Childminder in CoventryOfsted inspection, 16 Aug 2013

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/08/2013 25/03/2011

p.1

early years provision

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

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 The childminder has not renewed her first aid qualification. This compromises the safety and well-being of children.  Monitoring of the provision is not established and self-evaluation is not used to develop a clear improvement plan in order to overcome weaknesses.  The childminder is not aware of the changes to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the need for procedures relating to the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting. Therefore, children are not safeguarded appropriately.  The childminder does not gather sufficient information from parents relating to children's starting points so that their progress can be monitored.  The childminder does not gain information about children's home language in order to communicate effectively within the setting or provide opportunities for children to see different languages within the setting.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children benefit from fresh air and exercise each day, both in the garden, and during trips out to various parks and places of interest. This promotes their well-being and physical development.  Children are happy, confident and settled and form close attachments with the childminder. This encourages them to feel safe and secure in her home.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities taking place in the lounge.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises and garden used for childminding.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's observation and assessment records, the register of attendance and children's records.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2007 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in a suburb of Coventry. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding as well as the first floor bathroom. There is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play.

p.3

Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and activities and she visits the shops and park on a regular basis.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are currently three children on roll who are in the early years age group and attend on a full and part-time basis. She also cares for two children over five years. The childminder operates all year round from 7.30am to 6.15pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays. The childminder is a member of Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years

p.3

must:

 establish children's starting points and assess each child's progress across all seven areas of learning in relation to their age and stage of development, and use this information to plan challenging next steps in learning for each child

p.4

must:

 review procedures for obtaining clear information from parents about the language used at home. Use the information to communicate with individual children promoting their feeling of inclusion and value

p.4

must:

 ensure parents are fully aware of the appropriate use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting to safeguard children

p.4

must:

 maintain a current paediatric first aid certificate so that the safety and welfare of children is promoted.

p.4

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

 provide opportunities to broaden children's understanding of the wider world and diversity, for example, by providing opportunities for children to see different languages within the setting

p.4

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

 implement processes for self-evaluation in order to identify areas for development, seeking the views of parents and children as part of the process.

p.4

who attend

The childminder provides the children with a variety of activities and experiences to help children to make some progress towards the early learning goals, although these sometimes lack challenge. Ongoing observations enable the childminder to monitor how children are progressing giving her some understanding of children's achievements, interests and progress. She provides a basic plan of her week for parents to help them to understand the various activities the children enjoy and the groups they attend. She plans each day for each child using the information gained through her observations. The childminder gathers basic information from parents about children's care needs when they first start with her, which includes medical needs and their daily routine in relation to eating and sleeping. Therefore, children's care needs are met. However, information is not gained from parents about what their child can already do in terms of their learning and

p.4

who attend

development. Consequently, she does not have a clear understanding of the child's initial starting points in their learning to enable her to monitor their progress effectively and ensure activities are suitably challenging for all children. This was raised at the last inspection and has not been addressed. The childminder lacks knowledge and understanding of the requirement to complete a progress check at age two when the time comes and the importance of involving parents in this process. This is because she is not aware of the changes to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.4

who attend

Children enjoy a suitable variety of play opportunities and experiences. They enjoy looking at books with the childminder, who encourages them to treat books with respect and handle them appropriately. She identifies known animals, shapes and colours and repeats the correct words so children become familiar with them. Children enjoy singing songs and rhymes and visit the local library each week for rhyme time. This helps the development of children's communication and language skills. Children interact well with the childminder and a variety of toys are prepared prior to the children's arrival to her home. Toys are stored in boxes enabling children to see what is inside and therefore make choices. Children are developing a suitable awareness of early mathematics as they manoeuvre bricks of varying shapes into the corresponding holes. The childminder identifies and counts the shapes with the children and supports them to place them correctly into the

p.5

who attend

appropriate box. Therefore they are developing some understanding of numbers and shapes.

p.5

who attend

Children's physical development is encouraged because they regularly play in the garden, enjoy walks in the local community and attend local groups. Here they access a wider variety of resources and widen their group of familiar adults and friends. These experiences help children to learn to be sociable with others and to begin to understand about their local community. Babies are encouraged to be active as there are many opportunities to pull themselves up to low-level furniture and gain the confidence to move around. Children begin to develop their knowledge and understanding of technology as they use electronic toys that encourage them to press buttons to gain a response. For example, by pressing certain buttons they encourage music to play or various sounds to be made. Consequently, children are developing early information technology skills that are useful for their future learning.

