Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/11/2014 02/10/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 2 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's learning and development is exceptionally well supported by a childminder who plans interesting and challenging activities, ensures that resources are attractive and plentiful and takes every opportunity to extend children's learning.  Children are kept very safe within the home. They actively participate in keeping themselves safe and form very warm and comfortable relationships with the childminder.  The childminder has developed extremely effective ways of engaging parents in their children's learning. As a result the childminder has a comprehensive and very accurate picture of children's interests, routines and stages of development and she uses this information to excellent effect in meeting children's individual needs.

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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 children and the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation, including children's records, policies and the childminder's insurance certificate.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed and observed care routines, including arrangements for eating and sleeping.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector asked the childminder about safeguarding, child protection and first aid.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the childminder about her understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2008 .The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two children. They live in Thorney Leas near Witney, Oxfordshire, close to local schools, shops and parks. The childminder uses all of downstairs of her home and one room upstairs for childminding. There is an enclosed garden for children's outside play. The childminder takes children to local toddler groups. The family has one dog and a tortoise. The childminder currently cares for six children; some on a part-time basis. Three of these children are in the early years age range.

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

 develop additional ways of involving all parents in the provision by building on existing good practice.

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who attend

Children's needs are exceptionally well met. The childminder has extremely successful strategies for involving all parents in assessing their children's progress. As a result, the childminder builds very accurate pictures of children's starting points and interests and uses this information to plan exciting and challenging experiences for all children. For example, she plans a walk to the library to encourage a child with a love of books to walk further. The childminder also plans lots of craft activities for a child who loves to glue and paint as she recognises this will provide prolonged periods of time to help her developing speech.

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who attend

Assessments continue to be extremely precise and focused during children's time with the childminder. As a result any gaps are quickly identified and children can be helped to quickly catch up.

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who attend

Children make excellent choices about what to do and play with so they learn through highly purposeful play. This is because the childminder arranges resources in such a way as to enable all children to see what is available and easily find what they need for their play. Children become very involved in their play because the childminder is skilled in extending their play and providing high levels of challenge for all children, including the very youngest. Children are encouraged to use the garden to collect their own resources, for example twigs to use as arms for a snowman picture. Outdoors, children are challenged to learn about nature; this includes mini beasts and growth and decay because they help to make mini-beast houses and plant lots of bulbs, flowers and vegetables.

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who attend

Younger children are exceptionally well supported as they learn to talk and listen. The childminder is astute in acknowledging all communication and models language very well for children who are just beginning to talk.

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who attend

Children benefit from prolonged periods of uninterrupted play and learning because the childminder recognises that the best learning happens when children are involved and motivated to learn. There is no rush to move from one activity to another and the childminder keeps her routines and schedule deliberately flexible to allow for this to happen.

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who attend

As a result of the extremely well-planned activities, all children are excited to learn and demonstrate all the characteristics of effective learners. They make excellent progress in their learning and development and gain valuable skills to help them in their future learning.

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

Children's care needs are exceptionally well met so they thrive. Children and their parents visit the childminder's home before the children are left in her sole care. The childminder uses this opportunity to find out about care routines at home so that she can follow these too. As a result, children settle exceptionally well and appear relaxed and happy in the childminder's care.

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

Children have extensive opportunities to play outside because the childminder understands about the benefits of fresh air and exercise. The children make regular trips to local parks and thoroughly enjoy playing in the childminder's enclosed garden. As a result, children are gaining an excellent understanding of the benefits of physical exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.

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

The childminder understands that meeting children's care needs in regard to eating, sleeping and rest are essential if children are a going to be happy, confident and able to learn. She is therefore constantly alert to children's changing needs and will make changes to her plans to ensure these needs are met. For example taking very young children out in their pushchair for an unplanned walk if they appear exceptionally tired. As a result of this children are refreshed and able to make the very best use of activities on offer.

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

All children are encouraged to do as much for themselves as they can. Young children remember that they must wash their hands before eating and find their boots before going outside. The childminder makes excellent use of every opportunity to teach children how to look after themselves and their surroundings. Children are taught the skills needed to clear away messy play resources and to prepare their surroundings for meal times. Consequently, children manage their own needs extremely well in relation to their age.

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

Children are kept safe because the childminder is constantly monitoring her home for potential hazards and puts in place sensible and effective means of reducing identified risks. She is equally robust in her assessment of risks outside the home. Children are very effectively supported in their growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe by a childminder who encourages them to play an active role in checking for hazards. Children take part in daily risk assessments alongside the childminder and young children remember that they need to hold the childminder's hand when climbing a slippery step.

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

Children's behaviour is extremely good and the childminder uses praise to reinforce good behaviour. Children learn to play co-operatively and because they form such secure attachments with the childminder they are emotionally well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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provision

Children's needs are quickly identified and exceptionally well met by a childminder who has developed extremely effective ways of communicating with parents. She has an excellent understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

The childminder is very proactive in seeking help and advice from other professionals when needed and uses this advice to help to further improve outcomes for all children. For example help and advice from a speech specialist that was sought to support a child is used by the childminder to help all children develop excellent talking and listening skills. The childminder builds highly effective partnerships with schools. As a result schools have very accurate information about children's stages of development when they start and so the move for each child is smooth and children can continue to learn.

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provision

The childminder actively seeks out training opportunities to enhance her knowledge and practice with regard to safeguarding and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result children continue to be exceptionally well cared for and to be challenged and stimulated in their learning. The childminder is continually evaluating her provision and always looking for ways to improve what she does. She values children's opinions and finds successful strategies for involving all children in this process. As a result all children feel highly valued. The childminder includes parents in the evaluation process by sending questionnaires when children leave her care. These questionnaires ask parents about what their child has enjoyed or not enjoyed and what suggestions they may have for improvements. The childminder successfully involves parents in their own children's learning but she is slightly less successful at engaging

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provision

parents in reviewing the provision as a whole and this is an area for further development.

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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 EY370233 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 829164 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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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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