Childminder in Derbyshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/11/2013 07/06/2013

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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 requires improvement

 Children feel safe and secure with the childminder. She provides a homely and welcoming environment where children have consistent routines to promote continuity of care.  Children enjoy listening to stories and begin to show familiarity with well-loved books as they talk regularly and confidently with the childminder.  Children are able to select from a broad range of good quality resources that cover all seven areas of learning.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder is not confident that she has obtained permission from all parents to leave their children in the sole care of her assistant. This means that parents are not kept fully aware of some care practices.  On occasions, the care provided for the older children affects the care of the children in the early years age range, which does not ensure that the younger children consistently receive the highest quality care.  The childminder does not effectively complement children's learning for those who attend other establishments, which does not help to promote continuity in children's learning experiences.

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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 held discussions with the childminder and spoke to children.  The inspector observed children in their play and eating lunch.  The inspector held a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector discussed the children's learning and progress with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked the childminder's suitability and qualifications and her policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012 and is on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband, who is also her assistant on a part-time basis and two children aged six and four years in Mickleover, Derby. The whole ground floor of the house, two bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding purposes.

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Information about the setting

The childminder operates Monday to Friday, all year round from 7am until 6pm. There are currently 22 children on roll, of whom nine are in the early years age range. Children attend on a full- and part-time basis. 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. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and has had support from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure permission is obtained from all parents to allow the assistant to care for the children on his own for short periods of time

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must:

 improve the organisation and care for the younger children when the older children attend, paying particular attention to when there are larger numbers of children attending, so that younger children's needs are consistently met.

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

 develop ways of complementing children's learning for those who also attend other establishments, so that there is more continuity in children's learning experiences.

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who attend

Children are content at this childminder's home. They choose the activities they wish to play with from a wide range of toys available. Children explore and enjoy their play as the childminder gently guides and supports their learning needs generally well. She obtains relevant information from children's parents before they start. This includes children's preferences and what they are capable of doing. She uses this information effectively to inform her starting points for younger children and to provide activities that are of interest to the children when they start with her. The childminder continues to teach, observe and assess the younger children's achievements and progress. She analyses the information she gathers to plan future activities and identify the younger children's next steps in their learning. She provides for their learning through a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. However, in contrast, she does not provide as effectively for the children who

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who attend

are in the early years age range and also attend other establishments, such as school. She does not always identify their learning priorities or complement their learning with that undertaken elsewhere. As a result, the childminder is not always providing challenge for the older children's individual learning, so that they make best progress.

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who attend

Younger children show they are active learners. For example, they explore and investigate their play as they negotiate which hole to put the shape into while playing with the shape sorter and building towers. Here, they have fun as they knock the towers down and repeat the activity. The childminder encourages this, along with counting the bricks. These opportunities help the children's handling skills and are beginning to help them understand about numbers and early mathematical skills. The childminder fosters younger children's language well. She is constantly talking to the children, asking questions and introducing new words. She skilfully encourages children under two years of age to learn new vocabulary, by repeating words so that they may imitate her. Children love looking at books and the childminder uses this to also encourage their language skills. She talks to the children about the pictures and clearly reads the words. This is evident as they

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who attend

snuggle together and look at books about animals. The childminder encourages the children to say the animals' names and the sounds they make. Children have opportunities to develop their movement skills as they play in the garden or go to the local park. They climb and balance and use small equipment, such as bats and balls, to develop their catching and kicking skills. The childminder helps to develop the children's understanding of the world effectively by planning adult-led activities, such as collecting leaves and making collages. This encourages children to begin to understand about the natural world. Children also learn about other cultures through celebrating a variety of festivals, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. Here, they learn about traditions in other countries as well as their own. Children have access to computer games and press-button toys to aid their information and communication technology skills. Older children have access to console

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who attend

games, which they enjoy playing. These games also aid their cooperative skills as they learn to share and take turns. These opportunities help children to gain some of the necessary skills for their future learning, which is usually school.

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who attend

The childminder has a generally good partnership with parents. They are involved in their children's learning from the start. They pass on information daily about what the children have been doing, so that each party is aware of the children's achievements. This helps to provide continuity of learning for the children, as both parties are aware of their achievements and can help children accordingly to increase their progress over time. As a result, the parents know what their children are doing while in the childminder's care and they can extend children's learning experiences at home if they wish. Parents have opportunities to look at the learning journal records for the younger children and have made comments that they are happy with the progress their children are making. Parents have been successfully involved in the progress check at age two and agreed with their children's next steps in learning.

