Childminder in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/05/2013 08/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: Met 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 does not have sufficient knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This affects her ability to identify children's development and next steps in learning. The childminder does not plan challenging activities to further enhance children's development, consequently, children's progress is ineffectively supported.  The childminder does not obtain information on children's starting points or home achievements. She does not use regular observations to assess children's development or to monitor their progress.  Children whose home language is not English are provided with limited opportunities to develop and use their home language in play to support their language development at home.  The childminder has yet to develop methods for reviewing and monitoring her provision through self-evaluation. This results in targets for improvements and training needs not

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This provision is inadequate

being identified and addressed.  Children are not always provided with opportunities to explore their environment without the childminder taking over and directing their play.

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It has the following strengths

 Children develop close and caring relationships with the childminder which helps them to feel secure and comfortable.

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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 in the playroom and lounge.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of records, including children's personal details, accident records, risk assessments, training certificates and proof of suitability checks carried out on persons living on the premises aged over 16 years.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection and from written comments detailed in children's daily dairies.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2005. She is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children age 15 and 20 years in a house in Colchester, Essex. The whole of the ground floor with exception of the kitchen and one ground floor bedroom and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet cat.

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Information about the setting

The childminder uses the library and a local creche. She collects children from the local schools. There are currently four children on roll, of whom two are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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must:

 improve the educational programme by; reviewing and extending knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage; reviewing the planning for individual children to offer extension and challenge

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must:

 involve parents in the initial assessment of children's development and ongoing progress, by discussing what children can do at home

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must:

 ensure that opportunities are provided for children whose home language is not English to celebrate their home language and increase opportunities for them to view that language in the setting

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must:

 use observations to consistently assess each child's progress across all seven areas of learning and development and use the information obtained to support the next steps in their individual development.

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

 review the quality of the provision to identify strengths and priorities for improvement through self-evaluation. Use this process effectively to consider and identify future training needs

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

 enable children to guide their own play and learning, helping them when needed, but not taking over and directing their experiences.

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who attend

Children enjoy their time with the childminder. The childminder demonstrates some basic knowledge of the seven areas of learning and how children learn. However, she has a poor understanding of the importance of the areas of learning. As a result, children's development is insufficiently supported. The childminder provides children with a range of activities and resources. She joins in with their play, for example, by helping children to place puzzle pieces in the correct places and naming some colours, shapes and numbers. The childminder talks to children constantly, engaging them in play and drawing their attention to the selection of toys available. While this interaction helps to promote children's language skills, it is focussed mainly on directing the children from one resource to another. This limits children's time to explore the environment and inhibits their natural curiosity. The childminder demonstrates some knowledge of the children's likes and dislikes, for

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who attend

example, she knows that they enjoy going for a walk each morning. She uses these opportunities to enhance children's knowledge of the local environment. Regular trips to local museums and places of interest extend the children's understanding of old and new and the natural world. The childminder is beginning to plan some activities around children's interests, however, does not clearly identify what children might gain developmentally from the activities she provides. For example, one activity to explore jelly before and after water is added, has a learning intention of looking at the colour red. However, the activity is not used to effectively encompass other aspects of learning, such as looking at the change of state between the jelly being a solid and then a liquid. Children participate in singing activities and sit with the childminder to look at books. They are beginning to show an interest in naming pictures in the books and following the story.

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who attend

Children enjoy showing off their singing talents by performing a favourite song, receiving a round of applause at the end to boost their self-confidence and self-esteem. Children whose home language is not English are provided with very limited opportunities to develop and use their home language in play, to support their language development at home.

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who attend

When children first attend the childminder's care, she obtains some very basic information about their home routines and care needs, but does not discuss what children know and can do. The childminder does not carry out an initial assessment of the children's development with parents to establish a shared understanding of their starting points and capabilities. The childminder records the children's day in daily diaries, which are shared with parents on a six weekly basis. However, these are not clear observations of the children's achievements and are not used effectively to identify children's next steps in learning. Planning is very general and although some activities appear to promote the prime and specific areas, these are not targeted to individual children's developmental needs. The childminder is beginning to consider ways of preparing children for their next stages of learning. For example, younger children are often taken to the local school to

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who attend

take and collect older children. This provides them with an opportunity to become familiar with 'big school'. The childminder is beginning to encourage children to develop self-care skills, such as putting their own coats and shoes on.

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

Children are comfortable in the childminder's care as she provides a welcoming and friendly environment. They have opportunities to mix with other children to help to develop their personal, social and emotional skills, when they attend a local creche. However, children's next stages in learning are not identified well enough to prepare children to move forward systematically in their development. This affects the amount of progress they can make.

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

The childminder's settling-in procedures are flexible. They involve parents in deciding when children are settled and ready to be left. This ensures that children feel confident in the childminder's home when making the transition between home and her care. Children develop secure relationships with the childminder and her family, approaching them freely for cuddles and reassurance. Children move confidently around the areas of the childminder's home, which are accessible to them and access a range of resources, which the childminder presents at their height. The childminder interacts positively with children, promoting their self-confidence through regular praise and encouragement. Children are beginning to develop appropriate behaviours, such as taking turns and sharing, as the childminder reminds them of the importance of caring for each other.

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

Children are encouraged to develop an understanding of keeping healthy through the childminder's daily routines. They sit with the childminder at mealtimes and enjoy a packed lunch provided from home. The childminder attends to children's personal needs and generally works with parents to establish appropriate times for children to begin toilet training. Children enjoy fresh air and exercise each day, when they go for regular walks and when they play in the childminder's garden. The childminder is beginning to introduce practices, which enable children to develop an understanding about keeping themselves safe. For example, they discuss road safety when they go for walks in the local area.

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provision

This inspection was prompted following a concern raised with Ofsted about the childminder's supervision of minded children while attending a creche, which she owns. The concern was investigated by Ofsted and the childminder was set an action to address the issue. The childminder agreed to the action and now ensures that minded children are always well supervised in her care.

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provision

The childminder's insufficient knowledge of the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, results in children's learning and development being ineffectively promoted. Activities, planning and children's progress are not consistently reviewed and evaluated to ensure that any gaps in children's learning are suitably addressed. The childminder takes advice from the local authority development worker regarding training courses and local cluster meetings. However, she has not yet fully considered her professional development. This results in gaps in her knowledge, for example, with regards to the effective implementation of the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder has started to use self-evaluation to review her provision, however, this is weak and has not informed positive changes for children. Action plans do not support her in making improvements

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provision

The childminder has knowledge of how to protect the children in her care and has attended recent safeguarding training to maintain her knowledge. All adults living on the premises or having regular contact with minded children are appropriately vetted. Proof of their suitability checks are available on file. Written policies, including safeguarding children, are shared with parents. Children play in a safe and secure environment as the childminder conducts regular risk assessments of the premises and all outings.

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provision

The childminder has a positive relationship with parents. She shares information verbally with parents about children's routines, activities and achievements. The childminder works with parents with regards to the implementation of the two year old check and shares a written account of her summative assessment with them. Parents are not, however, actively involved in identifying children's next steps in learning or contributing knowledge about their home achievements with the childminder. The childminder recognises the importance of working with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure continuity of care and learning, however, at present none of the children attend another provision.

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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 EY309458 Local authority Essex Inspection number 914257 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 4

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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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