Ashworth, Danielle

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/10/2014 20/04/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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 enjoy a wide range of activities that have breadth and depth across the seven areas of learning. Therefore, children make good progress in their learning.  The childminder is skilled in questioning children during play and activities. As a result, children's communication and language is very well promoted.  The quality of teaching is good with some aspects being outstanding. The childminder is a skilled practitioner who facilitates children's learning effectively, providing rich and exciting challenges that motivates children to learn.  The childminder has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements and has robust policies and procedures in place. She is very confident in the procedures to follow to address any child protection issues.  The childminder works effectively with her co-childminder and demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement. Therefore, she effectively prioritises

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This provision is good

improvements that will benefit children the most.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for parents to share information about what children are learning at home and complement experiences undertaken at the childminder's setting have not been fully embedded.

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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 childminder's home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the childminder while she interacted with the children and held discussions with her and her co-childminder, about the setting throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked the childminder's documentation, including the children's learning records, risk assessments and the childminder's systems for self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked the evidence of the suitability of the childminder and other adults living at the home.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, who is also registered as a childminder and their four children, aged 15, 12, 10 and four years, in a house in Bacup. The whole of the ground floor, four bedrooms on the second floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has two crested geckos 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-schools. There are currently 15 children on roll, eight of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 5.30am to 7pm, 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:

 seek and use more regularly, information from parents about what children are learning at home and use this to inform future planning.

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who attend

The childminder understands the children's individual learning needs effectively. This results in, children receiving a broad range of enjoyable activities, that supports their interests and learning across the seven areas. Children make good progress overall, according to their starting points and the time spent at the provision. The quality of teaching is good. For example, children receive effective support from the childminder, because she interacts with them in a positive way as they play. She is skilled at using open-ended questions consistently. This supports children's developing thinking skills and promotes their language and communication successfully. The children are developing their early literacy skills well. For example, children have opportunities to make marks with different media, such as, chalks, pencils and paint. The childminder uses books effectively, teaching children how to link the word to the picture and develop further understanding.

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who attend

In addition, the childminder uses labelling indoors and outside to support children's recognition of words.

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who attend

The childminder uses her observations of children effectively, to plan challenging next steps in their learning. For example, she successfully identifies appropriate areas of learning that need to be extended, such as, children's social development. She ensures the identified area is carried through into future activities. All of this effectively supports children's all-round development and their readiness for school. Parents are initially included in their children's learning through discussions at settling-in sessions. However, emerging information from parents is not consistently given consideration. For instance, what children are learning at home, so that this can be included in the childminder's future planning and further complement children's development. The childminder has a good knowledge of the purpose of carrying out the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years at the appropriate time and she is aware of the need to share

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who attend

this with parents and other professionals.

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who attend

Children's mathematical development is given a strong focus by the childminder. She encourages counting throughout activities and during daily routines. For example, children compare differences in size, shape and appearance during an activity, which involves learning about insects. During this activity, the childminder encourages mathematical language, such as, big and small and she uses clear and effective questioning to help children learn early calculation. Numerals are represented and used well within the learning environment indoors and outdoors. Children learn to gain an awareness of diversity through the appropriate use of resources, such as, books and through regular outings in the community.

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

Children are very well settled at the childminder's home, due to the individualised settling- in sessions at her home and also as the childminder visits children in their own home. The childminder gathers lots of useful information, to ensure she is well prepared and confident that she can meet children's individual needs, before they are left in her care. Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure, as they confidently explore the environment, interacting with the childminder when they need her. The childminder fosters children's independence well. She encourages them to tidy away toys and to help her with domestic tasks, such as, preparing the fruit for snack and helping to organise the table. Babies demonstrate their independence, as they confidently feed themselves a range of healthy finger foods and chopped fruit. In addition, the childminder understands the importance of ensuring children have the skills they will need for school and she

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

demonstrates a good understanding of how she will do this and the importance of including parents and other professionals in this process. For example, she completes and shares a short written progress report for each child and invites teachers and other practitioners into her setting, to get to know children before they move on to school or nursery. Additionally, she collects children from school and nursery and has positive relationships with the teachers and nursery staff. This ensures that any moves between settings are smooth and support children's confidence and self-esteem.

