Childminder in Bedford

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/09/2014 30/01/2009

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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's good partnerships with parents mean that they exchange relevant information and she knows each child well. Consequently, she offers children relevant support and they build secure, trusting relationships with her.  The childminder uses her experience and her good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage to support her in implementing purposeful teaching techniques. She assesses children well and offers them a creative range of activities that interest them and promote their learning.  The childminder conscientiously evaluates her work. She also completes further training in order to keep her childcare knowledge up to date. As a result, she consistently promotes children's safety and welfare.  The childminder interacts well with the children. She supports them in extending their vocabulary and in understanding how to communicate their thoughts and ideas appropriately. Therefore, they gain valuable skills that support their future learning and

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always ensure that children are able to investigate further, as resources to support this are not consistently accessible.  The childminder does not consistently promote children's wider understanding of the relevance of all healthy lifestyle practices to the maximum.

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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 childminder's house and garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the childminder and the children present and observed activities with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of household members, the childminder's self-evaluation information and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents, as given in their written feedback to the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1998 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her two adult children in a house in the Putnoe area of Bedford. The whole of the ground floor, one bedroom and the bathroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has one dog. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities run by the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently three children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She 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 opportunities for children to further develop their skills in investigation by ensuring that resources to support this area are consistently accessible

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

 extend the opportunities for children to increase their awareness of the relevance of healthy practices, with particular reference to healthy eating and exercise.

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who attend

The childminder has a thorough knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses effective teaching methods. As a result, she supports children well and they make good progress in their learning. The childminder meets with parents to gather a wide range of initial information about their children. She assesses this so that she has a good understanding of children's starting points. Her ongoing observations and assessments of children mean that she continues to understand their progress and current interests. The childminder then references this information to each area of learning in order to develop each child's next steps. These are fed into the daily activity planning. This thorough process means that children are offered play opportunities that capture their attention, motivate them and promote their balanced development. The childminder has effective procedures in place for carrying out the progress check for children aged between two and

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who attend

three years. This aids her in planning appropriate activities and in noting any areas where children require additional help. The childminder ensures that parents have regular opportunities to share updates about their children. For example, they talk daily with her and fill in information sheets that detail what their children have been doing at home. The childminder also supports parents well in extending their children's learning. For example, she informs them of the planning and of activities that the children have enjoyed, offering practical information so that parents can continue or extend these at home.

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who attend

The childminder's good teaching techniques support children in developing the skills and positive attitudes needed for effective learning. This means that they are well prepared for school. Her well-planned activities gently extend and reinforce children's learning. For example, the childminder and children read a favourite story together and the children enjoy joining in with the refrain and predicting the ending. They then make and decorate biscuits in the shape of the characters in the story. The children become totally engrossed in this activity, concentrating and using their creativity as they use a range of materials to create patterns and features on the biscuits. They help the childminder to mix up some icing, noting how this changes as they add more icing sugar. The childminder then helps the children to review what they have been doing and they talk about their favourite part of the activity. In the majority of activities, children are encouraged to explore and think

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who attend

further. For example, children paint outside on the pavement with water. When they wonder where their paintings have gone, the childminder helps them to understand how these have dried up. She then extends this as they play with ice and note how this melts on the pavement and eventually dries up. However, the childminder does not always encourage children's skills in investigating further as, at times, they do not have easy access to resources that support this. For example, children notice a crane fly and other insects outside, but the lack of easily accessible resources, such as magnifying glasses, means that they cannot examine these in more detail and so extend their knowledge to the maximum.

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who attend

Children participate in a wide variety of activities that promote their physical development. They enjoy regular visits to a soft play centre, where they climb, crawl, jump and negotiate obstacles. This helps to develop their skills in balance, control and coordination. They also develop finer control of their muscles as they learn how to use cutlery and participate in craft activities, where they select and place small stickers and other items. The childminder's practical planning means that children have realistic opportunities to understand and appreciate other cultures and ways of life. For example, they visit a nearby church and talk about the uses of this building and other places of worship. They also sample foods from around the world, going on to talk about the countries the foods originate from. The childminder's good understanding of each child means that she is aware of their interests and so engages them in relevant discussions, thereby extending

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who attend

their good language and communication skills. For example, she reminds children of a recent outing and they enjoy recalling this and go on to discuss other family outings.

