Opolska, Agnieszka

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/07/2014 07/12/2011

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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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The quality of teaching is good. Children progress well because the childminder and her assistant provide them with exciting and challenging play experiences.  The childminder establishes positive partnerships with parents and strong links with other settings children attend. This good partnership working means that children benefit from a shared approach to their care and learning.  Self-evaluation takes into account the views of parents and is used successfully to monitor the setting and to set realistic targets for future improvement.  The childminder and her assistant have a good understanding of their responsibilities and the procedures for protecting children. They implement robust safeguarding and child protection procedures, which ensures children are safe within the home.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always embrace opportunities for older children to extend their learning through the use of technological toys, so that they consistently optimise their good understanding of how technology is used for a purpose.  There is scope to extend children's increasingly good self-help skills by involving them more in the preparation and serving of snack and meals.

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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 taking place in the play room and garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises and garden used for childminding.  The inspector took account of the views of written feedback from parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's observation and assessment records, the register of attendance and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of all members of the household, the childminder's qualifications and her self-evaluation and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in Coventry with her husband and two children aged five and two years. The childminder is registered to work with an assistant. The whole of the downstairs of the house is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder takes children to and collects children from local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 10 children on roll, eight of whom are in the early years age range and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminding provision operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She supports children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. 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 and enhance opportunities for children to operate technology equipment, for example, by providing resources, such as, torches, cameras and calculators

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

 embed the already strong focus on developing children's self-help skills by involving them more in the preparation and serving of snacks and meals.

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who attend

The childminder and her assistant have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop. They ensure that children's preferences are catered for and their individual interests taken into account. For example, the outside environment mirrors activities that are available indoors so that children, who prefer to be outside, enjoy the same challenging experiences. As a result, teaching is effective and children are engaged and motivated in their play. The childminder uses her observations and information from parents and other providers to accurately identify the next steps in children's learning. This means that she has a clear knowledge of their starting points and the progress that they make, so that they continue to acquire new skills and make good progress in readiness for school. The childminder completes the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. Parents are provided with a summary to identify any

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who attend

additional support that might be needed so that all children reach their full potential. Children's learning journals are effectively shared with parents which consistently supports and encourages parents to share information about what their children are learning at home. This means that the childminder has a good overview of their achievements, on which to base her plans for their future learning.

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who attend

Children easily access a wide range of good quality resources, toys and equipment. This is because they are attractively arranged in boxes and on shelves that are within their reach. This develops their independence and their confidence in a welcoming, child-friendly environment. Children who speak English as an additional language are very well supported. Both the childminder and her assistant are bilingual, speaking English and Polish fluently. Children are encouraged to use their home language and English words are slowly introduced so that children do not feel overwhelmed. They learn to sing songs in both languages and have built a repertoire of their favourites. Picture cards are initially used as a visual aid to help children make song choices. They show great excitement as the childminder's assistant plays the guitar and they sing along. Children have beaming smiles as they choose they own musical instruments, such as drums and shakers. They

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who attend

concentrate well, listening to instructions to play slowly or loudly and are very proud of their achievements. This good practice provides opportunities for children to engage in creative and critical thinking and extend their growing language and communication skills.

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who attend

Children relish outdoor play and use their imagination well. They look at the 'pirates treasure map' deciding where they will dig first. The childminder hides costume jewellery and play coins for the children to find. Children help one another search for treasure and they cheer with gusto when they make a find. Children describe how the rings sparkle and shine in the sun and count how many golden coins they have. They develop good mathematical skills, working out who has the most coins and how many more they need to make the same amount. In addition, children count how many children are present each day and are reminded to count themselves. Children create their own shows, dressing up and performing on a raised platform in the garden. These opportunities enable children's to express their own ideas, be creative and self-assured. Children have free access to resources, such as, pens, crayons and pencils, which means they can

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who attend

practise their early writing skills whenever they choose. Consequently, children learn that they can write for a purpose, such as labelling their art work. The childminder and her assistant sensitively join in and support children's fun and learning. For example, the assistant teaches children how to use the hose safely when watering the peas and potatoes that they have planted. Children learn how to use a magnifier so that they get the best view of a butterfly and snail they find in the garden. As a result, children learn to show an interest in the natural world. Younger children are encouraged to investigate toys with knobs, flaps and push-button toys. Older children are developing skills in the use of technology, competently completing simple programmes by using a touch screen monitor. However, there are fewer other resources to fully extend their understanding of how technology is used for a purpose.

