Childminder in Dudley

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/09/2014 05/05/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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 make very good progress because the childminder has a sound knowledge and understanding of how children learn through the high priority given to secure professional qualifications and training.  The childminder and assistant develop secure and trusting relationships with children that enables children to feel safe and emotionally secure, engage in their learning and be ready to move to school.  Observation and assessment is robust and is effectively helping to narrow any gaps in children’s learning and development.  Both childminder and assistant act as good role models and support children to be polite and respectful. As a result, children's behaviour is excellent.  Children have access to a well resourced environment. The childminder provides and plans a well balanced range of child-initiated and adult-led activities. High priority is given to outdoor play where children experience exercise and fresh air, in all types of

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This provision is good

weather. As a result, children's good health is robustly promoted.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Teaching is not consistently of a high quality to robustly challenge children's learning.  The current system to monitor the quality of all teaching does not robustly evaluate the impact on children's learning and development.

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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 and care routines in the main play area, the kitchen and the garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the childminder, the assistant and the children present.  The inspector spoke to parents and looked at written comments from parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children’s assessment records, and a range of other documentation, including the complaints and safeguarding procedures, qualifications and the childminder’s self-evaluation form

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in July 2001 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in a semi-detached house on the outskirts of Dudley and uses the whole of the downstairs area and enclosed rear garden for her childminding. She lives with her spouse and has two children aged 13 and 15. The family pets include a dog and a cat. She works with two assistants. The childminder has a psychology degree and has recently obtained her Early Years Practitioner qualification status. The childminder provides funded placements for children within the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is a member of the Dudley Assured Childminding Network and attends a number of childminder groups and regularly takes children to other activities at the various locations. She takes and collects children to and from local pre-schools. The childminder currently has seven children in the early years age group who attend for

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Information about the setting

a variety of sessions. School-age children only attend during school holidays. She is open all year round from 7.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday except for public holidays and family holidays agreed in advance.

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

 improve the consistency with which all practitioners have high expectations of children and skilfully challenge children to fully extend their learning

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

 improve the rigour of systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of all teaching and its impact on children's learning.

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who attend

Children are extremely happy and content in the warm, sensitive care of the childminder and her regular assistant, known as Nanny. The childminder demonstrates a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and promotes children's learning and development well. She provides a stimulating range of equipment that offers a balance of child-led and adult-led activities. For example, children particularly enjoy the freedom to access the large, mature garden, where they have a fun-filled time picking fruit and vegetables, such as strawberries and tomatoes that they have grown. Children have access to a good range of role-play resources, such as baby dolls and cots in the large wooden play houses. Children confidently practise their physical skills such as climbing and running or pushing their baby's buggy or shopping trolley up and down the lawn. Children play outdoors in all types of weather and they regularly visit local parks and

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who attend

woods. As a result, children achieve because of the rich range of outdoor activities and experiences on offer.

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who attend

The childminder uses high quality teaching methods and she has a sound knowledge and understanding of how children learn. She is a reflective practitioner who takes the lead in planning activities and she guides her assistant in supporting children's learning and development. Children particularly enjoy listening to stories and nursery rhymes with the assistant, who is also very caring and attentive to the youngest children. The childminder has high expectations for the children to learn through a rich, varied and imaginative experience. However, the youngest children are not always encouraged to explore new, creative and sensory activities, that provide such a rich and imaginative experience.

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who attend

The childminder skilfully promotes children’s communication skills. For example, by talking to children, giving them time to answer and by listening to what they say. The use of open-ended questions initiates children to think about what they are doing and how to problem solve. For example, the childminder joins children in the new outdoor mud kitchen area which is innovatively and safely equipped to initiate children's curiosity. She shows them how to empty a large sink which is filled with water and encourages children to have a go. Children concentrate as they find that they have to position a large metal pan to catch the water. The childminder supports children to explore and create with materials such as, compost water, sieves, scoops and metal pots and pans. She talks to children about their mud cakes, by asking children to tell her what they are making. She extends their learning by suggesting they put a candle in their cake to show it is a

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who attend

birthday cake and she encourages children to count the candles and say how old they are. Consequently, children's interest is aroused and sustained as they enjoy the experience provided to encourage them to be confident, independent learners.

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who attend

Children are engrossed as the childminder and assistant encourage them to pick fruit and vegetables that they have grown. The childminder is clear about what she wants the children to learn as she helps them to reach to the top of the tomato plant and to look between the stalks to find red tomatoes that they can eat for their lunch. When children pick green tomatoes, she asks questions that prompt children to think of a solution to get the tomatoes to redden, such as, by putting the tomatoes on the window ledge. Children are encouraged to count their pickings which, supports their understanding of mathematics and numbers. Children's interest is further sustained as they engage in an activity led by the assistant to make a pizza for their lunch. This activity promotes children's social and emotional development, by encouraging them to share and take turns and they feel a sense of satisfaction when they have made their pizza. However, the

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who attend

quality of teaching is not consistently outstanding to skilfully question children in order to robustly challenge them and fully extend their learning.

