Birks Kathryn

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/09/2013 06/10/2008

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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 behave well. They are happy, settled have good self-esteem and are familiar with the routine and what is expected of them.  A varied range of toys and resources inside and outside are easily accessible to children. They are attractively presented and engage children well enough in their play while supporting them in their independence skills.  Partnerships with parents is secure and sufficiently embedded ensuring the care of children is maintained suitably.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder's understanding of how to observe and assess children's progress is variable. As a result, play is not always consistently and clearly planned to fully support children in their steps of their learning, so that they make the very best progress.  Notification of a significant event has not been reported to Ofsted. This is with regard to a child being taken to hospital following an accident while in the care of the childminder. This is an offence as well as a breach of the requirements of both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.  Children's safety is not always given the highest priority during personal hygiene routines, such as, nappy changing and the use of large physical activity equipment in the garden.

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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 spoke with the childminder and interacted with children at appropriate times throughout the inspection within various rooms of the childminder's home and garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a selection of documentation, including safeguarding procedures, complaints record, accident and incident records, children's daily diary and development records, risk assessments, written policies and procedures and other required records.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents as discussed with them and previously with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her two teenage children in a house in Sutton in Ashfield, north Nottinghamshire. The whole of the ground floor, two bedrooms on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder takes the children and attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently two children on roll, both of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 observe and assess children's development consistently to improve the planning of challenging and enjoyable learning experiences across the seven areas of learning, taking into account the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child so that their next steps in learning are more sharply focused and they make best progress

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must:

 review nappy changing procedures and how many children use the physical activity equipment at the same time in the garden, to ensure children's safety is given the highest priority at all times.

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who attend

The childminder gathers useful information from the start as agreed and discussed with parents, which is used as a baseline for her to plan interesting and age-appropriate activities for individual children. The childminder understands how children learn through play. She uses photographs to evidence children's satisfactory progress and records this in their individual development file highlighting the seven areas of learning. However, the childminder's understanding of how to observe and assess children's progress is variable. As a result, play is not always consistently and clearly planned to fully support children in the next steps of their learning. As a result, they make satisfactory, rather than good, progress.

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who attend

Children's development files and photographs are shared with parents helping them to understand how their child is progressing. Ideas are suggested to parents that complement what the children have being involved with at the childminder's home. For example, children enjoy number rhymes and parents continue singing these at home with their child to support ongoing progress in their child's mathematical, language and social skills. The childminder is beginning to help individual children to embrace future challenges in readiness for nursery and school. This is achieved by implementing sensitive activities, such as, encouraging children to put on their own coats and spend time visiting the new classroom to help children settle-in to their new surroundings.

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who attend

Children enjoy playing in the back garden. Their imaginative skills are developing well, for example, while they play with dinosaurs. The childminder enhances their sensory skills by adding various differing textures, such as, wood chippings, pebbles and fine shredded fibres. The children use the pebbles as dinosaur eggs and bury them for the other children to find. The childminder usefully extends their learning further by encouraging them to hunt around the garden looking for leaves and twigs to add to the dinosaur swamp land. Children show interest and are keen to explore and investigate the garden, bringing back some items to add to their imaginative play.

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who attend

Children benefit from the satisfactory teaching skills of the childminder. For example, children participate in helping complete a range of jigsaw puzzles. The childminder uses her skills to encourage children to recognise and name letters and then find another object beginning with the same letter. Older children enthusiastically engage and praise one another as they find a correct object, such as 'm' for monkey. However, because the childminder's variable knowledge of children's next steps in their learning, means younger children are less involved, because the puzzles are too challenging. Younger children do however, explore independently, looking at books and happily become focused on turning pages, pointing out characters while babbling. All children become involved in the craft activity. They eagerly await choices of paper and decide which colour they wish to use. The childminder sensitively offers a variety of differing sized pre-cut figures and facial

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who attend

features. Although children choose what they would like to stick on their character, the activity is more adult-directed. The childminder recognises this and changes her questioning to open-ended questions about the characters and supports children in where they would like to stick the facial features. This helps children freely express themselves during creative artwork. Furthermore, children develop their fine muscle skills. They carefully pick up small pieces, use glue sticks well and place them with precision on the characters on the paper.

