Childminder in Derbyshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/09/2014 10/06/2009

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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 identifies children's individual learning needs and interests and uses this information to plan the next steps in their learning. As a result, activities are relevant to children's stages of development. Consequently, children make good progress and acquire the necessary skills in readiness for school.  The childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment for children in her care. As a result, children's sense of security and emotional well-being is promoted effectively, which enables children to settle easily.  The childminder promotes children's care and well-being through her thorough knowledge and implementation of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. As a result, children are kept safe from harm at all times.  Partnership working with parents is generally effective. Parents are kept well informed about their children's progress. Consequently, the childminder and parents work

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This provision is good

together to promote children's good care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always consistently use counting or numbers during children's play to enhance children's mathematical skills.

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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 playing inside and during an adult-led activity.  The inspector observed the childminder's interactions with the children.  The inspector held a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder about her procedures, practice and self- evaluation, including safeguarding arrangements.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including planning and assessment arrangements, as well as written comments from parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was 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 three children aged 14, 11 and four years, in Heanor, Derbyshire. The whole of the ground floor and one bedroom of the childminder's house is used for childminding. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder has a dog, four cats, a turtle, a bearded dragon and a tank of fish as pets. The childminder provides care Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, except for the week between Christmas and New Year, bank and family holidays. The childminder is currently childminding three children, of whom one is in the early years age range. The childminder walks to the local schools and pre-school playgroups to take and collect children. She attends the local toddler groups and takes children to the local library and parks. The childminder holds an

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Information about the setting

early years qualification at level 3. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and receives support from the local authority.

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

 support children's mathematical understanding further, by counting with the children during play and everyday routines to help them to begin to understand counting skills and aid their learning of numbers.

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who attend

Children are content and motivated to learn in this welcoming and child-friendly home. The childminder is enthusiastic and passionate about her role, and clearly enjoys working with children and their families. The childminder successfully plans a broad and balanced range of experiences to support children's development. She uses information obtained from parents about children's starting points and interests to plan exciting activities to engage children. The childminder makes regular observations of children's engagement in activities, sharing these with parents on a regular basis. The childminder invites parents to provide information on children's achievements at home using the daily communication diary. The childminder assesses children's progress well, identifying their next steps in learning to meet the learning needs of children and inform her future planning. The childminder's assessment and tracking processes of the children are robust and enable her

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who attend

to successfully complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years and identify any gaps in children's learning. This means she is able to identify when early intervention is needed so that children receive the appropriate support to meet their learning needs. Children therefore make good progress towards the early learning goals. Consequently, they are acquiring the necessary skills and attitudes they require for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

The childminder has a secure knowledge and understanding of how to promote learning and development of the children in her care. The quality of teaching is consistently good and children have sufficient time to practise the skills, which have been introduced to them. For example, children play with construction toys, and with support and guidance from the childminder they successfully build a house for the toy dog. Children thoroughly enjoy this activity, which encourages them to think, solve problems and use their handling skills well. The childminder praises the children's attempts and supports the children by providing running commentary as they play. This helps the children's emerging language skills and encourages them to become confident in using language in their play. Children can choose from a selection of books. They enjoy sitting with the childminder as she engages them in enticing story telling. The differing pitch and tone in the childminder's

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who attend

voice sustains children's interest and they explore the illustrations and materials in the book to further understand the story.

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who attend

The childminder's home and outdoor play space are well resourced and provide enabling environments in which children can flourish in most areas of learning. Children participate enthusiastically as they play, using the utensils and home-made knitted fruit in the play kitchen. The childminder uses this opportunity and encourages children to use their imagination as she suggests to the children that they 'might like to make dinner'. Children eagerly participate in this and cook sweetcorn and grapes. Children choose to introduce dinosaurs into the play and cook dinner for the dinosaurs. The childminder teaches the children about shape, space and measurement through adult-led activities, such as sorting objects by size and colour and baking. She uses mathematical language during children's play to help children learn about quantities and children enjoy playing in sand and water to solve problems. However, the childminder misses everyday opportunities for children to

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who attend

increase their mathematical skills, for example, by counting their pieces of fruit or the bricks in the tower to increase children's counting skills and the ability to use numbers in their play. Children's physical development is supported well and they like the opportunity to play outside. They enjoy digging, riding on bikes and playing with equipment, such as balls in the garden. The childminder takes children to the park, where they use a wider range of equipment, such as the climbing frame and slide to further help them develop skills in balance and coordination. Visits to various places in the community help develop children's knowledge of their local community and help them to make sense of their world. In addition, the childminder takes children for walks in the woods to find out about the natural world. Activities are varied and fun and, as a result, children thoroughly enjoy their time at the childminder's home.

