Childminder in Suffolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/01/2013 20/01/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 3 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 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder lacks knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means that children's play is inadequately supported and the childminder does not fully understand about how children learn. As a result, children make inadequate progress.  The ongoing assessment of children's progress and learning is poor. Children's next steps in their learning are not identified and, as a result, suitably challenging activities are not planned in order to meet children's individual learning needs.  Partnerships with other providers also delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage to children are not well established as information about children's learning and development is not shared. This does not promote a consistent learning experience for those children attending more than one setting.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are provided with reassurance in a child-friendly environment which is safe and secure. Children are settled and have developed strong bonds with the childminder.  The childminder has reviewed her practice, with support from the local authority, to implement some positive changes since the last inspection, which benefit children.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main playrooms.  The inspector spoke to the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector took into account the views of one parent spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records, a range of documentation, the childminder's self-evaluation form and children's learning journey development records.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2001 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and adult child in a bungalow in Woodbridge, Suffolk and uses the whole of the property and the rear garden for childminding. The family has a pet rabbit.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a local group and visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She takes and collects children to and from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently seven children on roll, five of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays.

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must:

 increase knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, in order to effectively support children's progress across all areas of learning as they play  provide challenging and enjoyable experiences for children in all areas of learning and development by using information from observations of children's learning to identify their next steps, and planning activities and experiences for individual children, taking into account their interests and the next steps in their learning.

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

 develop partnership working and information sharing with other providers when children attend more than one setting; this particularly relates to sharing information about children's learning and development.

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who attend

The childminder initiates some interaction with children and asks them questions about their play. This helps to develop appropriate language and communication and also supports their thinking skills. However, there are missed opportunities to further enhance children's learning as she does not always offer effective support to children in their play. The childminder ensures that the range of toys and resources meet their individual interests. Children's independence is promoted as they are able to make choices about what they choose to play with. For example, there are cars, a train track, puzzles, books, musical instruments and a range of push-button and pop-up toys set out within children's reach. However, these are not used to best effect by the childminder to extend and challenge children's play and learning.

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who attend

Children make gestures, which the childminder understands, and she uses these, for example, to talk about what they can both see outside in the garden. This helps to support children's interaction and communication skills. However, the childminder lacks knowledge about how children learn; she interacts with children intermittently, which does not support their ongoing learning and development. Children complete puzzles, which reflects their ability to solve problems and their understanding of size and shape, as they fit the correct pieces into the slots. Children's are able to move around the home freely, which helps to promote their physical development. They can walk, crawl as they push wheeled toys and climb onto chairs for table-top play.

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who attend

The childminder has started to observe and assess the activities children take part in, to gain an understanding of what they can do. These are recorded in a learning journey record book, which also includes photographic evidence of the range of activities and outings they undertake. However, children's next steps of learning have not been identified. This means that activities are not challenging enough or planned to meet children's individual learning needs. As a result, children do not sufficient progress while in the childminder's care and are not helped to gain the necessary skills in readiness for school.

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who attend

Parents are involved with their children's learning as they have viewed and added comments to their children's learning journey records. They exchange information about their children's needs on arrival and receive daily feedback about what their children have done and achieved, through verbal discussion with the childminder when children are collected.

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

Children's self-esteem and confidence are promoted as the childminder praises them, for example, when they push the appropriate buttons on toys to open them. The childminder ensures that children are given time to settle and are fully supported in getting to know her when they start. This helps to ensure a smooth transition into her care. Children have developed close bonds with the childminder as they go to her for reassurance and cuddles. Children behave well and they play with and use resources appropriately. This demonstrates that they are learning expected codes of behaviour.

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

The childminder takes children on regular outings to local groups, so that they can play with other children to help develop their personal and social interaction skills. Here they are able to build up confidence in situations away from the familiarity of the childminder's home. This supports their future transition into school. The childminder has extended her range of resources and books to help children develop a positive understanding about diversity. For example, she has a range of multicultural books, dolls and musical instruments, which are stored within children's reach. These are used to help children begin to respect differences and similarities in people.

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

Children are able to meet their own needs for drinks as they fetch their cup and go to the cupboard where drinks are stored to indicate that they are thirsty. Parents provide all the food for their children, and the childminder respects parents' wishes regarding children's dietary needs so that their health is appropriately supported.

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provision

The childminder has limited knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, she is not able to fully support children's learning and development so that they make as much progress as possible while in her care. She observes what children can do, however, their progress is not being assessed and procedures for planning for their next steps are not in place. This means that it is not clear what progress children are making and therefore it is difficult to identify where children may be falling behind and implement any necessary action.

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provision

The childminder has sought support from the local authority with evaluating her practice and, as a result, she has developed some aspects of her provision since the last inspection. For example, she shares clear procedures with parents in the event that they wish to make a complaint and has increased her range of resources to help children to develop an understanding about diversity.

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provision

The childminder has clear procedures in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. She has undertaken training on safeguarding children to help develop her knowledge and understanding about the signs and symptoms of possible abuse. She understands and displays the local referral procedures and knows who to contact if she has any concerns.

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provision

The childminder has developed effective relationships with parents. They have provided positive feedback about the care the childminder provides for their children. Parents are provided with useful information about the childminder's practice as she has developed her documentation and implemented some written policies since her last inspection. The childminder has in place parental permission to share and discuss children's progress with other early years settings that children also attend. However, there is not yet information shared about children's learning and development to ensure consistency for children attending more than one settings.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 250766 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 818382 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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,

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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’.

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Type of provision

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

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