Childminder in Southend on Sea

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 May 2015 10 March 2009

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This inspection: Good 2

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

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Children are very happy and settled in the welcoming, family environment. Their individual needs are fully met as the childminder shares daily information and works effectively with parents to provide consistency in children's routines.  Teaching is good as the childminder plans activities to encourage children to develop key skills for future learning, in readiness for starting nursery or school.  The childminder provides a good range of toys and resources to meet the interests, needs and learning of all the ages of children who attend her setting.  Children relish the opportunity to choose between indoor and outdoor play. The childminder has put considerable thought into improving her outdoor play provision to provide children with a wealth of opportunities to develop and learn.  Children are effectively safeguarded. The childminder has a very clear understanding of the procedures to follow should she have concerns about a child in her care. Robust

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This provision is good

health and safety checks ensure children are kept safe on the premises and on outings.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not always give children sufficient time to respond to questions, or to explore new words, in order to develop their thinking and speaking skills even further.  Mealtimes are not always efficiently organised and this means young children sometimes become restless and less focused when eating.

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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

 extend the opportunities to introduce new words during activities and give children more time to respond when asking questions, to fully promote their critical thinking and expressive language skills  enhance the organisation of mealtimes to encourage children to consistently develop important social skills, such as positive behaviour and good table manners, while eating.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environments and looked around the premises.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder about the children's progress and achievements.  The inspector viewed the children's development records.  The inspector saw evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the childminder and her family, self-evaluation, risk assessment and policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents from references obtained by the childminder.

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who attend. This is good

The childminder has a secure knowledge of how children learn. She encourages children to extend their interests and explore and discover new things. For example, children investigate dry and wet sand with a variety of containers or construction toys. Children's language development is generally well promoted. During adult-led activities, the childminder plays alongside children and uses sign language and effective questioning skills to gather interesting answers from the children. However, during the activities that children choose for themselves, the childminder sometimes misses opportunities to introduce them to a wider range of vocabulary. In addition, she does not consistently give children time to think and respond before offering any support that they may need. The childminder has good relationships with the parents. She ensures that they are kept well informed of their children's development through written and electronic communication,

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who attend. This is good

discussion and by providing photographs of their children at play. As a result, this promotes continuity of care and learning.

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good

The childminder ensures that the environment is safe, clean and clutter free to prevent accidents and promote children's welfare. Children have good opportunities to socialise with others as the childminder takes them to local toddler groups or they visit the school playgrounds. This helps to prepare them emotionally for the move from her childminding environment to somewhere new. The childminder understands the importance of healthy lifestyles. Children have many opportunities for exercise and developing their coordination. The childminder provides children with nutritious snacks and drinks. They have good opportunities to develop their independence skills, as they help to prepare snacks by chopping bananas or strawberries. However, the childminder has not fully established successful strategies for encouraging responsible behaviour at mealtimes. As a result, children sometimes walk around while eating, rather than remain sitting at the table.

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provision is good

The childminder is highly qualified and continues to seek additional training to build on her knowledge and skills. Both the childminder and her assistant hold current first-aid certificates. In addition, the assistant is now working towards a recognised early years qualification. This has a very positive impact on the standards of care and education they provide. The childminder understands her responsibility to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She rigorously checks children's progress to ensure they are moving forward in their development. The childminder ensures that she identifies children's achievements using her supporting documentation. Therefore, she can clearly see how children are progressing and where they may need additional support. The childminder evaluates her setting taking account of the views of those who use it. She monitors the practice of her assistant and sets herself targets for improvement. The

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provision is good

recommendation from the last inspection has successfully been addressed.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY379847 Local authority Southend on Sea Inspection number 858564 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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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 10 March 2009

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2008 and lives in Westcliff-on-Sea. She sometimes works with an assistant. The childminder works all year round, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. She holds an early years qualification at level 5. The childminder is a member of a childminding network and provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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