Payne, Catherine Elizabeth

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/12/2014 24/09/2008

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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 clearly has high expectations of children and provides good challenges which effectively promote their learning and development well.  Partnerships with parents are successful and ensure children enjoy continuity of care and support, enabling them to become confident and self-assured.  The childminder has a good understanding about her responsibility to protect children. She makes sure that her setting is secure and safe and that children are protected from unsuitable adults at all times.  The childminder reflects on her practice, in order to make sure that she continues to deliver very good learning and development opportunities for the children in her care, as well as meeting the childcare requirements of their parents.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder has not yet fully maximised opportunities for children to explore natural resources or extend their knowledge of sounds linked to letters, in order to optimise learning in these areas.

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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 spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. The inspector reviewed acknowledgements from parents relating to the service offered by the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out joint discussions with the childminder in relation to making observations of the children's play, learning and progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed and talked about activities, in all areas used by the children both inside and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures, training records and relevant documentation, including safeguarding records and the suitability checks in place for the childminder and her family.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and their four children in a house in Buntingford. The whole of the ground floor and part of the first floor, along with the rear garden are used for childminding. There are currently four children on roll, one of whom is in the early years age group. The childminder attends local toddler groups and visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She takes children to and collects children from the local school and pre-school. She operates all year round from 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds a relevant early years qualification at level 3.

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

 extend learning opportunities for children to explore natural resources, expanding their developing understanding of the natural world around them

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

 enhance early literacy experiences for children by enriching activities which enable them to explore sounds and letters to the optimum.

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who attend

The childminder has a clear understanding about how young children learn and develop through play. She provides a good range of fun activities, which build on their existing knowledge and skills. However, opportunities for children to explore natural resources are not as widely included, to promote knowledge of the natural world to the optimum. Children are confident in her care and firmly embed positive dispositions and attitudes towards their play and learning. Before children are place in her setting, the childminder finds out about each child's abilities. This is possible because parents complete All about me information sheets. These contain detailed information, such as the children's individual interests and their developing physical and communication abilities. From here the childminder then plans a learning environment based on play. Activities include toys and resources which interest the children. These enable the children to build successfully

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who attend

on what they know and can do. The childminder continues to seek information from parents about their child's ongoing achievements. These open channels of communication also provide good opportunities for the childminder to share ideas about activities parents can extend at home. Therefore, she successfully supports children's continuity of learning.

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who attend

The childminder is careful to continue observing children as their interests and abilities change over time. Ongoing assessments, including the progress checks for children aged between two and three years, are undertaken in partnership with parents. This enable both parties to establish if there are any gaps in the children's learning or development. If gaps are identified, the childminder then seeks support and if required interaction from other professionals. This is to make sure that the identified gaps are minimised and wherever possible, closed. This attention to detail helps to prepare children for their move onto pre-school or school.

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who attend

The childminder understands about meeting the differing needs of individual children by adapting activities to challenge, but also enabling them to participate and enjoy success. She uses intonation and facial gestures with the much younger children, helping them to feel understood and safe as they toddle around making their own selections and reaching for objects to explore. With older children, the childminder provides time during conversations to help them think about what is being said and formulate their ideas. This helps them to interact and learn from the discussions. Children enjoy exploring mechanical toys, for example, they press buttons making observations about what happens and then repeating this over and over until they are sure they understand the sequence needed to make the various farm animals pop up. Children demonstrate good levels of concentration and participate excitedly, showing that they are acquiring the positive characteristics of

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who attend

good learners. Children are competent and confident communicators; they enjoy accessing books and sharing stories. The childminder extends opportunities by interacting gently, helping them to build on their emerging vocabulary. For example, as children select their favourite caterpillar story, the childminder emphasises particular words which children eagerly start to sound out and copy. However, the childminder does not always extend these spontaneous activities further, such as introducing more sounds and letters, to enrich the children's developing knowledge and to provide them with simple phonic skills to support later learning.

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

The childminder supports each child very well. She knows about their individual needs, such as, medical, dietary or religious requirements and adapts her setting accordingly. This helps the children to feel included and welcome. The impact of this is good as the children become more confident in their own abilities and their self-esteem grows. As the childminder understands what interests each child, she is able to plan motivating experiences which enable them to succeed and become emotionally strong and ready for the next stage in their learning.

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

The childminder clearly understands about the importance of outside play in relation to supporting children's health and well-being. Activities, such as walks in the local environment and playing out in the garden, enable children to enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise. Children use larger equipment, such as climbing fames and wheeled toys. These opportunities allow them to build on their developing coordination, balance, and overall spatial awareness. As their muscles develop, the children become more competent at moving and controlling their bodies. They begin to understand how to negotiate obstacles and stop safely. The childminder provides child-height storage, so that toys and resources are easily accessible. This enables the children to build positively on their developing self-help skills and independence.

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

As the children grow, they increase their understanding about staying safe. For example, initially they learn about washing their hands to avoid germs. Later, children begin learning about the importance of staying safe within other contexts, for example, following road safety procedures. Opportunities to feed the ducks at the local pond highlights additional potential hazards, which the childminder and children discuss together, in order that everyone remains safe. Behaviour is good. The childminder is consistent in her approach and this enables the children to learn about clear boundaries. Children enjoy plenty of positive praise and encouragement helping them to feel included and learn about caring for others.

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provision

The childminder is well organised. She undertakes regular training to make sure that her knowledge and skills remain current. For example, her commitment to safeguarding training enables her to remain up to date with any changes in relation to child protection procedures. This ensures that she takes the correct action if she has to report any concerns she may have about a child in her care. In addition, the childminder carries out regular risk assessments of her home, garden, and any planned outings. She is vigilant in keeping children safe. The childminder has a good understanding of her role and responsibility to meet the safeguarding, welfare, learning, and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, children remain safe and their individual learning needs are met.

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provision

The childminder monitors the progress children make and takes the time to ensure that learning experiences are matched well to each child's age and stage of development. As a result, all children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder has addressed recommendation at her last inspection. Reflecting on her practice and seeking the views of children and their parents, enables the childminder to improve the service she provides. The childminder's attention to ongoing training and developing her teaching practice, along with extending the provision of resources, enables her to provide a sustainable childcare service.

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provision

Partnership with parents is very effective. A good two-way flow of information makes sure that all parties remain up to date with the changing needs of the children. This ensures that the childminder can also take account and plan, or where necessary adapt, her service to meet the altering childcare requirements of working parents. Parents find that their children are very settled and happy with the childminder. They feel she is easy to talk with and very approachable. Over time, the childminder has built good relationships with staff at the local pre-school and school. This now enables her to exchange relevant information and work productively in partnership with them, as the children move between those settings and hers. This supports children's good continuity of care and learning.

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The Childcare Register

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

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Grade Judgement Description

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

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Grade Judgement Description

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

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Inspection

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

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297191 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 856449 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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