Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/10/2013 03/05/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 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

 Children form secure bonds and attachments with the childminder because she provides a warm and welcoming environment where children feel secure and valued. As a result, children's well-being is promoted.  The childminder works closely with parents, promoting good quality of care and inclusion. As a result, children receive a consistent approach to their learning and development.  The childminder has a good understanding of how to promote the health and safety of the children in her care. She has assessed the risks to her premises well and has minimised these so children are able use all areas of the premises safely.  The childminder encourages children to become independent learners, particularly in their self-care skills. This gives them the necessary foundation skills to build on as they transfer to nursery.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not consistently identify and use individual children's next steps to inform her planning. Therefore, her planning is not always tailored to meet their needs or challenge them to make the most of the activities provided.  The childminder has not met the requirement to complete a 'progress check at age two', in order to identify any concerns about a child's progress and seek appropriate intervention.

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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 two rooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures and photographs of children joining in with different activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the provider and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and one child aged six years in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. The whole of the property is used for childminding as well as the rear garden. The family has a dog.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

There are currently four children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group and attend on a part-time basis. The childminder operates Tuesday to Thursday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, except family holidays.

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must:

 ensure the methods for identification of children's next steps support the planning of adult directed and child led activities, so that they are tailored to meet their individual needs

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must:

 complete the 'progress check at age two' and share this with parents, in order to identify any concerns in a child's progress and to seek appropriate intervention so they make the best progress possible.

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who attend

Children are happy and engaged in a variety of activities in the childminder's home and on outings to the park and toddler groups. The childminder has a sound understanding of children's likes and interests; and takes account of these, when planning activities. For example, children take great delight in exploring a cardboard tube, putting toy cars through it and then excitedly saying 'watch, watch' as it re-appears at the bottom. The childminder extends this exploration as she shows them how to make noises and talk to one another through the tube. Children ask for the 'tick tock' CD and are keen to sit with the childminder and copy the actions to the rhymes as they sing. The childminder uses this regular music session to support children in developing their attention span and listening skills. She asks them questions about what might happen next and they use musical instruments to join in with the songs.

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who attend

The childminder observes children playing and links these observations to the typical range of development expected for children's ages. However, the childminder does not consistently identify the next steps for individual children. As a result, she is not always able to use these in future planning in order to fully meet the needs of children. Although, children do make progress, planning is not methodical enough to ensure that children are consistently challenged and make the most of the activities provided. The childminder has also not met the requirement to complete the 'progress check at age two'. Although, due to her ongoing assessment this has had minimal impact on the children, it is a requirement to ensure that all children's needs are identified appropriately by all responsible for the check.

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who attend

Children benefit from an environment which is child friendly. For example, there are displays of paintings and samples of children's writing. Children take the lead in their own play and, as a result, are becoming independent learners. The childminder gives children opportunities and time to 'have a go'. For example, they competently use a plastic knife to spread butter on bread while making sandwiches. Children learn about the world around them as they plant seeds and watch them grow. They have opportunities to observe wildlife, as they visit the aquarium and set up a butterfly habitat, releasing them in the garden.

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who attend

The childminder encourages young children to become more mobile as they are supported to walk, holding hands and using low-level furniture to pull themselves to standing. Children are confident talkers and are keen to describe how they cracked the eggs to make cakes. The childminder supports this communication, using lots of repetition and modelling language to encourage children's speech and pronunciation. She introduces simple counting with number rhymes to promote their learning of mathematics.

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who attend

The childminder is committed to building positive links with parents. She speaks to them on a daily basis about how their child has been during the day. She has introduced daily diaries and these are used effectively to share information about the child's achievements, both at home and in the setting.

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

Children's well-being and independence is promoted as they form secure emotional attachments with the childminder. She provides a warm, welcoming environment, where children feel happy and comfortable. Children can clearly express their needs and thoroughly enjoy the childminder's company, seeking her out for a cuddle. Children can have a few visits to the childminder's home before she starts caring for them. This enables them to settle well and the childminder to obtain information from parents, regarding their routines and any health issues to support her in the care of individual children. The childminder is a good role model, carefully explaining to children the possible consequences of unacceptable behaviour. This encouragement supports children in learning how to manage their own behaviour effectively. Children thrive on the praise the childminder gives them.

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

Children learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They eat a balanced diet and learn about different foods, as they grow strawberries in the garden. Children practise good hygiene habits and are given clear explanations from the childminder to reinforce these. For example, one child was reminded to wash his hands again as he had licked his fingers while spreading the butter. Children are developing an understanding of the importance of physical exercise as they walk to and from school. The childminder provides opportunities to play outside daily in the garden, local parks and the field. Children benefit from being able to run around freely in a large outdoor space and climb apparatus. Children learn about keeping themselves safe. For example, they know why they need to follow the rules while using the trampoline. The childminder encourages children to hold hands and uses the walk back from school as an opportunity to reinforce children's

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

The childminder provides appropriate support to prepare children for the transfer to nursery next term. She talks to them about staff and what to expect and is encouraging them to be independent in their self-care skills as the nursery prospectus suggests. Regular outings to toddler groups and other childminders help children to develop confidence and independence in situations away from their main care setting and to start building friendships. Children manage their own personal needs effectively and their independence is promoted as they use the toilet and put on their coat and shoes with little assistance. The childminder ensures that the resources are easily accessible for children. This supports them further in their independence as they select and put away the resources that they use. These activities strengthen their progress towards being independent learners and prepares them for the move to nursery and school. However,

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

minor weaknesses in planning sometimes mean that resources are not always used to best effect. This means that children are occasionally less well challenged.

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provision

The childminder clearly understands her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All adults in the household have been vetted and the childminder has conducted thorough risk assessments to help ensure that any hazards to children are minimised. The childminder has attended safeguarding training and has a clear understanding of the procedure to follow if she has any safeguarding concerns about children.

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provision

The childminder has a suitable understanding of the learning and development requirements and provides a varied range of interesting activities for children to enjoy and learn from. She continues to use the knowledge she obtained through her current training to amend her assessment and planning documentation to further reflect the revised Early Years Foundation Stage. However, the monitoring of her planning and assessment is not rigorous enough to ensure that children's next steps are consistently being identified and used to inform future planning.

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provision

The childminder has a positive working relationship with the parents of the children she cares for. She communicates with them on a daily basis, sharing information about the children's day and relaying information from the school. She has a clear range of policies and procedures that she shares with parents to keep them informed about the provision. The childminder has some links with the school and is fully aware of the requirement to share information in order to ensure there is continuity of care and learning. She is committed to developing partnerships with other early years settings as one of the children she cares for will be starting nursery next year.

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provision

The childminder has addressed the action and recommendation made at the last inspection by seeking further training. She continues to seek support to enable her to maintain this improvement to her setting. She has identified some strengths and weaknesses in her service and has changed aspects of her practice in response to these. She regularly asks parents for feedback and acts on this. For example, the childminder reviewed and amended the way in which children are collected from the setting, as she identified children were becoming disruptive when their parents came to collect them.

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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 EY433721 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 874598 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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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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