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who attend

The childminder makes regular observations of children as they play and she makes meaningful assessments of their learning and developmental stages. Parents contribute at the start of their child's stay with information about what their child can do to. This helps the childminder to complete a baseline assessment record to show children's starting points. In addition to the progress check at age two, written summary assessments are also completed for every child across all areas of learning. Parents contribute to assessments with written observations about their child's development stages and diaries capture a valuable, daily exchange of information between home and the setting. This robust system of assessment enables the childminder to guide activities, identify any gaps in a child's development and link with, and help parents to access appropriate support. She also works in partnership with other professionals to ensure children's development

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who attend

needs are promptly identified and addressed. Parents comment that they are extremely pleased with the care and education their children receive. Consequently, children make very good progress in relation to their starting points and are well supported for their move to other settings and to school.

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

Children have very strong attachments to the childminder, her assistant and each other. The childminder obtains written information from parents about their child's care routines and development stages which enable her to meet children's individual needs. This also helps to make the transition from home into the childminder's care as smooth and supportive as possible for each child. Consequently, all children show confidence in the welcoming environment that provides a dedicated play area and children's bathroom. The childminder and assistant role model good manners and encourage children to be polite and show care and affection to each other. This provides a firm base to promote children's personal, social and emotional development. Children's behaviour is excellent and as a result, they engage well in their learning.

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

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding overall of safeguarding children matters and knows when to inform Ofsted of significant events. As a result, children are kept safe. Written risk assessments comprehensively identify hazards and measures in place to ensure that the premises and equipment are suitable for use. Outings are also effectively risk assessed. There is a good level of supervision by both the childminder and assistant. For example, they carefully watch and guide children when they negotiate steps from the French doors into the rear garden or when they climb equipment. As a result, children are very well supported to understand and manage risks to themselves.

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

The childminder effectively promotes children's health and well-being. For example, regardless of the weather, children take part in outdoor physical activity every day where they have fresh air and develop their stamina and enjoyment of the outdoors. There are well established procedures in place for children's personal care routines. Young children who are toilet training are well supported and older children are encouraged to manage their own hygiene and personal needs. For example, children confidently say when they need to go to the toilet, and they know to wash their hands.

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

Meals are nutritious and well balanced and children are encouraged to have regular drinks of water to keep themselves hydrated. Children prepare their lunch having grown and harvested their own produce. This encourages children to think about where food comes from and what constitutes a healthy diet. They all sit together to eat their snacks and meals and the childminder and assistant chat to them to encourage a social occasion. Younger children are developing a good understanding of the organisation of mealtimes and older children use a selection of cutlery and pour their own drinks as part of their independence.

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provision

The childminder has a full understanding of the safeguarding and welfare, and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has two assistants, of whom one assists on a regular basis and who has sole care of children for two hours at most in a single day. The additional assistant who is the childminder's husband only has sole care of children, on occasion. The childminder and assistants, each hold a valid paediatric first aid certificate. All children are safe and secure in the care of the childminder and assistants.

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provision

The childminder has a high regard to developing her professional knowledge through regular training. She has recently obtained an Early Years Practitioner qualification. The childminder is also a mentor to other childminders and sets a very good example of how to deliver a high standard of care and education to children, by attending a wide range of relevant professional training courses and events with her assistant. The childminder engages with other practitioners, through membership of networks and groups, such as the Dudley Childminding Assured Network. As a result, the childminder has a wealth of knowledge and expertise and is very well supported by an able assistant. Consequently, children thrive in the setting.

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provision

Safeguarding policies and procedures are effectively implemented and embedded by the childminder. She has a detailed knowledge of all aspects of child abuse through extensive training and she knows the action to be taken following any concerns. The childminder keeps parents informed about safeguarding procedures and ensures assistants undertake safeguarding training and follow appropriate procedures to protect children. The childminder and her assistant place a high priority to keep children safe through vigilance and thorough risk assessment. There is a strong emphasis on promoting children's good health through regular harvesting of healthy garden produce and this is complemented by a recent ‘5 star’ food hygiene rating.

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provision

The childminder guides the assistant to deliver specific activities and they have weekly discussions about their practice. However, this arrangement does not robustly monitor the quality of all teaching to ensure it is of a consistently high quality in order to fully challenge children during adult-led activities and ensure the youngest experience rich, creative and sensory activities. Good use is made of the Ofsted self-evaluation form, parent surveys and support visits to drive improvement. The childminder has recently met her intention to create a new outdoor 'mud kitchen' area and provide an additional wooden play house to enrich children's play experiences. She has addressed the area for improvement from the last inspection, by developing close working partnerships with the other settings that the children attend. For example, she has forged strong links with a pre-school setting and they share children's development records to support children's

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provision

learning across both settings and home. This helps to fully complement a child's development across all areas of learning and promotes the children's care and development.

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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 260168 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 989137 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 0 Total number of places 0 Number of children on roll 0

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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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