Childminder in Dorset

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/11/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 feel safe and secure in the childminder's care as she provides a welcoming environment for them, where they have consistent boundaries and familiar routines.  The childminder has developed good partnerships with parents and works together with another childminder to ensure children's care needs, in particular, are consistently met.  The childminder safeguards children well. She implements her policies and procedures carefully and as a result, children are protected and kept safe  Children participate in a wide range of activities that cover the areas of learning and the quality of teaching is good. Therefore, children make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Adult led activities do not always take into account the children's different ages and stages of concentration. Occasionally younger children lose focus and this limits their chances to learn.  There are not enough opportunities for all children to practise their early writing skills through freely accessing writing and drawing equipment.

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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 the children at play indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed the provision at appropriate times throughout the inspection with the childminder and the co-childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled paperwork including suitability documents, children's files and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sought the views of parents through comments made in children's files and letters of recommendation.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2014. She lives with her husband and their two children in Shaftesbury, and works with another childminder in her house, which is also situated in Shaftesbury, Dorset. Children use a lounge, kitchen/diner and toilet downstairs and two bedrooms, a bathroom and a playroom upstairs. There is a garden area at the back of the house for outside play. The childminder registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder holds a National Vocational Qualification in child care at level 3. There are currently 10 children on roll in the early years range. The childminder offers occasional weekend care.

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

 reorganise the adult-led times such as, registration to ensure that all children, even the youngest, have the opportunity to learn and stay engaged

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

 extend opportunities for all children to have opportunities to freely use writing and drawing equipment in all areas of the environment to promote their emerging writing skills.

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who attend

Overall, children enjoy a stimulating learning environment because the childminder understands how children learn and develop. She has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, she provides a wide range of activities that cover the areas of learning. She uses a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led learning, taking into account children's emerging interests. The childminder works together with another childminder and their like-minded ethos benefits the provision hugely. Overall, planning is individual and tailored to suit the requirements of all children in their care. The childminder contributes to providing a comfortable environment and gives her full attention to the children, which makes learning enjoyable. As a result, children build on their abilities and make good progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder takes time to observe and

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who attend

assess children and uses this information to plan next steps of learning. She gathers information from parents when children first attend and uses this wisely and keeps this information current. The childminder regularly shares this information with parents, including the required progress checks for two-year-old children. This enables parents to continue and extend their child's learning at home. The childminder has a clear picture of each child's stage of learning and development. This means she can easily identify any gaps in their progress and address them quickly in preparation for school.

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who attend

Teaching and learning is good. The childminder supports children's developmental needs and further reinforces their developing skills through effective teaching and the provision of targeted activities. The childminder provides a running commentary for younger children, poses questions and role models language to support communication skills. She also supports children's problem solving skills and understanding of mathematics by asking questions at registration time. Children then count aloud repeating numbers they have heard the childminder use. This supports children's initial mathematical learning. Children also take part in a welcome song. This greeting allows all children to sing along and take turns to answer and participate. As a result, they learn to respect each other, become familiar with their friends' names and this promotes their personal, social and emotional development. Children learn to listen and follow an established routine which helps

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who attend

prepare them for their next stages of learning such as school. Occasionally, the adult-led times are not beneficial for all children. For example, younger children lose focus when their concentration is lost because of the length of time they sit still. Children freely access resources and initiate their own play. For example, children enjoy selecting and reading books with the childminder and laugh as they make different animal noises. The childminder enhances all aspects of children's day, by promoting learning in a creative and imaginative way. For example, upstairs children use the playroom to engage in role play and play musical instruments; they have the chance to freely express themselves without inhibition. Overall, children enjoy many opportunities although there are fewer resources and chances for children to independently access materials that promote their early writing skills. This means children are not always able to draw and engage in pre-writing

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who attend

There are positive partnerships in place with parents. The childminders divide the children into key groups and offer a settling-in process. This allows parents to share information about their children so that secure attachments build from the start. Parents are continually well informed about their children's progress through effective methods of communication. For example, the childminder uses a daily communication book and has daily verbal contact. Parents are invited to be part of the assessment process through contributing to the daily sheets and discussing their children's skills. They are also encouraged to celebrate home learning with 'WOW stars' and these offer shared learning ideas. The childminder has completed required progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years old and has shared these with parents. Parents are involved in home learning as the childminder keeps parents fully informed of future planned topics

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

Children form secure attachments and positive relationships with the childminder and these help to enhance all aspects of children's development. This is a result of a sensitive and caring key-person system. Children are extremely settled and happy and this means they learn and develop well. The childminder is very caring and nurtures children's needs well. Children learn about managing their own self-care needs because the childminder is attentive and knowledgeable to the individual child. Both childminders share information through daily discussion to exchange significant information about children's changing needs. The childminder is a positive role model for children and they are comfortable to approach her for hugs and reassurance. Children behave well and this is because the childminder reinforces the boundaries. Through providing consistent reminders, praise, working in partnership with parents and having routines in place, children's self-esteem

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

The childminder provides healthy snacks and teaches children about the health benefits they provide. Snack time is a social occasion and younger children are safely strapped into high chairs while older ones sit at a low level table. This organisation gives older children responsibility and teaches them to become independent. Children use knives to prepare their own snack and this develops their confidence and hand to eye coordination. Children interact happily with one another and talk about the food they are eating. The childminder teaches children about road safety when they are out in the local community. She explains to them how they prevent trips and falls as they help her to tidy away toys they have finished playing with. This means children are becoming aware of assessing risk. Children regularly participate in fire drills so they know what to do in an emergency evacuation. Therefore, the childminder is encouraging children to build on their independent skills and

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

keep themselves safe in the home environment. The childminder follows good practices that support children's health and reduce the risk of cross infection. Children learn to manage their self-care needs with the full support of the childminder, and she sets out space to offer children privacy. This respects individual stages of development and awareness for all children.

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

Overall, there is a broad range of resources indoors and outdoors. The childminder ensures that children have many opportunities to learn and develop wherever they choose to play.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures and is aware of the appropriate authorities to contact should she have concerns about a child's welfare. She has attended safeguarding training and, together with her co-childminder, adopted a written policy outlining procedures. The childminder has robust safeguarding practices in place. For example, procedures for the use of social networking, mobile phones and use of the camera are robust. The childminder supervises children well; this means that children are well protected in her care. The childminder keeps thorough records of children's attendance, accidents and administration of medication. These procedures help to further protect children and promote their welfare. The childminder and all adults living in the household have had appropriate suitability checks undertaken.

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provision

The childminder has an effective understanding of how to support children in their learning and development. Assessment procedures are consistently in place which means that any gaps in learning are easily identifiable and, therefore, addressed. Activities incorporate all areas of learning, so that children develop the skills they need as they progress towards the early learning goals. Children are interested in learning and mostly remain motivated as the childminder plans activities to support children's interests. The childminder is able to use reflective practice to identify how she can develop activities and enhance children's learning. To further strengthen this process, the two childminders work extremely well together to contribute to the well-established provision. This is the first inspection for the childminder and her knowledge and experience reflect her good understanding of how children learn. There is a commitment to keeping updated on

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provision

revised information and driving improvement to offer children the best outcomes.

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provision

The childminder establishes confident, professional working relationships with parents. She encourages them to share what they know about their child, so that she fully understands and can respect children's individual needs and families' preferences. She informs parents about daily events and provides them with information about the types of activities children have enjoyed through discussions or written records. The childminder establishes good links with others who provide care for the children. She shares information about her observations and children's routines, helping them all to work consistently to support individual children's needs. Parents speak highly of the care and good communication they receive.

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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 EY482501 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 996968 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 10

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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