Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/11/2014 13/03/2009

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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

 Effective teaching strategies are in place to help children to develop early language and communication skills and to support their physical, personal, social and emotional development. As a result, children are well prepared for their next stage in learning, including school.  Children's individual needs are quickly identified and met through effective partnerships between the childminder and parents. Therefore, children's care and learning are well promoted.  The childminder provides a welcoming and homely environment. She establishes warm and secure relationships with children and they have a strong sense of security and belonging as a result.  The childminder is clear about her role in safeguarding children and is aware of the action to take and who to contact should she have any concerns regarding their welfare.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities are not maximised to make even better use of the many good quality resources by setting up the environment to target children's current interests, so that they are consistently highly motivated and engaged.

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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 childminder's lounge and kitchen.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises and garden used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of records, including children's details, learning information, assessments, trackers, planning, written policies, training certificates and a selection of other documents.  The inspector took parents' views into consideration.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder and interacted with children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1992 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and child in the town of Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has two cats. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at local children's centres. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 10 children on roll, of whom four are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. 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:

 use the good quality resources available more effectively to reflect and build on children's current interests, so that they are consistently highly motivated to learn through curiosity and investigation.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She teaches children the early stages of mathematics during play, for example, colours and counting. The childminder invites children to say rhymes and sing and as a result, they develop good attention and listening skills. She reads with good pace and expression, making story time fun and interesting. This encourages children to join in with actions. The outdoor environment has been developed to offer children richer and more diverse experiences, to promote their exploration and understanding, particularly of the natural world. Children have created a fairy garden and planted herbs, sunflowers and runner beans. The childminder extends children's learning by showing them the life cycle of plants, how they grow and then die.

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who attend

The childminder observes children to find out what they are interested in and enjoy. She re-shapes tasks as they occur. For example, as she invites children to the table for lunch. She encourages them to choose their own fruit and use their knife to cut their fruit. The childminder is sensitive to children's learning needs and knows when to step in to assist, model and guide their play. However, opportunities for children to remain highly motivated and engaged in play, are not maximised. This is because, although, the environment is set up according to children's interests, they do not always have free access to the many stimulating additional resources to spontaneously extend their learning. For example, the childminder provides a shopping role-play area in line with their current interests. She introduces games and activities to extend children's learning, such as a shopping memory game and skilfully interacts with them to extend their vocabulary

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who attend

and knowledge. They show good recall skills as they remember the names of items on their card. Children develop good language and communication skills and confidence by talking in small groups. However, resources, such as books linked to their interest in shopping and food, pens, paper and clip boards, are not always available for children to access freely to enhance their learning. Instead, they wait for the childminder to suggest that they write a shopping list and then she provides the resources.

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who attend

The childminder involves parents in their children's learning by inviting them to contribute to their starting points. This enables her to ensure that children are provided with activities and resources, which they are already familiar and competent with. The childminder shares a communication diary, which is taken home on a daily basis and children's achievements and success are shared with parents and carers. From the start and on an ongoing basis, the childminder assesses and monitors children's progress and parents are encouraged to contribute to their learning. She completes the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years to ensure that any need for early intervention can be identified. The childminder plans children's individual next steps in learning to help them to develop key skills in all seven areas of learning. As a result, children make good progress and are well prepared for school.

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

The childminder provides children with fun activities and they play together and enjoy their time throughout the day. She provides a very welcoming environment, using warm, open body language and shows a genuine interest in the children. As a result, children settle-in well and feel a sense of belonging and form close bonds and attachment with the childminder and other children. The childminder is a good role model and offers gentle reminders of expectations of behaviour. She asks children to share and take turns and consequently, they play cooperatively and show kindness and thoughtfulness as they pass the resources to each other. The childminder offers children praise and encourages them as they tackle tasks, for example, as they roll up their sleeves and wash their hands for lunch time. Consequently, children try hard and persevere with tasks, developing good dispositions for future learning.

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

The childminder follows good hygiene routines and asks children to wash their hands before eating. She provides them with a range of tools to use with care, such as knives, forks and a small milk jug. Older children support younger ones by showing them how to pour milk and eat their food. Children are offered lots of fresh fruit and healthy snacks and they help themselves to a drink of milk or water. This is re-enforced during play as the childminder discusses different foods and where they come from. This means that children are learning how to keep themselves healthy, develop physically and respond to the needs of their own body.

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

The childminder talks to parents regularly about children's care needs and asks what they can do at home. For example, she asks whether children can dress themselves and how they are managing their toileting needs. Therefore, she is able to further support children to develop their self-care skills in a consistent way. Parents contribute to assessment records for children, who attend other settings or move onto school. They speak highly of the childminder, commenting that their children are 'very happy here and at home' and that her kindness and care helps them to feel at ease during the day. Consequently, children are making relationships and developing their social, physical and emotional skills well in preparation for later transitions into nursery or school.

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provision

The childminder gives high priority to the safety of children. She has a very good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements and how to keep children safe. She knows the procedures to follow should she have a concern about a child in her care. Risk assessments are used daily to identify and minimise potential risks and the childminder supervises children closely to keep them safe as they play. All adults in the home have undergone the required suitability checks and the childminder has a written statement of the procedures to follow in relation to complaints. She regularly keeps her knowledge and skills updated by attending relevant training, such as safeguarding, paediatric first aid and food safety. This ensures that children's safety and well-being are well promoted.

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provision

The childminder understands and meets the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She routinely evaluates her practice and reflects on activities to see how children have played and what they have learnt. The childminder looks at what can be improved and accordingly, adapts the educational programmes that she provides to ensure all children make good progress. The wealth of additional training she undertakes, contributes towards the good progress that children make in their learning. For example, she has attended training in relation to supporting children's communication and language development and has implemented the principles learned into her practice. Consequently, children's speech development is well supported. Following training, the childminder has developed the observation and assessment process to make it more user-friendly for parents to engage with more fully. Monitoring and

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provision

assessments are meticulous and clearly shows how children are progressing in each of the seven areas of learning and highlights their next steps in learning. As a result, partnership working with parents is strong and children are supported well with their learning at the setting and home.

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provision

The childminder is keen to continue to develop her practice and undertake training and evaluates the quality of her practice. Since the last inspection, she has purchased an allotment where she plans to take children to help them to learn about planting and growing their own fruit and vegetables. She has developed very good working relationships with parents and regularly invites them to make suggestions to evaluate the service she offers. For example, she provides details of children's progress by sending parents the 'All about me' files, questionnaires and the daily dairy. As a result, parents are able to access children's learning and development records using different methods to suit their needs, which enables them to further support their learning at home. Parents comment that they are very happy with the care that the childminder gives their children. The childminder works very closely with the local school to support children when it is time

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provision

to move on. She understands the importance of working with other agencies, should she identify any gaps in children's learning, to secure appropriate interventions and ensure support is provided for all of them to make good progress.

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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 308040 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 855164 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 10

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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

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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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