Childminder in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/01/2015 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 quality of teaching is excellent. The childminder has high expectations of all children and her positive attitude ensures they achieve well.  Children make rapid progress towards the early learning goals because the childminder provides a very broad range of activities that interest and stimulate children's desire to learn.  Children's emotional well-being is promoted very effectively through superb partnerships with parents that encourage them to share important information frequently.  Children are rapidly gaining skills that help them to be confident, capable and independent at the earliest opportunity.  The childminder has excellent safeguarding knowledge; she brings her extensive prior experience into practice. This ensures she is alert to the possible signs that children are at risk and is able to report concerns quickly and appropriately.  The childminder is well organised and has a detailed understanding of the Early Years

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This provision is outstanding

Foundation Stage. This enables her to achieve and maintain very high standards.

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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 home, playroom and garden. The inspector discussed children's learning with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector, childminder and children had conversations at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation related to the day-to-day organisation of the childminding service, including safeguarding procedures, children's progress and self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents from information provided by the childminder in questionnaires and cards.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of childminder and the suitability of other household members aged over 16 years.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner in a house in Manuden. Part of the ground floor, the adjacent playroom, bedrooms and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has two dogs as pets. The childminder attends local groups with the children. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She takes children to, and collects them from, the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently five children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family 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:

 continue to build on the excellent practice, for example, by ensuring a targeted programme of continuous professional development is maintained.

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who attend

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the learning and development requirements. She plans and provides a broad range of interesting and stimulating activities that help each child to achieve their full potential. The childminder is very skilled and uses highly appropriate teaching methods that ensure each child is eager to get involved in the learning experiences available. The childminder involves parents from the start. This means she gains plenty of information about children's stage of development and favourite things to do. She uses this information superbly to build on what children, know, enjoy and can do. She continually challenges children to achieve more and this makes them immensely proud. The childminder continues to include parents in their child's learning at every opportunity, sharing what she sees and getting them to share children's experiences at home. The childminder regularly observes children and assesses their

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who attend

development, including the completion of the progress check between the age of two and three years. She maintains meticulous records of children's progress in the learning journey books. As a result, children are making rapid progress towards the early learning goals in readiness for future learning in school.

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who attend

Children are active learners. They confidently select the resources and talk to the childminder, planning their play. The childminder uses her excellent knowledge of their development to incorporate children's next steps for learning into activities. Children show a keen interest in doing some simple puzzles as they get the box they need. The childminder is always on hand to give sensitive support and to guide children where necessary. The childminder, recognising children's new interests, provides them with a more challenging puzzle and uses this extremely effectively to develop their skills across the areas of learning. She does not dominate activities and uses careful questioning to help children work things out for themselves. For example, during pretend play a child offers to make a drink for others. The child says she will make tea and the childminder says she does not drink tea. She asks the child if she can think of another hot drink. The

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who attend

child ponders the question and the childminder suggests the initial letter of a drink. The child immediately says she will make a coffee. The childminder's highly appropriate engagement in the activity with the child and use of letters and sounds recognition helped the child solve the problem.

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who attend

Children delight in playing with cereals. They use a variety of containers and utensils that allow them to combine quantities, be imaginative, pretending to cook and to compare size, shape and weight. The childminder is alert to all of the opportunities for incidental learning. She makes the most of all possible chances to extend children's thinking and understanding. This means children gain new information across a range of subjects because the childminder is happy and has the ability to follow children's lead without losing sight of the intended learning in each activity. This means children's physicals skills are tested as they fit together the train track, and their language and communication skills come into play as the childminder narrates children's play and they take this on themselves. Children love books; they share stories with the childminder and often choose to look at them on their own. Children can explain the stories they know well, showing a

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who attend

very good understanding of the sequence of events, predicting outcomes and suggesting alternative endings. This promotes their literacy skills along with their love of learning.

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

The children settle well into the childminder's care. She is very skilled in helping children to feel confident and at home. The childminder takes time to get to know families well. She respects and values children and this promotes their sense of worth and helps them develop their emotional resilience. The childminder expertly supports and cares for children helping them to explore their feelings and needs. This contributes significantly to their ability to meet new challenges, such as school.

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

Children's behaviour is excellent; the childminder expertly supports them in managing their feelings and any minor disagreements. Consequently, children make and sustain strong relationships with one another. The childminder is highly effective in teaching children to become independent. She readily engages in any new routines requested by parents. Her astute observations ensure she continually adjusts the level of support as children rapidly gain confidence and become more competent.

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

Children lead a very healthy life with the childminder. She offers numerous opportunities for them to play outside in the fresh air. Children put on their coats and boots and move between the indoors and outside when they feel the need. They relish the chance to go down the garden to look at the sheep in the field and to play in the sand. Children eat well; they talk with the childminder about healthy choices at mealtimes and during pretend play. Children have an excellent understanding of robust hygiene procedures. They readily engage in appropriate hand washing, notice when others do this and can easily explain why it is important to their health. The childminder continues to make excellent use of all opportunities to teach children the important life skills that help to keep them healthy and well.

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provision

The childminder is highly organised. She has an excellent knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. The childminder has many years of relevant experience and she brings her extensive prior knowledge to her current work. She has a highly developed understanding of safeguarding practice and this ensures she is able to take prompt and decisive action should concerns about a child's welfare arise. The childminder monitors the safety aspects of the home effectively and this means children can move safely indoors and outside. She ensures she monitors visitors and that adults in the home undergo the relevant checks to ensure their suitability.

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provision

The childminder regularly reflects on her practice to ensure she meets children's learning needs. She uses her evaluations to support children to make extremely good progress in their education. The childminder consistently tailors and adjusts her practice to secure improvements. The childminder listens to children, their views and those of their parents. These are vitally important to her in shaping her provision for every child. The childminder has continued to attend training to keep her skills up to date. She demonstrates a very clear commitment to ongoing professional development as she intends to continuously look out for training opportunities that will help her to maintain the excellent provision she offers children and their families.

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provision

The childminder has superb partnerships with parents. This means they work extremely well together and this enhances all aspects of children's care and learning. Parents are very positive about their experience and say the service is very good and the learning journey books help them see that the childminder provides well for their child's early educational needs. They also say the childminder provides a great service that children enjoy and really benefit from. The childminder has equally successful partnerships with other local providers; these ensure continuity in children's learning when they move on to other settings. The childminder knows about the local services available and therefore signposts parents to appropriate support services as necessary.

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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 EY462672 Local authority Essex Inspection number 943892 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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