Childminder in Southend on Sea

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children play and explore safely. The bright, airy playroom is organised to be extremely inviting and welcoming. Children soon become actively engaged in activities that are planned to extend their learning in all areas of the curriculum. For example, they are fascinated by dinosaurs and excitedly discover them during their small-world play. Children sing and sign about the 'Dinosaurs on the Bus', and creatively stick shapes onto a dinosaur picture.

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The provision is good

Children develop strong bonds with each other. They consider each other's feelings, comforting babies by patting them and saying 'you're alright'. They have a can-do attitude when they all work together to build a long, winding train track. Every child clambers around the floor, engrossed in adding their pieces to the construction. Older children helpfully show the younger ones how to make their part of the track fit properly.

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The provision is good

Children squeal with delight when the childminder releases her chickens and geese into the garden. They feed them bread and gently stroke them, which supports their growing understanding of caring for others. Children are self-assured as they climb the metal rungs of a ladder to walk across a bridge. They challenge themselves, working out the best way to dismount at the end. They jump with confidence, brush themselves down and proudly tell the childminder, 'I'm alright'.

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need to do better?

n The childminder creates a calm, nurturing environment. She, and her assistant are excellent role models. They have an equally gentle approach, communicating respectfully with children and each other. Children respond positively. They listen carefully and are very helpful. For example, they quickly tidy up when they are asked to. n Children develop a love of books, which enriches their vocabulary. They snuggle up and listen to the childminder as she expressively reads a story about animals playing hide and seek. She makes the most of these opportunities to introduce basic mathematics. They count to 10 together and compare the 'big' elephant to the 'little' mouse. The childminder introduces new, interesting words, such as 'customer' and 'shopkeeper', when playing 'shops' alongside the children. n The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities exceptionally well, ensuring all children have the best possible

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need to do better?

opportunities. She expertly draws on personal experiences and her specialised skills. For example, she proficiently uses sign language, which enables children to freely express themselves. They all learn to sign songs and nursery rhymes. This provides them with additional ways to communicate and a developing consideration of other people's needs.

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need to do better?

24 January 2020 n Children are independent. They confidently manage their own care needs. Older children happily go and wash their hands before eating and after playing outside in the garden. Even the youngest children hang up their own coats and start to recognise their names on the hooks. Despite this, snack and mealtimes offer fewer opportunities for children to make choices and practise their self-help skills. n Parents provide information about their child's development and routines when they first start. The childminder uses her initial observations to help her to get to know the children well. Parents appreciate receiving regular updates and photographs, which show their children are happy and involved in activities. They are very confident that their children are well cared for, commenting that the childminder is 'exceptional' and their children 'have thrived'. n The childminder continually reflects on her provision. She noticed children are

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need to do better?

more curious and eager to play with a broader range of resources as a result of her now displaying toys and equipment on open shelving. She is experimenting with new methods to track children's progress. However, current systems do not accurately focus on identifying gaps in children's learning and development. n Ongoing professional development is important to the childminder. She is undertaking a childcare qualification at level 3 to develop her knowledge and practice further. She benefits from local authority training opportunities. For example, she has recently attended an early years conference. This inspired her to evaluate her work with different groups of children, such as boys. The childminder's assistant speaks highly of how supportive the childminder is. She explains that she receives valuable experience and guidance, which contributes to raising the overall quality of her teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder and her assistant clearly understand how to protect the children in their care. They are confident to describe signs and symptoms that may indicate a child's well-being is compromised. This includes recognising children who could be exposed to extreme views or behaviours. They know the actions to take to refer their concerns to the relevant agencies. The childminder updates her safeguarding knowledge, ensuring she is informed of recent changes in the local authority's guidance and procedures. She monitors her assistant's knowledge of safeguarding issues to keep her up to date with required information.

p.3

should:

n track individual children's progress more precisely so that specific areas of learning can be targeted to accurately support children's ongoing development

p.3

should:

24 January 2020 n review the organisation of mealtimes to more fully support children's choices and developing self-help skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY382265 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10071992 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder Age range of children 1 to 4 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 10 Date of previous inspection 26 November 2015

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2008 and lives in Thorpe Bay, Essex. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. She works with an assistant.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector how she organises her home and provision to meet children's learning and development needs. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder, assistant and children and considered the impact on children's learning. n The childminder and the inspector reviewed and evaluated an activity and discussed the quality of teaching. n The inspector spoke to the childminder, her assistant, parents and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n A range of documentation was reviewed, including attendance records and safeguarding policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

24 January 2020 We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

24 January 2020 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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