Childminder in St Helens

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 May 2016 29 November 2011

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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 provides a warm, welcoming and safe environment for the children. She is a good role model who treats children with kindness and respect. Children are happy, well settled and confident individuals.  The childminder is well qualified and experienced. She regularly observes children and uses her very good knowledge to assess their ongoing learning. She uses the information gained from these to plan further exciting and challenging activities and experiences, that promote the next steps in their development.  The childminder works effectively with parents. She shares information with them about their children's care and progress. She makes good use of daily diaries and written reports, to help parents extend their children's learning at home. Parents are also invited to contribute their ideas to the self-evaluation of the setting.  Children access an extensively resourced outdoor area every day, where they can be

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This provision is good

physically active and use their imaginations. Children enjoy many varied and interesting trips and visits in the local community.  The childminder supports children to lead a healthy lifestyle and be independent. Children enjoy healthy and nutritionally balanced meals and snacks and help themselves to drinks of water. Children are encouraged to serve themselves and help the childminder clean up after they have eaten.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not always provide enough opportunities for children to follow their own thinking and ideas.  The childminder's observations and assessments do not yet focus sharply enough on the different ways in which children learn.

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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 opportunities for children to follow their own thinking and ideas  review and sharpen assessment arrangements to better reflect the different ways in which children learn, and use these to enhance activity plans even further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outside and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the childminder and discussed this with her.  The inspector spoke to the childminder and the children throughout the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the childminder's policies and procedures, self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of other adults who live at her home.  The inspector took into account the views of parents, made available from written references and questionnaires.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Comprehensive safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, understood and acted on by the childminder. The childminder has accessed a range of courses which supports her ongoing professional development. Self-evaluation is conducted regularly and includes the views of parents and the children. The childminder tracks the progress of individual children across the seven areas of learning. This supports children to make consistently good progress. The childminder is dedicated and committed to her role. She is currently undertaking a course of study, to help her raise her level of qualification and improve her already good teaching skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder interacts very well with children and gets down to their eye level. This helps children to focus and actively engage with her. Children enjoy playing in the outdoors. They use their small physical skills as they experiment with sand and water. The childminder encourages children to talk about their home life and their time at the setting. Children are confident communicators and have good imaginative skills. For example, they pretend to look after the childminder when acting out being doctors. The childminder provides a good range of media and materials for children, such as pens and chalks. Children enjoy making marks and are beginning to develop their early writing skills. The childminder uses a variety of different methods to promote children's mathematical skills and social skills. For example, children play cooperatively in the sand. Children share resources and recite numbers as they play. The childminder offers lots of praise and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

encouragement. This means children are keen to join in and try out new activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children have access to a wide range of resources, inside and outdoors. Resources are safe, clean and age-appropriate. The childminder uses clear and consistent strategies to manage behaviour and offers children explanations for any unwanted behaviours. Children behave very well, given their age and stage of development, and are supported to stay safe. Children demonstrate that they know to keep themselves safe. For example, they know to close the zip on the trampoline guard, so they do not fall out. Children have strong attachments with the childminder. The childminder effectively uses settling-in sessions to get to know children and their families. This enables parents to share important information about their child's care and learning needs. The childminder closely follows routines for babies as discussed with parents. Hygiene practices are good. Children are encouraged to wash and dry their own hands before meals and after using the toilet.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who receive early years funding, make consistently good progress in their learning. Children are highly motivated and eager to learn new skills. Children have good social skills and are self-assured individuals. Children display motivation for learning and are developing the skills required for future learning and school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY421750 Local authority St. Helens Inspection number 852252 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 9 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 29 November 2011

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2004 and lives in St. Helens. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate 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 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

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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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