Childminder in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/10/2014 19/10/2011

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder and her assistants are extremely knowledgeable about how to safeguard children. Consequently, children are well-protected, safe and secure in their care. The childminder and her assistants regularly update their safeguarding knowledge through appropriate training courses and literature.  The quality of teaching is exemplary. The childminder and her assistants understand how children learn and use their expertise to deliver an exciting, challenging and purposeful educational programme for all children in their care.  Children's individual needs and emotional well-being are expertly met through the childminder's effective key-person system. The childminder and each of her assistants have a small number of children in their key-person groups who they nurture and care for.  The childminder has extremely effective partnerships in place with parents and others. Parents are actively encouraged to become involved in their children's learning through

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This provision is outstanding

clear and comprehensive communication.  The childminder's practice is outstanding. Every aspect of the childminder's provision is superbly monitored and regularly reviewed, which enables her to exceed the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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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 viewed all areas of the childminder's home used for childminding purposes.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed play and learning activities and held discussions with the children, the childminder and her assistants at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at evidence on file regarding the checks used to assess the suitability of all adults who minded children have contact with. She also viewed copies of qualifications and training certificates for the childminder and her assistants.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of records including children's details, information about children's learning and development, accident and medication records, written polices and a selection of other relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection and through written comments contained within the childminder's documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2003 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children aged four, nine and 11 years in a house in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a dog, a bird and giant land snails as pets. The childminder is an accredited childminder and works with up to two assistants at various times during the working week. The childminder visits the local library and uses the local area to extend children's learning. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 10 children on roll, nine of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates term time only, from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the

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Information about the setting

Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 enhance the already superb opportunities for children's learning outdoors by extending their access to numbers and print in the environment.

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who attend

Children make exceptional progress in their learning, because the childminder demonstrates extensive understanding of how to plan and assess children's learning effectively. The childminder's exemplary knowledge of the seven areas of learning enables her to provide children with an educational programme, which is challenging, exciting and highly successful. The childminder and her assistants know children in their care extremely well. They use their professional expertise to establish clear information about children's capabilities on entry to the childminding provision, by working closely with parents. Key persons use their effective observational skills to follow and track children's development. They record children's achievements in well-documented and clearly presented learning journeys, which are regularly updated and shared with parents. Photographs in children's learning journeys show that they enthusiastically participate in a wide, exciting and fun

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who attend

range of learning experiences, both indoors and outdoors. The childminder's effective assessment procedures show that children make superb progress in her care, in relation to their starting points. She completes regular summative assessment records for parents, which include the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years.

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who attend

The childminder and her assistants demonstrate excellent knowledge of when to intervene in children's play. They sit with them and support their learning when required, but also understand when to sit back and leave children to explore at their own pace. The childminder and her assistants use skilful questioning to extend children's thinking and challenge them further. Children who show an interest in a particular subject or character are provided with opportunities to extend their learning through these interests. For example, children's love of dinosaurs is used to promote all seven areas of learning. The childminder and her assistants spontaneously organise walks to collect large fallen leaves to make a dinosaur land. They encourage children to plan and consider what else needs to be in the dinosaur land. The adults facilitate the children's ideas and provide them with the resources to enable them to follow these.

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who attend

Children's language and communication skills are expertly promoted by the childminder and her assistants speaking to children clearly, using clear appropriate explanations and encouraging children to talk in small and larger groups. Well-presented resources enable children to develop good handwriting and literacy skills and children have access to an exciting range of books. Younger children are provided with a wide range of natural play materials and household objects to explore. The exciting and well-resourced environment, alongside the wide range of planned activities, both enable children to develop secure skills across all areas of learning. They are superbly prepared for their entry into school, as the childminder and her assistants understand the skills they need to achieve this move successfully.

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

Children develop extremely secure emotional attachments to the childminder and her assistants. This is achieved through established and purposeful settling-in sessions, which are attended and guided by parents. Consequently, children quickly settle into the childminder's routines and environment. Children move confidently around the childminder's home, accessing the exciting and wide range of learning resources and opportunities available to them. The childminder and her assistants have extremely clear and highly realistic expectations of children, which they share positively with them. For example, children understand the importance of washing their hands before sitting at the table to eat their lunch and older children independently follow this routine without being prompted. Children's emotional well-being is expertly promoted by the childminder and her assistants who are extremely knowledgeable about the children's needs, likes and

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

dislikes. The childminder and her assistants use clear, positive language to praise and encourage children, which helps children to form a strong sense of belonging and identity.

