Childminder in Leeds

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/10/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children are protected from harm because the childminder has a good awareness of safeguarding procedures. She places a high priority on promoting children's health and safety and completes detailed risk assessments.  The childminder completes accurate, detailed assessments on children and effectively evaluates these in order to identify children's individual next steps. She plans and provides a broad range of activities so that children make good progress across all areas of learning.  Children are emotionally secure because there are effective settling-in procedures, enabling the childminder to build strong relationships with parents and children.  The childminder continually reflects on her practice and she acts on any advice and guidance she receives. Her self-evaluation is accurate in identifying priorities for improvement to strengthen her practice further.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's interest and engagement in stories and books is not fully extended as the childminder is not maximising the use of interactive resources, puppets and other props.  The childminder has not yet fully explored ways to extend further the use of the garden to fully support children's very good outdoor learning experiences.

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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 had a tour of the premises with the childminder.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed teaching and learning activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environments.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the childminder's qualifications and the suitability of the childminder and her partner and took account of her self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector acknowledged the views of parents, through their written responses to the childminder's questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two children aged three and one year in a house in Kippax on the outskirts of Leeds. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden is used for childminding. The family has a budgerigar as a pet. The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and parks on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently two children on roll; both of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 7.15am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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

 extend the use of interactive books, puppets and props to support and encourage young children's engagement in stories and early interest in books

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

 extend further the use of the garden to support children's outdoor learning experiences across all areas of learning.

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who attend

The childminder has a good knowledge of the learning and development requirements and securely understands how children learn through play. Consequently, she plans challenging and motivating activities and experiences that cover all the seven areas of learning. The childminder provides a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities, but ensures that children are able to lead their play with their own ideas and choices. As a result, children are highly engaged and eager to learn, important skills they need for their ongoing learning at nursery and school. At the start of a placement, the childminder gathers information from parents, with regards to children's care needs, interests and capabilities. The childminder uses this information, along with carrying out initial observations, to identify children's starting points. Ongoing detailed observations are completed and next steps are regularly identified to plan accurately for each child's

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who attend

individual needs. The childminder recognises the importance of focusing on the three prime areas of learning for the youngest children. Furthermore, as children show interest and develop skills in other areas of their learning, she plans for this accordingly. As a result, children make good progress in all areas of their learning and development. The childminder engages with children very effectively, encouraging them to extend their communication skills through engaging them in conversations. She clearly understands their stage of learning in this area and poses questions and narrates on their activity in a manner which is individually appropriate. This promotes children's developing vocabulary and early listening and attention skills. As a result, children build their confidence and understanding of language. They enjoy playing with interactive toy animals, for example, a mechanical horse. Young children understand that when they push down on the person

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who attend

riding the horse it activates the wheels and makes it move. They excitedly repeat this action as they make the horse travel between each other. The childminder demonstrates her good quality of teaching as she takes the lead from the children and gets out a box of small world animals. Young children confidently match animals, listen to the childminder's simple instructions to find another animal and happily say the noises the animals make. Extending learning further, the childminder introduces mathematical concepts as together with the children; they count the animals and identify which are big and which are small. Children also understand simple positional language as they correctly respond when the childminder asks them, 'is the farmer behind you?'. Children develop their physical skills as they enjoy playing outside and visiting parks. They have planned access to the garden and enjoy exploring nature and hunting for spiders and worms, which also supports their

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who attend

understanding of the world. The childminder is also developing an interesting water play area, with pipes and funnels linked to the water tray. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to use open-ended resources in different ways and to access all areas of learning during outdoor play. Children have access to a wide variety of books and the childminder regularly reads to them and encourages them to enjoy stories, which are linked to current themes. This helps to further develop their understanding of books and print to promote their communication, language and literacy skills. There is however, room to build on young children's engagement and enjoyment of story times, for example, by using more interactive books, puppets and props. The childminder displays a sound range of written signs and symbols in the home to help children become aware that written words carry meaning. She very effectively supports children's personal, social and

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who attend

emotional development as she consistently praises children for their efforts, giving them the self-confidence to try new things. She regularly takes children out and about in the community to develop their social skills and encourage them to mix with other children and develop friendships. As a result, children acquire the skills and dispositions needed for their next stage in learning.

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who attend

Partnerships between the childminder and parents are strong and contribute to ensuring children's individual needs are well supported. The childminder gives daily verbal feedback of how children have been and the activities they have taken part in. She provides opportunities for children's learning to be extended at home, through sharing ideas with the parents. She encourages them to look at their daily diaries and learning journals. She finds out from parents what their children enjoy doing at home to support her to plan for children's current interests. The childminder is fully aware of the progress check completed for children aged between two and three years. She understands that she must involve parents in this assessment in order to develop consistency in moving children forward in their learning and development. The childminder sends photographs of the children electronically to the parents and encourages them to share and talk about these

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who attend

with their children. This enables the children to recall experiences they have shared with the childminder and relate them to experiences at home.

