Cradock Alison Elizabeth

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/12/2014 12/02/2009

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early years provision

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

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This provision is good

 Teaching is consistently good and the childminder follows the noted interests of children to plan activities, which are both challenging and enjoyable. This supports them to make good progress in all areas of their learning.  Children have developed secure attachments to the childminder and the settling-in process is sensitive to the needs of all parents and children. As a result, children settle quickly and enjoy their time here, which successfully supports their well-being.  The childminder fosters a culture for continuous improvement and has established effective relationships with other early years providers. These links support her to maintain a reflective practice and extend the experiences that she offers children to further support their development.  Safeguarding measures are robust to protect the welfare of children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder occasionally does not gather as much detail as possible from parents about children's learning at home when they start at the provision. Therefore, she is not able to use this information to further support her early planning for children's next steps in their learning.  On occasions, children are not consistently encouraged to do things for themselves, such as cutting their own fruit, to further promote their growing independence.

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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's activities indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed adult-led activities and discussed the intentions and learning outcomes with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled the childminder's documentation including policies, a self- evaluation, training certificates and children's learning journals.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through recently completed questionnaires and a selection of written references.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector saw evidence of the suitability of all persons living on the premises and other documentation in relation to the safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1993 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband on the outskirts of Ware. There is a small step to access the property. The whole of the premises are used for childminding and there is an area available for outdoor play. The family have a pet dog. The childminder offers flexible hours, but usually operates from 7.30am until 6pm Monday to Friday. She is open all year round except for family holidays. There are four children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group. The childminder provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children and holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. 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:

 focus more precisely on increasing the detail of the initial information gathered from new parents on what their child already knows and can do, to further support accurate assessment of children's starting points

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

 maximise opportunities for children to develop their skills for independence through everyday activities and tasks.

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who attend

The childminder displays a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and uses this knowledge to implement a wide range of activities and experiences for the children in her care. She demonstrates a consistently good quality of teaching and differentiates activities for each child. As a result, she offers children challenges and experiences that are suitably matched to their abilities. Children access a stimulating well- resourced environment and choose items from a variety of labelled boxes that are placed within easy reach. This allows children to self-select and follow their own interests to engage in purposeful play. The childminder carries out regular observations of the children and uses this information to plan their individual next steps for learning. She then ensures that these are consistently followed through as she records them in a notebook to track when they are achieved. As a result, children enjoy the experiences offered and make

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who attend

good progress in all areas of their development. For example, the childminder focuses on Christmas as she offers children pictures to colour, supporting their next steps to develop pen control, through strengthening their finger muscles. She has wrapped 24 books for December to encourage children to unwrap and share a different book each day. This increases their awareness of literacy. Furthermore, children take turns to open the advent calendar and find the corresponding number, promoting their skills for mathematics. The childminder engages children in purposeful dialogue during all activities as she recalls their previous experiences. She encourages them to think critically as she asks open-ended questions to practise their speaking and listening skills. Consequently, children's communication and language is supported very well.

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who attend

The childminder promotes school readiness well as she encourages children to listen attentively and follow instructions. For example, during a board game children are aware of the rules and take turns to throw the dice. The childminder encourages children to count the dots and move their piece the relevant number of spaces on their go. The childminder supports children to complete basic calculations during this time, including simple addition and subtraction, to support their mathematical development. She offers regular praise for the correct answer, raising their self-esteem and increasing confidence. The childminder allows children to choose the games that they play to help maintain their levels of concentration. As a result, children sit for long periods and are engaged throughout. The children and childminder thoroughly enjoy this one-to-one time together and parents express that this is evident in the progress that their children have made. In

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who attend

addition, the childminder has fostered effective relationships with the adults at the other provisions children attend. For example, teachers read and contribute to children's daily diaries as needed, to support the two-way flow of information. This offers children continuity in the care and development that they receive. As a result, children are fully prepared for, and supported through to, the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

Partnerships with parents are well established as the childminder involves them in many aspects of their children's learning. She uses daily discussions to inform parents of the range and type of activities children take part in and their response to these. Furthermore, parents have regular access to their child's detailed journal that the childminder maintains. This includes a vast selection of weekly observations, photographs of the children and examples of children's own work. This encourages positive interactions between the childminder, parents and child as they reflect on previous experiences to reassess the learning that has taken place. The childminder completes regular assessments on children. She uses these to assess their skills, knowledge and abilities accurately and identifies any areas where children are not making progress at expected levels. The childminder refers to approved childcare guidance documents to complete these and the progress check for

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who attend

children between the ages of two and three years. She shares these with parents every few weeks and offers ideas to extend the learning at home. However, information initially obtained from parents links more to children's care than learning. Therefore, the childminder is not able to fully maximise her good quality assessments to establish accurate starting points for each child. Nevertheless, once children have settled, the childminder gathers ongoing information from home to consider and incorporate into any future plans that she makes. This supports children to reach their full levels of attainment.

