Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20 April 2015 1 July 2009

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is outstanding

 The quality of teaching is outstanding. The childminder is adept at identifying when to intervene and when to stand back, ensuring that children are supported to become confident and self-assured critical thinkers.  The childminder provides children with an extremely stimulating environment and skilfully uses every situation to maximise their learning opportunities. As a result, children are highly motivated to learn and make excellent progress in relation to their starting points.  Children thrive as a result of the individual attention, support and encouragement they receive from the childminder. Her excellent knowledge of each child's development enables her to meet their needs and promote their progress highly effectively.  There are exceptionally good partnerships between the childminder, parents and other professionals ensuring that the individual needs of children are consistently well met.

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This provision is outstanding

 The childminder comprehensively identifies and successfully minimises potential risks. She has an excellent knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, and is fully aware of her responsibility to protect children. This ensures that the children in her care are fully safeguarded.  Children's understanding of the world is fostered exceptionally well. Regular visits to farm shops, nature reserves and a local allotment complement the learning opportunities provided in the childminder's home.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 enhance children's experiences by maintaining the focus on continuous professional development, to further extend the already excellent teaching.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder as appropriate during observations and checked organisational documents, such as training and first-aid certificates, risk assessments and the safeguarding policy.  The inspector examined children's enrolment records, learning files and checked documents, such as registers and forms to record medication administered.  The inspector discussed the progress children have made with the childminder to assess her knowledge of children's learning and development.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises used for childminding, discussed self- evaluation and considered the views of parents.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of other adults living in the home.

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who attend. This is outstanding

The childminder's detailed understanding of the learning and development requirements is underpinned by her qualification and previous experience as a Reception class teacher. Children make rapid progress because assessments of their learning are precise and are followed through with well-planned, challenging and fun activities to extend their learning. For example, young children learn to count and recognise numbers, when they hunt for numbers hidden in the garden. They learn about quantity when they fill up the water pump from their bucket of water, confidently using words, such as 'more' and 'less'. Children work out for themselves how to open and close the tap on the water drum and figure out why the water has stopped flowing, because the childminder waits before offering suggestions to help them. Consequently, children are thoroughly absorbed in their play and highly motivated to keep trying to solve small problems. These developing skills

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who attend. This is outstanding

very effectively prepare them for the next stage in their learning, such as school.

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outstanding

The childminder provides a vast amount of well-organised resources which allow her to respond swiftly to children's developing interests and extend their ideas in a natural and spontaneous way. For example, when children recall a family member plays golf, the childminder responds by encouraging them to find the golf clubs and balls so they can try for themselves. The childminder's warm, friendly and encouraging manner ensures that children feel valued and secure. Parents comment that, even when children have moved on to school, they spontaneously say they love the childminder. This is because the childminder knows each child and their families exceptionally well and treats each child as an individual. For example, when children speak English and Spanish, the childminder places equal emphasis on both languages by learning and using lots of words, rhymes and phrases in Spanish. Children's speaking skills are very good as a result. Children learn

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outstanding

about healthy food, the local community and develop their social skills through the wide variety of visits, outings and regular physical play sessions they attend.

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provision is outstanding

The childminder has very effective and accurate monitoring systems in place to ensure she has a clear understanding of each child's progress and their next steps in learning. Parents contribute to children's assessments and receive frequent information, through daily diaries, termly summaries and weekly plans, to help them continue children's learning at home. Clear objectives for ongoing improvement in her action plan, mean that the childminder identifies new initiatives in order to ensure the quality of her provision remains high. She has recently joined forces with other childminders to provide children with access to an allotment, which includes access to hens and a bee hive. Ongoing training in subjects, such as the common assessment framework, complement the childminder's extensive knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and contribute to her continuing professional development. As a result, children's needs are exceptionally well met.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY388435 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 873937 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2008 and lives in Upholland, Skelmersdale. She operates all year round, from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds Qualified Teacher Status.

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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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