Childminder, Out-of school day care in Liverpool

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/07/2014 11/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 2

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This provision is good

 Children's behaviour is exemplary, which is as a result of the childminder's high expectations. She very effectively promotes the children's confidence, successfully preparing them for the next stage in their learning.  The childminder promotes children's emotional well-being very well, so they have a very strong sense of belonging. As a result, children confidently explore the learning environment and enthusiastically engage with new experiences.  The childminder has good teaching skills and a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She plans purposeful play with a good balance of adult-led and child- initiated activities. Consequently, all children make good progress.  Children are kept safe because the childminder has a good understanding of child protection issues and is vigilant to ensure her home environment is safe and secure.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are fewer opportunities for children to access open-ended and natural materials, in order to further support children's imaginative exploration and develop their 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 activities in the childminder's house and talked with the childminder.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises and garden used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of household members, and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents, as recorded in reference letters.  The inspector reviewed the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and three children aged 18, 14 and 12 years in Aigburth, Liverpool. The whole of the ground floor, one bedroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet dog, which the children have access to. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and parks on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 10 children on roll, five of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time only. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and holds a relevant qualification at level 3.

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

 enhance the environment further, for example, by providing natural, open-ended resources for children to use creatively.

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who attend

Teaching is very effective so children make very good progress in relation to their starting points. The childminder is very skilled in planning to meet children's individual needs. She uses her expert knowledge to identify specific starting points and maintains exemplary records on how well they are progressing. Parents are regularly invited to contribute to the development records, which allows the childminder to incorporate home experiences into her planning and development records. As a result, all children thrive, make very good progress in their learning and are exceptionally well prepared for school.

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who attend

The wide range of activities and toys available ensure children are able to progress in all seven areas of learning. However, there is scope to introduce more open-ended resources to allow children to play imaginatively. The childminder plays alongside the children and effectively extends children's learning through questioning and showing them how to do things. For example, children show great enthusiasm as they play with a large tray of different coloured rice. The children dig, put the rice in buckets and pour it back out again. The childminder introduces mathematical language into children's play as she talks about the colours of the rice and asks, 'is there more or less?' The childminder extends the activity by hiding farm animals in the rice, when an animal is found the childminder makes the animal noise and encourages children to copy. This delights the children and refocuses the activity well, extending their concentration. Children's communication skills are also

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who attend

fostered well during these activities. The childminder repeats key words and phrases as children play and this clarifies meaning successfully. As a result, younger children are becoming confident talkers who are beginning to express themselves.

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who attend

The childminder encourages children to be active in their learning. She responds to their interests and facilitates an activity creating paper planes. Children enthusiastically engage in competitions, as they see which plane flies the furthest. The childminder introduces mathematical language to the activity and encourages the children to solve problems by using different ways of throwing the planes.

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

Children are extremely confident, self-assured and highly motivated; they are eager to engage with new activities and challenges as the childminder offers encouragement through meaningful praise and support. Each child is respected and valued as an individual and the childminder ensures children's needs are effectively met. As a result, the childminder has established strong emotional attachments with all that attend. Children's behaviour is excellent because the childminder has a fantastic approach towards behaviour management and developing children's independence. She expertly deals with rare cases of unwanted behaviour through a positive approach. The childminder comes down to the child's level and calmly explains that certain behaviour is not acceptable. Older children are asked questions in order to develop understanding of why certain actions are not appropriate. For example, the childminder asks what they think could

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

happen if they throw items in the playroom. As a result of this effective questioning, children think about the consequences of their actions, so they learn to successfully manage their own behaviour. Children become independent from a young age as the childminder encourages them to actively explore the environment. She explains to young children that a step in the outdoor area is lower at one end. From these clear interactions children quickly learn to navigate their way around their learning environment independently and safely. Children know how to take sensible risks in their play because they receive excellent support from the childminder, as she explains risks to the children and encourages them to independently minimise these. For instance, older children tidy up toys to ensure the environment is safe to play in. The childminder encourages children to balance on beams, offering support when required. Once the children are confident, she

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

moves away to allow for children to develop independence. She builds self-confidence in children as she exhibits a consistently positive attitude. She encourages children to try new experiences. When children say they cannot do something she is animated in her response and motivates them to engage through praise. She models skills, such as star jumps, which delights the children. This results in children engaging with activities that they would not have benefited from without the first class support from the childminder.

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

Older children are supported in their transitions to school as the childminder works in partnership with other settings that the children attend. She regularly shares development records with the pre-school and plans similar activities. This consistent approach to learning is hugely beneficial to children as they are given opportunities to consolidate learning experiences gained at other settings through planned extension activities. For example, after children make fruit kebabs at another setting, the childminder incorporates this activity into the daily routine. The children who have participated in the activity in pre- school become the teachers and take great delight teaching other children how to create healthy snacks. The childminder knows children and their families very well and she has excellent relationships with both. Consequently, children feel welcome and are very happy in the time they spend with the childminder. Children's care needs are expertly met as the

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

childminder cuddles young children when they show tiredness or become upset. The childminder works closely with parents to provide a consistent approach to meeting children's care needs and offers support when needed, for example, when children are toilet training or have issues sleeping. The childminder works with parents to implement an approach that can be implemented consistently and, if required, the childminder will consult other professionals to ensure children receive the best care possible.

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

Children have frequent opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. Children's understanding of sun safety is enhanced through clear explanations of the risks of sunburn and how the body needs lots of drinks, especially when it is hot. The childminder ensures that children have adequate sun protection, so all children are able to play in the sun safely. Children are encouraged to drink water throughout the day and they know this maintains good health. Children learn how to keep themselves healthy through enjoyable mealtimes. The childminder explains why healthy choices are important to the children as they select their lunch and choice of dessert. As a result, children are gaining a very clear understanding about healthy food. In addition, children's enjoyment of the outdoor area means they have access to fresh air and exercise as they ride bikes, dig, play with water, climb and balance on age-appropriate equipment.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of her responsibilities to ensure her practice meets the safeguarding and welfare, and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a good understanding of local safeguarding procedures and is confident about identifying and reporting concerns she may have about children in her care. A very effective range of policies support her work and these are updated and shared with parents frequently. The childminder reflects on her own practice and is able to identify her strengths. Parents and children share their comments and ideas both in discussions and through their child's online journal. As a result, targets for improvement are firmly focused on furthering children's development. The childminder also monitors children's progress and the educational programmes she provides, to ensure children make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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provision

The childminder has engaged with professional development in order to improve her practice. Since her last inspection she has interacted with online journals and forums and has conducted her own research to improve her planning in order to effectively meet the needs of the children who attend. As a result, the childminder has reflected on her practice and implemented improvements through an extremely effective system of planning. Observations and assessments feed into the planning of activities that meet all children's learning needs. The childminder monitors the educational programmes through an online programme to highlight any gaps that may need addressing. Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents enthusiastically share their positive feedback and are delighted with the progress that children have made in the time that they have been in the care of the childminder. Parents highly value the childminder's

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provision

experience and routinely ask her for advice around parenting and child development issues. Parents especially highlight how children's social skills are enhanced and appreciate the interest that the childminder takes in children's experiences and learning at home. Partnerships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage are established and this means that children's care and learning is coordinated well.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY347782 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 873469 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 10

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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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