Childminder in Derbyshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/12/2014 09/12/2008

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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

 The childminder is an exceptionally skilled and effective practitioner and, as a result, children make very rapid progress in their learning. Exceptional attention is given to the planning of activities and routines so that children learn as much as possible.  The childminder develops a very strong bond with children, due to her highly skilled and sensitive support and friendly, warm and enthusiastic manner. Children thoroughly enjoy their time with the childminder and behave exceedingly well.  The childminder has an excellent range of resources, which are superbly presented and organised. Children demonstrate high levels of independence and make purposeful decisions about the resources they want to use that will extend their play.  The exceptional partnerships with parents and carers means that they are fully involved in their child's learning and development. The childminder provides excellent examples

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This provision is outstanding

of how they can support their child's learning at home.  The childminder is extremely successful in self-evaluating and constantly improving her practice. She is exemplary in how she applies the knowledge and skills learnt through training, to make a significant contribution to children's care, learning and development.  The childminder's highly effective practice means that children's health, safety and well- being are rigorously promoted. Her proactive approach to safeguarding means that children are fully protected.  The childminder is highly successful in working in partnerships with other settings that children attend, to ensure that there is consistency of support for all children.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the playroom, lounge and kitchen.  The inspector discussed a planned activity with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning and other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of adults living on the premises, the childminder's qualifications and self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from written feedback provided by parents and carers.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two children in a house in Woodville, Swadlincote. The whole of the house and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a cat and chickens as pets. The childminder attends stay and play sessions within the local community. She visits the park and soft play centre on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently nine children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder is a qualified early years teacher.

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

 extend the already highly successful support for children to develop their writing skills, for example, through the provision of a writing toolbox.

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who attend

The childminder is an exceptionally skilled and effective practitioner. She has an excellent understanding of how children learn and uses her previous experience as an early years teacher to plan an excellent range of activities. She gathers a wealth of information from parents and carers when children first start with her, so that she has a detailed early indication of children's level of development and where they need support. Her observations of children's learning are meticulous and sharply focused to ensure that she is fully aware of each child's abilities. When planning activities, she takes into account the children's individual next steps in learning, their interests, their preferred ways of learning and also the characteristics of effective learning. Her highly enthusiastic interaction with children during their play, particularly how she supports their communication and language, is superb. As a result, children show very high levels of engagement with all of

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who attend

the activities and they make very rapid progress towards the early learning goals. For example, as the childminder reads a story, she initially captures children's attention by snuggling them close to her so they can see the pictures. She is extremely animated to engage the children throughout the story. She asks questions to test their understanding and includes other aspects of learning according to each child's individual next steps. When they finish the story, she continues to support their learning as they look at the pictures together. She models language to extend children's vocabulary and encourages them to guess what she is talking about. She then encourages them to have a turn, prompting them to use the language she has been modelling. In addition, she encourages children to re-tell the story using the pictures of the book, which they do extremely well. The childminder also gives the same high level of support for children to develop their

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who attend

language skills through songs. Because of this highly effective interaction, children have extremely well developed language skills. They have a passion for stories and songs, and remember and join in with a broad range of both. Younger children squeal and babble with delight, for example, at certain phrases in a story, and they become so enthusiastic they do the actions of the character and tap the book to express their enjoyment.

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who attend

The childminder gives the utmost priority to ensure that children learn as much as possible from all of the activities and routines. For example, during an adult planned activity, she incorporates several areas of learning, according to each child's stage of development. Younger children hold and explore items of different textures and the childminder encourages children's language development as she describes what they feel like. She asks very clear questions and gives children ample time to think and respond. For example, when a child drops something she asks 'oh where did it go' in a sing song voice. She waits to see what their response is, before she gives them a prompt by starting to look around. For older children she expertly explains how to use the tools and asks them to describe the resources they are using. She sensitively supports younger children to have a go at exploring things with new textures, by first putting it on her hand and then

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who attend

transferring it to them. She encourages sharing, and comments on what other children are doing to promote children's social skills. Children develop their small muscle skills as they move the items around. Older children have a range of very small items which they handle with increasing control. These activities contribute to the skills children need for writing. The childminder skilfully supports their understanding of safety, as she explains that they need to keep tiny items of the reach of younger children. Younger children grasp and squeeze items of different shapes and appropriate sizes. To support children's interest in emptying and filling containers, the childminder provides tubs for the resources and encourages children when they take the resources out and put them back in again. She also introduces mathematics, counting as younger children transfer the items. Because of this highly effective teaching, children are exceeding their expected stages of

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who attend

development. For example, younger children are expert at holding a spoon to eat their meal. Older children can write their own name and work out mathematical sums, such as the total number of items needed, when adding two numbers together. As a result, children are exceptionally well-prepared for their next stages of learning. The childminder constantly captures and inspires children's curiosity. For example, a child picks up a night light and is curious about what it is. The childminder explains, but also prompts their critical thinking by encouraging them to explore the item. They take it into the story tent, and so that they can see it shine and they work out that it is better to turn off the other light. They then compare this to the wind up torch, thereby extending the discussion to include how things work.