p.5

who attend

Children learn about different festivals and cultural events during the year. Some resources reflect people from around the world and those with disabilities. The childminder cares for children where English is an additional language. However, no information has been obtained from parents, such as key words or phrases in the child's home language, to enable her to communicate with the children effectively, and there are no opportunities for children to see different languages within the setting. This does not encourage children's feeling of value or inclusion within the setting.

p.5

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

Children benefit from a gradual settling-in process if required by parents and develop their personal, social and emotional skills, as they meet with other adults and children at the various groups they attend each week. This helps children in the transition from home to the childminder's and also in readiness for their transition to other settings. The childminder gains basic information from parents about their child which generally relates to health and their daily routine, however, information gained about the starting points in their learning is not obtained which would enable her to plan taking account of these.

p.5

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

Clear relationships have formed between the childminder and children who actively seek cuddles and affection when they are tired. This indicates that their self-esteem and physical and emotional well-being is promoted. They clearly feel happy in her care and are comfortable in the routines of the day. As children grow the childminder introduces independence skills, for example, children develop their skills at snack time as she offers a spoon to enable them to try to feed themselves. Children have their own towels for hand washing and their personal care needs are sensitively addressed. Although children currently have lunches and snacks provided by their parents, the childminder is aware of any dietary needs and preferences and takes suitable action to ensure that feeds are kept separate and are stored appropriately.

p.6

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

Children are developing an awareness of safety and how to stay safe. For example, the childminder helps young children to understand the importance of road safety and stranger danger. Children follow clear routines for crossing roads which increases their understanding and older children understand the importance of staying close to the childminder when walking home from school. Children begin to understand what is acceptable behaviour as the childminder has clear rules in place within the home. They learn the importance of sharing, taking turns and being kind to each other and their confidence and self-esteem grows through the praise and encouragement they receive. The children have daily access to the outdoor for fresh air and exercise as they play in the garden and enjoy walks in the local area. They access a variety of equipment such as swings, a see saw, bats and balls which encourages their control and coordination as they

p.6

provision

The childminder is not effective in ensuring that the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are met as she is not aware of the up-to- date document or its full implementation. This also means that requirements for the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register are not also not fully met. The childminder has not gained an awareness of the changes to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and therefore has not implemented changes appropriately. Observations and assessments of children involved in play enable the childminder to identify children's abilities however, information gained from parents at the start of their child's placement is minimal and does not give sufficient information about the starting points in their learning. In addition, she does not have an awareness of the required assessment process relating to checking the progress of those children aged two.

p.6

provision

Some aspects of children's welfare are promoted appropriately. The childminder is attentive to children's care needs and routines and has identified potential risks within the home and garden, taking appropriate steps to minimise them. However, the childminder has not ensured that she maintains a valid first aid certificate, therefore children's health and safety is compromised. The childminder understands her role and responsibility with regard to safeguarding children from abuse and neglect. She is fully aware of the procedures for making a referral to the Local Safeguarding Children Broad should she have concerns about a child in her care. A clear written policy is shared with parents outlining her responsibility which ensures they are fully aware. However, the childminder is not aware of the need for a knowledge relating to the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting and has not discussed this with parents. Therefore they are not

p.6

provision

fully aware of the childminder's role in keeping children safe from harm.

p.7

provision

The childminder does not use self-evaluation to assess and evaluate her practice and the overall effectiveness of the whole provision to make sure that requirements are met. Apart from sharing information each day with parents about their child's care needs and any achievements, she has not devised a way of gaining their views to help her identify and clearly target improvements. This will benefit the children and raise the overall quality of her practice. As a result, she has overlooked a number of weaknesses, including developing her knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. This was raised at the last inspection and has not been addressed.

p.7

provision

The childminder has clear partnerships with parents and spends time at the end of the day discussing their child's needs both verbally and through a daily communication book. Currently, children do not attend other early years providers, but the childminder is aware of the importance of sharing information to promote continuity of care and learning. The childminder is aware of the importance of working with other agencies to assist any children who need additional support.

p.7

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

p.7

actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

p.7

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

 the registered person must ensure they have an appropriate first aid qualification (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  the registered person must ensure they have an appropriate first aid qualification (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY361217 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 878449 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

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’.

p.11

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11