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

The childminder provides a welcoming and friendly environment where children are relaxed and happy. Activities and toys are attractively presented and easily accessible, helping children to make independent choices in their play. These are in a good state of repair and age appropriate for children in attendance. They also support children in exploring and engaging in play. Children are forming warm and secure attachments with the childminder. The childminder understands the importance of working with parents and respecting their wishes. This helps children settle when they are new to the childminder's care, or when it is time to move on to a new setting. Children's self-esteem is good and they are active learners, happy and interested in their play. They adhere to the clear and consistent messages the childminder delivers. She also praises them on their achievements and positive responses to the boundaries and expectations set out. As a

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

Daily tasks help children learn how to keep themselves healthy and stop germs spreading. They know to wash their hands before and after eating and after they have used the toilet, demonstrating suitable personal hygiene practice. They also learn about keeping safe. For example, children stand at the door of the childminder's home waiting to go in to the car when it is safe to do so. The childminder reinforces this because she talks to the children about road safety. Furthermore, the childminder uses fire protection equipment, such as smoke detectors and has a procedure to help children leave the house quickly in the event of an emergency. Parents provide a range of well-balanced light lunches for their children, which the childminder monitors to ensure these are healthy. Fresh air and exercise is part of the daily routine, such as spending time in the back garden. This helps children learn that exercise keeps them healthy.

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provision

The inspection was brought forward because Ofsted have been notified about behaviour management concerns. The childminder recognises that there have been incidents regarding children's behaviour and has subsequently been monitoring the triggers for such behaviour displayed by children. The childminder recognises possible triggers and diffuses these quickly by suitable and appropriate management strategies, such as distraction. As a result, children display no unwanted behaviour. Furthermore, the childminder is firm and clear in what is expected of children while delivering consistent messages to them to help them feel secure. She also discusses these strategies with parents and informs them of how their children have behaved in writing and verbally. This helps parents keep up-to- date with their child's behaviour and ideas on how to continue managing their behaviour at home. This provides a consistent approach to supporting children in learning how to

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provision

If accidents occur in the care of the childminder these are recorded appropriately and parents are informed. However, notification of a significant event has not been reported to Ofsted. This is with regard to a child being taken to hospital following an accident while in the care of the childminder. This is an offence as well as a breach of requirements on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder generally understands her role and responsibility to safeguard children. She is confident in what she needs to do should she have any concerns regarding a child in her care. Parents are informed of her role and responsibility to safeguard children because the childminder shares a clearly written and updated policy supported by discussions. Suitable risk assessments are in place for the home, garden and outings, minimising potential hazards to children, such as using safety gates preventing children from

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provision

accessing areas that are not suitable within the home. The childminder supervises children mostly well. She deploys herself generally well ensuring children are usually within hearing and sight of her both inside and in the garden. However, during outdoor play, too many children use the physical activity equipment at the same time, which does not fully promote their safety at this time. Also, during personal hygiene activities inside, such as nappy changing, the childminder is restricted for a short period of time in seeing and/or hearing children who remain outside in the garden, to ensure their safety.

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provision

Partnerships with parents is secure and sufficiently embedded ensuring the care of children is maintained suitably. The childminder understands the importance of keeping parents up to date with their child's progress as well as meeting their overall changing needs. Information is shared in various ways, such as daily discussions, written information in children's daily diaries and the sharing of children's development files. Furthermore, the childminder shares information about the service she provides by talking and going through the written policies and procedures. This supports parents in understanding how their child will be cared for and the flexible routines and activities that they will be involved in. The childminder also understands the value of sharing information between settings when children attend more than one provision. This helps her plan some play to support children's next steps in their learning as well as meet their changing care

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provision

The childminder understands the importance of reflecting on the service she provides. She monitors the educational programmes by observing how the children enjoy activities and experiences. She listens to their requests for new toys and provides these to build on children's interests. Furthermore, she talks to parents to gather their views in order to make improvements or changes. Previous recommendations have been suitably addressed to improve some aspects of practice she delivers. For example, records of children's attendance now include their time of arrival and departure which now meets the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She links with other colleagues and professionals to ensure she maintains a sufficient standard of service for children and their families. For example, at the local childminding group, best practice is shared and the childminder implements some of these ideas in to her practice

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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 Ofsted are notified of any serious accident or injury to a child while receiving childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure Ofsted are notified of any serious accident or injury to a child while receiving childcare (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 EY292074 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 932240 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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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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