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

Children make a smooth move from home into the childminder's care. This is because settling-in visits are offered so that children become familiar with their surroundings at their own pace. The childminder uses this time to find out as much information as possible about children's individual care needs, their routines and interests. This enables her to treat each child as a unique individual. Furthermore, it ensures that children build strong attachments with her and her assistant, which supports their emotional security and helps to build their confidence and self-esteem. The childminder provides a welcoming environment where all children are valued. Resources, such as, books, dolls and play figures show positive images of others. This helps children gain an awareness of the diverse society in which they live.

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

The childminder and her assistant manage children's behaviour very well. Gentle reminders about being kind and sharing help children to begin to understand the rules about playing together and developing positive relationships with others. The childminder role models good behaviour and children enjoy high levels of attention from both adults. Children's achievements are acknowledged with lots of praise and encouragement. They form strong friendships with one another, happily telling adults who their friends are and personally introducing them. Children become involved in community life by attending various groups where they relax, play and chat with their friends. These experiences effectively help children to develop their social and emotional skills in preparation for school.

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

Children are provided with a variety of balanced, healthy snacks and meals which are freshly prepared by the childminder's assistant. He displays the four weekly menu for parents to view and talks to the children about why eating fruit and vegetables keeps their bodies strong and healthy. This increases children's understanding of the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Children develop some good self-help skills, such as, putting their shoes on for outdoor play and washing their hands before eating. However, there are missed opportunities at meal times to fully extend children's self-help skills because they are not as involved as they could be in the preparation and serving of food. Children access a wide range of equipment that enables them to explore moving their bodies in different ways. For example, they balance along low beams and develop good coordination as they try to kick balls between the goal posts. Children gain a sound

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

awareness of safety and how to manage risk independently, because the childminder teaches them rules that keep them safe when they are in her home and when they are out and about. For example, children learn that they must wear their shoes when they are outside watering the garden because they could slip and hurt themselves. On outings she talks about crossing the road safely and teaches children that they must stay within her sight.

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provision

The childminder and her assistant have a good knowledge of child protection and the procedures to follow should she have any concerns about the welfare of a child in their care. Consequently, children are protected from harm. Appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures are in place and these are shared with parents so that they are fully aware of the childminder's role and responsibilities. The childminder has attended relevant training, including safeguarding and both adults have a current paediatric first aid certificate. All adults living or working in the household have completed relevant suitability checks. The childminder's home is safe, clean and well maintained. Daily visual checks and written risk assessments are carried out to help ensure that children can play in a safe and secure environment. Attendance records clearly show when children are present. This aids the childminder in ensuring that ratios are maintained throughout the day. Consequently,

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provision

children's welfare is suitably safeguarded.

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provision

The childminder effectively monitors and reflects on the quality and impact of the activities she plans and organises. Both she and her assistant have a good understanding of the areas of learning and how children learn through play. Her observations and assessments help her to know how well children are progressing, which enables her to give parents accurate feedback about their child's achievements and next steps. Self-evaluation by the childminder and her assistant is accurate and has resulted in appropriate plans for necessary improvements. For example, they identified that the garden was an area which required improvement, so set about creating a planting area for children. This means that children grow their own vegetables and gain a better understanding of the world around them. The childminder shows a strong commitment to maintaining her skills and knowledge. For example, she attends training, is part of the local childminding network

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provision

and seeks the support of other childminder's to discuss and share good practice. As a result, the provision effectively meets the needs of all children well.

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provision

The childminder and her assistant establish and maintain good relationships with parents. They receive good quality information to ensure they are fully informed about the organisation of the provision and their child's care and education. For example, parents receive regular newsletters and daily emails as well as having informal chats at the beginning and end of the day. Parents' comments about the provision are extremely positive. They include, 'it is good that the garden has plenty of toys, there is always something interesting to do' and 'I think communication is great, the folders, notice board and diaries keep us up-to-date with children's progress'. The childminder has a clear understanding of the importance of working in partnership with other early years providers and has established effective links with local schools. This enables her to provide continuity of care and learning for children when they attend more than one setting, or

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provision

are ready to move on to the next stage of their education.

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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 EY426845 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 874496 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 8 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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