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

The childminder provides a safe, welcoming and homely environment for children to learn through play and exploration. Children's confidence and self-motivation is promoted through the warm relationships they build with the childminder. Very good settling-in procedures mean children are well supported in their move from home and they are emotionally secure in the childminder's care. Children attend for flexible sessions prior to starting and the childminder gathers detailed information about the child to help them settle quickly. For example, parents complete a welcome pack, which includes children's food choices, comforters, routines and care needs. They also complete an All about me form, which is more tailored towards children's interests and development. Parents comment that the childminder treats children as 'one of the family and we really value that it is like a home from home'. The childminder understands the importance of getting to

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

know the children and their family. This is in order to support their individual needs and uses information gathered to plan a range of experiences to help children to make good progress. Consequently, children are happy, confident and emotionally secure within their surroundings.

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

The childminder supports children's understanding about healthy lifestyles and good hygiene practices. Children are offered a wide variety of healthy snacks and meals and understand the importance of hand washing to keep healthy and well. Younger children's independence is promoted well. The childminder encourages children to take off their own coats and shoes when they come in from dropping older children at school or playing in the garden. Drinks are freely available at all times throughout the day and the childminder encourages children from an early age to access their drinks. The childminder ensures information is collected from parents about any allergies, to support children's individual dietary requirements. Children have daily opportunities for fresh air through outdoor play. They visit local parks and places of interest, where they are able to take measured risks on age-appropriate equipment. Children enjoy a range of activities outside which

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

promotes their physical skills. For example, they climb, balance and use the play house in the garden where they experiment with sound, using bought and homemade resources. Indoors young children are able to negotiate the play space well as they freely move around demonstrating good control of their bodies. The childminder completes detailed risk assessments and closely supervises children to ensure they are kept safe at all times. Consequently, children develop an awareness of hazards and are gaining the confidence to try new things.

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

Children have a strong sense of self-esteem because the childminder is teaching them to value and respect one another. The childminder uses positive language, such as 'good sharing,' 'good listening' and continually praises children's achievements. Positive behaviour rules are displayed at children's level. The childminder involves parents when developing strategies to promote good behaviour, to ensure consistency between home and her care. Children are routinely encouraged to share and take turns. As a result, they develop an awareness of good behaviour from a young age. The childminder prioritises children's safety. She carries out regular fire drills and discusses the importance of road safety. As a result, children develop a greater understanding of keeping themselves safe. The childminder demonstrates how she prepares children for their move on to school through developing their independence and talking to them about nursery and school.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She understands her responsibilities to keep children safe and knows what to do, should she have any child protection concerns. The childminder has attended first-aid training to ensure she is confident to deal with any minor injuries or medical needs. All required checks have been completed on the childminder and adults in the household to ascertain their suitability and reassure parents, with regard to their children's welfare. The childminder completes detailed risk assessments for the premises and for outings, to ensure any hazards are minimised and children are protected from harm. The premises are safe and secure and children are able to move around the environment freely and safely. The childminder is well organised and has effective policies and procedures in place, which supports her good practice. Policies are regularly shared with parents to

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provision

ensure they are fully aware of the procedures in place. Consequently, children's welfare is fully promoted.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates her drive for improvement through a comprehensive self- evaluation and has clear plans for the future of her provision. These plans focus very much on the needs of the children, the quality of teaching and the educational opportunities she provides. The childminder liaises with the local authority early years consultant and is a member of the Leeds Quality Childminding Network. This enables her to share best practice and reflect on her current provision to ensure continual improvement. The childminder seeks the views of parents and children to enable her to adapt her practice. She is then able to provide a service that is reactive to the individual needs of each family. She is eager to attend further training and this demonstrates that she is proactive in enhancing her practice further. The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements. She monitors children's

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provision

development and ensures they make good progress, given their starting points. Consequently, children are offered good opportunities to reach their full potential.

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provision

There are strong partnerships with parents, which ensure that children receive consistency and continuity in their learning and care. Parents are very happy with the service and the care and education their children receive. They comment that their child really adores going to the childminder and they feel communication is very good. Furthermore, parents comment on the good progress their children are making in their learning and development. For example, they are developing well in their speaking, numbers, colours, shapes and other key areas of learning. The childminder does not currently care for any children who attend another early years setting. She is however, very clear about the procedures she has in place to support children and develop effective partnership working when required.

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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 EY447259 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 896197 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 2

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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