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

The childminder provides a nurturing warm environment for children to thrive. She follows a child-led ethos as the children's needs are central to everything that she does. This is clearly shown through the secure attachments that children have developed with her and the length of time some have been in her care. This security and longevity of care fully supports children emotional well-being and offers them a secure base in which to explore all aspects of their learning. As a result, children display confidence and develop quickly. Furthermore, children gain a sense of belonging in the home as the childminder provides them with individual pegs to hang up their personal belongings and their own bedrooms and travel beds to sleep in. Children clearly enjoy their time here and settle well. The childminder uses a gradual process when children start and tailors the amount of sessions offered to meet the individual needs of each parent and child. Therefore, parents have

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

confidence in the care that is provided and any concerns that they may experience during this time are minimised. The childminder gathers details on children's routines at home and other care practices, such as sleep arrangements and dietary requirements. She refers to this information each day to offer children continuity in the care that they receive. In addition, the childminder records all details of the children's day in individual journals and completes a detailed settling-in sheet. This helps to ensure a smooth move between their home and the childminder, supporting children's personal, social and emotional development.

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

The childminder teaches children to behave well as she ensures that they are aware of the rules and boundaries of her home. This also increases children's awareness of keeping themselves safe from harm. For example, children remain on the grass area until it is their turn to get into the car outside and the childminder reminds them to sit on their stool at the table or they may fall. She offers a clear explanation for each rule. As a result, children know what is expected of them and are familiar with the daily routines. Children have many opportunities to socialise with their peers as the childminder arranges regular activities with other providers. This gives them opportunities to interact with children of a variety of ages and supports their developing relationships in readiness for the next stage in their development.

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

The childminder encourages children to be healthy as she provides a selection of home- cooked meals and regular snacks, which are balanced and nutritious. For example, during the week, children enjoy a roast dinner and pasta dishes. In addition, snacks include raisins and a selection of fruits. To devise her menu the childminder selects foods from the various food groups and ensures that children receive their five fruit or vegetables a day. This further increases children's awareness of healthy food options. Children competently feed themselves and manage full-size cutlery as they are able. However, on occasion, the childminder misses opportunities to maximise children's developing independence as she prepares the snacks for them and offers flannels to wash in place of using a step to access the sink. This limits opportunities for children to do things for themselves. Nonetheless, she does encourage children to regularly wash their hands before all mealtimes and after

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

playing, to support a safe-hygiene practice. The childminder has completed a food hygiene course at level 2 and consistently ensures that she washes her own hands after she tends to the dog. This further reduces the risk of contamination through the spread of germs. Children have many opportunities to play outside and enjoy fresh air to support a healthy lifestyle. For example, the childminder takes the children on regular walks through the farmyard and nearby woodland to explore nature through the seasons. Furthermore, she organises outings to the local wildlife park where children use the indoor and outdoor apparatus to promote their physical agility and increase their understanding of the outside world through finding out about the animals that they see.

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provision

The childminder meets all of the safeguarding and welfare requirements effectively. For example, she ensures all access points to the premises are secure during the hours that she cares for children. Furthermore, she has successfully addressed the previous action raised as she accurately records children's hours of attendance. Therefore, her safeguarding procedures are robust to ensure that no person can gain unauthorised access to the property and children cannot leave unsupervised. Furthermore, all adults living in the home have received full suitability checks, which helps to safeguard children from the people that they have contact with. The childminder has attended safeguarding training and is aware of any indications that children may be suffering from harm or abuse. In addition, she is aware of the procedures that she should follow if an allegation is made against herself or any other household member. The childminder displays a

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provision

flowchart for extra reassurance to refer to if needed. She also displays details of her up- to-date first-aid training and escape route plans. This demonstrates that she is able to manage any accidents that children have and would know what to do in the event of an emergency.

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provision

The childminder maintains all the required policies and supplies copies to all parents. These provide them with all the information that they need, such as the contact details should they wish to make a complaint and the childminder's strict safeguarding procedures. For example, she prohibits the use of mobile phones by parents and any children bringing electronic devices that may pose a risk to others, such as the capacity to take photographs. Furthermore, the childminder is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office as she handles and stores sensitive data and monitors children in other rooms using an advanced video-monitoring system. This demonstrates her commitment to protecting the welfare of the children in her care. The childminder uses self-evaluation to identify her strengths and areas of focus to develop, supporting her continuous improvement. She has an effective professional development programme in

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provision

place and attends regular training identified to maintain the consistently good quality of teaching that she has achieved. This often requires her to overcome barriers, such as with limited course availability and occasional cancellations, again showing her commitment to improve the service that she provides.

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provision

The childminder monitors the educational programmes she provides. She regularly assesses children's skills, knowledge and abilities accurately, and uses this information to identify any areas where children are not making progress at expected levels. In addition, she regularly reviews the learning and development requirements through her membership to a professional organisation for childcare, and subscribes to a variety of relevant websites and agencies to receive regular email alerts. As a result, she keeps herself up to date with any changes to the childcare sector and is made aware of any available forums or training that may be of benefit. These effective partnerships with other agencies provide her with the specialist support, if needed, for any individual children in her care. The childminder also uses facilities within her local community, such as the toy library and has built up a close network with a few other childminders to share ideas for

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provision

best practice and organise group activities. These support her in extending the experiences that she offers children. Relationships with parents are strong as the childminder values their input and gathers feedback from them through the daily discussions that she has and regular forms that she distributes. She also values the contributions that all children make as she involves them in future planning and takes account of any ideas and suggestions that they make.

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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 127855 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 874797 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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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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