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

Children play and learn in an extremely stimulating, fun and resourceful environment. They move confidently between the dedicated playroom, which is bursting with exciting learning opportunities, resources and play equipment, to the large dining area. This space provides them with a good amount of clear floor on which to spread out their play. The playroom is bright, welcoming and stimulating. Wall displays are used effectively to provide an exciting environment, as well as to display children's work and creative achievements. Children access the childminder's garden through doors from the dining area. The childminder makes excellent use of her garden to provide children with a wide range of learning experiences. For example, they use large diggers to move sand around in the extensive sand pit. Children make delicious meals in the mud kitchen and use a range of media to make marks with outdoors. While children have excellent opportunities

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

to see print and numbers in the indoors environment, this is not so effectively promoted outdoors.

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

Children develop extremely secure knowledge of how to keep themselves safe and healthy during their day with the childminder. They enjoy healthy snacks, which comprise of fresh fruit and raw vegetables, as well as the occasional treat. Children sit together and share snack and mealtimes with the childminder and her assistants. This provides excellent opportunities for the key persons to enter into calm and gentle discussions with the children about what they have been doing and what activities they are enjoying. Well- planned topics, which involve a wide range of activities, enable children to develop knowledge about foods that are good for them, how exercise helps to keep them healthy and how good hygiene routines help to keep them safe. Children are expertly supported through changes in their lives and are well prepared for their next stages of learning. For example, key persons liaise effectively with parents to ensure they are knowledgeable

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

about any changes in children's home lives. They use this information to tailor the children's care and to prepare them for these changes. Children are provided with superb opportunities to develop confidence when meeting new people or enjoying experiences for the first time because the childminder and her assistants make good use of the local community to enhance children's learning.

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provision

Children are superbly protected from harm, as the childminder and her assistants are extremely knowledgeable about how to keep children safe, secure and well protected. The childminder regularly updates her safeguarding knowledge through appropriate training. This enables her to keep abreast of her responsibilities concerning protecting children. The childminder ensures that her assistants also update their safeguarding knowledge regularly. The childminder rigorously checks her home to ensure that all areas used by children remain safe and clean. Each assistant has a role for the day, which ensures that cleaning rotas, safety checks and children's individual routines are extremely effectively met. The childminder has clear and comprehensive systems in place for ensuring that all adults are suitable and that appropriate checks are carried out to confirm their suitability. She conducts a thorough induction programme with new assistants to ensure that they

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provision

quickly become familiar with her policies, procedures and practices.

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provision

The childminder has been registered for a number of years. Since her last inspection, she has taken a break from childminding to work in a local pre-school. The childminder returned to caring for children in her own home a year ago, employing an assistant to work alongside her. Over the past year, she has employed a further two assistants and works with up to two of her assistants at any time, on various days of the week, when her numbers are high. The childminder and her assistants demonstrate superb understanding of the seven areas of learning and children's differing learning styles. They plan extremely well for each child, tailoring the planning to meet each child's next steps in learning. The educational programme is exciting, stimulating and purposeful. The childminder reviews every child's learning on a regular basis to monitor the effectiveness of the educational programme and the systems for assessing children's progress and development. The

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provision

childminder has robust procedures for supervising and monitoring the quality of her assistant's practices as she works alongside them each day. She reviews their professional development through effective annual appraisals and encourages them to pursue further training.

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provision

The childminder skilfully works with parents and others to establish extremely effective working relationships. This enables her to successfully support every child in her care and to tailor her provision to meet the needs of children's whole families. The childminder provides excellent opportunities for parents to play a valued role in their children's learning and care needs through effective communication. Parents are provided with comprehensive information about the childminder and her provision through regular newsletters, daily discussions and through her website. Partnerships with local schools, pre-schools and other early years settings, which children attend, are extremely secure. This results in the childminder effectively complementing the learning that takes place across all aspects of children's lives.

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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 EY265547 Local authority Essex Inspection number 848482 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 10

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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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