Childminder in Norfolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/11/2014 16/11/2011

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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

 The childminder demonstrates friendly and trusting partnerships with parents. She keeps them informed about their child's day and developmental progress. She encourages parents to remain actively engaged in their children's learning, both in the childminding setting and at home.  Children are provided with a stimulating and varied range of activities, to promote their interests. The quality of teaching is consistently good, to support children to make good progress in their learning and development.  Children feel safe and develop close emotional attachments with the childminder. They are happy and settled in this warm and welcoming childminding setting. The childminder safeguards children's welfare because she has a good awareness of child protection issues.  Children's achievements are supported because the childminder has a clear understanding of her own strengths and weaknesses. She seeks the views of parents

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This provision is good

when planning for continuous improvement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not implement a high quality programme of professional supervision for her assistants, to focus on planning for their professional development.  The childminder does not focus sufficiently well on providing children with good quality print in the environment, to support their early reading skills.

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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 the kitchen.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of adults working with children and household members.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at activity planning, records of children's learning and a selection of policies and records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector did not see any parents during this inspection but took account of written testimonials from them.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She works with assistants and lives with her family in a house in Norwich, Norfolk. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has no 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. The childminder takes children to, and collects children from, 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 operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, 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:

 focus more closely on providing children with good quality print in the environment, to support their early reading skills

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

 strengthen the arrangements for the supervision of assistants, to focus more closely on planning for their professional development.

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who attend

The childminder has a good awareness of children's likes, dislikes and interests when they first attend her childminding setting because she gathers useful information from parents. This means that she is able to immediately provide activities that children enjoy, building on what they know and supporting them to settle quickly. The childminder observes children as they play, and keeps a written record, in order to ensure that she is identifying the next steps in their learning and planning for their individual needs. The childminder talks confidently about where children are in their learning and development and what she needs to do to support their continuing progress. The childminder encourages parents to review the written records about their children's learning and to contribute what they know about their children. This supports parents to continue to be involved in their children's learning in the childminding setting and at home. The childminder is aware of

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who attend

the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years and completes the check as it becomes due. This helps ensure that any concerns about children's learning and development are quickly identified and managed.

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who attend

Children are supported well by the childminder to make good progress in their learning and development and the quality of teaching is consistently good. She plans suitably challenging and stimulating activities that children enjoy. As a result, they are motivated to learn and are supported to acquire the skills they need to be ready for the next stage in their learning, such as moving onto school. The childminder is actively engaged in children's routine activities and their play. She sits with them as they eat their lunch and promotes this as a lovely, social time in which all children are included. She involves all children in discussions about what they have done during the morning. Children are confident in their interactions with the childminder and readily take turns in conversation. They chat comfortably about what they have been doing during their time at pre-school and readily make links with past experiences. Children confidently talk about past trips

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who attend

abroad and what they saw and experienced. The childminder asks open-ended questions and gives children time to process the question before they answer. She introduces new vocabulary and children confidently try to repeat the word, such as talking about a satsuma that the childminder was eating as part of her lunch. The childminder support children who speak English as an additional language and promotes their inclusion by ensuring that they are able to see labels in their home language as well as English. However, although the additional languages are represented well, labelling in English is not of such a good quality to support children's developing awareness of print and early reading. This is because labelling in English is mostly written in capital letters.

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who attend

Children's awareness of numbers and counting is developing well. They show good interest in the fruit and vegetables that the childminder is eating, particularly the mange tout, where they readily count how many seeds they can see through the skin. Children's counting skills are further promoted through play activities. When playing with the small world farm animals, children readily sort the animals. They put all of the pigs together and count them, counting accurately to 13 and saying a number name for each item. The childminder talks to the children about the animals and introduces the names for the babies, such as, piglets, puppies and kittens. Children enjoy singing and spontaneously sing songs about animals in response this. They recall familiar songs and rhymes, including those that they have learned from favourite films on television. The childminder plays back video recordings of children singing and dancing and they pay rigid attention to

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who attend

watching it. Children cooperate with each other as they dance. They also play cooperatively as part of a group to develop and enthusiastically act out a narrative. For example, children dress up as characters, such as tigers and turtles and act out as story as it is made up by the childminder. They laugh as they pretend to swim across the floor and ride on the pretend raft.

