Childminder in BarnetOfsted inspection, 12 Sept 2013

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/09/2013 04/10/2011

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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

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder lacks knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. This results in, insufficient monitoring of their progress and the childminder's inability to support children by providing suitable learning experiences for them.  Involvement of parents in their child's learning is not effective in ensuring that children make good progress.  Children's health is not suitably promoted because hygiene is not given priority by the childminder.  The environment and resources are not effectively arranged to meet the needs of all children. Therefore, they have limited opportunities to learn to make independent choices and engage in appropriate spontaneous play.  Self-evaluation is weak and has too little impact because monitoring is ineffective in identifying training needs to promote children's learning and development.  The childminder has failed to notify Ofsted of information about childminding assistants

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It has the following strengths

 Close working relationships between the childminder and her assistants enable them to provide consistent care for children. This results in children feeling safe and secure.

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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 looked around the setting both indoors and outdoors.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder and her assistants.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children in their play together with the childminder and her assistants.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the childminder's documents and children's personal records.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in a house on the outskirts of Watford, Hertfordshire. The whole of the house and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder currently has two assistants working with her.

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Information about the setting

The childminder visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcarer and Early Years.

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Information about the setting

There are currently eight children on roll, of whom four are in the early years age range. Children attend for a variety of sessions and the childminder offers a flexible childcare arrangement. The childminding practice is open all year round from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday except for bank holidays.

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must:

 develop knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure that children make good progress in their learning and development

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must:

 involve parents in their child's learning so that children's progress is effectively monitored and parents are able to support their learning at home

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must:

 plan activities to ensure that they consistently meet the needs of each individual child and that they are age-appropriate and suitably sustain children's interest

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must:

 arrange activities and resources so that children of all ages are given opportunities to engage in child-led, spontaneous play to promote their independence skills and prepare them for the next steps in their learning

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must:

 promote the good health of children by ensuring that all areas used by them are clean and suitably maintained

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must:

 develop links with parents, other settings or professionals involved in children's care and education to provide appropriate support for children who have English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or physical disabilities

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must:

 develop self-evaluation so that it is effective in identifying areas to develop and ensures continuous improvements are made, so that children's learning and welfare are effectively and consistently promoted.

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must:

 develop an understanding of when to notify Ofsted of all persons aged 16 years or older, living or working on the childminding premises

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must:

 develop an understanding of when to provide Ofsted with any new person's name, any former names or aliases, date of birth, and home address.

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who attend

The childminder has insufficient knowledge and understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She carries out some observations and uses these to make assessments of children's developmental stages, and posters of prime areas and specific areas of learning are clearly displayed. However, learning experiences and activities are not suitably matched. For example, toddlers are expected to sit at tables separated from the group whilst they are taught how to form sentences. This results in the children quickly losing interest because it is not an age appropriate activity for the toddlers. Although discussions between the childminder and parents support positive relationships, these are not effective because the childminder lacks an understanding of their progress which results in, parents having inaccurate information to suitably support their child's learning and development at home. The childminder demonstrates a basic

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who attend

understanding of the progress check at age two.

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who attend

Children are not encouraged to become active learners because the childminder believes that she has to be involved at all times. Opportunities to fully promote children's communication and physical skills through music and movement are completely missed because the childminder and her assistants carry the babies on their hips. This hinders their ability to become fully involved. There is a broad range of suitable books readily available. However, children's interest at story time is not sustained and some babies want to crawl instead of sitting on adult laps. The childminder makes the assumption that they are not interested and starts to teach them shapes and colours and the children are made to sit still again. This means that children are not encouraged to explore and enjoy learning and they quickly lose interest during activities. The children do however, enjoy an activity where they are taught how to jump, which the childminder extends by teaching

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who attend

the children other actions, such as how to smile. Children are encouraged by the childminder to learn how things work. For example, the childminder encourages the children to press the different coloured buttons on the piano mat to make different sounds.

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who attend

Resources to promote babies' hand and eye co-ordination are available but these are not easily accessible to the children. This minimises opportunities for the children to engage in spontaneous play. The progress children are making is coincidental and not due to the childminder's input. This means that children are not adequately challenged to make better progress. Children are not well-prepared for school or their next stage of learning because their progress is not effectively monitored to ensure that they are advancing according to their age and ability.

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

Children are forming firm attachments with the childminder and her assistants, which promote their self-esteem and physical and emotional well-being. Settling-in visits support this to enable smooth transitions from home. However, as the childminder lacks an understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, she is unable to meet their individual needs effectively or use the information provided by parents, to provide a suitable range of opportunities which promote the children's well- being. Children follow instructions and generally behave well but babies and toddlers are often carried around or sat on adult laps. This means that negative behaviour is averted but children are not learning to manage their emotional needs or behaviour independently. Although children are mixing in different groups, they are not suitably prepared for their next stage of learning and development because their independence is not promoted.

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

The childminder's ability to promote children's understanding of hygiene is ineffective. For example, baby bottles are left on the floor after they have been fed, and cat food is left out in the garden as babies and children are taken out to play. Children are unable to independently wash their hands in the cloakroom as soiled clothes are left in the basin. Children are suitably safeguarded because areas of risk are minimised. For example, water has been drained from the pond. Some aspects of children's health are appropriately promoted as they have cereals for breakfast and babies and toddlers are offered regular drinks. Children routinely use the garden and access a range of toys to ride on. This means that they learn to move with control and have regular exercise and fresh air.

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

Children's understanding of the wider world is suitably promoted. For example, positive images of children from different ethnic backgrounds are displayed around the house. They visit local shops and participate in activities organised at the local synagogue. Links have been formed with local schools and nurseries and children are supported by the childminder in their homework. Therefore, those children who are already at school are suitably supported and their transitions are suitably managed.

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provision

The childminder is unable to monitor children's progress and meet the needs of children who are under-achieving due to her limited understanding of the learning and development requirements. Poor identification of her training needs means that children are not provided with a suitable range of age-appropriate activities. Links with parents, other settings or professionals involved in children's care and education are not strong enough. This results in, the childminder not being suitably prepared to provide appropriate support for children who have English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or physical disabilities should the need arise.

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provision

The childminder does not have a suitable understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are not safeguarded because the childminder has failed to notify Ofsted and provide information about all childminding assistants that work on her premises. As a result suitability checks have not been carried out on all childminding assistants and this poses a significant risk to children. The childminder has a clear safeguarding policy and procedure in place and demonstrates a sound understanding of actions to take should the need arise. Risk assessments are carried out and all areas used by children are made safe. The childminder has up-to-date knowledge of first aid resulting in, accidents being dealt with adequately. However, children are at risk of infection because the childminder does not give high priority to hygiene.

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provision

Self-evaluation is weak and has little impact on children's development and the continuous improvement of the provision. Some actions from the previous inspection have been implemented and risk assessments now adequately protect children. However, monitoring and sharing children's progress has not been identified or prioritised as an area for improvement, resulting in, children's learning and development not being suitably promoted. The childminder has developed a range of policies and procedures, such as, use of mobile phones and safeguarding, these are adequately maintained and shared with parents.

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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 EY417734 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 879937 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 8

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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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