Childminder in Wirral

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/09/2014 30/03/2009

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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

 Children are well supported by the childminder's effective teaching, as she develops and extends their play to promote individual learning. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning and development and are well-prepared for their next stage of education.  Children are happy and settled. They demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and enjoy warm and affectionate relationships with the childminder in the welcoming and inclusive provision.  Partnership working with parents and others is strong. Consequently, relevant information is shared to ensure children's individual needs are met and they benefit from continuity in their care.  The childminder promotes the health and safety of children very well and has a good understanding of her responsibilities to safeguard children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 On occasion, the childminder does not give children sufficient time to think and answer questions themselves.  There are fewer resources promoting positive images of diversity to support children's learning and appreciation of the similarities and differences in society.

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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 in the indoor and outdoor play areas and viewed the resources and equipment available to the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection and conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of documents, including children's records, policies and procedures.  The inspector checked evidence of qualifications and suitability of the childminder.  The inspector took account of the written views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and children aged nine and 12 years in Hoylake, Wirral. The whole of the ground floor and rear garden is used for childminding. She collects children from the local school. There are currently three children on roll, all 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 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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

 build on opportunities to give children sufficient time to answer questions themselves to further enhance their communication and language development

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

 extend the use of resources and activities which promote positive images of the diversity within society, to further support children's learning, and to enable children to develop an appreciation of the similarities and differences in the world.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of how children best learn through play. She supports their learning through her enthusiastic and confident teaching strategies. The strength of communication between the childminder and the children is a strong basis to support their progress across the seven areas of learning. She generally makes effective use of asking children questions to support their language development, to consolidate their learning and to encourage them to think. However, on occasion she does not give children sufficient time to answer before she answers for them. The childminder fully respects parents as being the first educators of their child. She develops effective partnership working with parents. This ensures there is full opportunity for information to be exchanged to support children's progress and ensure that their individual needs are fully met. Parents have regular access to their child's record of learning maintained by the

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who attend

childminder to review their progress. These communication systems provide parents with information to continue learning at home. The childminder uses her observations and information from parents to assess the children's stage of development and plan their next steps in learning. The assessment checks, including the required progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, are used to plan for their progress and to identify any gaps in their learning. The childminder liaises with children's key persons if they also attend other settings, to share information in order to plan complementary learning experiences. As a result, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Children are developing the characteristics of effective learning. They show deepening levels of concentration as they become absorbed in the play activity of their choice. As active learners they persevere to complete tasks themselves. For example, through trial and error they achieve their goal and fit all the animals into the play ark. The children are creative and confidently transfer play materials as their play ideas develop. For example, they use the train carriages to transport small world people and take them on a journey using interactive play resources as the track for the route. The children are excited to make discoveries and are eager to share these with the childminder. They discover the effect of magnets and how two toys can be pulled together. This stimulates children's curiosity to explore other play materials to see if they are magnetic. Children choose to play with the play dough and skilfully use a range of utensils to create their own designs.

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who attend

A child proudly announces 'I know what to do' and is obviously delighted with the success of working out how to operate the pattern making utensil. Their achievement is warmly acknowledged by the childminder and this motivates children to create more designs and shapes. The childminder uses the activity and asks questions to extend children's learning and understanding of size, number and counting. She skilfully gives children plenty of individual attention, guidance and support as she plays with them, and as a result, children's skills are developed.

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who attend

The childminder organises routines and activities to provide children with a balance of opportunities to pursue play at her provision and to experience activities in the local community to broaden their learning. Children benefit from outdoor activities and first hand experiences of the natural world. In the childminder's outdoor environment they dig in the soil to look for bugs and grow plants from seeds. Visits to the farm give children opportunity to observe the larger animals. Outings to the park and beach offer space and a more challenging range of apparatus for children to enjoy energetic play to further promote their physical development.

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

The childminder creates a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment where children feel valued and are emotionally secure. As a result, children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They confidently pursue play and approach the childminder in a relaxed and uninhibited manner. The children clearly enjoy the childminder's involvement in their play and the affection she shows towards them. Their secure attachments with the childminder, successfully promotes children's confidence and their enthusiasm for learning. This helps ensure children are well-prepared for the next steps in their learning, including starting pre-school or school. Children are happy, they laugh, sing and talk as they play.

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

The childminder effectively supports children's learning and development. She provides a stimulating learning environment where children confidently make their own choices about what they want to play with. Children's play preferences are respected. Children have equal opportunities to benefit from the resources and activities provided. However, there are fewer resources which help children nurture an understanding and respect for diversity within society. The childminder is a positive role model for children's behaviour. She encourages children to develop a positive and caring attitude towards others. Consequently, children are well-behaved and they play cooperatively together. She gives clear indications as to how children are expected to behave, for example, by listening to them, responding to their questions and praising their good efforts. Children learn about safe behaviour through daily experiences. For example, the childminder asks them to put

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

away some toys so they do not trip over and hurt themselves and to sit while they are eating.

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

Children's good health is promoted by the childminder because she encourages children to adopt a healthy lifestyle. As a result, children have regular opportunities to be active and play outdoors which promotes their physical development. Children are competent at managing their own personal needs because their self-help skills and emerging independence is well-promoted by the childminder. Children benefit from a nutritionally balanced diet. The food is freshly prepared by the childminder. The menu provides a variety of tastes and textures and incorporates plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. The comfortable seating in the playroom gives children the opportunity to have quiet times and rest their bodies. The childminder arranges facilities where younger children can sleep undisturbed.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, which helps to ensure children are kept safe. She is well organised and maintains all the required documentation, such as children's information and a record of their attendance. Policies and procedures are shared with parents to keep them informed of matters affecting their children in the provision. Risk assessments for the home and outings are in place and the childminder completes daily checks to ensure that children are safe at all times. The childminder places high priority on supervising the children well at all times. She uses safety equipment to help minimise hazards to children, such as positioning a safety gate across the stairs. The childminder has a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and knows what to do if she has a concern about a child in her care. As a result, children are protected from harm.

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provision

The childminder monitors the planning and delivery of the educational programmes. For example, she reviews the progress children make and evaluates the activities she provides to ensure she has an accurate understanding of their skills and achievements. She uses her child development knowledge and childcare publications to help her track children's progress. The childminder keeps fully informed about the changes to childcare legalisation, including the Special Education Needs Code of Practice, to ensure her practice reflects the current requirements. The recommendations from the last inspection have been met. The childminder has improved how she evaluates her provision and considers her main strengths and areas for improvement. The policy on administering medicine has been amended as recommended. Partnership working with parents, other early years providers and professionals are well established and results in continuity of care for children. The childminder and parents

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provision

share information through daily conversations, progress reports and through the children's record of learning. The childminder has worked with the pre-school for many years, and as a result, has an excellent partnership with the professionals in order to exchange information of children's development and needs. Positive written feedback demonstrates parents' high regard for the childminder and the provision she offers.

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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 EY381604 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 858689 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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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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