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who attend

The partnership with parents and carers is exceptional. The childminder provides extremely useful and detailed information on a continual basis. She sends parents and carers a weekly plan which details the forthcoming activities, outings and what children will learn. It also includes the story and song of the week, including the words of more unfamiliar songs. Parents and carers confirm that they find this information extremely useful. Children can borrow the story of the week, or any of the other books, to take home and regularly do this so that they can share them with their parents and carers. The childminder provides a significant amount of detail to support parents and carers in supporting children's learning at home. She provides specific examples of how to support a particular aspect of children's development, for example, extending their vocabulary. She also gives parents and carers ideas of how they can link learning to children's

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who attend

interests. She encourages their ongoing contributions and, as a result, there is a highly effective partnership that ensures there is consistent support for children's learning and development. Parents and carers attribute the speed in which children learn new skills to the childminder's highly effective teaching methods.

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

The childminder is highly skilled and sensitive in meeting the needs of each individual child. As a result, children are extremely confident, self-assured and happy in the setting. The childminder gathers and shares a comprehensive amount of information with parents and carers, to support children's routines and to help them to settle easily. She undertakes an extremely effective and detailed observation of children's first days of attendance. From this she establishes exactly how they are settling and how she is meeting their needs, including any action she needs to take to further support this. She implements a consistent daily routine to help children to feel secure and slots the children's own routine into this. The childminder's ongoing information sharing is excellent. She is constantly thinking about what children need to do next in terms of their routines such as, beginning to use the potty. She discusses this in detail with parents and carers, so that they both

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

know exactly what they are going to do and how they are going to do it. Parents and carers praise the valuable discussions and credit the childminder's highly effective support and skills in helping children to adapt to the changes in their own routine incredibly quickly. The childminder constantly prepares children for what is happening next as she clearly and simply explains what she is doing. To support younger children as they wake up, the childminder and children sing a familiar song to comfort and reassure them. Children love this song, which makes them laugh and, as a result, they wake up in a happy mood and are immediately keen to start playing. The childminder is very sensitive in her discussions with children to help them to feel secure about themselves, as they recognise differences between themselves and other children attending the setting. The childminder ensures children are exceptionally well-prepared for their move to another

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

setting. For example, she takes children into the other setting to see the environment, and to encourage them to speak to the staff, she gives them a purpose to do so. She purchases additional resources and organises her existing resources to replicate the activities and environment at the other setting. She takes children on a range of outings within the community so that they mix with groups of different sizes and in different environments. As a result, children are extremely confident and adapt well to different situations as their emotional well-being is excellently supported. The childminder provides staff at the new setting with a detailed report of the children's current stage of development so that they are able to continue their learning. There has been very positive feedback on the usefulness of this information, so that the other setting can quickly start planning how to support children.

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

Children have a very strong bond with the childminder and others in the setting. Children behave exceptionally well and this is due to the childminder who is a superb role model. She is friendly, warm, interested and enthusiastic, but also firm, consistent and fair, so that children know exactly what is expected of them. She regularly provides sharing and turn taking games and activities to develop children's understanding. Children love her attention during play and are very affectionate towards her and each other. She skilfully encourages children's friendships with each other by talking positively about everyone. She gives meaningful praise for manners and kind things that children do. She helps children to understand and accept what others are doing and why, for example, if a younger child accidentally knocks a child while playing. Highly effective methods are used to manage children's inappropriate behaviour. The childminder helps children to

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

understand, from a very early age, when something is inappropriate. As they get older, she provides meaningful explanations to support their understanding. To ensure there is absolute consistency of support for children, she involves parents and carers and other settings in discussing behaviour management strategies, where appropriate. Children demonstrate high levels of independence. The childminder gives consistent and highly effective encouragement to support this, starting with children from a very young age. As a result, children move around the environment with careful consideration and purpose. For example, they will go into another room to select a particular toy that they want to use to extend the game they are playing. The learning environment is stimulating, rich in print and displays, and well resourced. Exceptional consideration is given to the organisation of the toys and resources. For example, baby toys are provided in low level

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

boxes in the lounge, while other toys and resources are grouped by type in easily accessed drawers with labels and pictures. In addition, the childminder has established some additional storage for children to store toys that they are currently playing with, so that they can access these quickly to continue their play. The childminder gives excellent consideration to resources to supplement children's learning. For example, she has props, such as character toys for stories and a Sound Button where a child or the childminder records the song of the week, so that other children can listen to this to learn it and sing along.

