Childminder in Durham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/11/2014 15/10/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The children's individual needs are successfully met as the childminder understands the importance and value of working with parents. She communicates with them in a variety of ways, so that they are fully informed and involved in their child's learning.  The childminder ensures all children are safeguarded in her home. There are robust policies and procedures in place, which are firmly embedded in the daily routine to make sure children remain safe.  Children build secure relationships with the childminder and her assistants, which helps them to feel emotionally secure. Frequent praise and encouragement successfully promotes their confidence and self-esteem.  The childminder has a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She uses observations to plan a range of activities, which supports children's learning and development. As a result, the children make good progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are fewer natural resources that encourage babies and young children to investigate and explore using all of their senses effectively.  The childminder and her assistants do not evaluate the impact of each other's practice. As a result, opportunities are missed to further enhance their good understanding and teaching.

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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 looked at a range of relevant documents and viewed the areas of the premises used for childminding, including the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of the childminder, her assistants and household members.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistants and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection and involved the childminder in a joint observation of an activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the information provided in the self-evaluation document and also took account of the views of parents.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2002 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She works with two assistants and lives with her husband in a house in Toft Hill. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. There is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. The family has fish as pets. The childminder occasionally attends a local toddler group. She visits a local play park and takes the children on outings to local areas of interests. The childminder also offers before and after school care. There are currently 11 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 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. 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:

 enhance babies and children's sensory development, for example, by extending opportunities for them to explore and investigate a wider range of natural resources

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

 strengthen systems for evaluating practice, so that opportunities are provided to further enhance the already good understanding of how to deliver purposeful learning through effective teaching.

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who attend

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She works closely with her assistants to complete regular observations of children's learning and gathers relevant information from parents with regard to children's starting points before they attend the setting. This enables them to plan and provide activities that are of interest to the children. There is a a lot of photographic evidence showing what the children have been doing, which is shared with the parents on a daily basis. Observations and assessments of what children know, understand and can do are recorded, evaluated and used to plan a wide range of activities to support children's learning effectively. As a result, children are making good progress from their starting points, which helps prepare them for the next stage in their learning. The childminder develops positive relationships with parents and other providers; they regularly share information about children's

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who attend

progress, which helps to ensure continuity in their learning and development. The childminder has completed the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years and shared this with parents to provide effective information on children's development.

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who attend

Children have access to outdoor activities and are involved in digging and planting activities, developing their understanding of the living world, for example, they are currently growing carrots in the garden. Children have less opportunity to enhance their senses and exploration as they have fewer opportunities to explore a wide range of natural and real items in the indoor area. This is because these items are not always available, as they are kept in an upstairs room and only accessed occasionally. Children enjoy sharing books and stories with the childminder and her assistants, who skilfully extend the children's vocabulary through effective questioning, when they read with them. They also provide lots of praise for their efforts. This helps to support and motivate children to learn. The childminder provides good opportunities to promote the children's personal, social and emotional development as they attend groups and go on outings in

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who attend

the local area. This increases their confidence and allows them to socialise with other children.

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who attend

Communication and language are effectively supported as the childminder and her assistants engage in constant discussions with the children during their play activities. Children are confident and comfortable to communicate with the childminder, her assistants and their peers. For example, children sit happily together during meal times and listen to each other as they talk about what they have been doing. The childminding assistant engages in shared thinking with the children and enthusiastically talks about what they could do with the boxes she has found, while they were having their snack. This helps to develop children's language and critical thinking skills. The children confidently differentiate between the sizes and colours of the boxes during the adult-led activity. However, when some of the children lose interest in the activity, their play is slightly disorganised for a short while, as the activity went on too long for some of the children,

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who attend

whose concentration skills are not as well developed. The childminder does not always use instances like this to evaluate the practice of assistants and further enhance their interactions to extend children's learning in future activities. Consequently, children are not always supported to get the most out of all activities and make the best possible progress.

