Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/09/2013 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 is kind and reassuring and children are settled and happy with him and, as a result, they are curious and confident individuals.  The childminders works well with each other and the parents to ensure there is a two- way flow of information and appropriate continuity of care.  Children have good opportunities to make use of the local community services.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not fully plan and monitor of the provision to ensure that all areas of learning are sufficiently covered in the planning to help children's play reflect a wide range of experiences, including opportunities to help children's language development.  Children are not fully accessing a stimulating outdoor environment with child-accessible resources that promote their learning and challenge on a larger, more active scale.  Meal time routines for the children are not managed well and this limits children's growing independence.

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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 on the ground floor of the premises and talked with the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the childminder, the co-minder and the children at various times throughout the inspection.  The inspector and the childminder undertook a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day on the telephone.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's records and a range of other documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. He lives with wife, also a registered childminder, and school-age child in a house in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire and uses the whole of the premises for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a childminder group and the local children's centre. He visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. He collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. The childminder supports children who are learning English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There is currently one child on roll within in the early years age group who attends for a variety of sessions. The childminder cares for children all year round from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday except for family holidays.

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must:

 use and monitor information from the observations and assessments of the children at play to provide appropriate challenges and target children's key next steps, especially in language and communication.

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

 review the familiar routines consider how best to support children to develop their independence skills

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

 enhance opportunities for children to use the outside environment regularly to play physically and learn on a larger, more active scale

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

 improve the spontaneous questioning of children during their attendance at activity groups to ensure it is fully matched to children's needs and extends their learning.

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who attend

The childminder has a suitable understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and is implementing it mainly alongside his co-minder to meet the children's needs overall. The co-childminder takes the lead in completing the planning and learning records and the childminder contributes his observations and assessments to this process. However, these are not used as well as possible to provide appropriate challenges or promote children's next steps, this means their progress is only satisfactory.

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who attend

The children are happy and enjoy playing with the wide range of toys available. The childminder generally promotes children's language and vocabulary through sensitive conversations with them. However, gaps in children's speech and language development are not fully addressed within the planning and delivery of the activities, which means children do not make as much progress as possible.

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who attend

The childminder takes the children to social groups on most mornings. Children enjoy attending various activity groups. However, the childminder does not always make the most of the opportunities that arise through these groups to help the children make as much progress as they can. For example, although the children thoroughly enjoy playing with the messy materials the childminder did plan or not spontaneously question children to fully challenge their thinking.

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who attend

Resources in the childminders home are mostly accessible and provide children with a good selection of toys and play items which they can access during their day. The childminder helps young children to enjoy and use the electronic toys as they begin to understand technology. Children know to take the toys to the childminder if they need repair or new batteries. He supports them to try to push the buttons and slide switches to make the lights and sounds work. Children can experience their home language in their play as the machine says a few phrases in several languages. The childminder supports the children's imaginative play as they play with the toy garage and cars together. They discover how quickly the car goes down the ramp and try a simple experiment with other toys. This helps children to be fascinated by their learning and to be ready for the next stage of their learning and eventually for school.

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who attend

Parents receive regular daily updates both verbally and through the use of a diary. The co- minder takes the lead in the more detailed weekly updates. Communication includes some information on both the learning and development children make as well as their welfare. The co-childminder sends home the learning journal every half term for parents to see. Children talk about their favourite activities with the childminder and this is passed to the parents to this help them continue their children's learning at home.

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

Children are developing positive relationships with both childminders. They demonstrate they are comfortable in the childminder's home as they readily approach the childminder for reassurance and support. The childminder gently reassures the children when a 'visitor' arrives and they quickly become confident to say hello. Children show their delight when he returns from an appointment outside the home. The childminder and co-minder discuss the information from parents about their children's individual daily care routines during settling-in periods so that he can support their emotional development effectively.

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

The childminder adequately supports children to behave well. Some explanations are given as to why children need not to run indoors or throw bricks. He is kind and speaks softly to the children, encouraging them to begin to be considerate of others and start to form friendships. Children are beginning to have an awareness of the world about them. In the summer, the children helped him to grow beans and they enjoyed comparing their size to that of the growing beans. The childminder has some resources that reflect the differences in society. This helps children learn they have similarities to and differences that connect them to and distinguish them from others. Children are beginning to feel confident in familiar surroundings when they attend the various toddler and music groups in the area. The childminder is available to give them reassurance so that they can continue to explore in unfamiliar environments. Children visit the school to pick up the

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

older children and become confident around the school premises. This helps children to be suitably prepared for their move onto school when the time comes.

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

Children have many valuable opportunities to enjoy a wide range of outings to explore their local community. The can exercise vigorously at the music group when they can run around in a large hall. Children enjoy the childminder pushing them along in a make believe car helping them to move confidently. They can experience the large slides and ball pools in the soft play area of a local farm and the childminder ensures they are safe without inhibiting appropriate risk taking. However, during the winter months the childminder's garden is not used. Children are playing indoors on the days they do not visit a local group. Therefore, there are fewer opportunities for children to learn in the outdoor environment.

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

The childminder takes the lead in providing nutritious meals and snacks, helping children to understand the importance of adopting healthy habits and the importance of a healthy diet. Children's requests are respected and acted on. For example, they are offered extra toast even though they have had their breakfast. Children are reminded to stay seated while eating and can leave their snack to see what their friends and return to their snack later. However, as they are not always given the opportunity to attempt to feed themselves at mealtimes, their independence is not fully encouraged

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provision

The childminder works with his wife as a co-childminder. He is suitably aware of his role and responsibility to safeguard children, including the reporting procedures to follow if there are concerns. In light of a recent incident, Ofsted visited and issued a notice to improve requiring the childminder to ensure the premises are fit for purpose and safe for children to use and to ensure that a health and safety policy is in place and implemented. A monitoring visit was carried out and all requirements were implemented. The co-minder maintains satisfactory risk assessments and daily checks to help keep children safe, both indoors and on outings. The childminder is responsible for the premises and making sure the premises are hygienic and that any repairs are undertaken to maintain children's safety. The childminder updated his public liability insurance during the inspection to ensure that he meets the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years

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provision

The childminder monitors the provision through regular discussions with his wife about what is working well. The childminder makes plans for improvement and has recently updated his first aid qualification and plans to attend a food hygiene course later in the year. This supports the suitable management of the childminding provision because improvements are ongoing. However, the monitoring of the children's learning is not fully effective as some gaps in emerging speech are not fully addressed in the planning of future activities to help narrow the gaps in children's current achievements.

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provision

The childminder and his wife take the children to the local clinic to be weighed and they have a suitable conversation with other professionals to ensure children's development is satisfactory. Parents are frequently asked for their views on the setting. Parents report that they are very happy with the childminder and co-minder and their children love to come and often do not want to go home.

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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 EY413378 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 908774 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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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

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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