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

Children's opportunities for fresh air and exercise are extremely well supported, and they experience this on a daily basis. The childminder uses the garden on a regular basis to provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills with toys such as, sit and ride toys and balls. Alternatively, children go on outings such as to the soft play centre, walks to the park or woodland area, or to stay and play sessions. They engage in a variety of activities, such as looking for bugs and collecting leaves. Children's understanding of being healthy is extremely well promoted and, as a result, they learn how to manage their own hygiene and personal needs, as well as gaining an understanding of a healthy lifestyle. Children demonstrate high levels of independence from a young age because the childminder encourages them to do things for themselves. They go and get a tissue independently if they have a runny nose. They help to set the table and prepare the fruit

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

for snack, learning about things such as how the skin of the fruit is very good for you. The childminder involves children in planning the menu and has detailed discussions about healthy choices. She reads stories about healthy eating and talks to children about healthy foods as they play with the role play food. The childminder encourages children to extend their diet by trying a range of different foods regularly. The childminder skilfully supports children's understanding of safe practice. For example, she extends discussions where children make comments, to explain why something might be unsafe. She encourages children to recognise how to keep them safe indoors and outdoors by clearly explaining the expectations. She prepares children for visitors so that they feel secure and know they are invited. She skilfully explains why certain things need to be actioned, for example tidying away the toys and resources and putting shoes in the shoe box. During activities,

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

she explains how to use tools and resources safely, and helps older children to recognise that some things may be unsafe for younger children.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She skilfully takes a preventative approach to ensure that children are safeguarded. She provides a high level of support to work with parents and carers to help them address and overcome any issues, however minor, that may impact on children. This includes seeking early support and advice from external agencies where appropriate. She has a full and thorough knowledge of child protection issues, including signs of abuse and neglect and the procedures she will follow, in the event of any concerns. She has clearly established her procedures for managing the use and storage of electronic equipment and information, to ensure children's safety. All household members are known to Ofsted to enable appropriate checks to be undertaken. Policies and procedures to promote children's

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provision

health, safety and well-being are well embedded so that highly effective practice is thoroughly and consistently implemented throughout the day. Risk assessments are rigorous and are frequently reviewed to ensure that children can play safely in the environment, garden and when on outings. The childminder is fastidious about supervising children to ensure their safety, while enabling them to continue what they are doing and providing reassurance. The childminder is meticulous in the promotion of her hygiene procedures, for example, removing shoes, hand washing at appropriate times, nappy changing and food preparation. A recent environmental health inspection identified no areas for improvement in her practice.

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provision

The childminder is outstanding in developing her own knowledge and skills and applying what she has learnt on training courses, to have a significant positive impact on children's welfare and learning and development. She is a qualified early years teacher and draws on her training and experience to provide a very high quality provision. She has attended a wealth of recent training courses recently. Even when a training course is relatively short, she is so thorough in her engagement with the training and her evaluation of what she has learnt, that she makes a significant number of beneficial changes. For example, having attended training on musical rhymes, she now includes frequent singing both inside and outside, and within different activities. She has a wealth of songs for different scenarios such as splashing in puddles, shaking the leaves from the trees and helping children to feel secure and included, for example, when they wake up. This contributes to

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provision

the childminder's exceptional promotion of children's communication and language skills. The childminder is highly successful in self-evaluating her practice to continue to drive improvement and build on the already highly successful practice. Everything she does has a clear and relevant purpose as she carefully considers how it benefits children. For example, she organises snack to maximise children's independence, their understanding of the routines and their preparation for school. Although children already make very rapid progress in their learning, including literacy, the childminder has identified additional ways to enhance her practice. This includes the provision of a writing toolbox, to encourage children to constantly initiate writing in all aspects of their play. The rigorous monitoring of children's progress, means that children excel in their learning. The childminder is highly effective at identifying and supporting how children learn, as well as what they learn.

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provision

The childminder has highly effective partnerships with parents and carers to significantly enhance and support children's learning and development and their care. She has very detailed discussions with parents and carers to share valuable information about herself, her practice and the policies and procedures. She emails them a plan for the forthcoming week, that details the menu and an excellent amount of information regarding the activities and outings for the week, including what children will learn from them. She strikes a balance between professional and friendly so that the daily discussion is informative and useful. She places the utmost importance in developing trusting relationships with parents and carers, so that they feel able to share all relevant information with her that will affect children. Parents and carers cannot give enough praise for the childminder and the quality of her provision. They use words such as

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provision

'amazing' and 'the best' and state that their child has 'grown in leaps and bounds'. They explain how they are inspired by her, for example, her skilful and sensitive explanations in response to children's questions. The childminder has a proactive, and therefore, successful approach to working in partnerships with others. For example, she asked the local authority to do an audit of her provision to gain feedback on her practice, in between her inspections. She knows in detail exactly what children do when they go to other settings. She constantly shares and gathers information to promote a consistent approach to supporting children. As with other aspects of practice, she is constantly planning ahead, for example, establishing how she is going to complement the phonics programme the other setting will be implementing next term. She has an excellent understanding of how she would support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Without a

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provision

doubt, all children flourish under her exceptional care.

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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 EY374193 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 858231 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

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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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