Childminder in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/10/2014 04/06/2009

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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 has exceptionally high expectations for what children can do and understand. As a result, they make rapid progress in their learning and development and become confident and capable individuals.  The childminder forms exceptionally close relationships with parents, who are actively involved in all aspects of children's learning, development and care from the very beginning. This helps children to sustain the excellent progress that they make.  Children's good health is assured as the childminder places a very high emphasis upon their emotional well-being and nutrition. This helps children to grow and develop an excellent awareness of how to make good lifestyle choices.  The childminder has a great depth of knowledge of child protection issues. She imbeds her knowledge through regular training and develops her practice to make sure that she is fully aware of when to seek intervention to safeguard and meet children's needs.

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder implements an extremely robust self-evaluation which enables her to precisely target areas for development. This supports her to sustain exceptionally high quality care for children.  The childminder works very closely with other professionals. Her very good understanding of the needs of vulnerable children means that she is exceptionally well equipped to deliver high quality teaching and learning, which results in any gaps in achievement being identified and rapidly closed.

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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 playroom and living room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the childminder and children and took into account written feedback from parents.  The inspector discussed a planned activity with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of household members, and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.

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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 17 and 13, in a house in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. The childminder uses the whole of the ground floor and the rear garden for childminding. The family have a pet dog. The childminder attends a childminder group and the local children's centre. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. The childminder takes children to and collects them from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 12 children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder cares for a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The childminder is open all year round from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday except for family holidays. The childminder has a recognised qualification at level

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Information about the setting

3. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 continue to develop children's excellent sense of belonging by providing further ways for them to feel connected to people who are important to them when they are apart.

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who attend

Children are highly competent learners who demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning. This is because of the childminder's expert teaching and her exceptionally high expectation for what children can do and understand. This prepares them extremely well for school, as they are able to think critically and offer their opinion. The childminder provides a very wide range of toys and equipment for children to explore. They show enthusiasm as they play with soft toys, carefully pouring bowls of cereal for them. The mix of real-life resources and toys ignites children's imagination and curiosity. The childminder uses every opportunity to support children's communication and language extremely well. She gets down to the children's level, maintains eye contact and asks them questions about their play, giving them time to think and respond. As a result of her very good teaching approach, she supports children's speech, language and listening skills

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who attend

exceptionally well. Young children say the names of their family members and the childminder talks about where they are and what they might be doing. There is scope to further extend upon children's already excellent development of their personal, social and emotional skills. For example, by finding ways for children to feel close to people who are important to them when they are apart. Where children are learning English as an additional language, the childminder spends time developing their language skills by modelling words. She observes their rapid progress and develops further ways to communicate with them by learning words in their home language. The childminder understands that children need challenge and stimulation in their play. With this in mind, she extends activities by asking children for their ideas and helping them find more ways to explore these. When children are learning to control their large muscles, she provides

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who attend

them with a range of ways to practise climbing. For example, children show their immense delight in climbing on and off a pushchair ride-on board, repeating these actions over and over again to receive praise from the childminder. As children develop in confidence, they climb on the low level windowsill to watch what is happening outside. The childminder supports them while introducing new words to extend their vocabulary, such as magpie. This sustains children's interests and they point out everything they see, naming them in the process.

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who attend

Children make good use of the local parks and garden to develop their physical skills. Here, they jump, stretch and climb as they increase control and coordination of their bodies. Children have chances to test out their writing skills as they draw and write messages and express the way they are feeling through labelling their pictures. Older children use all of their knowledge of phonics to spell out words and make plausible attempts at writing sentences. For example, they write recipes for the childminder and notes for her children. The desire to display their knowledge stems from their confidence in their own abilities. They have such positive attitudes towards learning because of the childminder's dedication and attention to fostering their confidence and can do attitudes. Younger children develop the muscles in their hands through differing ways, such as playing with dough and small world figures. The childminder provides tactile activities

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who attend

which children twist, slide and pull open as they develop dexterity in their hands and fingers. Children use their imagination as they play with hair brushes and toy animals. They are creative and expressive, working out problems, such as how to use different sized building blocks to make houses. The childminder supports children's learning extremely well through the activities she plans. She pitches these at the right level of challenge for children to make sure that they are keen and motivated to learn at all times.

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who attend

The childminder observes children during their play. She uses this knowledge to finely tune plans for their future learning. These are highly developed and extremely effective in enabling children to achieve. Her attention to detail and depth of knowledge of children and their development, means that all children make significant gains in their learning. By tracking children's development against expected milestones, she is able to readily identify where they need any extra support. The childminder uses effective ways to exchange information with parents, who follow the same next steps in development at home. This consistent approach means that children are working above expectations for their age in all prime areas of learning and developing the successful dispositions they need to maintain levels of high achievement in the future.

