Whiter, Amanda Mary

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/03/2013 19/04/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 2 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder has not given enough attention to ensuring the assistants have sufficient understanding of safeguarding to protect children, as required.  The childminder has not renewed her paediatric first aid certificate before it expired, or ensured that all assistants who may be left in sole charge of children have such a first aid certificate too, as required. This has the potential to limit the safe treatment of children in the event of accident or emergency.  The childminder does not identify the training needs of her assistants or make sure that they are sufficiently able to undertake the work required of them. This limits children's safety and their progress in learning through explorative play.  Some of the planned activities are inappropriate for the children's current stage of development and do not meet their needs.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder offers a long term commitment to children and their families helping children to develop a strong sense of belonging.  The childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment for the 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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 and the interaction between the childminder, the assistants and the children, on the ground floor of the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's individual profiles, a selection of relevant policies and took account of the childminder's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out discussions with the childminder and the assistants at appropriate times throughout the session.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the comments of a parent spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and three children in a house in Eastcote, Hillingdon and uses the whole of the premises and the rear garden for childminding. The childminder attends a childminder group and the local Children's Centre. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has an appropriate early years qualification and works with two assistants. There are currently 15 children on roll; 10 are in the early years age group who attend for a variety of sessions and five are school-age children who attend before and after school. The childminder cares for children all year round from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday except for family holidays.

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must:

 ensure that: at least one person has a current paediatric first aid certificate at all times when children are present and any assistant who might be in sole charge of the children for any period of time, holds a current paediatric first aid certificate

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must:

 ensure assistants gain a secure understanding of the safeguarding requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage in order to be alert to any issues of concern in the child's life at home or elsewhere and understand the reporting procedures including the liaison with local statutory children's services agencies

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must:

 ensure all assistants are competent in all areas of work that they are required to undertake

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must:

 guide the development of children's capabilities by planning first-hand experiences based on explorative play with challenges appropriate to their individual ages and stages of development

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who attend

Children's progress is not always effectively supported, although the children are happy in the childminder's care. The childminder observes and assesses children's learning and has just started to use a national guidance document to identify children's progress. She has some knowledge of the developmental bands and uses this to plan the next stages in children's learning. However, some learning experiences are not appropriately matched to children's needs to be effective in moving them on in their learning.

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who attend

Activities for the older children complement their learning at school; for example, they enjoy the books of homework puzzles. The childminder uses pre-drawn shapes for all children to colour without adapting these to the children's differing ages and abilities. The expectation for all children to use the same sheets means that these are too ambitious for some of the younger children. This results in some learning experiences that are not matched to children's needs. During some craft activities the childminder provides the assistant with materials that again restrict creativity. Children are sometimes helped and encouraged to complete a pre-designed piece of work but without experimenting with the various materials. This does not sufficiently motivate children to freely explore and test out their own ideas through explorative play. Here too, the assistant misses chances to extend children's vocabularies, such as by discussing the shape of an Easter egg.

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who attend

Overall, the childminder covers all the areas of learning sufficiently throughout the course of the day. Children have sound opportunities to learn to listen, count and recognise numerals through interesting stories and rhymes. Children enjoy making sounds with the wide range of musical instruments. Young children are gaining a sense of rhythm as the bang the drum. They develop some dexterity as they push the buttons on the battery operated toys. The childminder praises very young children when they say a new word for the first time, to encourage them further.

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who attend

The childminder has developed a strong relationships with the children's parents. She shares information with them about their child's recent achievements. Therefore, they can support their children's learning at home.

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

The childminder and the assistants offer warm and deeply affectionate care to the children. They tune in sensitively and respond quickly to the young children's need for reassurance. They hold the children close, giving them their full attention and talking softly to them. This helps children form secure relationships and they can use this as a secure base from which to go and explore. The childminder has frequent discussions with the parents to ensure children's care needs are fully met.

