Childminder in Derby

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/11/2013 14/01/2009

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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 requires improvement

 The childminder has developed warm relationships with children, who subsequently feel secure and are happy to attend the setting.  Children are developing independence by participating in daily activities to develop self- care skills and their ability to manage risk is developing as they complete their own safety checks.  The childminder has robust policies and procedures, which she follows to ensure that children are safe in her care.

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It is not yet good because

 The tracking and assessment of children is not always used to effectively inform planning, which means some children's learning needs are not consistently met.  The current system for self-evaluation lacks depth and does not consistently support the ongoing development of the setting.  Arrangements for the 'progress check at age two' are not robust enough to ensure that some children's needs are met.  The outdoor area is not always organised to make effective use of the space and provide good opportunities for children to develop gross motor skills.  Partnership with schools which children attend is not sufficiently developed to ensure learning is complemented across settings.

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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 childminder's home.  The inspector spoke with the childminder and children throughout the inspection.  The inspector took into account the written views of parents and children.  The inspector viewed a selection of documents, including policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her child aged 15 and her lodger, in Alvaston, Derby. The ground floor and the rear garden of the property are used for childminding. The family has one dog and two cats.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently eight children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She holds a childcare qualification at level 3.

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must:

 develop the assessment and tracking of children to ensure that planning incorporates meaningful experiences, which take into account the next steps in each child's learning and development

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must:

 ensure that the 'progress check at age two' is fully completed to include a written summary to share with parents to ensure that any emerging concerns in children's development are identified.

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

 ensure that self-evaluation provides precise and focused plans to enable the setting to move forwards

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

 develop the outdoor area to ensure that it is used effectively to ensure children have enough space to move freely and safely at all times

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

 build relations with the other establishments children attend to ensure learning is complemented between settings.

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who attend

The childminder provides a range of experiences covering the seven areas of learning, which support the interests of children in her care. This means that children enthusiastically participate in the activities and enjoy their time at the setting. The childminder ensures that most activities provide some challenge for all ages of children. She has a flexible approach to learning and plays alongside children at their pace and adapts activities appropriately to meet the emerging needs of children. For example, a leaf dance activity is developed into splashing in puddles, which children enjoy. The childminder has some teaching skills and she uses open-ended questions to extend learning and to engage them in activity. A range of equipment and toys are available to encourage children's learning, for example, a selection of board games promote mathematical development and the 'babies box' provides role play experiences.

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who attend

The environment is arranged appropriately to allow children to make choices in their play, which means children are beginning to become independent and are gaining skills that they need in readiness for school when the time comes. The outdoor environment is stimulating and colourful with visual prompts, which engage children in learning. For example, a display about shapes on the fence encourages children to look for shapes in the environment. Numbers on the fence post develop early mathematical skills and chalk boards and chalks provide the opportunity for children to make marks outside. However, the outdoor space is not always fully utilised to ensure there are good opportunities for children to develop their physical skills.

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who attend

The childminder collects information about children from their parents, which forms a good starting point for when children attend the setting. However, this information is not used consistently to effectively assess children's levels of development and next steps in learning are not identified. As a result, the learning needs of some children are not fully met. The childminder regularly observes children as they play and is beginning to use these observations to track ongoing development. This is, however, in its infancy and the childminder is not yet using this assessment to identify next steps in learning. This means that activities do not always provide sufficient challenge to support the ongoing development of all children. Parents are provided with daily verbal updates about what their child have been doing while at the setting and the childminder uses this time for parents to inform her of any significant events.

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

The childminder is caring and has developed strong relationships with children, who are happy to be in her care. She takes time to ensure that she listens to them, which means children are confident and happy to express their feelings and thoughts. One child states that they think that 'she is the best childminder ever'. The childminder collects information from parents about their childs care needs when they first start, which supports children to settle quickly into the setting. Children's independence is promoted as the childminder supervises children as they access toileting facilities independently and look after their own personal belongings within the setting. Younger children develop self-care skills as they are supported to put coats on and reminded to wash their hands as they learn to be healthy. The childminder involves children in the daily routine of the setting, for example, by writing the rules of the house

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

together. This encourages children to have a voice and feel valued as they develop self- esteem. Children are well behaved as they know the rules and because the childminder is consistent in her approach to managing behaviour effectively.

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

The childminder encourages children to carry out their own safety checks, for example, when going on trips to the park. They are developing the skills needed to manage risk effectively and beginning to take risks where appropriate. Snack and mealtime routines are robust and children make healthy choices from a well-balanced selection of food on offer. Parents provide children with their own packed lunches and the childminder offers guidance around what to include in a healthy lunch box. Children chat happily to each other at snack times as they discuss what makes food healthy and subsequently learning the importance of healthy lifestyle. Children are also kept healthy as the childminder takes them on regular walks to the park and on swimming trips, which encourage children to be more active. She also attends a weekly toddler group to provide opportunities for younger children to socialise with others in preparation for the transition to schools. Arrangements

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

for sleeping and rest times are sufficient to ensure that children's needs are met and the childminder completes regular checks to ensure they are safe at these times.

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provision

Children are kept safe as the childminder has taken the necessary steps required to ensure that any adults living in the house are checked to assess their suitability and demonstrates that actions from the previous inspection have been met. The childminder has a good knowledge of how to safeguard children. This is supported by robust policies and procedures, which she follows to ensure that children are safe in her care. Risk assessments are carried out on a daily basis through the completion of a safety checklist, which the childminder ticks as she completes it. The childminder has attended a recent first aid course and plans to attend safeguarding children course to extend her knowledge and expertise.

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provision

The childminder works hard to develop relationships with parents, who provide written feedback when prompted and verbally on a daily basis. Parents are on the whole happy with the setting, one parent comments that it 'makes it easier to go to work knowing that she is well cared for and happy' and that her child often talks about 'my Debby' at home. The settling-in process provides the opportunity for the childminder to discuss the policies of the setting to ensure that parents understand the steps taken to ensure the safety of their children. Partnerships with the school, which children attend are not used effectively to fully ensure continuity of learning between the settings. Communication with schools is limited to drop off and pick up times and information about children's learning and development is not shared between professionals. Subsequently, some children's learning is not fully supported across settings.

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provision

The childminder wants to improve her practice and has used effective feedback forms to gather the views of parents and children who she minds. This information has been used to make changes to the provision, for example, by offering more swimming sessions. However, she is not consistently using this information along with her own thoughts about the setting to develop a robust system of self-evaluation. The current system lacks the specific detail to ensure that the setting is addressing areas of weakness, which means the setting is not moving forwards sufficiently.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY294474 Local authority Derby, City of Inspection number 820121 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 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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