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

The childminder works exceptionally closely with parents to help children to settle in her care. She acknowledges that when children start in her care it is a period of change for the whole family. As a result, they all need to have the time to acclimatise to this. With this in mind, the childminder offers a protracted period of visits to her home. Parents, on occasion, spend the whole day with her as they share information about children's likes, dislikes and their home routines. This highly effective partnership boosts children's confidence and, when it is time to be left with the childminder, the children are calm, confident and ready for learning. Equally, the childminder prepares children very well for starting school. She knows the essential skills they require to adjust to the move and ensures that she teaches them to be independent and resilient. The childminder's patient and caring approach builds children's confidence and they establish warm relationships

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

with her. She nurtures children, providing them with a secure, safe base from which they can flourish.

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

The childminder places a high emphasis upon promoting children's good health. She understands that children need to be emotionally secure and well nourished to feel safe and secure. She has an excellent understanding about children's nutrition and plans children's meals with great care. Meal times are sociable occasions where children sit together to talk and eat. The childminder provides a wide range of foods to model positive attitudes towards eating, so children learn about healthy choices. Children play outside and enjoy the freedom to test out what their bodies can do. They experience manageable risks, which further develops their excellent sense of confidence. Children wash their hands at appropriate times throughout the day and the childminder attends to their personal needs quickly to ensure their comfort. Children are keen to be independent and the childminder allows them to determine the routine of the day. They tell her when they

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

are tired and want to sleep and when they feel that they need to wash their hands as they start to recognise their own needs.

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

Children know where equipment is kept because it is within easy reach for them. They ask the childminder for things they cannot see or find and she responds to them. The childminder asks children to help tidy away and they do so happily. Children behave extremely well because of the high amount of control and freedom they have. They know what is expected of them because the childminder gives them clear direction and boundaries, for example, she tells children that they need to sit at the table to eat. Children understand that there are measures in place to keep them safe, such as being strapped in to booster seats while sitting at the table and by using wrist straps when walking near the road. Children learn about road safety when walking around their local community and taking older children to school. The childminder teaches them lifelong skills in crossing the road safely and being aware of possible hazards when outdoors.

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provision

The childminder is fully aware of her responsibility in relation to safeguarding children. She undertakes training and reads any relevant information to help deepen her understanding. The childminder has an extensive understanding about factors which impact upon children's lives, such as poverty. Her depth of knowledge and understanding, along with her ability to work confidently with other professionals, means that she is extremely well placed to meet the needs of vulnerable children. The childminder keeps records of any pre-existing injuries children have and recognises the signs and symptoms which might cause her concern about children's welfare. She has contact numbers of her local safeguarding children board readily available and reads literature to further extend upon her understanding. The thorough policies and procedures in place underpin the childminder's work. She demonstrates a good understanding about how to pass on

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provision

concerns and take action in the event of an allegation. The childminder updates her training, such as first aid. This enables her to be confident in administering treatment to children in the event of an accident. The childminder takes precautions to protect children from any possible risk from media, such as mobile phones and cameras. She destroys digital photographs after she prints them and makes sure visitors to her home switch off their mobile phones. The childminder takes decisive action to minimise risks within her home to help keep children safe.

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provision

The childminder undertakes extensive training to refresh and update her knowledge. Although already qualified at level 3, the childminder wants to extend her formal training even further. The childminder is highly experienced but maintains a drive to continually develop, refresh and improve the quality of care she provides for children. This high ambition and strong drive leads the childminder to critically review every aspect of her provision. She successfully addressed the recommendation from her previous inspection and has targets for future development. As a result, the childminder is able to sustain the highest possible standards in care and education, and children benefit hugely from being in her care. The childminder works with her local authority development worker to review her provision she provides and asks parents for their views. She fully values children's ideas and contributions and plans activities based upon their interests.

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provision

The childminder reviews the delivery of the curriculum for children. She changes the provision of toys to maintain their interest and observes their engagement in activities. She completes the progress check for children between the age of two and three years. These are a highly accurate reflection of children's current stage of development and are written collaboratively with parents. If children attend other early years providers, the childminder exchanges information with them to further support children's continuity of care. This enables her to fully complement children's learning and care. Relationships with parents are highly productive and beneficial for children's learning and well-being. Parents praise the childminder highly as they have confidence in her excellent ability to meet their children's needs. The childminder works with other childminders to share her superb practice and talk about changes which affect their work. She knows about the benefits of

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provision

working with other professionals to support children, should the need arise.

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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 505312 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 848008 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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