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

The childminder helps children learn to be independent and to behave well. They take turns in the games and are encouraged to tidy away one set of jigsaws before getting out others. The childminder separates areas of the premises to ensure young children can play freely and the older children can play more complicated games without disturbance. The childminder helps children to care for others as they celebrate each other's birthdays and make cards for their parents on special occasions. The childminder encourages children to respect and tolerate each other's differences. Older children are encouraged to help the less experienced children understand the rules of the game.

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

Children benefit from regular visits to the local children's centre to enable them to develop confidence in new experiences. Children visit the school to collect the older children and become familiar with the premises. This helps children to move onto the next setting.

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

The childminder works closely with the parents to give clear messages to children about managing their own dietary requirements. The childminder provides various options for parents. For example, she provides a cooked meal at tea time for some and other children have a snack as they get a meal at home. They discuss healthy eating and the benefits of eating their lunch at lunch time. The childminder does not make effective use of her garden for outdoor play. However, children are learning to keep themselves safe and healthy as they regularly visit the park to play on the challenging play equipment there, so helping them acquire some physical skills. These visits enable them to begin to have an understanding of risks and how to manage them. However, the childminder does not make sure that both she and her assistants have the necessary qualifications in regard to first aid in order to respond appropriately in emergencies.

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provision

Children are not fully safeguarded as the childminder has not given her assistants sufficient training in child protection for them to know the correct procedure to follow if children disclose any issues that worry them. This risks children's safety in sensitive situations. The childminder has recently refreshed her training in child protection and has a basic understanding of the procedures to follow if she is concerned for a child's welfare.

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provision

Children's treatment following an accident or injury is compromised as the childminder's paediatric first aid certificate has lapsed and she is sometimes alone with minded children without the assistant who does hold the necessary certificate. This is a breach of requirements. The childminder is booked to undertake a course shortly. The childminder does not plan to care for children overnight until her new certificate is obtained. One of her assistants holds a suitable first aid certificate and this assistant collects children from school, currently. Parents give permission for their children to be left in the sole charge of both assistants but the second assistant does not have a valid current first aid certificate, as required for this circumstance.

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provision

The childminder has identified her training needs. She is continuing her professional development through furthering her qualifications and is undertaking a degree in early years education through the 'Open University'. She does not make sure that her assistants have sufficient competency in the areas of work they undertake, such as information on how children learn through explorative play, child protection procedures and that each has a valid first aid certificate. This means they are not always effective in extending children's learning and do not have all the skills and knowledge needed to keep children safe. The childminder has followed appropriate vetting procedures for her assistants, so they are cleared as suitable to work with children and parents are fully informed of their role, with necessary permissions gained.

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provision

The childminder has adequately attended to the actions and recommendations from the last inspection. She has introduced a range of battery operated toys that light up and make sounds when the children are pushing buttons, so they gain an early understanding of technology. The older children enjoy playing on the interactive computer games. Registers are accurately kept, as required. The childminder reflects on her practice and is making plans for further improvements.

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provision

The childminder conducts regular risk assessments indoors. She conducts a risk assessment prior to going on outings to adequately minimise the hazards to children's safety at such times. This inspection was brought forward as a result of a concern raised to Ofsted in regard to the numbers of children collected from school. This inspection has found that the childminder understands the required adult to child ratios. Satisfactory processes to maintain children's safety to collect the children from school are in place. The childminder ensures that the required ratio of adults to children is maintained. When there are more than six children aged under eight collected from school, then the childminder accompanies the assistant. School children have a familiar routine with the reception class children holding the assistant's hands. The older children enjoy reminding the younger children of the rules to keep themselves safe near the roads.

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provision

The childminder monitors the progress of the children through her discussions and close relationship with the parents.. The childminder has cared for some of the older children since they first started and parents state that this has become their 'second home'. When the older children leave to go to school, they often pop in to see the childminder and their friends. The childminder plans to re-introduce planned times for the parents to discuss and contribute to their children's assessment.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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

 ensure that an appropriate first aid qualification is held (Compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that an appropriate first aid qualification is held (Voluntary part of the Childcare Register)

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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 action. 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 EY418353 Local authority Hillingdon Inspection number 907635 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 11 Number of children on roll 15

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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