Childminder in Leicester

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/11/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder swiftly identifies children's starting points and plans rich and varied experiences across the seven areas of learning. As a result, children make excellent progress in their learning and development.  The childminder embraces training opportunities that thoroughly support her continuous improvement, which has a positive impact on children's well-being, learning and development.  Children are happy and they behave exceptionally well. This is because the childminder and her assistant offer lots of praise, attention, care and encouragement.  Relationships and attachments between the childminder, her assistant and children are excellent. This means children are happy, secure and feel safe in their care.  The utmost priority is given to protecting and safeguarding the welfare of children. This is evident through highly effective practices and procedures.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted exceptionally well

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This provision is outstanding

by the childminder. She provides children with wonderful play and learning opportunities within the local community. This enables children to develop high levels of social confidence.  The childminder works closely with parents and other provisions children attend. As a result, children benefit greatly from the consistency of care, learning and development because of the effective strategies she implements.

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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 toured the premises and observed children's activities.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of the assistant and all household members. She also checked the childminder's qualifications, policies and procedures, and discussed the childminder's self-evaluation form and improvement plans.  The inspector also took account of parents' views through their written evaluations.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and five children. The childminder is registered to work with an assistant. The whole of the ground floor and enclosed rear garden is used for childminding. The family has a pet cat and a rabbit. The childminder takes children to, and collects children from, the local schools. There are currently four children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age range and they attend for a variety of sessions. The childminding provision operates all year round, from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder also offers overnight care. 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:

 enrich the opportunities for children to enhance their very good literacy skills, for example, by providing them with resources, such as mats, cushions, chairs and tables in the outdoor environment, so they may create cosy areas in which they can share their love of books with the childminder and their peers.

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who attend

The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a very robust knowledge of all the areas of learning and development stages children go through. Children actively learn and develop extremely well as they play. The childminder exhibits a consistently high standard of teaching. She is especially skilled at extending children's communication and language skills while chatting with, and playing alongside, them. She does this by sensitively knowing when to join in children's play, by asking relevant, open- ended questions, reinforcing children's use of words and introducing new vocabulary. Consequently, children excel in their communication and language development as well as their personal, social and emotional development. The childminder observes children during activities and makes precise assessments of their abilities. An effective monitoring

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who attend

system enables her to evaluate children's progress and ensure any gaps in their learning are easily identifiable. The childminder works closely with parents from the outset and gathers information about their child's likes, dislikes and interests. During initial and ongoing conversations, parents contribute information about their children's learning and development at home. This highly efficient system enables the childminder to form accurate starting points in order to plan focused and targeted activities and support, which successfully challenge and extend children's learning. The childminder keeps parents well informed about their child's progress through daily discussions. Children's learning folders and photographs record children's achievements, personal routines and activities they have enjoyed. The childminder encourages parents, on a regular basis, to share their children's achievements at home with her. She then celebrates children's achievements as

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who attend

'wow' moments with other children in her care. As a result, children feel a strong sense of belonging and their self-confidence is actively supported.

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who attend

The childminder works closely with parents when completing the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. These highly successful partnerships mean that parents play an active and supportive role in their child's learning and progression. Furthermore, the childminder has formed excellent partnerships with other settings children attend. This ensures all children benefit greatly from consistency in their care. Consequently, all children make exceptional progress and rapidly close any gaps in their learning. The childminder demonstrates superb understanding of the importance of developing children's self-confidence and self-awareness. She regular takes younger children to local 'stay and play' groups, where she sensitively supports and encourages the children to take part in the activities, such as playing group games with the large parachute. The childminder enthusiastically takes part in the activity, keeping children

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who attend

close to her, and provides them with a narrative of what she is doing. As a result, children feel reassured, safe, secure, and confident to take part in the activity when they feel ready to do so. The childminder significantly enhances children's physical development, while providing them with rich and varied opportunities to explore media and materials. For example, she gradually introduces dried cereals, pasta, rice and dhal into the home corner, enabling younger children to actively touch, feel, taste, pour, fill, and role play at cooking with real ingredients. As children become more confident with the concept of exploring materials in this way, she provides them with further opportunities to be creative. For example, exploring how colour can be changed through mixing paints. How magic sand instantly dries when lifted out of water and how cotton wool and sponges soak up water and can be transported and squeezed into other containers. Additionally, children

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who attend

experience 'awe and wonder' moments as the objects they place into a bowl of water come out gold in colour. These types of inspiring activities encourage children to think creatively and critically.

