Childminder in Staffordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/12/2014 28/04/2009

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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

 The childminder is highly skilled in using many and varied teaching methods, as children lead their own play. This helps them to concentrate and develop their own ideas even further.  The childminder's good systems for recording and monitoring children's achievements in their learning and development ensures that she has a good overview of the progress they are making.  Children display happy and settled relationships with the childminder and other children. As result they are confident to investigate the well-resourced environment and their self-confidence is reinforced. This prepares them well for the next stage in their learning.  Children are safe in the childminder's care because she fully understands her safeguarding responsibilities. This includes what she would do if she had any concerns about a child, with regards to child protection.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children have fewer opportunities to explore and experiment with a range of writing equipment, as resources are not always readily available.  The childminder has not yet fully engaged other settings children attend in working to complement and enhance children's learning and development and to help them make best possible progress.

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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 and spoke to children at appropriate times while they played.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability of the childminder and co-childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder about the daily routines, children's individual learning and conducted a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at policies, children's assessment records and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at evidence of self-evaluation, including the views of parents from contributions made in documentation and those spoken to on the day.

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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 works alongside a co- childminder and from her co-childminder's house in Penkridge, Staffordshire. Both childminders have equal responsibility for the childminding practice. The whole of the ground floor of the property, bathroom on the first floor and an enclosed outdoor play area are used for childminding. The co-childminder's family has a dog as a pet. The childminder attends groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis and takes children to and collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently nine children on roll, of whom eight are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family

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Information about the setting

holidays. 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:

 provide even more opportunities for children to explore and experiment with a range of resources that helps them to develop their sensory exploration and early writing skills in every situation

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

 review the good systems already in place to engage with other settings, so that all children benefit from a greater shared approach to help them to make the best possible progress in their learning and development.

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who attend

Children are well supported to make good progress, as teaching is purposeful and the childminder has good knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. During the settling-in period, the childminder focuses on establishing effective relationships with parents. She does this so that she can find out what children already know and can do. The childminder can then begin to plan for future activities. As a result, children access a well-organised range of adult-led and child-initiated activities that are linked to their individual stage of development. Children have an individual file containing a varied range of observations and photographs. This information is linked to the areas of learning and identifies next steps, which are used to inform planning. Their starting points are clearly identified, and a tracking sheet enables the childminder to monitor their progress. Parents regularly complete a feedback sheet, which provides

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who attend

further information about what they are currently focusing on at home. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning and development from their starting points and are well supported to acquire the skills needed for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

The childminder is confident in her abilities and makes good use of her secure knowledge of how children learn, to promote engagement across all seven areas of learning and development. The childminder helps children to remain motivated and interested in their play by responding to their curiosity and making regular additions to the resources provided. For example, toddlers put a doll in a pushchair and announce they are going on a trip. The childminder gets down to their level and allows children to take the lead in this pretend play. She listens to them, asks well-chosen questions and develops their imagination. When toddlers realise that they will need to take some lunch on the trip, the childminder recognises their new aim and offers more resources. As a result, children are very well supported in taking an active role in their learning.

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who attend

There are many meaningful interactions and opportunities for children to engage in conversation, which supports their understanding, and speaking and listening skills. For example, after the childminder has read a story to children, she engages them in conversation to find out their understanding about its content. Children confidently describe the story's main events and characters and this demonstrates their understanding of the way stories are structured. The childminder encourages toddlers' language skills as they play alongside their older peers. She models language very well and repeats their attempts to name the different parts of a teddy bear. The childminder encourages toddlers to share their understanding of where the different pieces go to make the teddy bear whole and complete the puzzle. As a result, children play alongside each other harmoniously, promoting their personal, social and emotional development as they

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who attend

interact positively. Children's behaviour shows that they feel confident and are beginning to form positive relationships.

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

The childminder promotes all aspects of children's prime areas of development, through well-organised routines and a welcoming environment. She engages very well with parents to gain all the necessary care and educational information when children first start. She invites children and their parents to visit for settling-in sessions. This ensures children's routines, interests, likes and dislikes are considered when preparing for them to be cared for in the setting. Consequently, children feel safe and secure, and are settled and ready to learn. The childminder has a good awareness of children's emotional needs and places an emphasis on building attachments with children. For example, she sets out toys and plans activities that she knows interests the children and that they will enjoy taking part in. This reinforces their sense of belonging, resulting in children being confident to explore and investigate their surroundings.