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

The childminder has good procedures to support her in working in partnership with parents. She begins these partnerships by carrying out home visits for each child. In this way, she is able to help parents to feel confident in her and also gets to know the children and their routines and preferences. As a result, she offers children consistent care and pertinent support whenever needed. Her good knowledge of the children means that the childminder is able to help new children to feel at home and they quickly settle. For example, the childminder ensures that their favourite toys and books are included in the daily planning and they see these as they come into her home. Children form warm, secure relationships with the childminder and demonstrate that they enjoy her company and interaction. They love to chatter and tell her their news, naturally involving her in their play.

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

The childminder is observant and ensures that she notices children's efforts and achievements and praises them for these. For example, she praises children as they name the colours of decorations during a craft activity. They react positively to this and go on to name other colours as they play. This sensitive praise and acknowledgement means that children are proud of their achievements and they develop the skills and positive attitudes that support their ability to learn. Therefore, they are well prepared for the transition from the childminder's home to pre-school or school. The childminder supports children well in developing a good understanding of how to manage their behaviour. They talk about this and she encourages them to think about how their actions affect others. The gentle implementation of appropriate house rules helps children to understand behavioural boundaries and expectations and reinforces their understanding of this area.

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

Children have good opportunities to develop their independence and self-care skills. For example, the childminder makes sure that there is always plenty of time allowed for snacks and meals so that children can learn to feed themselves. Good daily practice and the childminder's ongoing explanations help children to develop a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, children explain that when they are out at the park, they have to stay within sight of the childminder. The childminder talks with them about risks and they learn to assess their play. For example, they make decisions about which play equipment to use at the park and learn to use this safely and competently. Children's health is promoted, as the childminder ensures that all records are up to date so that she is aware of children's medical and dietary needs and can meet these each day. The childminder supports children in gaining a generally clear understanding of the

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

importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, children talk with the childminder about why they need to wash their hands before sitting down to eat. However, their greater awareness of this area is not consistently promoted to the maximum. For example, they participate in many outdoor and physical activities but their understanding of how exercise and fresh air affect their bodies is not always fully promoted and extended.

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provision

The childminder carries out thorough risk assessments of all areas of the home and of outings. Therefore, she is aware of risks and takes appropriate action to minimise or remove these, so that children play safely, both inside and outside the home. The childminder's comprehensive safeguarding procedures mean that she consistently promotes children's welfare. She ensures that she regularly refreshes her training in this area and so is fully aware of the process to follow should she have any concerns about children in her care. Additionally, the childminder makes sure that appropriate checks are carried out to verify the suitability of all household members.

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provision

The childminder regularly reviews her policies and procedures, referencing these to the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This enables her to ensure that she is meeting all legal requirements and is promoting children's health, safety and welfare. The childminder maintains a genuine enthusiasm for her work with children and is committed to developing her practice further. To this end, she attends training, reads relevant journals and exchanges information with other childminders. This has a positive impact on children. For example, the childminder now organises her observations of children more efficiently. This enables her to better assess the observations and to use the information to plan more effectively for each child. The childminder regularly checks children's assessment records in order to review their progress. This supports her in highlighting any areas where they may require further

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provision

support. The childminder uses self-evaluation well so that she has a good overview of her strengths and areas for improvement. She uses this information to inform the planning of changes that improve the provision for children. For example, recent changes include the addition of new play equipment for the garden. This means that children now have further opportunities to develop their physical skills.

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provision

The childminder has good procedures to support her in working with other people caring for the children. She goes into the pre-school attended by some of the children in order to exchange assessment and planning information. This enables them to work together to promote children's welfare and development. The childminder does not currently care for any children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, her participation in activities organised by her local children's centre has given her a clear understanding of the support offered by other professionals. Therefore, she understands how to seek help for children and their families, should the need arise. The childminder works well in partnership with parents. She uses electronic messaging services to let them know that their children are settled and happy during the day. She also meets regularly with parents in order to share children's assessment records, ensuring that they are well

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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 219601 Local authority Bedford Borough Inspection number 864210 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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