Childminder in Sunderland

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/07/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good because the childminder has a clear understanding of each child's individual learning and progress. This enables her to provide activities to support children's future learning so that they continue to make good progress towards the early learning goals.  Children are very happy and settled in this homely and welcoming setting. They have good attachments to the childminder, who is very caring and attentive to their needs. This enables the children to explore the environment with confidence as their emotional well-being is very well supported.  Children's welfare and safety is promoted with success. The childminder ensures that children are safe in her home and on outings through the use of effective risk assessments and a secure knowledge of safeguarding children.  Partnerships with parents are effective. Policies and procedures are shared with them so that they are kept informed. The childminder discusses children's overall

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This provision is good

development in detail to ensure that their individual care needs and emotional well- being are promoted.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's learning and enjoyment is not maximised through highly stimulating sensory play experiences because they do not always have a wide range of natural materials and resources to explore, for example, in the sand tray.

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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 spoke with the childminder throughout the inspection and interacted with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the home and carried out a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation and a range of other records, policies and procedures, qualifications and suitability checks.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed the childminder's self-evaluation, improvement plan and how she seeks and includes the views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2014 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and child aged 16 years in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding. The family has a dog. The childminder collects children from the local schools. There are currently two children on roll, both of whom are in the early years age range and they attend for a variety of sessions. The childminding provision operates all year round, from 6am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, except family holidays.

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

 increase the provision of natural materials and sensory resources, for example, by providing a wider range of natural resources in the sand tray, to enable children to explore more fully through highly stimulating experiences.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She provides a wide range of activities, toys and experiences to ensure children are supported to make progress across all areas of learning. Teaching is effective and the childminder ensures that children's individual interests and preferences are catered for. She discusses children's learning and development with parents before their children start and uses this information to form a baseline assessment. From this, she plans activities suited to children's particular learning needs, enabling them to develop in all aspects. Observations are precise and outline the next steps required to progress children's learning. The childminder regularly completes an assessment of children's overall development. This helps her to identify if there are any delays or gaps in children's learning and development that she can address. This provides a good foundation for children's future learning and

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who attend

prepares them for the eventual move on to pre-school and later, school.

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who attend

Children are very settled with the childminder. They stay close to her side during activities as they use her as a secure base from which to explore independently. Teaching is good and children are particularly well supported in their communication and language development. For example, the childminder constantly talks to children about what they are doing and listens to, and values, their emerging language skills as they make sounds and say some recognisable words. She names resources during their play, such as the monkey on the Ark, which helps children learn the correct way to say the words. The childminder provides interactive toys that children explore so that they make sense of how they work. For example, she shows them how to make sounds with the animals on the Ark, as they press them. Children copy her actions and smile when they are successful. The childminder carefully observes what children are interested in and provides resources

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who attend

that stimulate their interest. Children become excited when she gets the wooden, slot jigsaws out and show their understanding of what to do as they attempt to fit the right pieces into the slots, supported well by the childminder. The childminder has started to collect natural materials for children to explore. They enjoy the pebbles that they collected at the beach last week. In particular, they enjoy filling and emptying containers, such as a small cardboard box. For example, children place as many stones as they can into the cardboard box and then enjoy tipping them out. The childminder takes the opportunity to use this activity to introduce number into their play, counting the stones as they put them in and out. This encourages children to learn the number names and to start to say them for themselves as they copy the childminder. However, there is room to extend the use of natural resources, based on children's enjoyment in using them in their play, such as in

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who attend

the sand tray. Although, the sand in the sand tray is enjoyable for children to use, the sand tray does not have a wide range of natural resources for children to experiment and explore with, which does not maximise their learning through highly stimulating experiences.

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who attend

The childminder is fostering excellent relationships with parents. She effectively involves parents in assessing and planning for children's learning. This involves regular discussions with parents about the areas of learning she is covering with children. Children's observation files are shared with parents and the childminder includes a section on what they can do with their children at home. These strategies successfully keep parents informed and able to extend their children's learning away from the setting.

