Childminder in Bolton

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/08/2014 16/03/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 The environment is welcoming, stimulating and child-friendly. Resources are of excellent design and condition and great attention has been given to the house and garden to ensure all areas are suitable and safe for children to play. As a result, children are safe, settled and thoroughly enjoy their time in the childminder's care.  The childminder's attention to the children's well-being and safeguarding is highly effective. Her consistent consideration to their needs and feelings has resulted in outstandingly confident and motivated children who are very well prepared for the next stages of their learning.  The childminder understands her responsibility for the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the educational programmes. She strives to provide children with a broad and balanced curriculum through skilled teaching. She understands the importance of continuing to keep her knowledge and skills up to date

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This provision is good

and to reflect on, and evaluate, her practice.  The childminder knows each child's starting points and can prove progression in their abilities and development through effective planning, observation and assessment. She understands the importance of working in partnerships with parents to ensure they are able to contribute to their children's learning and that individual care needs are met.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 On ocassion, there are missed opportunities to extend children's learning to its full potential.

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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 and looked at resources during activities both inside and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and a range of other documentation and spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of the childminder and her policies and insurance documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looks at evidence of suitability of household members and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and their adult son in Bolton, Lancashire. The family has a pet cat. All of the ground floor and the first floor bathroom are used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play. The childminder occasionally employs a swimming assistant to ensure safety at the local leisure facilities. There are currently three children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age range. Operating hours are from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, including school holidays.

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

 enhance children's learning at every opportunity, by ensuring that all specific and relevant ideas are used to extend children's learning during activities.

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who attend

Children are well supported in their learning and development because the childminder has a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a good awareness of the ways in which individual children learn best and provides them with many opportunities to explore, investigate and to learn through first-hand experiences. For example, children enjoy preparing fruit using appropriate utensils to support independence skills. The childminder follows children's interests and includes them in her planning, such as playing in the garden and growing their own plants. She takes photographs of the interesting places they visit so they can have fun remembering and reiterating new vocabulary learnt from the experience and are able to share the photographs with parents. Consequently, children thoroughly enjoy attending the provision and are active learners.

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who attend

The childminder understands the characteristics of learning that children experience from the activities she plans. The quality of teaching is good because she skilfully supports children to effectively develop their problem solving and extend their good thinking skills. This is implemented through the use of an excellent range of resources, sensory experiences and play equipment, which suit all ages. The childminder offers one-to-one attention, asks open questions and allows time for children to think and respond. She holds appropriate conversations with children and fully involves them in the topic they are working on, to maintain their interest. A good balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning takes place so that children can fully explore their ideas and are active learners. The childminder knows the children she cares for very well through clear and careful observations. She highlights next steps in children's learning and plans accordingly, taking

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who attend

into account children's individual needs. Consequently, the childminder provides children with a broad range of stimulating activities that incorporate independence and social skills. This ensures they make good progress towards all areas of learning and promotes their readiness for school. However, next steps for learning could be extended further by incorporating more relevant and specific ideas. For example, an activity in the garden that asks children to close their eyes and listen, is extended by using drums, but there are missed opportunities to explore noises that animals make, learn about their habitats, nature and the food chain.

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who attend

Learning at home is supported through a regular exchange of information, which helps to keep parents updated on their child's achievements. Parents are encouraged to share information about their children, such as, routines, characters and interests, which helps the childminder to identify their children's starting points. Initial information collected is very thorough and learning journals are detailed with each child's history, achievements and progress. The childminder uses verbal information about the children's day, phone calls and texts to maintain good communication with parents. This ensures parents are fully aware of their children's progress and are able to contribute to their child's learning record.

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

The childminder knows the minded children extremely well. She provides a comfortable and welcoming child-friendly environment where children are confident to explore and clearly feel secure. Highly effective settling in procedures actively promotes children's sense of security and enables them to get to know the childminder over a period of time. The childminder is skilled at giving lots of attention, which the children thoroughly enjoy, enabling them to form secure emotional attachments with her. The childminder consistently talks to children and engages them in all conversations, which greatly supports their personal, social and emotional development, as they feel highly valued and listened to. The exemplary bond between the children and childminder enables confidence and independence during activities. The childminder knows when to step back to let children engage and concentrate, offering support and answering questions only when

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

needed. Children's opinions are always responded to and encouraged. The childminder has excellent relationships with the local pre-school where the minded children will move to. She guides children through their move and introduces them to their new setting sensitively to minimise their stress. The childminder's enthusiasm for the children's well- being has resulted in outstandingly motivated and sensible children who show interest in the world around them.

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

Healthy lifestyles are thoroughly supported. Food sent from home is complemented with nutritious snacks, such as lots of fruit and vegetables, hummus and crackers. Children are fully involved in the snack preparation and hygiene routines. Independence skills are encouraged as children cut their own food and discuss what they are about to eat. Areas of learning are covered, such as counting segments of fruit, learning new descriptive words, such as, 'sour,' 'tart,' 'peel' and 'squash'. Physical exercise is excellently promoted through the indoor and outdoor resources that the childminder provides for children to play with. They also attend the park, swimming pool and follow a children's exercise programme. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe and healthy through hygiene practices, good food and by being physically active.

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

Children give the inspector a guided tour of the premises to look at the many excellent resources available to play with. All toys are stored at a low-level to encourage children's independent engagement. The children enthuse about the plants they have been growing in the garden and the bridge for playing on, built by the childminder's husband. Great attention has been given to the premises, both indoors and outdoors, to ensure all areas are suitable and safe for children to play. For example, the greenhouse area is fenced off for safety reasons and the fire guard is attached to the wall. Risk assessments are thorough and the childminder has attended fire safety training and implemented many safety features in her home, which ensures that children's safety is given upmost priority.

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provision

The childminder is fully aware of her safeguarding responsibility to protect children and of potential indicators of abuse and neglect. She is clear about the local procedures and has all relevant contact details, should she have concerns regarding a child in her care. The childminder ensures excellent supervision for their safety, particularly when she takes children swimming. She follows safe recruitment procedures and employs a swimming assistant. Her home is a safe environment for children. Records, such as risk assessments are maintained as legally required for children's well-being. As a result, children are kept safe.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of her responsibilities to implement and monitor the required educational programmes. Observations and assessments effectively demonstrate children's progress in their learning and development. Activities are planned according to the children's age, stage of development and their interests, through a broad and balanced range of experiences and activities. The childminder has a good understanding of how children learn and develops their skills through play. As a result, children make very good progress in her care.

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provision

A good range of policies and procedures provide parents with clear information about the daily operation of the provision. Sound communication systems ensure parents are kept well informed of their children's care and achievements. The childminder has effectively developed partnerships to enable her to complement the learning that takes place in children's lives when they attend other settings. The childminder is very effective at tracking, assessing and sharing development progress, which will be used as evidence towards the progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years. She carries out self-evaluation and has worked closely with her local Early Years advisory team to ensure her own skills and provision are current, in order to provide the best experience for children. She strives for continuous improvement and has completed all the actions and recommendations from her last inspection.

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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 EY280666 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 819973 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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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

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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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