Childminder in Wakefield

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/11/2013 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 requires improvement

 The childminder understands where children are in their development and, as a result, she is able to use current guidance documents to plan age-appropriate activities that help them to make steady progress.  The childminder has sufficient understanding of her responsibility for keeping children safe to ensure their safety is maintained at all times.  The childminder shares information with parents about children's care routines and this ensures she reflects their care routines at home. As a result, children's overall well- being is supported.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not obtain starting points from parents and, as a result, she does not have enough information when they first enter the setting to ensure her initial planning takes account of the skills they already have.  The childminder does not consistently use observations and assessments to track children's progress. This means she cannot be sure the activities she plans are helping them to children make good progress towards their next steps.  The two-way flow of information between the childminder and parents is not yet robust enough to ensure all parents are included in their children's learning. As a result, children do not always enjoy continuity in their learning because detailed information is not effectively shared.

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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 playroom and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, discussed the provider's form and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children aged 13 years, ten years and seven years in the Ossett area of Wakefield. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. The family has one dog as a pet.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group. She visits the local shops, cafes and parks on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools. There are currently four children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range and they attend for a variety of sessions. The childminding provision 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:

 obtain starting points from parents and use the information in planning when children first enter the setting to ensure educational programmes take account of the skills they have already acquired and promote their progress towards their next steps in learning

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must:

 complete observations and assessments consistently and use the information to plan educational programmes that are tailored to meet children's individual learning needs and target their next steps in learning, therefore, supporting their good progress towards the next steps in their learning.

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

 develop the two-way flow of information with parents to ensure detailed information about children's learning is shared, therefore, ensuring children enjoy continuity in their learning at home.

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who attend

The childminder has an appropriate understanding of her responsibility for implementing the learning and development requirements. A sufficient knowledge of how children learn and suitable use of current guidance documents mean she can provide a range of activities that follow their interests and support their learning. For example, children enjoy re-enacting scenes and playing characters from their favourite stories and films. This is promoted through small world play and role play. Their learning is extended during outdoor play where they can develop their narratives in a much larger space and using larger resources, such as climbing equipment in the local park. Children explore art and design through creative activates, such as painting and junk modelling, where they investigate patterns and use their critical thinking skills to develop their ideas. Children's communication and language skills are promoted well through everyday conversations and

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who attend

stories. Where progress has been recorded, tracking documents show they are meeting the milestones for their age.

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who attend

Information about children's learning is shared with other early years providers for children who experience shared care. The childminder uses the information shared with her to plan educational programmes that reflect the learning children experience in other settings, for example in the school nursery. This ensures children's ongoing development is sufficiently supported. The childminder plans activities that help children to prepare for the move to school. Adult-led activities focus on early letter recognition and mathematics and, as a result, they are developing some of the skills they will need for their learning in school. The childminder uses their interests to encourage them to participate in activities, such as recognising letters from the alphabet in the names of favourite characters and, as a result, children enjoy developing early literacy skills.

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who attend

The childminder is beginning to develop partnerships with parents. She shares information with them each day about children's interests and the activities they enjoy while in her care. By sharing information in this way parents develop an understanding of how the childminder plans activities to suit children's preferences and this supports some continuity in their learning. However, the two-way flow of information is not yet effective in sharing information with all parents and, as a result, they are not all included in their children's learning. In addition to this, the childminder does not obtain children's starting points from parents when children first enter the setting. As a result, initial planning does not take account of the skills they have already acquired. This means the childminder cannot be sure the learning opportunities she provides for children early in their care are extending their skills and helping them to make good progress in all areas of learning.

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who attend

Once children have settled into the setting the childminder uses observations to ascertain where they are in their learning and she uses current guidance documents to help her plan for their next steps. Observations and assessments of children's development are completed and this means the childminder is constructing a record of their progress. However, assessment and tracking of children's progress is not consistent. As a result, she cannot be sure individual learning records give an accurate and precise overview of how well each child is meeting the expected milestones for their age. Nevertheless, the childminder has a sufficient understanding of where each child is in their development and this means she can provide developmentally appropriate educational programmes that reflect their preferences for learning. For example, counting and early mathematics is promoted in the outdoor environment by identifying numbers during walks. The

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who attend

childminder is aware of her responsibilities for completing the required progress checks at age two and sharing them with all relevant partners, therefore, ensuring children who might need early intervention are quickly identified. She understands where to access services for children who might not be meeting the milestones for their age and this ensures she can implement timely and affective support.

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

Children's safety and protection is given suitable priority. During their independent investigations they are encouraged to risk assess for themselves and recognise hazards. This means they can explore with some degree of freedom. Children are supervised well during outdoor play and learning in all weathers. They develop physical skills, while learning how exercise promotes their overall health and well-being. During visits to places in the community, such as the local shops, the childminder promotes children's understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about strangers and how to cross the road safely.

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

Children who attend the childminder's setting develop their understanding of equality and diversity through a range of activities, including stories, role play and cultural celebrations. They attend the local playgroup where they develop their personal and social skills in a much bigger group of children. As a result, they are beginning to understand the needs of others and this is helping to prepare them for the larger social environment of school. Children in the childminder's care show they are settled and happy and demonstrate they have strong peer relationships. They receive clear and consistent messages that support good behaviour, such as not getting too rough during play fighting, and this means they are developing an appropriate understanding of right and wrong. As a result, they behave well.

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

Children enjoy short settling-in sessions with their parents, to help smooth transition into the childminder's care and this provides some continuity in their care. Information about children's care routines is shared effectively and the childminder plans her day to ensure children's routines, such as sleep times, reflect those they enjoy at home. Information essential to children's well-being is shared with other early years providers and this ensures children's health and welfare needs are met satisfactorily. The support children receive to get them ready for transition into school is sufficient to ensure they are prepared for the change when the time comes for them to move on. They are taught to be independent in their self-care and this means they can attend to their own personal care needs when they move on to school. The childminder takes them to the local school when she collects older children. As a result, they are familiar with the setting and some of

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

Children enjoy a range of healthy snacks and drinks. The childminder promotes healthy eating with the children through everyday discussions and this means they are beginning to understand why a healthy diet is important to their overall health and well-being.

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provision

The childminder has attended safeguarding training to develop her knowledge of how to keep children safe. She has effective arrangements in place for safeguarding children both on the premises and while out on trips. Appropriate risk assessments are in place to ensure children are kept safe both on the premises and during trips, and daily checks ensure the premises are free from hazards. Records of visitors are maintained. A register of the children's attendance, including when they arrive and leave, is in place and this ensures ratios are adhered to. The childminder holds a current first aid certificate, which means that she can give suitable treatment if there is an accident to a child in her care. The childminder supports parents' understanding of her practice by sharing policies and procedures with them and this ensures they are knowledgeable about the service she provides.

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provision

The childminder works with the local authority childcare development team to evaluate the setting and identify any areas for improvement. Her assessment of her strengths and weaknesses is accurate and she has plans in place to address areas for development. She is building partnerships with parents and seeks their views when evaluating the service she provides. The childminder demonstrates a suitable commitment to professional development and attends relevant training to expand her skills. This means she is developing her knowledge and understanding of how children learn and uses her skills to further develop her teaching to benefit the children she cares for. As a result, the children she cares for appear to be making steady progress across all areas of learning.

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provision

The childminder has partnerships in place with the other early years providers, such as the school nursery, and this supports sharing of information about children's learning, therefore, promoting continuity for children. She seeks advice and support from other childminders and by sharing good practice with them, is improving the service she provides.

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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 EY462384 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 924739 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 4

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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

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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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