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who attend

Children benefit from an excellent balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. The childminder implements an abundance of excellently planned, challenging and interesting activities. Play equipment provides children with optimal opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children develop core muscle strength as they sit and balance on large bouncy balls and experience climbing and sliding within the indoor environment. Outdoors, children benefit from physical exertion as they push themselves up and down on the seesaw and enjoy digging with large spades and filling buckets with sand. Consequently, children feel confident and self-assured in their newfound physical capabilities. Through working closely with the parents and talking to and observing children, the childminder quickly takes account of the things that interest them. For example, she has an abundance of role-play hairdressing toys and equipment, and

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who attend

engages with children in their pretend play. This increases children's knowledge and awareness of their mummy's line of work. Consequently, children's understanding of people and professions within their local community and their self-confidence and self- esteem is actively promoted. The childminder successfully teaches children mathematical concepts through daily play routines. For example, children have fun as the childminder and her assistant turn a digging and filling buckets with sand activity into a counting race. Additionally, the childminder expressively emphasizes the language of size at every opportunity. For example, when reading the Hungry Caterpillar story she puts emphasis on the words, 'tiny' and 'big'. Consequently, children make very good progress in their mathematical development.

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who attend

Children's communication and language development are supported extremely well by the childminder. When engaging children in conversation, and reading stories to them, she naturally extends their learning by recalling and talking about past events in their lives. For example, when reading about the caterpillar eating the leaf, she encourages the children to recall how the leaves blew in the garden on a windy day. This prompts the children to talk about how their daddy swept up the leaves in their own back garden. Children have access to a vast selection of multicultural fact and fiction books. Older children confidently attempt to read stories aloud. They skilfully hold the book, turn the pages and follow each sentence with their index finger as they read it. The childminder gives children time to remember the names of the fruits in the picture and only intervenes when children ask for her help. The childminder offers lots of praise and encouragement

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who attend

and, as a result, children are progressing well in their literacy development. Children's early writing abilities are encouraged as the childminder gives them plenty of opportunities to make marks; for example, children draw, make marks and create pictures using a variety of pens, crayons, paints and creative materials. As a result of highly successful partnerships with parents and other providers, and the childminder's rich, varied and imaginative planning and accurate observation and assessment systems. Children are acquiring the skills, attitudes and dispositions they require to prepare them exceptionally well for when the times comes to move on to other settings, such as school.

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

Children's well-being is enhanced as they form extremely secure attachments with the childminder and her assistant, and they are evidently happy in their care. Children are highly confident as they engage in conversations with both the childminder and her assistant. The childminder is attentive to the children and listens closely to what they have to say. She summarises and repeats what they have said to demonstrate she has understood. This supports children's self-confidence and self-awareness. Through listening to children and forming close partnerships with parents, she is fully aware of children's individual needs. Consequently, the childminder meets all the children's care and learning needs effectively and consistently. The childminder invites new children due to start in her care and their parents to attend stay-and-play sessions. As a result, the new children and their parents get to know the childminder, her assistant and other children well, in a

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

relaxed and fun environment. Parents can gradually build up the length of time children start in her care or children can start straight away, depending on their needs. The childminder places a photograph of the children on their individual coat peg. This gives children a sense of belonging and helps them feel secure and make smooth moves from home into the childminder's care. Children snuggle up to and enjoy sitting on the childminder's knee to read stories. The childminder is a skilled practitioner and expertly supports and reassures children when meeting new people or visiting new places. Consequently, children feel confident in social situations and demonstrate high levels of self-control.

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

The childminder is enthusiastic and energetic in her approach to children's learning, yet has a naturally calming demeanour. She is patient and consistent in her expectations of children's behaviour. The childminder and her assistant deploy themselves well and provide children with clear guidance about what is acceptable behaviour, taking into account their ages and stages of development. The childminder and her assistant are highly positive role models. They model good manners, respect for others and children observe them both, sharing routine tasks, such as cleaning and cooking. As a result, children are exceptionally well behaved, have respect for, and are polite towards, the childminder, her assistant and their peers. The childminder embraces living in a multi- cultural society. She respects children as separate and unique individuals, giving them natural opportunities to learn from and share with one another similarities and differences

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

about their differing cultures and beliefs. For example, they talk about and learn the various language greetings of the colourful welcome posters displayed. The learning environment, both indoor and outside, is very well resourced and highly welcoming. The childminder optimises the potential of both the indoor and outdoor environment, and provides children with a wide range of resources to enhance all areas of their learning. Children move freely from indoors to outdoors and have daily opportunities to experience the benefits of physical exercise. They have daily opportunities to take safe risks and experience challenge. For example, children climb on the seesaw and follow instructions to hold on tight, so as not to fall. As a result, children learn to understand why boundaries are in place to keep themselves and others safe. Children's safety is given the highest priority without limiting their independent exploration because the childminder and her

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

assistant are alert and vigilant. This ensures children are very well supervised and kept safe at all times.

