Childminder in Liverpool

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/12/2013 08/02/2010

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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 forms positive and caring relationships with all children so they feel safe and secure. This effectively supports their emotional well-being.  The childminder has a good understanding of, and gives high priority to, the safety of the children in her care. This ensures that children are cared for in a safe, secure environment.  The childminder visits local playgroups with the children which increases their opportunities to gain some of the skills they will need for their next steps in learning.  The childminder provides healthy food prepared daily for meals and snacks and talks to the children about what is good to eat. Therefore, children are gaining an understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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It is not yet good because

 Information from observations and assessments is not routinely used to plan activities which meet the individual needs and interests of each child.  The childminder does not always use effective teaching strategies to support children's learning and development. As a result, they make satisfactory, rather than good, progress.  There is a lack of natural resources available in the indoor environment, for children to explore and investigate using their senses.

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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 the children and childminder in the playroom, kitchen and dining room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a number of documents, including safeguarding policies and procedures, risk assessments, children's learning journey records and planning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at written comments from parents and took these into account.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2005 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, father-in-law and three children aged 13, 10 and five years in a house in the Huyton area of Liverpool. The playroom, kitchen/dining room, downstairs toilet and the rear garden are used for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends local toddler groups on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently four children on roll, of whom two are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 use information gained from observations and assessments to ensure planned activities are interesting, challenging and meet the needs and interests of children

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must:

 improve the educational programme for communication and language, for example, by using teaching strategies that ensure children are best supported to acquire the skills they require, for example, by modelling language so that children develop good communication and language skills.

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

 introduce a range of natural materials to provide children with opportunities to explore and investigate.

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who attend

The childminder has a sufficient understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She records observations and writes regular summaries of each child's development. Each child has a file containing annotated photographs and some observations. A tracking system is used to check children's progress at various intervals during the year. These are shared with parents and when the children are moving to nursery or school, she shares them with the relevant staff. The childminder plans activities over the week. However, she is not always using her knowledge of the children's interests or needs to ensure activities are interesting and stimulating. For example, during a craft activity, children are given specific directions about where to place each shape to make a reindeer mask. This limits children's creativity, ability to explore and means that these opportunities are not used effectively by the

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who attend

childminder to promote children's learning.

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who attend

The childminder follows the children's lead as they choose the toys they want to play with and she responds to their comments and questions in an adequate manner. However, she does not routinely use effective teaching strategies, such as skilfully modelling language, and so children do not develop in some areas, such as communication and language, as well as they might. She encourages children to count the skittles as they set them up for a game and so they are beginning to learn about numbers. The childminder is aware of the skills that children need to go to school, such as knowing their colours and being able to count, and focuses on these during the months before they start. She attends various playgroups with the children so they have opportunities to gain the social skills and aptitudes they need to be ready for their next steps in learning, including school.

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who attend

Parents are asked for information about their child as they start with the childminder and she shares information about what they have been doing with her through a daily diary. The childminder includes comments about what the children have found interesting or particularly enjoyed so that parents can continue their child's learning at home.

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

The childminder is welcoming and caring and knows each of the children well. She liaises closely with parents so that she can follow the child's routines and as a result, children settle quickly. Children are able to form secure bonds with her and feel safe and secure in her home, which helps children to make the transition between their own home and the childminder's. The childminder talks to children as they approach the time to start school about what to expect. Therefore, children are emotionally prepared for their move into the next setting. Children are valued and respected and as such, are learning to respect each other. The childminder's caring approach and use of praise and encouragement, promotes children's confidence and behaviour effectively and they begin to learn to share well.

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

The childminder has arranged the environment so that it is a welcoming place and children can play safely. The large playroom is equipped with many toys, which are stored so that children are able to choose what they want to play with. For example, the toys that are on higher shelves have appropriate pictures on the boxes so that children can see what is inside them. Younger children point at the toys they want and the childminder lifts them up so that they can make their choice. There is a large enclosed garden for the children to play and develop their physical skills. However, children's access to natural materials while indoors is limited and this reduces their opportunities to explore and investigate, using their senses. Photographs of the children and their families, children's art work and some printed materials are all displayed around the playroom.

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

The childminder provides a healthy menu of freshly prepared meals and snacks for the children. She talks to the children during mealtimes about how the food is helping their body. Therefore, children are developing an understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. Children are developing independent self-care skills as the childminder encourages them to wash their hands before eating and supports them to feed themselves. Children also develop a sense of their own safety as younger children are strapped into booster seats when they sit at the dining table and older children are able to independently climb in and out of the chairs.

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provision

The childminder has an effective knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and implements them well. She has appropriate policies and procedures in place and knows where she can seek advice or make a referral if she has any concerns about a child. The childminder has attended safeguarding training and is currently reviewing all her policies to ensure they have correct and updated information. She understands the importance of ensuring all adults living in her home have appropriate checks and has acted upon this. The childminder carries out appropriate risk assessments of all the areas where children have access, and for the journeys they make and venues they visit.

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provision

The childminder has appropriate systems to monitor the learning and development of each child and is able to provide parents with adequate information about their achievements. However, the use of observations, assessments and effective teaching strategies requires improvement so that activities are always precisely matched to children's learning needs and interests, in order that they make best progress. She has recently completed a process of self-evaluation and has a clear understanding of her strengths and areas of weakness. The childminder seeks out parents views through questionnaires and general discussions.

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provision

Partnerships with other agencies support her work with individual children. For example, the childminder liaises with the staff at the school and shares information with them about children's progress. Where possible, the childminder will continue the work that the children are learning at school. For example, when a child was learning to count at nursery, she focused on counting during their time together.

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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 EY303536 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 820270 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 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

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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