Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/04/2013 12/03/2009

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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 settled and have formed secure bonds and attachments with the childminder, which supports their well-being and welfare.  The childminder provides a good range of activities and experiences to support children's learning.  The childminder effectively supports children's independence which promotes their confidence and self-esteem.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not always make children's safety the highest priority at all times, by ensuring that persons looking after children are suitable to do so.  The childminder's assessment of children's learning is not consistently rigorous.  Self-evaluation lacks rigour and does not routinely take into account the views of all users.

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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 discussed aspects of practice with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a selection of documentation and records including comments from parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector observed activities in all the ground floor areas.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2002 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her three children aged 14, 11 and six years in a house in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The whole of the childminder's house and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has two cats as pets.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local farm. She visits the 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

There are currently six children on roll, five of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round from 7.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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must:

 make sure that children's safety is carefully considered at all times by; ensuring minded children are always within sight or hearing and there are robust systems in place to ensure the suitability of any persons looking after children

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must:

 develop further the assessment of children's abilities and progress to effectively plan and support children's individual next steps and raise their overall levels of achievement.

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

 improve self-evaluation through careful monitoring, analysis and self-challenge so that weaknesses are clearly identified and actioned and the drive to improve the quality of practice is enhanced. Gather and use the views of children and parents to aid this process.

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who attend

The childminder has a generally good knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. She has an awareness of the educational programmes for the prime and specific areas of learning. She provides a wide range of interesting activities which broadly meet the needs of the children attending. For example, children regularly visit the local farm and participate in age appropriate activities there. The childminder also takes children to local pre-school groups where they experience different environments, access additional equipment and resources and learn to socialise with a range of people.

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who attend

The childminder observes the children in her care, and is generally able to identify what the children in her care are able to do, however, her assessment of children's learning and development is not consistently rigorous and precise. As a result, she is not able to check that decisions about what children need to learn next are accurate or effectively planned for.

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who attend

The childminder's quality of teaching is generally sound and all children are working comfortably well within the typical range of development expected for their age. Children's language development is adequately fostered through conversations with the childminder. Children who speak English as their second language and young children with emerging speech, communicate easily with the childminder through gestures and sounds. The childminder uses effective teaching to encourage children's communication, for example, by asking the children simple questions and assessing their understanding by their response. Children show their understanding, as they routinely go and sit at the dining table when the childminder mentions snack time. The childminder works well with parents. They contribute to the initial assessments of children's starting points and are adequately informed about the children's daily activities and achievements.

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

The childminder provides a warm and friendly environment where children have made firm, appropriate bonds with the childminder and other children at the setting. Care practices are sound and allow children to form secure attachments, which promotes their well-being and confidence. In one respect the childminder encourages children to feel secure in her care by carrying risk assessments of her home and any outings. However, children's safety and overall well-being is not given the highest priority at times. As a result, the childminder sometimes does not ensure children are always within her sight or hearing.

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

The childminder gently guides children towards independence. They are learning to dress themselves and interact with each other as they learn to share and take turns. This promotes children's self-esteem and supports them as they prepare for the next stage in their learning, for example, attending nursery. Children display a developing understanding of good behaviour because the childminder uses positive praise and age appropriate language to explain and encourage. For example, the childminder explains one child's irritability is due to tiredness and reminds the child that it is time for a nap.

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

Health and exercise are promoted and children have regular access to fresh air and open spaces. The childminder uses the local parks and farm to provide further activities and resources. For example, teaching children the safe way to use large apparatus such as, the large climbing frame.

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provision

The childminder has a general awareness of her role and responsibility with regard to protecting the children in her care. For example, she is clear about the local procedures to be followed and who she should contact if she has any concerns about a child in her care. Arrangements for safeguarding children are generally satisfactory. However, this inspection took place following concerns being raised about a child being left in a car without adequate supervision. The inspection found that a child was left in a car for a few minutes while the childminder went into the school. This is a breach of legal requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Childcare Register in relation to the safety and supervision of minded children As a result of the inspection, the childminder is now clear that leaving the child in the car with an unvetted person, even one who is well known to the childminder and child, is not appropriate.

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provision

The childminder has an awareness of her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. She provides an adequate programme of activities, experiences and learning opportunities that enable children to make satisfactory progress, although, assessments of children's progress and plans made to support their next steps in learning are not fully robust. Some self-evaluation is carried out, although, this is not fully secure in helping the childminder to identify strengths and weaknesses in her practice and to consider how improvements can be made. There is no secure monitoring of practice to help her question the effectiveness of what she does or the decisions made, and she does not gather the views of parents or children to help her with this. Consequently, practice is sometimes variable and there are no clear plans in place to drive forward improvements.

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provision

Partnerships with parents, carers and others are appropriate. The childminder and parents work closely to ensure that they all meet the welfare needs of each child in the setting. Complimentary comments from parents of children attending the setting show that they are content with the service provided. The childminder's partnerships with other settings that children attend are appropriate in supporting the continuity of learning for early years children. The childminder ensures that she maintains confidentiality in all general information about the children and in her records.

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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 any person having unsupervised contact with children is suitable. (Compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that any person having unsupervised contact with children is suitable. (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 EY243723 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 913832 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 6

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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

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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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