Amy Elizabeth Wood

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/09/2014 28/09/2009

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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

 The childminder has formed warm relationships with children, who are confident in their surroundings and feel safe in her care.  The childminder has a sound knowledge of children's learning, resulting in well-planned and challenging activities which support children to make good progress.  The childminder has good relationships with parents and promotes sharing of information, resulting in improved well-being and care for the children.  The childminder is committed to keeping children safe and has a comprehensive range of policies and procedures, resulting in effective management for the benefit of all children. She has a good understanding of safeguarding to protect the children in her care.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not make maximum use of the outdoor environment to support children's learning about the natural world.  The childminder occasionally misses opportunities to ask children questions to develop their thinking and imagination.

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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 examined a selection of paper documents and electronic folders.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder and the assistant.  The inspector talked to a parent and viewed feedback from parents' questionnaires.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the childminder and the assistant engaged in activities with the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of all adults living on the premises and discussed the childminder's arrangements for self-evaluation and making improvements.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2006 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and is registered to work with an assistant. The ground floor of the house is used for childminding. The childminder collects children from the local schools. There are currently 16 children on roll, nine of whom are in the early years age range and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 enhance the outdoor area to extend children's understanding of the natural world, for example, by including areas for growing plants and food

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

 extend opportunities for children to develop their thinking during activities, for example, by asking further questions which require them to describe their experiences and develop their imagination.

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who attend

The childminder has a good level of knowledge about children's learning and development. Through detailed observations, she is able to effectively plan a range of interesting and challenging activities which build on individual children's interests. As a result, the children are enthusiastic learners and make good progress, learning key skills to support them for their next stage in learning. For example, children enjoy building towers of interlocking bricks to learn about stability and structure, as well as assessing size and shape of the structures. This shows they are active learners who are gaining a number of skills as they play, including an understanding of early mathematics. The childminder ensures that learning takes place outside as well as within the setting, so that all children have the opportunity to experience doing things in different ways and on a larger scale than indoors. For example, children take part in painting outdoors as well as playing on bikes

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who attend

and the slide. The childminder encourages free play and the development of new ideas, such as creating a track with chalks for the children to drive around. This stimulates children's imaginations, helps them make connections in their experiences and also develops their skills in coordination and taking turns. Children attend local groups and activities, such as soccer skills for young children. This results in children developing skills in balance, coordination and listening skills as they control and kick balls and listen to instructions.

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who attend

Teaching is good as the childminder suitably uses open questions to encourage the children to develop their own ideas and to come up with their own solutions to challenges, such as how to build a tower so it will not fall down. Younger children's learning is supported well using appropriate learning opportunities, such as finger painting to develop mark-making skills in readiness for early writing. The childminder plans some activities according to the season, using natural resources, such as leaves and conkers, with paint to make patterns and marks. The childminder allows the children to develop their own ideas and ways of painting, developing their sense of independent learning and confidence. However, on occasions, the childminder sometimes misses the opportunity to extend learning further, for example, by asking children about textures and shapes of natural resources. Children's communication and language is encouraged to develop

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who attend

through conversations during play and by recalling stories they have recently read. Skilful use of questioning encourages the children to remember more about the story and to select the book from the shelf to look at again.

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who attend

The childminder ensures children learn about different festivals and other cultures. She encourages parents to bring in objects associated with their festivities to allow all children to become familiar with these events, promoting an early understanding and appreciation of different cultures. Parents are encouraged to add to their child's learning journey, where they can access all their child's learning records and view their development in relation to each area of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This effective information sharing helps parents to become more involved in their child's learning and extend learning at home.

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

The childminder has a strong relationship with parents. Initial meetings take place with parents of new children. This results in a clear understanding relating to children's needs, preferences and any special requirements, such as allergies, allowing children to be well supported and cared for. The childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment for children of all ages and has built a strong attachment with the children. This results in children feeling settled and secure. For example, children interact well together when using the role-play area and develop social skills in learning to take turns and to share. Children are becoming enthusiastic and confident learners. They ask for help if needed and the childminder gives consistent praise and encouragement to build their self-esteem.

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

The childminder promotes children's health and well-being through outdoor play. For example, playing with balls and bats of various sizes results in the improved development of children's physical development. The childminder talks to the children about staying healthy through exercise and healthy eating, supporting them to develop a good understanding of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The childminder provides healthy, freshly prepared food, including fruit and yoghurts. Children have water to drink and they all eat together around a table. This means children are developing social skills and appropriate behaviour at mealtimes. Children are encouraged to be independent. They put on their coats and shoes with minimum support, resulting in the development of self-care skills to support their transition to school.

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

The childminder manages behaviour well. She is clear about the behaviour she expects from all children and leads by example. Children are reminded to say 'please' and 'thank you' and are praised for good behaviour. The childminder praises children for 'good helping' and for 'good sharing' or 'good manners'. Behaviour that is not acceptable is challenged appropriately and the childminder explains the need to share or take turns. This means children learn self control and understand the consequences of their actions. Children have access to a large outdoor area which is generally well resourced. However, this area is not currently used to its full potential to support children to learn about the natural world, for example, by growing food. Children are encouraged to explore and manage their own safety through activities that allow them to take some risk. For example, the childminder promotes safe practice in teaching children to hold the rail when

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

climbing the slide. This results in children learning self-care skills and how to use the slide independently and safely.

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provision

The childminder has a comprehensive understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how to safeguard children. She has a wide range of detailed policies and procedures which are updated regularly to make sure they underpin her practice and provide a good level of support and care for the children. The childminder pays particular attention to the safeguarding and welfare of children. The security and safety of the children has a high priority and risk assessments are detailed and comprehensive. The setting is secure with a range of safety measures to ensure children cannot access areas unsupervised, such as the kitchen or stairs. The garden is secure with safety fencing and a stone wall, and there are a range of resources appropriate for all ages and stages of development. This ensures the environment is safe for children.

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provision

The childminder makes regular observations of children. This results in detailed planning for each child's individual learning needs and next steps. This is demonstrated in her practice, observations and tracking of individual children's progress. As a result, children's needs are met to a good standard and they make good progress. The childminder uses an effective recording system for monitoring children's development and progress, and parents can access their own child's 'Learning Journey' and add comments and information. This provides good communication with parents, so they are aware of their child's achievements and how to support their learning at home.

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provision

The childminder has an effective system for self-evaluation and has identified plans to develop the setting further and provide additional opportunities to extend children's learning and development. For example, by developing an area for growing and a sensory area to improve opportunities for children to learn about their natural environment. Parents complete questionnaires to provide feedback on the learning and care children receive. As a result, the childminder can evaluate her practice and make any necessary changes. Children complete questionnaires appropriate to their age and stage of development. As a result, children learn to evaluate and make decisions about their learning and care, developing independence and the ability to think critically. The childminder is part of a quality assurance scheme and receives support from the local authority. She previously identified the need to a complete paediatric first-aid course and

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provision

to improve observations for individual children. She has successfully completed this, resulting in improved care for children. The childminder works with an assistant and regularly reviews and monitors performance in order to improve practice and identify training needs. For example, the assistant is undertaking a paediatric first-aid qualification to further support the health of the children.

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provision

Communication with parents is a strength in this setting. The childminder sends newsletters to parents. This results in them being kept up to date with activities and future events. Feedback from parents is consistently high, with many parents highlighting the kind and caring nature of the childminder; for example, 'my child loves coming here' and 'I've noticed how well he talks since coming here'. The childminder has a good understanding of working with external agencies to support children's development where needed.

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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 EY338800 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 873339 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 16

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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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