Childminder in Birmingham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/07/2013 06/12/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 4 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

 Observations and assessments are not used well enough to gather enough information about individual children to help them make suitable progress.  The childminder does not complete the required progress check for children aged two years. Consequently, parents do not have a clear picture of their child's development at this stage.  The childminder does not find out about what children do and achieve at other early years settings they attend. This means continuity in learning is not fully supported for every child.  The current system for self-evaluation does not identify all areas for development or include parents' views. Insufficient progress has been made since the last inspection as previously identified weaknesses have not been fully addressed. As a result, the quality of care and learning has not improved.

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It has the following strengths

 Children have positive relationships with the childminder and her family. This results in them feeling safe and happy in her care.  The childminder has a suitable knowledge of safeguarding procedures, which helps to protect children from possible abuse and neglect.

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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 the childminder engage in a range of indoor learning activities, play and daily care routines with the children.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journals, documentation, and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector looked at areas of the ground floor, such as the kitchen and lounge.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her two children aged 12 and 14 years in the Small Heath area of Birmingham. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. The childminder does not use the rear garden for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends 'stay and play' groups at the local community centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. The childminder takes and collects children from the local pre-schools and their homes. There is currently one children on roll in the early years age group, who attends on a Saturday only. The childminder offers care to children who speak English as an additional language. She operates all year round from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday, except for family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 ensure that parents are provided with a short written summary of their child's development in the prime areas when they are aged between two and three years, identifying the child's strengths and any areas where their progress is less than expected

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must:

 ensure there is a regular two-way flow of information with other early years settings that children attend, in order to find out about and support continuity in learning and development

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must:

 gain sufficient knowledge of the learning and development requirements in order to provide appropriate learning experiences for children

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must:

 use information from observations and assessments more accurately to clearly identify the next steps in children's learning so every child makes suitable progress.

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who attend

The childminder provides an adequate range of activities for children. However, children do not make enough progress in their leaning. Although the childminder has a reasonable knowledge and understanding of the developmental milestones, she does not use information from her observations effectively when planning and providing play opportunities. As a result, some activities are pitched at a much higher level than what the children in her care need or able to do. This means learning opportunities are missed as children become confused by what the childminder is asking them to do. For example, the childminder plans an activity to help children learn about shapes, where she encourages learning through some appropriate methods, which include asking questions and repetition. However, this is not planned well enough to support individual children. For example, children are able to name some basic shapes, such as a circle and square, but

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who attend

then they are asked to identify shapes which they are not familiar with, such as a trapezium, semi-circle and a hexagon. The childminder prompts children to recognise these shapes rather than introduce them first. This demonstrates a weakness in the childminder's skills to help children learn though effective teaching strategies. The childminder is not aware of the requirement to complete the progress check for children aged between two and three years. This means that a review of children's development is not completed in order to help identify any gaps in their learning and development in the prime areas.

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who attend

Despite this weakness, the childminder does engage with children to support their language and communication. For example, she talks to children in their home language and in English to support their understanding. Children enjoy familiar songs which also helps them to learn new words. However, these experiences are limited and therefore do not support children to make enough progress in their learning.

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who attend

Children develop their independence skills and make choices as they freely access a suitable range of resources which are stored at their level. This growing independence helps to support them when they move to other settings, although significant weaknesses in other prime areas of learning mean that, overall, children do not gain a sufficient range of skills in readiness for school. The childminder talks to parents about activities children enjoy with her, which gives parents the opportunity to continue their children's learning at home. However, the childminder is not aware of the progress that children make at other early years settings that they attend, so is unable to support or extend their learning while they are in her care. Children access a range of equipment in the local park, such as the swings and slide, to support their physical skills.

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

The childminder's lack of understanding of how to support children's learning effectively inhibits how well they can develop and learn. This has a negative impact on children's well-being as activities provide inappropriate challenge for children, leaving them confused and unable to move sufficiently forwards in their learning.

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

The childminder collects basic information about children's care which she uses to help them settle into her home. Children are familiar with the childminder because she collects them from home and drops them back again. As a result, they feel at ease and comfortable when with her. Children feel secure as they are spoken to in their home language, which supports their self-esteem and reassures them. They behave well and enjoy the interaction with the childminder's older children as they play games which involve taking turns. This supports positive behaviour and helps them to develop new friendships.

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

Children enjoy walks to local shops and the park where they benefit from the fresh air and exercise. They show a suitable understanding of healthy lifestyles as they follow appropriate hygiene routines, such as washing their hands prior to eating and after using the toilet. They enjoy healthy snacks of fresh fruit, which supports their dietary requirements and health. There are some procedures which support children's transition to other settings. For example, they are helped to develop their independence and make new friendships with the childminder's children when they play and interact with them. However, the childminder does not understand enough about the transition process, so does not make the most of opportunities to fully support children when they move to other settings. Children learn about road safety when on outings. They know they have to hold hands and that it is safe to cross at the traffic lights. In the childminder's car they

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

wear seat belts to promote their safety and know they cannot take them off while they travel in the car. Children access a suitable range of age-appropriate toys and equipment which support their interests and some aspects of their learning. Toys are stored on the floor so that children can make some choices about their play.

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provision

The childminder has an appropriate understanding of her responsibilities relating to the safeguarding requirements, which helps to protect children. She has a suitable knowledge of procedures to follow if she had concerns about children's welfare through the training she has attended on this subject. She understands the signs that indicate a child may be at risk of harm and has a clear safeguarding procedure to follow. Children are cared for in a safe and secure home where suitable risk assessments and daily checks help to prevent accidents and ensure children's safety is promoted.

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provision

Children attend other early years settings. However, the childminder is yet to exchange information about the progress children make in their learning and development at other settings. As a result, she is unaware of what children learn elsewhere, which means she is unable to extend and support their learning while they are with her. The childminder is sensitive to the individual needs of children and their families. For example, she collects and drops children off in her car from their home and the nursery.

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provision

Self-evaluation and review is ineffective. Weaknesses identified at the last inspection have been either overlooked or not sufficiently focused on to secure enough improvement. For example, too little has been done to improve her knowledge of the learning and development requirements. As a result, children continue to be provided with inadequate learning experiences and so their progress continues to be poor. This demonstrates the childminder's inability to make significant improvements to aspects of her practice that have been identified as weak. However, she does have an adequate understanding of the welfare and safeguarding requirements, which she meets in practice.

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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 EY425115 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 922499 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 1

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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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