Childminder in Staffordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 May 2015 7 March 2011

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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 has an excellent understanding of how young children learn. She provides an exceptional range of highly stimulating and challenging activities and resources, both indoors and outdoors. As a result, children are keen to learn and thoroughly enjoy their time with the childminder.  The childminder monitors children's learning and meticulously assesses their progress. This ensures that her planning and child's free choice opportunities are sharply focused on the individual needs of the children. As a result, children are continuously challenged and make exceptional progress towards the early learning goals.  Numbers and print, such as the children's names are used very effectively, to develop children's skills in mathematics and literacy. Consequently, children develop essential skills and confidence to prepare them for their next stage in learning, such as school.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children have strong attachments to the childminder and are extremely confident, sociable and self-assured. This is because the childminder provides a safe, secure and homely environment where children's happiness is of utmost priority.  Healthy lifestyles are extremely well promoted. The childminder provides well-balanced snacks and home-cooked meals, daily outdoor play and frequent visits to local parks.  Children's safety and well-being are highly prioritised. Robust risk assessments, stringent safety measures and highly-comprehensive safeguarding procedures ensure that children feel safe and are secure.  Parents express exceptionally high levels of satisfaction with the quality of care the childminder provides and their children's happiness. They are kept very well informed and involved in their children's progress through daily diaries and an online system.  The childminder has very high expectations of the children and herself. Her thorough

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This provision is outstanding

self-evaluation and improvement planning promotes the continual development of her provision in pursuit of excellence.

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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

 consider further strengthening links with local schools to become better aware of their teaching of letters and sounds, and reflect this within the childminding provision, to further enhance the already excellent opportunities for the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities, interactions and care routines between the childminder and children in the playroom, kitchen, and garden.  The inspector observed an activity led by the childminder and discussed with her the quality of her teaching and the learning benefits to the children.  The inspector spoke to the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector checked evidence of the childminder's qualifications and the suitability of herself and other family members living in the home.  The inspector took account of information included in the childminder's self-evaluation form and her website, which were viewed before the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers from information included in the childminder's own parent survey.

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who attend. This is outstanding

During an activity to explore different emotions, the childminder asks the children what makes them happy, sad or scared. The childminder gives lots of praise for their thoughtful answers, developing their confidence superbly. The children look into mirrors, identifying the colour of their eyes and practising different facial emotions. The activity is extended so that the children can explore different creative resources. The childminder suggests that they could make a face, or whatever they choose. This supports their developing creativity exceptionally well. Because the childminder has such an excellent understanding of how children learn, she provides appropriate resources, such as special scissors, which younger children can squeeze. As a result, children persist at activities for long periods, developing excellent concentration skills. Children are eager to know what the words on the emotions

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who attend. This is outstanding

posters say. This demonstrates their developing understanding that print has meaning. Overall, children are highly motivated and engaged, developing active learning skills, which prepare them exceptionally well for starting school. However, there is scope to enhance children's excellent literacy skills even further, through the childminder linking with local schools and their letters and sounds practices.

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outstanding

Children are cared for exceptionally well by the childminder. Excellent settling-in arrangements include parents sharing detailed information about their child's care needs and skills. This enables the childminder to meet children's unique needs from the outset superbly. The childminder is an excellent role model as she is kind, gentle and calm. She promotes sharing and taking turns and encourages the use of good manners. Weekly visits to a local cafe and toddler groups develop children's social skills excellently. As a result, children learn how to behave appropriately in different situations. The childminder enables children to be highly independent in attending to their toileting and hygiene needs as soon as they are able to. The childminder ensures that children are confident in different situations and boosts their self-esteem through lots of positive praise.

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provision is outstanding

The childminder provides a highly professional service to families, meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to exceptional standards. Parents receive a highly informative 'welcome pack' at the start of care arrangements. This contains comprehensive information, including copies of the policies and procedures which underpin the childminder's excellent practices. The childminder is trained and qualified to foundation degree level, and has used the knowledge gained to develop her teaching skills and reflective practice further still. She actively seeks new ideas through continual training, regular childminding network meetings and independent research. As a result, she identifies areas of her practice to enhance further, and keeps up to date with new initiatives and legislation. The childminder has excellent procedures in place to share information with other settings, such as school, to support continuity of learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 209570 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 865625 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 11 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2011

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1992 and lives in Leek, Staffordshire. She operates all year round from 8am to 5pm, Tuesday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. She provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The childminder has a Foundation Degree in Early Years.

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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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