Childminder in West Berkshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/09/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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

 The childminder supports children's behaviour well, which encourages them to behave positively.  Children are content and settled in the childminder's care. They have positive relationships with her and the other children attending.  Children enjoy the activities on offer and show enthusiasm in their play.  Good partnerships with parents are in place. Parents receive sound information about the childminder's service and their children's time with her.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not always successfully risk assess the activities she offers, or the environment to minimise potential hazards to children.  The childminder does not fully promote children's next steps, such as their counting and self-care skills through daily routines and activities.  Music playing during some activities is at times a distraction to children's developing listening and concentration skills.  The childminder does not always consistently engage children in positive hygiene routines to minimise cross infection.

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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 activities indoors and outside in the childminder's garden.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views and comments through written information supplied by them.  The inspector viewed the areas of the home used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a selection of the childminder's documentation including children's records and policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013 and lives with her two school-age children in Reading, Berkshire. The downstairs of the home is available for childminding with access to the first floor for sleeping and toilet facilities. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family has a pet a dog. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently six children on roll in the early years age group. Children attend on a full and part-time basis. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. She provides a service throughout the year at times arranged with parents.

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must:

 risk assess activities and the environment thoroughly and take all necessary steps to minimise potential hazards to children

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must:

 ensure children's identified next steps in learning are consistently promoted in the daily routines and activities, such as introducing counting and encouraging children's self-care skills.

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

 minimise background noise to enable children to fully develop their listening and concentration skills during activities

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

 promote children's good health through implementing effective and consistent hygiene routines to minimise cross infection.

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who attend

Children enjoy the activities on offer and show enthusiasm to take part. The childminder offers some good interaction and activities to support children soundly overall. She suitably monitors children's progress and undertakes some appropriate observations. As a result, she securely identifies children's learning needs, including their next steps in learning. However, she does not always support these fully through her daily routines and activities. For example, she has identified introducing simple counting, and encouraging children to develop their self-care skills, but she does not encourage these consistently during play activities and routines to promote the children's development in these areas. This means children make satisfactory progress in their learning in line with age related expectations.

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who attend

Children enjoy singing and playing with musical instruments along to music. The childminder makes this an inclusive activity for the different ages of children. She provides children with equal attention, helping them to understand how to play the instruments. For instance, she encourages a toddler to blow so that the instrument makes a sound, and shows a baby how to hold the beater to create sounds with the xylophone. These simple measures enable children to build their sense of achievement well. The childminder creates a cosy environment for reading books, putting down a quilt and cushions for children to sit on. This helps children to understand the change in activity well. However, the childminder leaves the music playing in the background, which is a distraction to children's developing listening and concentration skills.

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who attend

Through water play, the childminder appropriately raises children's awareness of different concepts. She talks to the children about how the water feels and adds food colouring to the water to support children in recognising and identifying colours. Children use their small physical skills as they tip and pour the water using the containers. The toddlers enjoy outdoor play and learn to use different types of equipment, such as ride on toys. They confidently move around the garden and are active in their play and exploration of the garden resources. For example, children learn to manoeuvre wheeled resources and to kick a ball. This securely promotes children's large physical skills.

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who attend

The childminder shares information about children's learning and development with parents well. When children first start, she takes time to gain information from parents about their children's development and individual needs. She uses settling-in visits soundly to get to know children and observe their level of development. This enables the childminder to gain suitable information about children's starting points of development and understand their individual needs. A secure online system provides records of children's achievements, observations and next steps in learning for parents. In addition, the childminder exchanges information with parents verbally about children's interests and progress at home. This helps with consistency in supporting children's progress at the childminding setting and at home. The childminder encourages children appropriately to develop the skills they will need when they start school. For instance, the childminder

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who attend

provides more structured activities that promote older children's concentration skills.

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

Children form good relationships with the childminder and each other. They are secure and content in the childminder's care and at ease with each other. For example, a baby snuggles in to the childminder for a cuddle, and the toddlers call each other by name and enjoy playing together. Outings to toddler groups support children in developing their social skills with a wider group of adults and children. Appropriate resources and outings in the community raise children's awareness of the diverse society they live in.

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

The childminder manages children's behaviour well. She provides clear and consistent guidelines, such as to respect the family dog. The childminder ensures children are never left alone with the dog, to promote their safety. She provides consistent messages to raise children's awareness of safe behaviours. For instance, the childminder makes children aware of being careful when waving the musical instruments around so that they do not accidently hurt each other. However, she does not always fully risk assess the activities she provides for children. Therefore, at times this exposes children to potential hazards. For example, for the water play activity, the childminder provides some plastic containers that have a rough edge at the top, which places children at potential risk of injury.

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

The childminder makes her home welcoming and inviting to children and parents. Children's artwork is on display in the entrance hall and there is a notice board with information for parents. The toys and resources are stored in clear low level storage units that make it easy for children to identify what is available to play with. As a result, children make their own choices and decisions and initiate their play.

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

Children enjoy healthy snacks and drinks, such as fruit and milk. The childminder stores children's packed lunches appropriately to keep them fresh. She provides healthy and nutritious cooked evening meals for children. The childminder does not consistently implement hygiene routines to help reduce cross infection. For example, on the day of the inspection children did not have their hands cleaned prior to eating their snack and lunch, or after playing in the garden and stroking the family dog. Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and physical activity. They play in the garden, and the childminder takes children out for walks in the wood and to the parks. This enables children to learn about the natural world and challenges their physical skills using different resources.

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provision

Overall, the childminder has a satisfactory understanding of her responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare, and the learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a sound understanding of her child protection responsibilities. This includes what types of signs and symptoms that would raise her concerns and the procedures to follow in the event of concerns about children's welfare. The childminder undertakes a daily safety check indoors and in the garden, and supervises children closely. However, these are not always successful, as she has not recognised some potential risks to children. For example, a folded up garden chair, a deflated balloon, and a folded down clothes line, are all accessible to young children playing actively in the garden. In addition to this, the childminder does not always successfully monitor the areas of her garden to ensure it is

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provision

free from dog faeces. These safety issues potentially put children's safety and well-being at risk when playing outdoors. The childminder demonstrates an appropriate understanding of her responsibilities to carry out progress checks for children between the age of two and three years. She develops satisfactory partnerships with other settings children attend to share information about children's progress. This helps to promote an appropriate approach to supporting children's learning and development consistently.

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provision

There are good partnerships in place with parents, who comment very positively about the childminder's care, and the progress their children are making. The childminder provides good information to parents including access to a secure online system. On this, she completes a daily diary, observations and provides access to her written policies and procedures. Consequently, parents are well informed about the childminder's service and their children's time with her.

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provision

The childminder has some developing self-evaluation processes that appropriately support her in making changes to her practice. She takes into account children's interests, ideas, and what they like to do. As a result, the childminder tailors activities to the individual children, such as a child's interest in creating models. The childminder welcomes parents' feedback and shows an interest in developing her knowledge and understanding through attending further training in the future. The childminder demonstrates an appropriate drive to make future improvements to benefit the children in her care.

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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 all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (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 EY458301 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 913320 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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