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

Children are very settled with this warm and caring childminder, as she effectively promotes their emotional well-being, personal and social skills. Children are confident as a result of this caring approach and form secure attachments with her. Effective settling-in procedures are in place. The childminder visits prospective children and parents in their own home and children come to her home for a couple of visits. This means there is an effective move from their home to the childminder's care and they become familiar with her as their key person. The childminder uses a positive and consistent approach to managing behaviour, which takes into account children's understanding and stage of development. She uses techniques, such as distraction, to successfully divert children's attention. From a young age the childminder teaches children how to keep themselves safe and to recognise danger. For example, she talks to very young children and

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

supervises them closely as they climb on and off a small chair, keeping them safe while enabling them to learn how to manage risks independently and develop their physical skills.

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

The childminder is supporting children's progression well because she provides a stimulating learning environment to cater for their all-round development and emotional well-being. Resources are a very good quality and easily accessible in the well-organised, dedicated playroom. They are available on low-level shelving around the room and promote children's independence as they make their own choices about what they would like to do. The childminder supports children to develop a secure understanding of the importance of having a healthy diet and enjoying plenty of exercise. Indoors, there is plenty of space for them to move around and carry out their activities. For example, they grasp and throw a ball to the childminder. In the garden they use ride-on toys and play in the sand tray, using their hands to squeeze and move the wet sand around. The childminder prepares all the meals herself and makes sure they are healthy for children. In

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

the garden she has grown strawberries and blackberries and more able children enjoy picking them and understand that they need to be washed before they eat them. This helps children to learn about different foods, where they come from and how to eat them hygienically. She encourages children's self-care skills well and from an early age children learn to be independent, for example, as they learn how to feed themselves with a spoon. The childminder embraces teaching children various life skills so that they are prepared well for school.

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provision

The childminder has a good level of understanding about her role and responsibilities with regard to the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She meets all the regulatory requirements, such as keeping records of children's details and holding public liability insurance. A selection of comprehensive policies outlines the procedures that she follows to keep children safe while in her care. The childminder ensures children are safeguarded effectively due to having a secure knowledge of the procedures to follow if she has concerns about a child's welfare and she has completed a relevant safeguarding training course. The home, garden and outings are risk assessed to make sure children are safe by identifying potential hazards and minimising these through the implementation of effective safety measures. The childminder is fully aware about the importance of updating training, to make sure that she remains aware of changes in early

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provision

years practice and any changing requirements.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the areas of learning and ensures her planning reflects children's needs and interests. There is a broad programme of activities offered, which enables children to make good progress. Clear assessments, matched to the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, mean that the childminder knows where each child is in their stage of learning. She has a clear understanding and overview of the progress children make over time and talks with confidence about their individual strengths and weaknesses. The childminder ensures children are provided with the best care and learning opportunities and strives to improve her practice. Self-evaluation is developing her everyday practice well because the childminder continuously reflects on this to identify possible improvements that she can make for the children she cares for. For example, she states she wants to make the

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provision

garden more interesting to children, so that children can learn more about nature. As part of the self-evaluation the childminder welcomes the input of the local authority development worker as a source of good practice guidance. She also seeks the views of parents about her practice through discussion, and considers their contribution a very important part of her plan of improvement.

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provision

The childminder meets children's needs well because she works closely with parents. For example, policies and procedures are shared with parents to ensure that they are clear about how the childminder's service operates. She completes a daily diary detailing how children have been while in her care, so that parents can take it home and read it in their own time. She also sends them updates during the day through text messages. The childminder is aware of liaising with local agencies and how children benefit from this collaborative working. All children are treated equally and benefit from good levels of care because the childminder ensures they feel safe, achieve well and are fully included in activities.

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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 EY462081 Local authority Sunderland Inspection number 955246 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 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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