Early years · Early years inspection (CIF)
Childminder in Swindon
Summary
What we read, and from where
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- Inspection datesingle source
2 Sept 2014
- Inspectors verified
Karen Prager
- Overall effectivenesssingle source
Requires improvement
- URN verified
505975
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- OverallRequires improvement
Tone of the report
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In line with other reports of this type graded Requires improvement.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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No standout praise found.
Concerns
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No strong criticism found.
Next steps
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- They benefit from the kind and caring attention the childminder provides. p.1
- This promotes their emotional security, so they are ready to learn. p.1
- Children benefit from frequent outings to local parks where they develop physical skills on the large equipment. p.1
- Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment, which successfully promotes their welfare. p.1
- The childminder does not provide challenging activities consistently tailored to children's individual needs and interests. p.1
- The childminder does not always extend children's learning as they play. p.1
- The childminder has a suitable knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and demonstrates a sufficient understanding of how children develop. p.3
- She collects information from parents when children first start attending, such as what they like to play with and what they can already do. p.3
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Teaching & assessment7
“This weakness shows that the quality of teaching is not consistently good.” p.4
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 10
- Words of findings
- 1,586
- longer than usual (typical 773)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 49, typical 48
- Average sentence
- 16 words
- Next steps
- 8
- typical 8
- Hedged sentences
- 3%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection date
Previous inspection date 02/09/2014 08/07/2009
p.1
early years provision
This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3
p.1
This provision requires improvement
Children are happy and settled. They benefit from the kind and caring attention the childminder provides. This promotes their emotional security, so they are ready to learn. Children benefit from frequent outings to local parks where they develop physical skills on the large equipment. Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment, which successfully promotes their welfare.
p.1
It is not yet good because
The childminder does not provide challenging activities consistently tailored to children's individual needs and interests. The childminder does not always extend children's learning as they play.
p.1
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
p.2
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.
p.2
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.
p.2
Inspection activities
The inspector observed activities in the home and garden. The inspector talked to the childminder about childcare practice.
p.2
Inspection activities
The inspector sampled documentation including children's records, policies and procedures. The inspector reviewed the childminder's self-evaluation. The views of parents were gathered from letters left for the inspector's attention.
p.2
Information about the setting
The childminder registeredin 1987. She lives with her husband and adult son in Wanborough, near Swindon, Wiltshire, close to the village shop, parks and toddler group. The childminder is registered on the Early Years register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is currently caring for four children in the early years range. She also provides care to a number of older children. Children may use the entire house; although in practice remain mostly downstairs. A fully enclosed rear garden is available for outside play. The childminder takes and collects children from the local school and pre-school. The family have two pet cats.
p.3
must:
use observations to assess children's progress effectively across all areas of learning in order to provide them with challenging experiences tailored to meet their individual needs.
p.3
To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:
raise the quality of teaching so it is consistently good by observing children's engagement in activities and being ready to extend children's thinking by providing additional resources and asking challenging questions, to help them think critically and develop their ideas.
p.3
who attend
The childminder has a suitable knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and demonstrates a sufficient understanding of how children develop. She collects information from parents when children first start attending, such as what they like to play with and what they can already do. She keeps records of observations of children's play supported with photographs of them at their activities, which she shares with parents. She uses these observations to assess and monitor children's development. The childminder has a suitable understanding of the progress check for two-year-old children and can identify what the children in her care are able to do to support this summary assessment. She provides parents with summary assessments of children's learning and talks with them about what their children are learning. However, the childminder is unclear about identifying children's next stage in learning. This means that activities are not always
p.3
who attend
sufficiently challenging and children make steady rather than good progress in their learning. For example, she planned an activity to encourage children to explore in the garden. She hid farm animals in the sand and encouraged children to look for them. However, she did not consider why she did this or if it will support children's learning. In addition, she did not provide sufficient support or resources to engage children in this activity. Consequently, they quickly lost interest and the opportunity to create an exciting activity and extend children's learning was missed. This weakness shows that the quality of teaching is not consistently good.
