Childminder in Rotherham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/10/2014 27/02/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good. The childminder provides a range of activities that meet children's individual needs and their age and stage of development. Consequently, children learn through purposeful play and make good progress in relation to their starting points.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well, as they are encouraged to make relationships with other children in the community.  The childminder has a good knowledge of child protection and how to deal with any concerns. This means that children are safeguarded in the provision.  Self-evaluation is effective, resulting in improved outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some aspects of partnerships with parents and others are not fully effective in building a strong, joint approach to children's development. This is because the childminder does not encourage all parents to pass on information about their children's learning at home, and has not built strong enough relationships with teachers from the local schools.

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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 in the two playrooms and looked at areas used for childminding, including the outdoors.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the childminder and her assistant's suitability, training certificates, risk assessments, policies and procedures and self-evaluation systems.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records.  The inspector spoke with the childminder and children throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2001 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged 11 and six years in a semi-detached house in the Brinsworth area of Rotherham. The whole of the ground floor, bathroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family have a dog, two guinea pigs and some fish as pets. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-school. There are currently 12 children on roll. Of these, five are in the early years age range and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder occasionally works with an assistant.

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

 encourage all parents to share details about what their children achieve at home, and use this information to help children make the best possible progress in their learning and development

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

 strengthen relationships and information sharing with teachers from the local schools that children attend, or are moving on to, so that there is a better shared understanding and joint approach to promote even higher levels of continuity in children's care and learning.

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who attend

The childminder assesses children's abilities on entry through information obtained from parents and through her own observations of children as they play. This process helps the childminder to provide activities that interest children and meet their age and stage of development from the start. Written observations, supported with photographic evidence and samples of children's work are recorded in their individual learning journals. Children's learning journals show that they enjoy a range of activities, which enable them to learn through purposeful play. The childminder monitors children's progress and assessments show that children are making good progress in relation to their starting points. In addition, the childminder completes the progress check for children aged between two and three years. This is shared with parents so that any gaps in learning can be identified and appropriate intervention sought where necessary. These strong assessment arrangements

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who attend

help to ensure that all children make consistently good progress across all areas of learning.

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who attend

Children are being supported to acquire the necessary skills they will need for their move on to school. This is because the quality of teaching is good and the childminder promotes children's communication and language skills well. The childminder encourages children to talk about their activity from the day before, as she asks open-ended questions. Children point to their pictures on the wall, as they name the characters from a well-known story. The childminder uses mathematical language to support children's understanding of size, as she asks, 'who has the biggest and smallest bowl?' Children are also provided with visual clues to understand size, as the childminder provides three bowls, three spoons and three cups of different size. Children describe main events from stories, talking about how daddy bear ate all of his porridge. This demonstrates children's early literacy skills, as they show how they have listened and understood stories that have been read to them.

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who attend

Written comments from parents show how they are warmly welcomed by the childminder. Parents are kept informed about their child's day through the completion of a daily diary or verbal feedback about how their child has been. The childminder shares children's next steps in learning with parents and she sends home activity sheets so parents can continue their child's learning at home. In addition, parents have access to their child's learning journal at any time. However, not all parents share how successful these activities are at home or other learning that has taken place. As a result, the childminder does not always have a full picture of children's abilities and therefore, continuity of learning between the home and the provision is not fully in place, to make sure all children make the best possible progress.

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

Children's settling-in sessions are managed sensitively with their parents who are welcomed to visit and stay, before gradually leaving their children. This helps children to build secure emotional bonds with the childminder and feel safe and secure in the premises. The childminder gathers good information from parents about their child's individual needs and care routines. As a result, the move between the provision and home is supported well, to ensure children settle quickly and feel happy. Children demonstrate how they feel very much at home, as they select resources from accessible storage units. Consequently, children can use their imagination and play with their friends independently.

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

The childminder fosters children's independence very well, as she provides opportunities for them to take responsibility for their everyday tasks. For example, children stand on their own foot-stool to reach the kitchen work surface. They independently peel their own banana and use a knife to cut up their banana, which they place in a bowl. Children carry their bowl into the childminder's lounge where they sit at a small table to eat their snack. This contributes to children's growing abilities to be self-reliant and take care of their personal needs. Children also demonstrate their understanding of safety and risk, as they say that they have to use the knife slowly so that they do not cut themselves. The chilminder supervises them to ensure their safety and is on hand to offer support. The childminder teaches children good hygiene routines to help promote and maintain their good health. For example, children wash their hands before meals and after going to the

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

toilet. Healthy eating is promoted by the provision of fruit and a range of nutritious meals. Children show their understanding of healthy food choices, as they say that fruit is better for them than sweets.

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

Children behave very well because the childminder is a good role model. She talks with children about her house rules, such as sitting at the table to eat and sharing toys with friends. This helps children to learn through example and know what is expected of them. Children have daily opportunities to play outside and enjoy fresh air. Their physical skills are promoted well, as they walk to school, run around in open spaces at the park and climb apparatus. The childminder takes children to the local play group where they are encouraged to play alongside others and make friends. As a result, children acquire the confidence, skills and abilities they will need to support them emotionally for their move on to school.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has attended relevant child protection training and knows how to respond appropriately to any signs of possible abuse and neglect. All policies and procedures are shared with parents so they understand the childminder's responsibilities, and duty, to keep children safe and protected. Visitors are requested to show identification and the childminder records their arrival and departure times in her daily diary. Written risk assessments are conducted on areas used by children and reasonable steps are taken to minimise hazards. Procedures for administering medicines are secure and written accidents, injuries and first-aid treatment include signatures to confirm that parents are fully informed. As a result, children's well-being and safety is protected through the implementation of good practices and procedures.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements. She monitors children's progress through her tracking systems. This means that the childminder is able to quickly identify and support any child who is not developing at the expected levels. The childminder is committed to her ongoing professional development and has attended several courses, to benefit children. As a result, she has the skills and awareness to provide good quality teaching, care and learning for all children. The childminder also ensures her assistant is suitably skilled to support children. For example, she has a valid first-aid certificate in place.

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provision

The childminder's drive for improvement is demonstrated by clear improvement plans, which the childminder has put together with support from her local authority advisor. This shows effective partnership working to evaluate priorities for change and success. In addition, previous actions and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed by the childminder. For example, self-evaluation now provides opportunities to reflect more actively on practice. Good relationships have been established with parents and this is evident from their warm and appreciative written comments. For example, parents write 'I leave my children every week feeling that their welfare and safety is a priority'. Good links with the local schools have also been forged. Written comments from head-teachers demonstrate the childminder's positive practice. For instance, they comment that the childminder always ensures that children come to school on time, are

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provision

happy and always ready to learn. However, the childminder has not fully established strong relationships with all the teachers that also support the children who attend her provision. Consequently, there are opportunities to share information about children's individual progress which have not yet been fully exploited, to further promote children's care and 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 501538 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 872270 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 12

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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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