensures that all risks are identified and minimised as she conducts daily risk assessments of her home and garden. A range of policies and procedures meet the welfare requirements to support the safe and efficient management of the provision. These are provided to parents so that they understand how the provision operates. Visitor identification is obtained to promote children's safety, and details are recorded in the visitors' book. The childminder demonstrates a high level of commitment to promote children's safety and well-being. For example, there are secure procedures in place to

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provision

ensure the suitability of household members, and the childminder is fully aware of the need to inform Ofsted of any significant events which may impact on her registration.

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provision

Leadership and management are good. The childminder was previously inspected in January 2014 and has had one monitoring visit as a result of this inspection. It is evident that she has addressed all previous actions and shows a real commitment to improving her provision. In particular, the garden and playroom have been extensively renovated and improved. They now offer children a wide range of activities and experiences to enrich their learning and development. The childminder and her co-childminder have developed an effective self-evaluation process. This clearly identifies their strengths and weaknesses, and provides opportunities for them to review and evaluate their provision on a regular basis. They are very enthusiastic about the development of their provision. For example, they have introduced 'choice catalogues' to improve how children choose activities during child-initiated play. As a result, the childminder is always reflecting upon her provision and

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provision

the care she offers to the children. The childminder monitors children's progress well and has a good awareness of their abilities and skills. The good balance of adult-led and child- initiated activities helps the childminder to ensure that she covers each area of learning well. Consequently, teaching is good and effectively supports children's learning and development towards the early learning goals. The childminder monitors the practice of her assistants and students very closely. For example, she reminds a student not to step over a safety gate and explains that children may try to copy this. Consequently, monitoring of staff practice is good. Partnerships with parents are good. The childminder gives parents opportunities to become involved at all levels and ensures that effective communication is in place with regard to children's well-being and achievements. Parents' views are sought and acted on

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provision

through the use of questionnaires and two-way diaries. The childminder has a very good understanding of the importance of working in partnership with parents and other providers to ensure children's learning and development are well supported. She has worked closely with her support worker to ensure that all previous actions have been addressed. As a result, the quality of the care offered to children has been significantly improved. The childminder has established good links with other professionals, such as other childminders and local authority workers. She takes advantage of this to improve her practice for the benefit of the children attending.

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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 EY371729 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 972224 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 20

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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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