Childminder in Devon

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/08/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder plans an excellent range of activities to provide challenge and to support children's individual interests.  The childminder has high expectations of herself and the children. She has very clear boundaries and consequently, children behave extremely well.  The childminder uses her knowledge and experience to teach children as they play. This helps them to make excellent progress in their learning and development.  The childminder has a very good partnership with parents keeping them well-informed of the progress their child is making.  The childminder gives high importance to children's safety and welfare at all times.  The childminder plans exciting outings for the children to help them to learn about the local community, and regular visits to places of interest to extend their knowledge of the wider world.

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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 indoors.  The inspector engaged in conversations with the childminder and the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled relevant documentation, including some policies and procedures.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013. She lives with her daughter in Newton Abbot, Devon. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is also registered to work with an assistant and is able to provide overnight care. The whole house is available for childminding and there is an enclosed outside play area. There are four children on roll in the early years age group who attend at various times of the week. The childminder takes and collects children from pre-school and school. The children have regular outings and attend local groups. The family has one dog and two rabbits.

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

 enhance the range of sensory play opportunities for the younger children during outside play.

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who attend

The childminder is experienced in childcare, having previously worked in a wide range of childcare settings for many years. She has an excellent understanding of how children learn through play and how to teach them naturally as they play to extend their learning and development. She plans to meet children's individual interests and adapts activities to provide challenge for the more able children to build on what they know and can do. Children are involved in decision making about what they would like to do and play with. Consequently, children are motivated and very keen to learn. They have a very wide range of toys and resources to choose from that are easily accessible. Resources are rotated to provide variety for the children. The younger children enjoy playing with sensory resources and natural materials. However, there are less sensory resources for the younger children during outside play to enhance their learning further. They concentrate well at their

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who attend

chosen activity with the childminder giving them time to complete it to their own satisfaction. The childminder sits alongside the children as they play encouraging them to express themselves and to extend their learning by encouraging them to use their own ideas and imaginations. For example, when children are making items with play dough and during craft activities. The children confidently move around the room selecting what they would like to play with as the toys and resources are easily accessible This gives the younger children the confidence in making their own choices as their mobility develops.

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who attend

The childminder gives high importance to teaching children about the wider world and differences. Children have a very good range of resources to play with that reflect diversity, including dressing up clothes and flags from around the world. They talk about the different countries they have been learning about as they play. For example, saying to the childminder 'Are you there or have you gone to Africa?' Children learn about people who help them. They celebrate their birthdays and festivals throughout the year and have regular outings to places of interest. This helps them to learn about their local community and diversity. Children are keen to talk about the places they have visited and what they have been doing. They will ask to visit their favourite places again. They enjoy learning new skills such as learning to weave using looms, and learning circus skills. They have visits to see military boats and enjoy taking dinosaurs to the woods to make a dinosaur

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who attend

land. The childminder uses this opportunity to help children to learn what it would have been like to live years ago. The children enjoy role play by pretending to be dinosaurs as they walk through the woods. The children have visits to the cattle market and the shops to buy fruit and vegetables and to the childminder's community garden. This helps children to learn about where food comes from. The childminder teaches children to learn words in Spanish and French to extend their knowledge of other languages. The children are keen to greet their parents on arrival in the new words they have learnt. She uses sign language with the younger children. This helps them to express themselves when their language is limited and ensures that every child is fully included and their individual needs met very well.

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who attend

Children have resources such as paper and pencils easily accessible to help them to develop their early writing skills as they play. They learn to become confident in writing their own name. They know to put the pencil facing downwards in the pot so that it is not a risk to the younger children. The childminder completes comprehensive observations and assessments on the children to plan for their next steps in their learning and development. She uses her assessments to identify any gaps in a child's learning to support every child to develop to their full potential. Children's progress is shared with parents through daily discussions, daily diaries and by sharing their children's learning journals. This enables parents to extend their child's learning at home and provides very good consistency of care. The childminder takes photographs of the children at play and makes these in to books with the children. They enjoy looking at them, talking about their

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who attend

friends and places they have visited. The children enjoy talking about their visits to a Police Open Day and the stickers they collected, and going to the zoo. The childminder listens to the younger children and writes what they say about their outing. These books are shared with parents so they can see what their child has been enjoying and learning about.

