Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/10/2012 Not Applicable

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

p.1

This provision is satisfactory

 Children build warm caring relationships with the childminder and are happy and settled in her care. Young children develop good self-care skills; they are able to feed themselves and show an awareness of hygiene as they imitate the childminder wiping the table.  Young children's language is developing well. The childminder extends their vocabulary and models what they are saying.  The arrangements for safeguarding children meet the statutory requirements.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 The childminder has not completed the local authority approved childminder training course.  There is no clear assessment system in place; children's progress is not consistent across all areas of learning because the childminder does not identify and plan their next steps.  The childminder does not work in partnership with other early years settings children attend by sharing information to provide consistency or to identify any intervention needed.  The system for reflective practice and self-evaluation is weak. Some priorities for development may be identified, but there are no action plans in place to target improvement.

p.1

Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the two main rooms downstairs and the garden

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's daily diaries, observations and planning documentation, a selection of policies and children's records  The inspector also discussed the childminder's self-evaluation of her practice.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012. She lives with her husband and two children aged two and five years in Bishops Stortford. The whole of the ground floor and the bathroom upstairs are used for childminding. There is an enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family has a dog that is usually out of the house during childminding hours. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently two children attending in the early years age group. Children attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children over five to 11 years. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

p.2

must:

 complete a local authority approved childminder training course  assess each child's progress across all seven areas of learning in relation to their age and stage of development and use this information to plan the next steps for their individual learning.

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop links with other settings providing the Early Years Foundation Stage, sharing information to enable any learning and development needs to be addressed

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop the system for reflective practice and self-evaluation to enable further identification of areas for development and plan actions to target this improvement.

p.3

who attend

The childminder has a basic knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage, enabling her to provide a range of resources, activities and experiences that cover all the areas of learning. Children are able to easily access a wide selection of resources and are given opportunities to make their own choices. Children's language development is promoted well as the childminder extends young children's vocabulary and helps them to build on the language skills they have already acquired. She models language clearly to describe what they are doing, and children are keen to copy words she uses, such as 'two' and 'squeaky ball'. For example, young children point to the bin and say 'dirty' and are learning from their experiences as the childminder has previously stopped them from touching the bin because it is dirty. There are lots of opportunities for young children to develop their language through singing action rhymes and having stories read to them. Children take

p.3

who attend

delight in sitting with the childminder and pressing the button on every page of a book to make a sound. Young children explore how a book works and are encouraged to turn the pages and lift the flaps to discover what is underneath. Older children are extending their language as they read with the childminder. They are keen to start forming words and attempt to write some letters, for example as they make badges.

p.3

who attend

Children show strong exploratory impulses as they build with stacking beakers, learning to order the size in which they have to be stacked. The childminder uses these everyday opportunities to promote counting and matching skills. Children are becoming aware of the world around them as they talk about what they see on the way to school, such as which animals and the noises they make. Young children were very excited about the spider they had seen, saying the word 'spider' clearly and looking for it, pointing towards the window.

p.4

who attend

Young children attend a group to develop their physical skills, where they practise their agility, balance along beams, learn to throw and catch beanbags, and roll hoops. They are able to show control as they roll a ball to each other and then manage to throw it. They enjoy making music, moving their bodies as they play the keyboard and banging two cups together to make a noise.

p.4

who attend

The childminder seeks information verbally from parents regarding their children's starting points and carries out initial observations. However, she does not yet routinely assess children's progress and plan for their next steps. Consequently, the childminder does not have a detailed view of children's progress in their learning and does not consistently tailor activities to meet children's specific needs.

p.4

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

The childminder gathers information from the parents about children's likes and dislikes and their routines in order to provide a home-from-home environment. As the minded children have only been with the childminder for a short time, she is still building her knowledge of their needs through observing how they interact with one another and approach activities. Young children feel secure and comfortable with the childminder and engage well with the other children at the setting. For example, young children become very excited when they go to pick up the older children from school.

p.4

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

Behaviour is generally good and young children are beginning to share the resources. The childminder encourages them to thank each other when they share and gives them lots of verbal praise. Children are encouraged to make healthy choices about the food they eat and are offered a varied selection of fruit and vegetables in their diet. They are developing their independence and demonstrate good self-care skills. For example, babies enjoy finger food so that they can feed themselves and copy the childminder wiping the table with a paper towel when the water spills. Children develop healthy lifestyles as they walk to and from school with the childminder each day and regularly use large play equipment in the garden and the local park.

p.4

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

Children develop their confidence and independence as the childminder takes them to childminding groups at the local children's centre, where they can mix with their peers. Young babies seek comfort from the childminder when they are tired, and the childminder has moved lunch time earlier in the day to take account of children no longer requiring their morning sleep.

p.4

provision

The childminder's knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements is sound. She ensures that all adults in the household are vetted. She conducts comprehensive risk assessments and takes appropriate steps to minimise hazards. She gives suitable priority to promoting children's safety, so that they know and comply with safety and care routines. However, the requirement to have completed a local authority approved childminding training has not been met, which is also a requirement of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This has no impact on the safety of the children but has resulted in the childminder having a limited understanding of the learning and development requirements, particularly planning and assessment.

p.5

provision

The childminder has a positive relationship with parents, providing clear information through discussion and her policies and procedures. She regularly shares information about the children's care both verbally and through a daily diary, which includes some observations of children's learning and development achievements.

p.5

provision

Relationships with other providers delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage have not yet been established, although the childminder is aware of the importance of making these links. Therefore no information is shared, relating to the assessment of children and their learning needs to ensure consistency and identify any intervention needed.

p.5

provision

The childminder is able to identify some areas for improvement in her practice, although there is no clear process in place to monitor and evaluate her practice overall. The views of children and parents are not sought in the evaluation and there are no action plans in place to target any identified improvements. The childminder is keen to improve her knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage through talking to other childminders and accessing relevant training.

p.5

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

p.5

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 complete a course approved by an English local authority designed to meet the requirements of registration.

p.5

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

p.6

Inspection

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.

p.6

Setting details

Unique reference number EY436683 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 793231 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 2

p.6

Name of provider

Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.7

Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

p.7

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.7

Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

p.7

Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

p.7

Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.7

Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

p.7

Type of provision

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’.

p.8

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.8