Childminder in Swindon

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/12/2014 12/03/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 Children are happy, keen to learn and rapidly growing in self-assurance because of strong relationships with the childminder.  The attentive childminder provides and talks about interesting experiences for children based on their needs and interests. As a result, children make good progress in relation to their starting points at entry.  The childminder has suitable risk assessments to ensure she takes all necessary actions to minimise hazards to children. She has all required documentation in place ready to safeguard children and promote their well-being.  The childminder is well organised in order to work closely with the parents to support children's ongoing progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always let children explore resources before providing ideas of how to use these. Consequently, she does not challenge children's thinking as well as possible.

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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 viewed the areas where childminding takes place and observed activities in the childminder's home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the childminder, including about a specific activity planned by her.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of information from parents' surveys that were completed recently.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including information from children's record and training records, and discussed evaluation systems, planning methods, policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2004. She lives with her husband, an adult son and his fiance in Abbey Meads, a district of Swindon in Wiltshire. The house is close to shops, parks, schools, pre-schools and public transport links. Children's main care takes place on the ground floor in the playroom and conservatory. Children play in an enclosed, rear garden. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register, and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are five children on roll in the early years age group. The childminder also cares for older children and children over eight years. Children attend on a full- or part-time basis. The childminder works occasionally with her son who is registered as her assistant. The childminder holds a relevant qualification in childminding practice at level 3.

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

 provide children with time to explore all resources so they can make decisions on how they can use them.

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who attend

Through the childminder's consistent encouragement, children achieve well, taking into account their abilities and patterns of attendance. The childminder understands the importance of observing children during their settling-in sessions to add to information about starting points from parents. She continues to values parents' contributions to the ongoing assessment of children's learning and development. Parents receive good encouragement to share information about what happens at home and to contribute to deciding what children need to learn next. As a result, the childminder plans for children's interests and offers stimulating environments so all children are motivated to learn in their play.

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who attend

The childminder promotes children's learning well through using an effective balance of learning experiences suggested by her and chosen by children. Consequently, children make good progress in all areas of learning. The childminder supports children's play with quiet enthusiasm and extends their thinking through comments and queries. The childminder has good understanding of how to offer appropriate levels of challenge to take each child forward in their learning. She uses clear questioning techniques to encourage children to think about how things connect. For example, when children were hanging their coats and using their towels, she asked about other children's names on nearby labels. This approach helps children to build on their knowledge and to want to learn more.

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who attend

The childminder establishes supportive routines to enable children to feel secure and learn. She organises her childminding well so that children volunteer to help her and each other to enhance their social skills. As a result, children relate well to each other and enjoy their time with the childminder. The childminder uses children's play interests effectively to extend their language. She talks with children about what they are doing, supporting them to respond when counting objects to high numbers and offering warm praise for their efforts. She encourages children to look at pictures and share their comments about these. This approach helps children to have an interest in books and develop their early reading and mathematical skills. The childminder supports children to gain good early writing skills as they freely draw and paint using chosen colours.

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who attend

Overall, the childminder motivates children successfully to carry out their own ideas and try things for themselves. In physical development, she supports children to engage in energetic activities, sliding and jumping on a trampoline in the garden. Children choose from the wide variety of resources to practise their small motor skills. The childminder talked about coloured and silver shapes children chose to stick on tree decorations, However, she provided ideas too quickly on placing stickers and mock snow precisely, therefore, not encouraging children to explore ways of using resources for themselves. Children learn effectively about the world around them as they find frosted spiders' webs and collect sticks and leaves to create pictures. The childminder focuses on helping children to enjoy learning so that they concentrate and persevere well. As a result, children acquire the skills they need for their next stage in learning and for school.

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

The childminder's care practices help children to feel emotionally secure and to be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. Many children come to the childminder as babies and stay with her for a long time. Consequently, children build strong relationships with the childminder, who provides genuine warmth and affection. The childminder shows her interest in them by listening attentively and helping them to meet their personal needs. This approach enables younger children to settle. The childminder gives them the confidence to develop their independence and explore a variety of learning environments.

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

The home has a calm atmosphere and the childminder makes it appear welcoming. The childminder stores a wide, stimulating range of quality equipment and resources in the two playrooms so that children can choose from these. She brings other resources from storage, such as a variety of seasonal crafts, to enhance children's motivation, decision- making and independent learning. The childminder enables children to benefit from good relationships with other minded children and from socialising at children's groups. Children follow the good examples set by childminder to behave well and are polite, kind and helpful. The childminder encourages children to play harmoniously together and engage with others in projects, for example, connected with the 'Children in Need' appeal.

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

The childminder supports children effectively to feel safe. For example, toddlers learn to climb stairs safely and children handle tools carefully, including brushes and pens. Pre- school and older children practise road safety and learn to take care on outings, including to parks, where they learn to play on larger equipment safely. Consequently, children gain practical experience of assessing risks to help keep themselves and others safe.

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

The childminder teaches children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle from a young age. Children increasingly take responsibility for their personal hygiene and understand that they must wash before eating. As a result, children begin to learn about suitable hygiene procedures to keep themselves healthy. The childminder reminds children to drink regularly so that they do not become thirsty and she provides chilled water, especially in hotter weather. Children enjoy healthy foods, including fruit for snacks, and ask for more. They help the childminder to shop for ingredients and talk about these so they learn about the nutritional value of different foods. The childminder manages care routines well so that children benefit from efficient preparation for changes and their eventual move to school.

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provision

The childminder meets effectively the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She implements these consistently to create environments that are child friendly. The childminder ensures that only vetted people are left with children and has a secure knowledge about the employment of her assistant. She understands well how to keep children safe through information gained in child protection training, including how to respond to any concern about a child. The childminder has an effective knowledge about how to promote the health and safety of children. She has assessed the risks to her premises. She has minimised these through recorded checks so children move around freely and safely. She completes risk assessment for each outing so children are safe. She effectively promotes safe practices and shares her comprehensive policies, procedures and documentation with parents. As a result, children are secure and safe.

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provision

Children benefit from the childminder's enthusiasm and dedication to their care and support. The childminder understands well her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She uses detailed early years guidance to monitor children's progress at six-monthly intervals and includes parents' and children's views. The childminder has a secure understanding about the requirements to check the progress of two-year-old children and shares the information with parents. The childminder identifies and meets children's needs through timely intervention.

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provision

The childminder's use of reflection is effective in informing priorities and setting challenging targets for improvement. She listens carefully to parents' views regarding their children. She observes and asks children about their preferences to provide enjoyable activities and trips out that will help them to progress further. She has strong regard for outcomes of discussions with local authority advisors and other childminders. The childminder has implemented the actions and recommendations from the previous inspection successfully. She has improved her provision for children's assessment and planning, and her risk assessment to keep children safe. The childminder's actions plans are realistic to lead to future development of the provision for children. She intends to seek training to enhance her knowledge of supporting children's developing speech and language. She plans to introduce further activities to extend children's counting and

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provision

writing. This planning shows a good capacity for continuous improvement.

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provision

The childminder works well in partnership. She develops effective relationships with other providers caring for children through conversation and sharing summaries of children's learning. The childminder builds up her partnership working with parents successfully. She has in-depth conversations with parents about the children and any issues. She uses well- presented learning journals to share views and observations. Family members enjoy children's artwork, which prompts them to continue these and other suggested activities at home. Parents praise the childminder as she understands their children's personalities and needs so they are always eager and happy to be with her. Parents show their appreciation of the childminding provision. They write that their children 'love the craft-making activities as well as outdoor play'. Parents report that the childminder 'gets fully involved with the children's care and development'.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY294678 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 814793 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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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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