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

The childminder supports children and families well to settle into her childminding setting, through inviting them to visit together before childminding arrangements begin. During these visits, the childminder builds relationships with the parents and gets to know the child. As a result, children are happy and settled. Their emotional well-being is supported effectively and they build close bonds with the childminder. She provides a secure presence for children and they confidently chat to her, such as telling her about their morning at pre-school when they are sitting together having lunch. The childminder finds out about babies' established routines for sleeping and feeding, and follows these to promote continuity of care. The childminder provides a safe and stimulating learning environment. Children benefit from a varied range of age-appropriate toys and resources, to support their learning and development. Toys are stored in low-level cupboards and drawer units. This enables

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

children to help themselves to what they want to play with. Children feel secure and develop the necessary skills which helps them embrace new experiences with confidence, such as moving on to nursery or school. The childminder is a good role model and treats children with respect and positive regard. Children respond well to her high expectations and show a good awareness of the needs and feelings of others. The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of how to manage unwanted behaviour. She manages challenging behaviour sensitively, taking into account children's age and level of understanding. She places meaningful praise on good behaviour and individual efforts. This supports children's developing understanding of right and wrong and promotes their self-esteem.

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

Children's dietary needs are mostly met by parents because they provide packed lunches for their children. Lunches are stored in the fridge until needed. The childminder uses a British Heart Foundation poster, to support children's interest in foods that are good for them. She encourages them to identify the fruit and vegetables in their lunch box and they use moveable stickers to circle on the poster the fruit and vegetables that are in their lunch box. Individual drinks are kept available at all times, helping children to stay hydrated. The childminder supports children's self-care skills as they move towards independence. They wash their own hands before eating and manage their personal needs according to their age and stage of development. Children have individual hand towels that are on separate pegs, to reduce the risks of cross-infection. The childminder further supports children's good health by promoting an active lifestyle. Children are

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

encouraged to play in the garden, where she provides a range of activities to promote all areas of learning. She also takes children on outings into the local community, where they explore the natural world and develop their physical skills at the local playground. The childminder reminds children about safe practices, such as looking and listening for traffic before crossing the road.

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provision

The childminding premises are safe and secure. The childminder risk assesses indoors and outside, to ensure children are able to play safely. She has a good awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse, to help her recognise when a child is at risk of abuse or neglect. She understands that her first responsibility is to the child and she knows what to do if she is concerned. This ensures that the welfare of children is safeguarded effectively. The childminder has assistants registered to work with her, who work as and when required to ensure that ratios are maintained. The suitability of assistants has been checked by Ofsted and a record of checks is maintained. The childminder observes her assistants as they work with the children and makes informal suggestions to improve their practice. However, she does not implement a high quality programme of professional supervision, that is sharply focused on their professional development, in order to raise the standards

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provision

of care and education even higher. The childminder has taken good steps to address the actions and recommendations set at her last inspection. For example, she has revised her systems for observing and assessing children's learning so that she is able to identify learning priorities and plan relevant, motivating learning experiences for each child. The childminder monitors the quality of the teaching and learning, ensuring that each child receives an interesting and challenging learning experience. She reflects well on the childminding service that she offers. Consequently, she is aware of her strengths and priorities for improvement. The childminder is committed to her own professional development and attends relevant training courses, to improve her childcare skills and knowledge. She reflects on what she has learned and introduces this into her childcare setting. For example, she has recently attended a training course about promoting children's sensory skills. As a result, she has

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provision

introduced a box of wooden objects into her setting, including items, such as a rolling pin with bumps on it, a curtain ring, and a spoon. The childminder has found that children's sense of touch is highly stimulated by these and she has been able to introduce new vocabulary in response to their interest.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a friendly and trusting relationships with parents. Written testimonials from parents show that they are very happy with the childcare service that is provided, including the trips that she makes with the children to the local parks, pool and city centre. Parents value that the childminder spends time playing with the children and teaching them new skills, such as putting on their own coat. Parents particularly value that she is flexible to their changing childcare needs and appreciate the advice that she gives them, such as what they can do to support the next steps in their child's development. The childminder keeps parents informed about their children's day, through verbal discussion and also written diaries. The childminder has established effective partnerships with others who provide care and learning for the children, to encourage a useful two-way flow of information that ensures a comprehensive sharing of children's 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 EY421138 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 880026 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 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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