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

Older children have excellent independent skills and confidently manage their own personal needs. The childminder is close by to offer support to younger children, and gently reminds all children about the importance of hand washing which is to wash away germs they cannot see. Children change out of their pre-school uniform into their play clothes, confidently put on their coats and outdoor shoes, and pour their own drinks. The children have a highly positive introduction to leading healthy lifestyles. The childminder provides children with healthy snacks and demonstrates very good knowledge and understanding of the importance of children eating a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet. Children demonstrate their understanding of having a good diet as they know milk is good for keeping teeth and bones healthy. Furthermore, she supports parents when they ask for her help and advice of how to encourage their children to eat a more varied diet.

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

Consequently, children are adopting a healthy love of food. Children have regular opportunities outside the childminder's home to further develop their self-confidence and independence skills. For example, the childminder takes children to children's play activities, the park and story time at the library. This, as well as excellent parent and other provider partnerships, benefits children through consistency of care. Consequently, children are emotionally well prepared for their next stages of learning as they receive the support they need to make consistently very good progress.

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provision

The childminder and her assistant have an excellent understanding of their roles and responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are aware of the potential signs of abuse and know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare, or if an allegation is made against them, and which agencies to inform. Appropriate documentation is in place to record any concerns they may have. The childminder has a detailed written safeguarding policy, along with other required documentation, which she shares with parents when children start in her care. The childminder has the correct documentation in place, for example, to record details of children's attendance and any existing injuries children may have when they arrive in her care. The childminder updates her knowledge of safeguarding children through attending regular child-protection

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provision

training. The childminder and her assistant are vigilant. They anticipate and minimise potential hazards, through effective daily risk assessments, enabling children to play freely. The childminder ensures the suitability of those working with children. Furthermore, she understands when she needs to notify Ofsted of changes to her service. The childminder and her assistant hold current paediatric first-aid certificates. Therefore, they are well prepared to respond appropriately to a first-aid emergency. The childminder and her assistant deploy themselves effectively to ensure children's needs are met and children are well supervised at all times. The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of good internet safety practices, for example, by using computer parental controls. Positive relationships with parents mean good channels of communication are in place. This enables the childminder to be aware of children's individual needs and family

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provision

circumstances at all times. Consequently, children's welfare is actively promoted and children are kept safe and well protected.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates an extremely high commitment to the children in her care, ensuring they receive the best possible start in life. She demonstrates an enthusiastic and active approach to improving her professional development, in order to enhance the learning, development and care of the children. The childminder has attended a number of training courses since her last inspection, and these have led to an increased knowledge and understanding of how to assess the progress children are making. Additionally, the childminder is working towards gaining a qualification in children and young's people's workforce at level 3. Consequently, she accurately matches her planning to children's individual learning styles and their development needs. The childminder receives support from her local authority early years department and regularly attends local authority training courses. She uses a highly effective self-evaluation system, which enables her to

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provision

identify her strengths and areas to improve children's learning and well-being. For example, providing even more opportunities for children to enhance their very good literacy skills in the outdoor environment. The childminder ensures all areas of learning are covered and that the educational programmes provide stimulating, yet age and stage appropriate, challenge for children. The childminder has systems in place to ensure her assistant remains suitable to care for children. She provides him with ongoing support and guidance about how to keep children safe, and supports his professional development through daily supervisions and sharing with him her updated childcare knowledge and skills. Through joint observations and gaining care and developmental information from parents, the childminder and her assistant accurately identify children's starting points and interests. This effective monitoring of children's achievements enables her to plan a wealth

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provision

of inspiring next steps to support their learning and development to the highest level.

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provision

The childminder has formed excellent relationships with parents and keeps them well informed about their children's well-being and development achievements through daily verbal exchanges of information. Parents are highly complimentary about the childminder and comment on how their children are eager and keen to learn, for example, their children are keen to wash their hands at home and help to tidy up. Parents attribute this to the childminder being an enthusiastic and positive role model. The childminder has made excellent links with staff at the local pre-school and school. The close working relationship between parents, school, and the childminder promote effective learning for children. Consequently, relevant information is exchanged when needed, which further enhances consistency of care and learning and helps the childminder prepare the children well for their next stages of 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 EY286904 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 885118 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 4

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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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