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

The childminder maintains effective daily routines that enhance children's self-confidence and self-awareness. She is a good role model and uses positive reinforcement to help children to cooperate with routines and boundaries. For example, the childminder reminds toddlers that the other children will soon be arriving from nursery school and they will have lunch together. She engages them very well in helping them to tidy away toys before they arrive. The childminder shares her expectations, which are reinforced through her well-written policies, with parents during the settling-in period. Children are generally able to make independent choices about what they play with. The childminder has developed a photographic library of activities and resources. However, she has not yet considered how to organise equipment so that children can easily access a range of writing resources. As a result, children are not always able to develop their early writing skills and there are fewer

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

opportunities for toddlers to explore and experiment with making marks.

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

The childminder walks to and from school daily and plans regular opportunities for children to visit local groups or to play in the setting's garden. Consequently, they enjoy fresh air and exercise and develop their physical skills. The childminder ensures children's dietary needs are met following discussions with parents. She promotes the benefits of a healthy diet to parents, as they provide a packed lunch for their children. Lunch is a social occasion when children sit together around the table to enjoy their food and each other's company. The childminder encourages children to develop their self-care skills at this time as they wash their hands before eating. This helps them to make relationships with others and ensures that their prime areas of development are actively promoted. The childminder encourages children to look after themselves and further develop their independence by offering support when necessary. For example, when children let her know they need to

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

use the toilet, they are encouraged to manage their own needs and follow appropriate hygiene routines. As a result, children gain self-confidence, self-awareness and an understanding of their own needs. These developing skills help to prepare children for the next stage in their learning and their growing confidence means they are emotionally prepared for the move to nursery or school. Children learn about keeping safe, as they understand and follow the childminder's appropriate boundaries as they walk to school and they gain an awareness of road safety. The childminder seeks permissions from parents, to ensure they are in agreement with their children using larger play equipment. As a result, children have more opportunities to take developmentally appropriate risk when they visit local parks. The childminder uses her high level of awareness of how children learn to provide an individually appropriate level of support and guidance on how

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provision

The childminder has a secure knowledge of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This includes a good understanding of safeguarding and the procedures to follow if she has any child protection concerns, including what she would do if an allegation were made against her or her co-childminder. All required policies and documentation are in place and records are clear and well maintained. This includes good systems to review ongoing daily risk assessments. The childminder understands about the importance of informing Ofsted of any significant events, and all adults living or working within the setting have completed suitability checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service, ensuring they are safe to be in the proximity of children. The identity of visitors is checked and there is a secure procedure for the use of photographs and mobile phones. As a result, the childminder's practice is effective in underpinning children's safety and

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provision

welfare. The childminder has a clear understanding of her responsibilities regarding the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She recognises the need to monitor the delivery of the educational programmes and reflects on previous observations and assessments to ensure that children remain motivated and interested in their learning. The childminder has good overview of children's progress, as procedures used to track children's development are effective. This demonstrates a secure knowledge and understanding of how children learn. The childminder is fully aware of the requirement to provide parents with a written summary of the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. This includes the importance of identifying any required intervention and accessing additional support when necessary. However, the childminder has not yet fully engaged other settings where children attend, in order to

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provision

complement and enhance children's learning and development so they make best possible progress.

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provision

The childminder establishes strong relationships with parents. These are maintained through the daily handovers and regular updates on children's learning and development. There are clear procedures in place to promote children's health and safety needs. All information is safely recorded and any issues are promptly shared with parents, encouraging effective communication. The childminder successfully engages parents in her practice and regularly seeks their opinions. Feedback from parents about the childminder's approach is positive. They share with her their current focus in helping their children to learn new words and to begin to move onto drinking from a cup without a lid. This means that children benefit from continuity in their care, learning and development. The childminder undertakes thorough self-evaluation in order to reflect on her practice, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. The childminder works effectively

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provision

alongside a co-childminder, and both childminders have equal responsibility for the childminding practice. This means that they have developed a good working relationship that supports continual reflection on how they can improve their work with children and are continually developing their service for the benefit of the children who attend.

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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 EY373007 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 858156 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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