Childminder in Kent

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/10/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The quality of teaching is excellent. The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, children engage in an extensive range of inspirational, stimulating activities in the childminder's setting and on outings in the local community.  The childminder has an extensive knowledge of child protection and keeping children safe, which is the childminder's absolute priority.  Children are overjoyed and secure in the inspirational caring and welcoming surroundings provided by the childminder in her home.  The childminder uses excellent methods to include parents in their children's learning and keep them informed about their children's progress. This means that children receive a consistent approach to their learning.  The childminder prides herself on reflection and self-evaluation, always aiming to further improve her practice. Effective and focused self-evaluation methods and

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This provision is outstanding

monitoring of the provision are extremely well established.

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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 spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout her observations of children's play and learning in the home and garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed risk assessments, safeguarding policies and procedures, and health and hygiene practice with the childminder.  The inspector sampled written documentation regarding children's progress.  The inspector spoke with the childminder about her evaluation of the provision.  The inspector spoke in depth to the childminder and gathered parents' views.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2009. She lives with her husband, two school-age children and one pre-school age child in the village of Chevening, in Kent. All areas of the house are used for childminding, including toilets on the ground and first floor. There are two bedrooms for children to sleep in on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She currently cares for three children in the early years age group on a part-time basis. She also offers care to children aged up to 11 years. The childminder works with an assistant. The childminder attends the local toddler and childminding groups and is situated close to schools, shops, parks and other amenities. The childminder has Early Years Professional Status.

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

 seek the views of the children to help with future development.

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who attend

The childminder has a very secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and an excellent understanding of how children learn. All children's learning is significantly enhanced. The activities and experiences they receive are as a result of meticulous, precise and sharply focused observations and assessment, including the two year progress checks. The childminder monitors children's progress superbly through the completion of regular development summaries and tracking documents. She uses these comprehensively to accurately identify the children's next steps in learning and development using a detailed on line programme. Consequently, the childminder is able to identify and secure any early interventions and additional support children may need.

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who attend

The childminder provides an excellent range of resources and activities in both the indoor and outdoor areas to meet all areas of children's development. The resources, activities and environment are inspiring, so children are well stimulated and engaged in all areas of learning. Children are challenged very well and gain the most from each learning experience. They are encouraged to think about their play and to solve problems. For example, young children are encouraged to choose and press buttons to operate pop up toys or use cutters and stamps to cut and mark make with the scented play dough. Children make their own photograph scrapbooks with pictures relating to their activities, which are valued. They recall past events and enjoy sharing their precious memories with each other and their parents.

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who attend

Children also experience a wide range of activities in the outdoor and surrounding areas. They use these very effectively to develop their physical skills extremely well and learn to take risks and solve problems, under supervision. The garden is used well for many activities, such as planting, digging in the mud kitchen, water play, riding on wheeled toys, and ball games. These varied experiences mean children have excellent opportunities to develop their physical skills. The childminder has set up a sensory room which has been an enormous success with the younger children in introducing them to explore and investigate using their senses.

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who attend

The childminder's quality of teaching is excellent and her outstanding enthusiasm, engagement and motivation of the children undoubtedly reflect in their active and sustained engagement during activities. There is an extremely good balance of child- initiated and adult-led experiences that ensures there is ongoing challenge for children's age and stage of development. The childminder models language superbly and constantly talks to children within care routines and as they play. She helps children with sentence structure as she links words to actions, and encourages them to repeat words. The childminder uses books to extend children's learning wherever possible, through attending the library and encouraging children to make their own choices.

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

Children are clearly very happy and comfortable in the childminder's home. They demonstrate they feel secure and safe, and explore the environment with confidence. Children's safety, health and well-being are given very high priority. The childminder has comprehensive procedures in place to ensure that meals and snacks are in line with individual dietary requirements. For example, the childminder has informed all parents of what meals and snacks she provides and what ingredients these contain, in line with new legislation. The childminder provides them with healthy snacks and fresh home-cooked meals. For example, children have fruit at snack time and are encouraged to use cutlery from an early age to help with their skills in cutting their banana. The childminder also teaches the children how to look after their bodies through exercise and making healthy food choices. The childminder makes sure that they are active each day in the garden, to

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

which children have free access. They also go on worthwhile trips to local parks where they have use of the large play equipment available. The childminder uses the outdoor environment extremely effectively and it is clearly enjoyed by the children.

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

Children form strong emotional attachments with the childminder due to her highly effective settling-in procedures. They show strong levels of belonging and independence as they investigate and explore the wide variety of toys and activities. These are stored at low level in colourful storage boxes and on shelving units which enable children to choose what they want to play with. The childminder has put laminated labels on storage containers with pictures and lower case print to support children's decision-making and literacy skills further. During the settling-in period, the childminder discusses all aspects of children's individual characters and requirements with their parents. This enables her to meet their needs effectively. The childminder is very flexible and allows parents to decide how many settling-in sessions their child needs. The childminder is extremely nurturing in her approach and this really enhances children's feelings of security, belonging and

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

The childminder gives children positive images of disability through stories, pictures and discussion. There is also a range of resources to support ethnicity and other cultures. She provides children with opportunities to discover and celebrate different religions, community events and experiences in a positive way. The childminder is excellent in the way she encourages children to investigate the natural world, for example, she provides chimes, streamers, windmills and mud kitchens in the garden so children are able to explore and investigate the world they live in.

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

The childminder has comprehensive risk assessments in place. She completes a daily checklist prior to children's arrival to ensure that the setting is safe and secure and that there are no identified hazards that could pose a risk to children. The childminder teaches children how to keep themselves safe as they have regular fire drills. The childminder sets clear rules and boundaries, and as a result, all children are extremely well behaved. Children are encouraged to manage feelings and conflicts in an appropriate way and are praised for all their good behaviour and achievements. This has a positive impact on children's self-confidence.

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provision

The quality of leadership and management is exemplary. The childminder has a strong drive to reflect on the provision. She seeks the views of parents to maintain consistent improvements, although she could extend this to the children. There is a very strong emphasis on safeguarding with comprehensive policies and procedures clearly understood by the childminder and the assistant. Highly effective systems are in place to promote children's safety and security. All visitors to the setting are required to sign in and out, maintaining an accurate record of everyone coming into contact with the children. The childminder maintains all documentation to an extremely high standard, and demonstrates an excellent understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

The childminder monitors and evaluates all aspects of her provision extremely effectively, both visually and through written records. This is demonstrated in the childminder's comprehensive self-evaluation and reflective systems. The childminder is highly motivated and uses a range of resources to update her knowledge and ideas continuously. She demonstrates an exceptionally positive attitude towards her ongoing professional development as she has recently completed her Early Years Teacher status.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are excellent and one parent spoke extremely highly of the care and involving them extensively in their children's learning and development from the start of their child's placement. Parents complete questionnaires once their children are settled. They make comments or suggestions on the provision so that the childminder always has the views of parents in mind when she identifies areas for improvement. The childminder has put in place highly effective systems to share children's learning and development with other early years settings children attend or move on to. Children are very happy and safe during their time with the childminder and they are given a very secure foundation on which to build their future learning.

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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 EY393889 Local authority Kent Inspection number 887000 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 3

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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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