Childminder in Staffordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/10/2013 25/04/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 The childminder works closely with parents to ensure children are cared for in accordance with their wishes. Information is shared daily about their child's day and the care they receive.  Children establish positive and warm relationships with the childminder, and enjoy their time in a friendly environment.  The childminder has a sound knowledge of child protection and how to deal with any concerns. This means that children are suitably safeguarded in her home.

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It is not yet good because

 Risk assessments are not rigorous enough to promote children's health and safety, with particular reference to a smoke detector and the fact that the heating system in the garden play room was broken.  The observation and assessment of children is not fully developed in respect of identifying their next steps in learning and planning motivating experiences towards the early learning goals to ensure that children make better than satisfactory progress.  The resources are not organised appropriately to ensure easy access for children so that they make the maximum use of them and advance their learning skills.  Not all records of children are readily accessible or available for inspection.

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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 in the living room, play room and garden.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, adult child and one child aged 15 years in West Bromwich, West Midlands. The whole of the ground floor and bathroom on the first floor of the house are used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed garden available for outside play. The family has a budgerigar and two rabbits as pets.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the park on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and pre- schools. There are currently five children on roll, three of whom are within the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five to 11 years. She operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and family holidays. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 improve observation and assessment arrangements to ensure children's next steps are clearly identified so that planning is targeted to provide challenging and enjoyable experiences to support their progress across all areas of learning

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must:

 take reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of children, by providing a smoke detector on the first floor and a suitable temperature in the garden play room

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must:

 ensure all required records of children are readily accessible and available for inspection.

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

 organise resources effectively to enable children to use their initiative and to advance their learning skills.

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who attend

The childminder has a satisfactory understanding of implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage. Thus, children show interest in the available activities and generally explore the environment. Although the planning is flexible and responds to the children's interests, the system of assessment is not fully developed in respect of identifying children's next steps in learning and planning motivating experiences. This means children are not sufficiently challenged and make satisfactory rather than good progress. The childminder works closely with parents from the outset, gathering key information about their child's individual needs, daily routines and parents' preferences. She exchanges information with parents each day, keeping them informed about their child's care, routines and achievements. To encourage active involvement of parents in their children's learning the childminder lends them the children's favourite toys to take home.

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who attend

The childminder promotes children's communication skills as they look at picture books and posters, listen to stories and sing nursery rhymes. They extend their vocabulary by being with and talking to adults, who support their skills sufficiently. Younger children use words and gestures to convey their thoughts and repeat words. Routine activities, such as visiting shops, farms, parks or pre-school groups, enhance children's communication and social aptitude. This also helps children to become familiar with their local community. Suitable opportunities are provided to advance their mark-making skills using pencils, crayons and paintbrushes. They explore and develop their creative skills as they take part in messy and sensory activities, for instance smelling play dough 'smells nice'. They also take part in role play, such as pretending to cook food in a pan. The childminder regularly takes children to a local children's centre to attend 'rhythm time' sessions and play a

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who attend

The childminder encourages children's understanding of numbers and problem solving. As they play she counts the toys and objects and encourages children to count steps and pieces of apple on their plate. They explore and develop their technology skills, including learning how to operate simple programmable toys. The childminder provides suitable opportunities for children to develop understanding of the wider world, as she takes them to different places. She encourages children to understand and respect the values and differences of others, as they celebrate festivals all through the year, including Diwali, Halloween and Christmas. Children dress up, taste oriental foods, read relevant stories and decorate their playroom while celebrating these festivals. Ample resources are available depicting positive images of diversity. Overall, children are satisfactorily gaining the necessary skills to support their future learning.

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

Children are contented and confident in familiar surroundings, as the childminder is sensitive to their needs and interests. Consequently, they are able to establish positive relationships with peers and the childminder. She has a close partnership with parents and an effective settling-in policy to encourage parents to stay with their children during trial periods. This ensures that the children quickly become familiar with their new environment and feel safe and secure. The childminder generally supports children's independence by encouraging them to select their activities and play. She has provided a wide range of resources for both indoor and outdoor play. However, the resources in the living room are not organised effectively to enable children to use their initiative and to advance their learning skills. For example, all the toys are left in a box instead of being attractively set out. Currently there are no children ready for transition to other settings, though the

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

childminder demonstrates appropriate knowledge of how to support children for a smooth transfer through talking, teaching skills of self-reliance and providing relevant play.

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

There are opportunities for children to spend time in the garden, where they can play with sand and water, bikes and scooters. The childminder regularly takes children to local parks, where they play on more challenging equipment, which helps them to practise and refine their climbing skills and develop confidence. They use their fine motor skills and show interest in and learn to operate toys with buttons, flaps and simple mechanisms. The childminder creates a social environment at eating times. Children enjoy fresh fruit and drinks at snack times and packed lunches. She encourages parents to supply healthy options. Drinking water is accessible throughout the session. Children develop an understanding of the importance of personal hygiene, as they are encouraged to wash their hands before eating and after messy play or using the toilet. They are protected from the spread of infection, because there is a good procedure in place to exclude any with

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

The childminder demonstrates a positive, calm and constructive approach to managing children's behaviour. Good behaviour is promoted through discussions based on each child's level of understanding and maturity. During daily routines and themed projects, children learn to adopt safe and responsible habits, as the childminder talks with them about road safety, 'stranger danger' and how to use play equipment carefully.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a commitment to developing her provision and is clear about the strengths of the setting and areas she would like to improve. She evaluates her working practice constantly and has shown capacity to make improvements. For example, since the last inspection, she has updated her professional skills by attending a number of training sessions and also completing on-line training. This includes safeguarding, behaviour management and the revised Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, she has now a satisfactory understanding of the revised educational programme to help children make suitable progress towards the early learning goals. She recognises that her professional skills need to be further improved, therefore actively seeks support from her local authority and the local childminder's network group. Policies and procedures have been reviewed and updated information is shared with parents. The complaints procedure

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provision

and most records of the children are suitably maintained. However, not all documents are readily available for inspection. Safeguarding is given satisfactory attention, as the childminder demonstrates a sound understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse, and of her legal duties to record and refer any concerns. She has all the information available to take the appropriate action in the event of a concern about a child in her care and has procedures in place regarding allegations. Therefore children are protected from harm or neglect. The childminder ensures that adults having regular contact with children undergo suitable checks. Risk assessment of the premises and of prospective outings and daily safety checks are generally carried out in most areas to eliminate risks. However, the risk assessment is not rigorous enough to fully promote children's health and safety. For example the childminder

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provision

has not provided a smoke detector on the first floor. Neither did she consider that the heating system in the dedicated play room in the garden was broken. This potentially compromises children's health and safety.

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provision

The childminder supports children's learning appropriately through developing valuable links with parents. In order to meet children's needs, she acquires information from parents both on admission and on regular basis. She keeps them informed about her service by a number of means, including sharing children's profiles and two-way daily conversations. Parents report that the childminder provides a cosy environment, and their children feel as if they are coming to a second home. They further comment that their children's favourite toys are set out before they arrive. They like the fact that they can speak openly to the childminder, who takes their views on board. The childminder works in partnership with other professionals. She communicates with the local pre-school staff to discuss individual children, in order to fully promote continuity and progression in children's learning and development.

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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 EY417195 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 921207 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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