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

The childminder and her assistants are skilled and sensitive in helping children of all ages form secure emotional attachments. Parents explain how the childminder uses a settling-in process to get to know children and their families. Consequently, children form strong bonds with the childminder and her assistants. They separate from their parents with confidence. This is because the childminder offers affection and reassurance. The childminder uses different forms of communication to keep all parents informed about their children's learning and development. This means that partnerships with parents are strong. The childminder promotes a healthy lifestyle within her setting. She provides fruit for snack and the children are encouraged to choose which fruit they want. She usually provides home cooked meals and has healthy eating posters for the children to look at and discuss, ensuring that they understand which foods are healthy.

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

The children all showed confidence in social situations. For example, at different points during the inspection each one of the children came and spoke to the inspector independently, talking about what they were doing and encouraging involvement in their play. The children are kind towards each other, behave well and are very good at sharing. At times they were checking out that their friends were okay. For example, when one of the children went to the toilet, another child went to the door to ask if she was okay. Children have a good understanding of how to manage risks. This is because the childminder provides a variety of experiences, both in the setting and in the local community. For example, children learn how to cross the road during trips to the park and road safety is reinforced when taking the older children to school. Children are developing self-help skills, for example, they know that they need to wash their hands before they

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

have food and after they have been to the toilet. Children are praised for their efforts. Therefore, they are self-assured and independent, which means they are emotionally well prepared for school.

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

The childminder is highly effective in promoting safety. For example, the children are encouraged to tidy up when they have finished playing with a toy so that they do not trip up. The childminder alerts children to possible hazards, such as tripping over the small step between the playroom and the lounge. As a result, they are learning to be safe independently. The childminder and both of her assistants hold a current paediatric first- aid certificate. This ensures that they are able to respond appropriately if children need treatment. The garden is easily accessible to children and provides opportunities for plenty of free and creative play. For example, there is a shed that has been fully resourced with equipment for the children. There is also a planting area where the children are currently growing carrots. The childminder also takes the children's interests from within the setting into the outdoors. For example, some of the children are currently interested in a

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

particular story; the childminder has taken resources outside to enable them to follow their interest in this story in the garden as well as indoors, supporting their learning effectively.

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provision

The childminder provides a broad range of experiences ensuring children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Observations of children are recorded with photographs and examples of work in children's learning journals. The childminder also has a journal of photographs for each child showing the variety of activities that they have taken part in, ensuring that parents are kept fully informed. The observations are used to plan next steps, taking in to account the children's interests and stages of development. The journals are shared with the parents on a regular basis and they are encouraged to add their comments. This helps to ensure that all children are working within expected levels. The childminder and one of her assistants are very experienced and have a very good understanding of how children learn. However, the childminder and her assistants do not evaluate the effectiveness of each other's practice and so there are missed

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provision

opportunities to further enhance their already good understanding of purposeful learning through effective teaching. The childminder has completed a self-evaluation form, which identifies areas for future improvement. She has successfully met the recommendation from the last inspection, by improving links with other settings children attend.

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provision

There are robust written policies and procedures are in place, which are reviewed regularly. They are shared with parents during the induction process and they are given their own copy if they want one. The childminder and her assistant have a good understanding of their responsibilities and procedures for safeguarding. The childminder has a file in place which contains all relevant phone numbers. The childminder carries out daily checks of the areas used and has detailed risk assessments for all areas in the setting and also for trips out in the local community. She takes appropriate action to minimise any hazards that are identified, and as a result, children are kept safe and secure. For example, even though the fish tank has safety glass the chilminder has a guard around the tank to ensure the children are kept safe. All adults who live or work in the setting have undergone appropriate checks and are, therefore, suitable to work with

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provision

Partnerships with the local school; and nursery are well established and make a strong contribution to meeting children's needs. For example, the childminder takes the children to, and picks them up from, the local school. She has developed good links with teachers and they effectively share information about children. This means that children are supported well throughout the day. The childminder takes great care to ensure that all families are welcomed and valued in her setting. As a result, parents comment positively about the childminder and say, 'I recommend her to everyone, she is terrific'.

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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 EY102298 Local authority Durham Inspection number 848131 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 11

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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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