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

Children are happy and settled as there is a strong focus on supporting children's emotional well-being. The childminder builds very close relationships with the children she cares for. She gathers extensive information about children's care routines from parents when children first start in her care. This enables her to get to know children extremely well and provide them with consistency in their routine. As a result, children display high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Their sense of security enables them to be fully ready and able to embrace the learning opportunities on offer for them. Children follow a familiar routine where they know what to expect in their day. When parents say that children have had an early start to the day, the childminder ensures that sleep times are flexible so they get the rest they need. As parents are so willing to share information, the childminder knows, and talks with children about, their home lives and the people who are

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

The childminder has clear expectations with regard to children's behaviour. She has house rules, which are discussed with children, so that they begin to understand the need to respect the feelings of others. The childminder reminds children of the need to share and take turns while they play and be kind towards each other. As a result, children are well behaved in a calm and orderly environment. The childminder provides a nurturing environment, which parents and children appreciate. Therefore, children find the childminder's care to be a home from home for them and they settle very quickly. The childminder provides children with a broad range of high-quality toys and resources, both indoors and outside. These are stored in low-level units, so that children can make decisions for themselves about their learning. The childminder encourages children's independence well, such as feeding themselves, putting their own coats and shoes on and

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

using the bathroom. This helps to prepare children with the essential self-help skills they need for starting school.

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

The children learn about healthy lifestyles well. The childminder is meticulous in maintaining a hygienic environment for children while allowing them to explore the natural world freely. Children learn to manage their own personal needs when they wash their hands before they eat or after messy play. Children's good health is promoted efficiently. They benefit from snacks that are healthy and nutritious and take into account their dietary needs, for example, fresh fruit with milk or water. Children enjoy the freedom to play outside, where they maintain a healthy lifestyle through fresh air and exercise. The childminder is vigilant in promoting children's safety. She checks the premises for hazards on a daily basis and supervises children closely at all times. Children learn about managing their own safety. The childminder teaches children very well about how to stay safe, reminding them about keeping their fingers away while closing doors and outside of the

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

home, learning about road safety. Children of all ages take part in regular fire drills so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

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provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder has attended safeguarding training, which enables her to improve her knowledge of child protection. She has ensured that Disclosure and Barring Service checks have been undertaken for all members of the household to ensure they are safe to be around children. She understands the signs of abuse and who to contact if she is concerned about a child in her care or if an allegation is made against herself or her husband. The childminder has a written safeguarding policy and procedure, which is detailed and follows the procedure of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. The childminder makes sure all required documentation, such as accident records, attendance register, medication records and information about the child, are in place and effectively used to promote children's welfare. Children benefit from a

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provision

thoroughly risk assessed environment where the childminder minimises potential risks to maintain their safety and well-being.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Individual planning provides children with a broad and balanced range of experiences across the areas of learning, overall. The childminder assesses and monitors children's progress well. Therefore, they make good progress in their learning and development from their starting points. Children benefit greatly from the childminder's commitment to her own professional development because she continually updates and improves her provision. The childminder reflects on her practice when reviewing most aspects of her service. She has a good improvement programme. For example, she has begun to improve the outside area to include all seven areas of learning, to help children's all-round development.

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provision

Parents receive a wealth of information about the childminding service, such as well- written policies and procedures, which underpin the good service provided. Parents provide initial information on children's starting points as they complete an All about me form. The daily communication diary keeps parents well informed about children's routines and the activities they engage in each day. This also provides opportunities for them to contribute to children's learning. Parents comment favourably on the care their children receive, such as how the childminder looks after children with great warmth and affection. The childminder welcomes daily discussions to maintain effective communication. Well- established partnerships with external agencies involved in supporting children's care and education mean that the needs of all the children are successfully met.

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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 EY298023 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 861635 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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