Childminder in Lincolnshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/01/2015 21/11/2011

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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 supports children's learning well. She understands how children learn best and provides them with a range of experiences. Consequently, children make good progress in all areas of development.  The childminder effectively promotes children's independence because she supports them to complete everyday routines themselves, for example, putting on their coats and wiping their nose.  The childminder establishes warm relationships with children. As a result, children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure, and are ready to learn.  Children are effectively protected from harm as the childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of her responsibilities with regard to protecting children.  The childminder demonstrates a positive and genuine attitude towards reflecting on and developing her practice. This helps to support improvements in the setting and further enhances opportunities for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Information requested from parents before children start with the childminder does not fully include details about their children's prior learning, to enhance the precision and accuracy of the childminder's initial assessment.

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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 playroom, lounge and dining room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked through children's assessment records and reviewed a selection of records, policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of the childminder and adult members of the household and of the childminder's training.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children in a house in Ruskington, Lincolnshire. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet cat. The childminder attends a toddler group and visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 10 children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round, from 7am 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:

 enhance the accuracy of children's initial assessments even further by gaining more precise and detailed information from parents about children's prior learning.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. The childminder is very aware of children's needs and stages of development. She is very flexible and adapts teaching techniques to suit the needs of individual children. She joins in with children's play and praises their achievements, so that they want to try out new skills. As a result, children remain happily engaged and develop a very positive attitude to learning. The childminder completes detailed observations and assessments, which show that children are making good progress towards the early learning goals, in all areas. The childminder uses a variety of strategies to support children to develop skills in language and a greater understanding of the world around them. She commentates as they play, helps them to make links to previous learning and encourages them to share their ideas and thoughts through questioning. As a result, children make good progress in communication and language.

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who attend

The childminder provides a variety of opportunities for children to be creative and they have access to a variety of mark making equipment and tools, which develop fine motor skills. They learn about number and colours through planned activities and as opportunities arise. A wide variety of high quality, fiction and non-fiction books are stored in a rack in the playroom, encouraging children's interest in reading.

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who attend

The childminder supports children very effectively to develop the skills that they need in readiness for school. The childminder listens when children spell out the letters in their names and is a good role model when supporting other children to do the same, saying the letters for them to copy. She provides a broad range of resources and activities, which are purposeful and developmentally appropriate for children to stimulate their interest and enhance their enjoyment. She also provides activities, which challenge children and extend their knowledge and understanding. For example, the childminder sings a nursery rhyme and holds up different animals for them to recognise. She extends their learning by asking children about the noises the animals make and if they know the name of the baby animal. Children listen well and are given plenty of time to respond. The childminder takes children to toddler sessions. During this time, they learn to share resources and socialise

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who attend

with other children. This provides children with useful skills for the future, for example, when going to school, as they learn to respect and tolerate the differences and similarities of others.

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who attend

The childminder is fully aware of her responsibility to complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. She shares this with parents so that they know what progress their child is making in the prime areas of learning. The childminder gains some basic information from parents about children's routines and interests when they start with her. However, she does not always seek information about children's prior learning to enable her to enhance the precision and accuracy of her first assessment of their abilities. The childminder shares information with parents in a number of ways through daily diaries, learning journeys and verbally at drop off and pick up times. Parents are encouraged to add to their children's daily diaries to create a full picture of children's learning and development. As a result, the childminder can plan more precisely to meet individual needs and children know that their achievements are valued at home

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

The childminder is caring and considerate and provides a warm and inviting environment, where children feel very comfortable and safe. This is evident in the way that they interact with the childminder and each other, chattering and giggling as they explore and investigate their surroundings. Their secure emotional attachments ensure that they feel confident to approach the childminder for help, reassurance and support, if they need it. The childminder is very attentive and gives lots of appropriate praise. This helps children to form strong emotional attachments. Children are confident and happy and express their ideas and needs. For example, children call the childminder by name and enjoy telling her about their day at a local pre-school. As a result, children are effectively prepared emotionally for their next stage of learning. Toys and activities are stored at a low level and in clear boxes, so that children can access them freely, encouraging their active

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

The childminder actively promotes healthy lifestyles. During lunchtime, the childminder chats to the children about what they are eating and promotes social interaction during this time. She takes children on walks to the local shops to look at the different vegetables available and children pot plants to care for at home. Children have plenty of exercise and benefit from fresh air as they walk to and from school and go on visits to the park to feed the ducks, which also help them learn about keeping themselves healthy and fit. The childminder introduces children to good hygienic practices. For example, children wash their hands before eating food and after sneezing.

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

The childminder is a good role model for children and treats them with respect, modelling good manners. She uses a positive, calm and consistent approach to managing behaviour, which takes into account children's understanding and stage of development. Consequently, children are polite and they behave well, recognising boundaries and responding to expectations. The childminder gives children reminders about safety issues, so that they learn to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe. For example, she asks children to either hold hands with her or hold on to the pushchair when walking in the street and to always look for cars when crossing the road.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of her responsibility to ensure that she meets the safeguarding and welfare requirements, and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are effectively safeguarded as the childminder has a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and knows whom to contact should she have any concerns. Children are further safeguarded as the childminder's home is safe and secure and doors are locked at all times. The childminder has a comprehensive set of policies and procedures in place, which are well written, easily accessible and underpin the childminder's good practice. She translates these effectively into practice and shares them with parents, which helps them to understand her responsibilities as a childcare professional. The childminder makes sure that any accidents or incidents children may have within the home are fully recorded and shared with

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provision

parents. All required suitability checks, such as Disclosure and Barring Service checks, are in place for all adults living on the premises. As a result, children are safe and secure when in her care.

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provision

The childminder has implemented an effective system to track children's progress. This summarises the wide variety of observations and assessments that she undertakes to create an accurate picture of each child's learning and development. It enables her to monitor the educational programmes. Consequently, all children make good progress across all areas of learning. The childminder is committed to improving her practice and continuing her professional development. She has recently completed a childcare qualification to secure her knowledge of child development. In addition, she plans to complement this training by attending more focused learning on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Her commitment to developing her own knowledge enables her to evaluate and develop the service she provides. As a result, children receive a good quality of care and learning.

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provision

The childminder has very good relationships with parents and works in partnership with them to support children's learning and development. She encourages friendly and open communication to promote a two-way exchange of information and parents are very happy with this. They comment that the childminder always has a really positive outlook on her daily role. The childminder has established good links with the pre-schools and schools in the local area and shares relevant information about minded children that attend both settings, to enable her to provide for children's care, learning and well-being. Younger children visit schools when dropping off and collecting older children and the childminder takes children on outings to the local library to select books to support their knowledge of their new school. As a result, they become familiar with the routines of going to school in readiness for their next steps in 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 EY427031 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 852734 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 10

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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

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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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