Childminder in Birmingham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/04/2013 03/02/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children are cared for in a bright and welcoming indoor environment where they have easy access to a wide range of resources.  Children's social development and range of experiences benefit from their regular attendance at different groups and visits into the community.  Children have lots of space where they move around confidently and develop their coordination and physical skills.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder's understanding of how to use and assess her observations of children's play to always plan effectively to support the next steps in their individual learning, is not fully secure. As a result, children make satisfactory, rather than good, progress.  Partnership with parents and links with other early years settings where children attend are not maximised to gain additional information to fully support children's progress.  Some opportunities to help children develop an understanding of acceptable behaviour and to promote their awareness of their own and others safety, are not consistently supported by the childminder.

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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 children's free play choices, their lunchtime and a short drawing activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and engaged with the children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's files and progress records, the childminder's self- evaluation document and a selection of policies and daily records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the comments expressed by parents in their children's progress records and the views of one parent spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, who is her assistant, and one adult child in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham. The whole of the ground floor, apart from the lounge, is used for childminding, as well as one room upstairs for sleeping. There is an enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder attends local toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She takes and collects children to and from the local school and pre-school.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 11 children on roll, of whom six are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round, from 7.45am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3.

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must:

 develop the use of observation and assessment to plan more effectively and consistently for the next steps in children's learning and to provide appropriate challenges and support for individual children.

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

 extend opportunities to seek and share information about children's progress with parents and other early years providers to ensure their individual learning and development is fully supported

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

 review the way children's behaviour is managed to ensure they are provided with consistent guidelines and learn to understand the consequences of their actions on their own and others' safety.

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who attend

The childminder has a suitable understanding of how to support children's learning and development and provides an inviting area where they can access a wide range of resources to support their interests. She gets to know the children initially through discussions with parents and her own observations of them at play. However, opportunities to fully engage parents in children's learning, for example, by sharing their starting points or observations from home, or by regular information about their day are not fully developed. As a result, opportunities for parents and the childminder to work consistently together to support children's development, are not always maximised. Through her observations of children at play, the childminder discovers their play preferences and what they can do. She uses 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' to check that they are making suitable progress according to their age

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who attend

and to identify their next steps. However, although she does use her general knowledge of individual children to satisfactorily encourage their development through play, she does not evaluate her observations effectively to ensure that activities, whether planned or spontaneous, fully extend their individual learning. As a result, children do not always make best progress.

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who attend

Children are confidently able to access a range of resources to support their individual preferences and initiate their own play. They particularly enjoy the role play opportunities in the playhouse or use their imagination as they try on different hats or costumes of their favourite characters. The childminder allows children to free play, whilst also engaging with them to encourage their language by asking open-ended questions or making suggestions for other choices. They enjoy selecting their own books or sharing together in a book from the story sack. The childminder helps support their interest and bring story time alive by encouraging children to choose their own props or puppets. She helps children to name which animal they want, using language, such as 'bigger' and 'smaller' or getting children to say the colour. By sensitive talking and reassurance over time she gradually helps the reluctant child to get used to the 'big crocodile'. Children are engaged

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who attend

in regular conversation with the childminder which helps develop their language skills. They are encouraged to join-in with action songs and nursery rhymes as they collect around the childminder. They have opportunities to draw and make marks and some are beginning to recognise letters from their own name. Children have a range of puzzles and construction games, such as bricks and train tracks, to help them work out what pieces go where. The childminder makes sure that all children are given the opportunity to take part in the same activity. The childminder takes children daily into the community to attend different early years groups or to visit the park or the library. She is aware of the benefits this has for children's ability to socialise and also to enjoy new experiences.

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who attend

Overall, children are settled and comfortable in the routines, confident to voice their views and make choices in their play. The childminder engages with the children to extend their thinking and offer suggestions to enhance their play choices. As a result, children are making suitable progress and starting to develop the skills they need to support them in their next stage of learning.

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

The childminder establishes warm and caring relationships with the children which help them feel secure and confident. She talks to parents and encourages them to share information about their general routines or any particular favourite toys they have which provide comfort and help children to settle. She talks with children throughout the day to engage them in the routine, seek their views or encourage them to share events from home. Every day they come together for story and singing time which helps develop their language skills as they listen and learn from herself and other children. The childminder offers children encouragement and supports their social skills through daily routines, for example, sitting at the table for meals or using good manners. She supports their self-care routines, such as, toilet training, hand washing after meals and clearing away after lunch. This helps develop their independence and prepare them for transitions to nursery and

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

school. Children know the routine well, for example, as some spontaneously move the chairs in readiness for mealtimes or help to tidy away some of the toys. Children are learning to behave appropriately as the childminder uses various ways to encourage this, such as, sharing toys or taking them aside to talk quietly about turn taking. However, she does not consistently re-enforce the guidelines or provide explanations so children understand the consequences of their behaviour for themselves and others. Therefore, this sometimes impacts on the way children play together and also on their use of safe practices.

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

Children have lots of space to move around in, which helps build up confidence in their walking and coordination skills. They have access to the different rooms which they move easily between and regularly go out into the fresh air for walks or visits to the park. They have opportunities to develop small muscle skills through activities, such as, threading cards or helping to turn the handle as they sharpen their pencils. Children's health is promoted through the healthy meals and snacks they enjoy together at the table, such as, cheese, fresh fruit and salad. They have access to their drinking beakers at all times and regularly ask for more. Children are generally learning about safe practices as they are reminded how to walk safely outside or they take part in fire practices. They are mostly reminded about how to play safely and use equipment appropriately.

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provision

The childminder has a generally sound understanding of how to promote children's welfare. She attends regular training to ensure she is fully aware of her role in protecting children from possible harm or neglect and how to pass on any concerns appropriately. She also shares this effectively with parents. She maintains a healthy and safe house in most aspects and conducts daily visual checks to ensure any hazards are identified. Necessary records to support her business are in place and, in the main, suitably organised.

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provision

The childminder has attended a wide range of courses since registration, including the completion of an appropriate qualification at level 3. She has addressed most of the areas for development raised at the last inspection. She continues to develop her knowledge of the learning and development requirements through discussion with childminder colleagues and the use of websites. She informally reviews her practice and has recently completed the Ofsted self-evaluation form to help towards this. She talks openly with parents and some have recorded comments about their children's development in their profiles.

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provision

The childminder has established warm and positive relationships with parents and offers them a friendly and open service. She shares her policy folder and has a display board of useful information. She gives parents verbal feedback about their children's day and responds promptly to telephone calls and texts to keep them informed. She takes and collects children from the local nursery, pre-school and school, where she is well-known which helps children in their transitions to these settings. However, some opportunities to engage with these practitioners to gain information, to fully support children's progress, are not maximised. This means that a full picture of children's development at other settings is not gained to further assist the childminder in providing appropriate individual support. Although she has had no experience, the childminder is aware of the need to work closely with parents to support children with more specific needs. She has some

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provision

understanding of the progress check at age two and has started to complete summaries for those children which she then shares with parents.

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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 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 EY289742 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 820068 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 11

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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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