Younger, Alexandra

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 September 2015 10 February 2009

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder nurtures children's emotional well-being very well. Children form very good relationships with the childminder and clearly love being around her. The great deal of comfort, reassurance and support she provides to children throughout their day helps to ensure that children feel happy and assured.  The well-qualified childminder is committed to continued improvement. She regularly attends further training and conducts her own research to enhance practice and raise the quality of care and learning for children.  Partnerships with parents are very good. Effective daily communication keeps parents well informed of their children's time with the childminder. Parents actively contribute to children's learning and assessments and the childminder provides a wide range of ideas and activities to extend children's learning at home.  The childminder has good systems in place to track children's progress. This helps to

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This provision is good

ensure that any gaps in learning for individual or groups of children are swiftly identified and supported.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not provide enough opportunities for all of her assistants to attend training focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning.  Outdoor play routines are not flexible enough to support children who prefer to learn outdoors.

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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

 provide more consistent opportunities for every assistant to attend regular training focused on improving their already good knowledge of teaching and learning  apply a more flexible approach to outdoor play routines so that children who prefer to learn outside are able to do so.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector toured the areas used for childminding.  The inspector examined a range of documents. These included, the policies and procedures, evidence of suitability checks, a record of training for the childminder and her assistants, children's learning files and the provider's self-evaluation form.  The inspector observed children during their freely chosen activities.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder, her assistants and the children throughout the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder during a planned activity.  The inspector took account of the views from parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection and from comments noted on the parent feedback forms.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder has a good understanding of what action to take if she has concerns about a child's welfare. Recruitment procedures are robust and ensure that assistants are skilled and suitable for their role. Effective daily safety checks and close supervision help to ensure that children remain safe at all times. The childminder works together very well with her team of assistants. She closely monitors their performance and regularly feeds back what they do well and what needs to be improved. Training needs are effectively identified and supported through a good programme of professional development. However, training opportunities in relation to teaching and learning are not consistently provided for all assistants to access regularly. The childminder and her assistants listen attentively to the views from parents and children. They use the information they gain to make effective improvements to their

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

provision, helping to ensure that children have access to good quality care and learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The quality of teaching is good. The childminder provides a wide range of challenging and fun experiences for children to engage in that motivates them to learn and sustains their interest. Children take an active role in their play, making their own independent choices about the resources they will play with. They are confident to develop their own play themes and join in with other children when play interests them. Children develop good communication and language skills. The childminder and her assistants engage very well with children as they play. They talk activities through and ask a good range of questions to promote children's thinking skills. Children develop good physical skills when using tools for a purpose and when manipulating malleable materials to create a desired effect.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy and settled in this welcoming environment with a childminder who responds to their every need. Children's individual needs are sensitively supported when they begin at the setting and as they prepare to move on to school. This helps children to feel assured. The childminder has high expectations for behaviour. Children show a great deal of care and concern for one another as they play together. They quickly respond to each other's needs, attempting to comfort and reassure their friends by offering toys for them to play with when they become upset. Children enjoy the responsibility of carrying out tasks for themselves to develop good self-care skills. They clearly understand how to keep themselves safe and readily alert other children to any dangers, such as when there has been a spillage. Children have daily opportunities to access their outdoor environment to promote their good health. However, routines are not always flexible enough to support

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Outcomes for children are good

The childminder helps all children to make good progress in their learning. Her accurate observations and assessments, and skilfully shaped learning experiences support children in developing the key skills they need for the next stages in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY301796 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 848889 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 6

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 10 February 2009

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2005 and lives in Ashington. She has three assistants who work alongside her at various times during the week. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and is working towards gaining a level 5 qualification. Two of her assistants hold appropriate early years qualifications 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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Telephone number

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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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