p.4
who attend
The childminder did take some effective steps to extend children's learning when she sat on the floor and played with the farm with the children. The childminder teaches children about number. She encouraged children to think about how many sheep they found. The childminder responds to children's interests. For example, she finds the musical instruments when they want to sing songs. She sings their favourite songs slowly and clearly. As children become to know the songs, they enjoy joining in. They make a variety of sounds with the instruments and listen carefully when they shake them loudly and quietly. The childminder spends sufficient time engaging in purposeful dialogue with the children. Throughout the day, she provides good models of language, being clear in her speech and engaging children in conversation so they talk very well with her and their friends. She extends children's vocabulary when they look at books together. She teaches
p.4
who attend
them to use new words such as 'bumpy' and 'glossy' and this promotes their language development well. The childminder provides children with a wide range of suitable activities overall. They often go on outings to the park to use large play equipment. The childminder encourages active play and children quickly learn to climb the slide. They attend toddler groups and meet with other childminders. These various outings promote children's personal, social and emotional development effectively, by helping them socialise.
p.4
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
The childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment, which helps children to feel safe. Children settle quickly and develop positive relationships with the childminder. The childminder has regular communication with parents, which supports consistency of care for the children. The children learn to share as they play with other children and the childminder gently supports them in the level of behaviour she expects. As a result, children behave well. The childminder is a positive role model to the children. She uses praise and encouragement to reward children's achievements and positive behaviour. This approach boosts children's confidence and self-esteem. It motivates their learning and prepares them for moving to pre-school and school.
p.4
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
The childminder establishes daily routines for resting, playing and eating, which help children feel secure. The childminder responds promptly when children show they are tired and she settles them to sleep in a travel cot in the playroom. Children sit ready at the table when they know it is time for a snack or their lunch. The childminder regularly encourages children's next steps in independence by involving children during snack times, for example by including them preparing the table. Children move freely around their play space. They confidently chose toys, which the childminder arranges so they are easy to select, and play with them in the playroom or living room.
p.4
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
Children benefit from fresh air and exercise through regular outdoor play. They frequently visit the park and use the large equipment to climb and swing on. Children also enjoy playing with a selection of smaller toys in the childminder's garden. This means children are developing suitable physical skills.
p.5
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
The childminder teaches children how to keep themselves safe. They regularly practise leaving the home in an emergency. They learn about road safety when out on walks. Children listen and respond well to the childminder, which contributes to their safety. For example, children know they must stop and all cross together when they come to a road.
p.5
provision
The childminder has a suitable understanding of her responsibilities to meet and maintain the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She creates an environment that is welcoming and safe. She knows the correct procedures to follow should she have concerns about the welfare of children in her care and has recently completed safeguarding training to update her knowledge. There are appropriate safety measures in place in the home. For example, the use of safety gates limits the children's access to the stairs and front door. A fire blanket is accessible and the childminder regularly practises the emergency evacuation procedure. The childminder explains that children are supervised at all times, indoors and outdoors. Therefore, she safeguards the children appropriately.
p.5
provision
The childminder maintains the required documents, which helps her to promote children's welfare and development successfully. For example, she records children's personal details, her policies and procedures, and children's development records. The childminder shares her policies and procedures with parents before a child starts attending to enable them to have clear expectations of the service she provides. She shares the records with parents to keep them informed about how their children spend their day.
p.5
provision
The childminder is reflective about her practice and takes steps to make improvements to the service she provides. She welcomes support from other professionals and has taken action to improve her practice since her previous inspection. She records the risks she has identified, regularly reviews her policies and has made resources more accessible to young children. She has recently attended training on the learning environment and has plans to conduct a review on the quality of her environment and resources using a quality assessment tool.
p.5
provision
The childminder develops constructive relationships with parents. She speaks with them daily about their children's day. The daily diaries and records of children's learning and development are available daily and regularly discussed. Parents speak positively of the provision saying that, 'It's a pleasure to see our boys happy to be left with her,' and 'she has great patience with all the children in her care.' This gives parents confidence that their children are in an environment, which allows them feel secure and ready to learn. Partnerships with other providers who share the care for the children are established and the childminder regularly shares information about the children's development.
p.5
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
p.6
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
p.7
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.
p.7
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.
p.8
Setting details
Unique reference number 505975 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 814300 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4
p.8
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.
p.8
Type of provision
For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:
p.8
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.
p.8
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.
p.8
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.
p.9
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,
p.9
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’.
p.10
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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