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who attend

Children are involved in cooking activities, choosing what they would like to make and buying the ingredients such as making bread and Spanish tapas. The childminder involves all the children and uses cooking activities to teach children mathematical language and to learn the whole process. They enjoy having competitions to see how many blackberries they can pick and choose what they are going to make with them. For example, a child says 'We are going to make blackberry muffins'. Children are involved in the preparation of meals. This helps them to learn to use tools safely and the childminder teaches children about healthy food choices. This helps children to learn about healthy lifestyles. The childminder uses spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning. For example, when a child says 'I am making a bee hive,' she seizes the opportunity to talk to the children about bees, the honey they make and what you can eat with honey. Children

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who attend

learn about volume by playing with sand and water. They learn problem solving by making puzzles. Younger children enjoy making sensory bottles and to develop their hand skills as they explore with paints.

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

The childminder meets children's individual routines extremely well and plans very well for all the children in her care. She knows that some of the children prefer to be outside and they learn more during outside play activities. She makes children feel very valued and special as she listens to what they have to say. She gives them plenty of time to express themselves to help develop their communication and language. The childminder helps children to form strong attachments both with her and the other children. She teaches the children to learn respect for each other as they play. This helps them to learn the skills they need in readiness for starting pre-school and school. Children all have their own toothbrushes, linen and towels to promote good hygiene. They learn to be confident in their own self-care from a young age. Children are checked regularly when sleeping and have a reassuring cuddle on waking until they are ready to engage in play. This helps

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

them to feel safe and secure. The childminder teaches children to learn to share and take turns and ensures that the younger children do not impact on the older children as they play and vice versa. The childminder teaches the children good social skills with reminders to the younger children to say 'Please' and 'Thank you'.

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

The childminder gives children consistent praise and encouragement. She recognises their achievements by displaying their work for parents to see when they collect their child. This builds children's good self-esteem. The children are familiar with the house rules which the older children can confidently recall. For example, children confidently explain they are not to swing on chairs, run indoors or put items near the settee as the younger children start to learn to climb. The childminder is very consistent in how she deals with any unwanted behaviour. Consequently children behave extremely well.

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

Children are developing an excellent understanding of healthy lifestyles. They are reminded to have plenty of drinks so that they do not become thirsty and have healthy meals provided. They are involved in deciding what they would like to eat and are encouraged to try foods that are new to them. Their dietary needs are recorded and catered for very well. The childminder takes children out for lunch. For some children this is a new experience and helps them to learn good social skills. Children play in the fresh air each day and the childminder talks with the children about why it is very important to have plenty of physical exercise and why it is good to walk. They visit local parks and groups this gives the children the opportunity to socialise with other children and to learn to become confident in new environments.

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

The childminder gives high importance to teaching children how to manage risks and to keep themselves safe when out walking by learning the 'Green Cross Code'. They also listen to stories about being safe. The fire drill is practised with the children so that they learn what to do in the event of an emergency. The older children can confidently say what they have to do and where they go when they leave the house.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder is very confident in quickly identifying children's individual needs and uses her documentation to track where children are in their development. She uses this information to identify any area a child is less secure with, including their language and communication, so she is able to plan activities to help children to make secure progress in their learning and development. She ensures that children are extremely safe and their individual routines are met very well. The childminder works closely with parents and respects their wishes. She reviews her comprehensive risk assessment monthly and has taken very sensible precautions in the home to minimise any potential hazards so that children can play safely. The childminder is extremely vigilant in checking that there are no resources accessible to younger children

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provision

that could pose a hazard as they play. The childminder has completed safeguarding training and is very clear of the procedure to follow in the event of a child protection concern, to protect children's welfare.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent partnership with parents. She has a very thorough induction with new parents so that she is very well informed to help children quickly settle and to gain a secure understanding of their starting points. She shares her comprehensive policies with parents and gives an outline of some of the activities that their child will be participating in. The induction includes sharing all the documentation to be completed, including the required parental consents and information about her practice. This ensures that parents are extremely well informed of the care their child will be receiving. The childminder has a successful partnership with other settings that children attend to provide a secure shared approach to children's learning and development. This helps her extend what children are learning whilst in her care. The childminder has the experience of working with outside agencies to be able to seek advice and support to meet children's

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provision

individual needs. The childminder acts on feedback from parents including any area of learning that they want her to focus on with their child. The childminder has received very positive feedback from parents, who value the care she provides.

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provision

The childminder has very high expectations of herself and the care and education that she provides to ensure that every child makes excellent progress while in her care. She evaluates her practice to identify areas for her own improvement and to monitor what the children enjoy. She plans to meet the children's requests including adding to her resources to support children's individual interests, such as small world toys. Children have valuable learning experiences to help them to progress well in their learning and to be very well prepared for starting pre-school and school.

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY472166 Local authority Devon Inspection number 976315 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 11

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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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