Childminder in Durham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 June 2015 17 February 2011

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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 Outstanding 1

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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 enjoy a good range of activities and resources, which provides them with enjoyable challenges and builds on their interests. The childminder encourages children to work together, which supports their learning effectively. As a result, children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including school.  Children build very positive relationships with the childminder and the other children because there is an excellent emphasis on personal, social and emotional development. As a result, their behaviour is excellent and they feel very happy and self-assured.  The childminder keeps children extremely safe because she has a very good understanding of safeguarding. She demonstrates a full knowledge of what to do should she have concerns about a child's welfare. The childminder also gives children's safety high priority through highlighting risks and minimising potential hazards within

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This provision is good

her environment.  The childminder is well qualified and keen to improve her professional knowledge. She regularly seeks training and support. The childminder has recently applied some recent advice, guidance and training to support her in managing her observations and assessments. This has had a positive impact on her practice.  Children are extremely happy and confident, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure as they independently explore the environment.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Opportunities to extend and enrich children's communication, language and pronunciation are not always fully maximised.  Information gathered from parents about children's learning and development, to help inform children's starting points, is not yet firmly embedded.

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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

 advance and further develop children's communication and language skills, for example, by modelling more words to support pronunciation and engaging even more in the conversations that interest children  strengthen initial assessments by gathering even more information from parents and carers about children's learning and development before they start at the setting.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed the areas used by children, inside and out.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder at appropriate times, talked with children and carried out a joint observation.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of the childminder, her training certificates and the suitability of all other adults in the household.  The inspector viewed feedback from parent questionnaires, taking their views into account.  The inspector looked at a range of records, including relevant policies and procedures, children's learning files, the childminder's self-evaluation form and risk assessments.

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who attend. This is good

The childminder has an excellent understanding of how children learn through play. The quality of her teaching is very good with some outstanding qualities. For example, she chats to children as they hunt for bugs and garden creatures. She asks some very relevant questions to help children think, such as, 'I wonder what this could be?' She teaches children mathematical language as she encourages them to look under the stone, behind the shrub and on the leaf. Overall, children's language and communication skills are promoted well. However, the childminder sometimes misses opportunities to help children pronounce new words correctly. In addition, she does not always extend children's dialogue further by expanding on conversations initiated by them. The childminder provides a very good range of resources to suit children's learning styles. She promotes good early literacy by providing opportunities for children to learn that reading and writing

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who attend. This is good

is for a purpose. For example, she teaches children to mark off the insects they have seen. Younger children enjoy making marks and writing on the laminated sheets, while older children mark off the bugs using a tick. In addition, she teaches children how to research as they search in the book for the name of the bee they have found.

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outstanding

The childminder establishes extremely strong attachments with children, which is clearly evident throughout the inspection. Her exceptional warmth and kindness towards the children helps to build their self-confidence, self-motivation and self-esteem. Consequently, children develop their independence and enjoy choosing what to do. The children benefit from excellent outdoor learning opportunities. Children show their emerging knowledge of healthy eating as they ask the childminder, 'Is this good for me?' Children are developing excellent hygiene practices as they wash their hands before meal times and after playing outside. The childminder has taught children to sing a song at the same time, so that washing is fun and effective. The childminder has extremely close links with the local nursery and schools. This helps to ensure that there is continuity of learning for children and any moves into school are seamless.

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provision is good

Parents are involved in their children's learning from the outset. Information gathered from parents about their children's care needs help to inform initial assessments. The childminder has begun to gather further information about children's current skills and abilities when they first start. However, this process is still in its early stages, which means some children do not have specific starting points. Nevertheless, the childminder's observations and assessments, once children have settled, help the childminder track children's progress in their learning and development. As a result, any gaps in development are easily identified. The childminder is extremely self-reflective, working alongside others, parents and children to obtain feedback, which informs future practice.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 313512 Local authority Durham Inspection number 871945 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 13

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 17 February 2011

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2000 and lives in Belmont, Durham. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder is registered to provide funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The childminder holds a National Vocational Qualification at level 3.

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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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