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

The childminder is an excellent role model for children. She uses clear and consistent strategies to manage behaviour and always offers children clear, age-appropriate explanations for any unwanted behaviours. Therefore, given their age and stage of development, they behave very well and are courteous with one another. The childminder supports children's awareness of keeping themselves safe. For example, she discusses with children the need to hold the knife carefully as they chop the fruit and she explains to them the need to wait for her at the garden gate. Regular fire evacuation practices and discussions about road safety, away from the home, further contribute to children's understanding of keeping themselves safe. Children have access to a wide range of resources, that are safe, clean and attractively organised in the playrooms and also outdoors. Babies enjoy exploring sensory resources, such as, wooden shakers and

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

different textured cushions and soft toys.

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

Children's health is successfully supported by the childminder. Clear messages are given to children about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. For example, children grow fruit and vegetables in the garden and they help the childminder harvest these and prepare these for cooking and eating. Consequently, children's understanding of where food comes from and which foods are healthy is extended. The children benefit from fresh air, because the childminder ensures children have daily access to the outdoor area and they routinely enjoy outings in the local community. Children learn about good hygiene practices, because they play and learn in a clean environment and the childminder reminds them to wash their hands before meals. Hygiene routines at nappy times are good. The childminder sanitises the changing area after each child has been changed. This limits the risk of cross infection and ensures children's health is protected.

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provision

Children's safety is well promoted, because the childminder is very knowledgeable about the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Effective risk assessments for her home and for outings enable her to effectively minimise hazards and maintain a safe environment for children. The childminder maintains suitable records for each child and these are stored securely. She has completed safeguarding training and she is aware of the signs and symptoms that would alert her to any child protection issues. In addition, she is confident about the action she would take, if she had concerns about a child in her care or the conduct of her co-childminder. Consequently, she knows how to protect children from potential harm. There is a clear safeguarding policy in place, which also provides guidance on the use of mobile phones and cameras. The childminder is aware of her responsibilities when administering medicine and holds a valid first-aid certificate. Additionally, her and

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provision

her co-childminder have undergone the required suitability checks, which further ensures children's safety. The childminder's documentation is very well organised, ready for inspection and it underpins hers and her co-childminder's practice very well. This, together with a good range of policies and procedures means that children are protected.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the learning and development requirements. She plans a range of stimulating and varied activities and experiences for children across the seven areas of learning. The childminder routinely monitors children's progress and shares this with parents and other providers. As a result, children are provided with consistency in their learning, which supports them to make optimum progress. The childminder understands the need to complete the progress check for children aged between two and three years. She continuously reflects and evaluates on the service she provides, to ensure she maintains ongoing improvements that benefit children. For instance, she consults with her co-childminder during quiet periods of the day, or in the evening, to discuss future plans and combine their ideas. On reflection of recent evaluations, they have considered new menus for the autumn and the childminder

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provision

has prioritised further improvements to the outdoor area, such as, creating spaces for children to be able to grow even more fruit and vegetables and have space for more role- play equipment. Additionally, they have recently replaced the outdoor grounds to include a large area covered with cushion flooring, to further ensure children's safety and make access to the outdoors freely available each day.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are strong. The childminder takes time to get to know children and their families and keeps them fully informed about their children's day, by means of daily verbal communications and regular written evaluations of their progress. Written references from parents, state they feel extremely happy with the care and education that the childminder and her co-childminder provide for their children. Since her last inspection, the childminder has shown a committed approach to improving her setting. For example, she has addressed all the recommendations raised in her last report. The childminder conducts regular self-evaluation and takes into account the views of parents; this means she has made the necessary improvements that benefit children and their families the most. The childminder is working in partnership with her local childminder co-ordinator, in completing her childminding portfolio. This further demonstrates her commitment to

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provision

ongoing improvement of the setting and her strive to improve outcomes for the children who attend her setting.

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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 EY362479 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 878473 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 15

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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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