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

Children are happy and confident in the childminder's welcoming home. They have secure relationships with the childminder, display strong bonds with her and clearly feel safe and comfortable in her care. She knows the children she cares for well and recognises their emotional needs. For example, when children become tired she settles them down for their morning sleep. She provides the younger children with the confidence to independently explore their environment and therefore extend their own learning. Children are well behaved. The childminder has house rules and boundaries that help children to know what is expected of them. Older children help to put these rules together, giving them a sense of belonging. The childminder is a good role model and helps children learn about good behaviour. She encourages them to share resources and take turns and, as a result, they play together well. Children consistently receive praise for their achievements,

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

enabling them to become confident and gain a strong sense of achievement. The childminder promotes positive behaviour, provides praise and encouragement and helps children's self-esteem. Children are encouraged to be independent in their self-care. They help themselves to drinks and make choices between their chosen activities in a self- assured manner.

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

The learning environment has been improved since the last inspection. The childminder has organised the playroom to provide a stimulating place for children to be. The resources are all labelled with pictures and words and are easily accessible for the children. She has created photographic albums of the children participating in events with herself and at home, which enable the children to talk about their past events. There are pieces of children's work displayed to show they are valued, and posters to represent print and number. The organisation of the childminder's practice for younger children is effective. They have access to the toys they wish to play with and choose whether to go outside to play, which helps to develop their independence skills. However, on occasions when the childminder and her assistant mind the children after school, the organisation of her practice has an effect on the younger children. Through discussion the childminder

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

highlights that the noise level is at times loud and that she sometimes needs to ask the children to 'remember that they are not in a playground'. She states that the older children play games, such as bingo, and watch the television in the lounge. This is where the younger children also play. Children have snack after school in groups of four in the kitchen. As a result, there is only one adult caring for the remainder of children in all other areas of the house. Consequently, these arrangements have an effect on the younger children's care and the attention they receive.

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

The childminder effectively promotes hygiene practices, such as washing hands before eating snacks and after using the toilet. She understands the importance of encouraging children to adopt a healthy lifestyle and supplies healthy meals and snacks. She offers a variety of fresh food, and drinking water is readily available. The childminder promotes outdoor play well, providing children with regular opportunities to play outdoors and explore the garden and local environment. There are good arrangements in place to help children learn to keep themselves safe through everyday routines, such as helping them learn about road safety when on outings. Children are developing an appropriate understanding of safety, such as understanding not to climb on chairs in case they fall and hurt themselves. Children's social development is enhanced further through attending sessions at the local groups, which helps to prepare them for their eventual move to

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provision

The childminder's knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements is sound. She conducts comprehensive risk assessments. All areas used by the children are checked and risk assessed before they arrive, and children are closely supervised at all times. The childminder and her assistant hold a current paediatric first aid qualification to help them to provide appropriate care if a child has an accident. The childminder ensures that all adults in the household are vetted through the Disclosure and Barring Service and this includes her assistant. She understands her responsibilities towards child protection and knows who to contact if she has a concern about a child or an allegation is made against herself or her assistant. The ratios of children she minds are within the regulations of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, she has not obtained permission from all parents for her assistant to have sole charge of the children for short

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provision

periods of time. Even so, the impact of this on children is limited as her assistant is fully vetted by the Disclosure and Barring service. The childminder has an adequate range of policies and procedures in place to support children's welfare, and these are made available to parents. The childminder maintains detailed records for attendance, medication and fire evacuation drills, to promote children's safety further.

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provision

The childminder understands the importance of continuous professional development. As a result, she has enrolled on a recognised childcare qualification at level 3 to enhance her knowledge of the early years learning and development requirements. She uses her self- evaluation processes to review her practice adequately, which accurately reflects on the setting's strengths and some of the areas for further development. The childminder has taken positive steps to improve her practice since her last inspection and has met the recommendations raised then. She sends out periodic questionnaires to parents, who contribute towards the evaluation, and regularly asks the older children's views of her practice. She understands the importance of monitoring the educational programmes to ensure that she provides a broad range of experiences to help children progress towards the early learning goals. She is monitoring the progress of the children under three years

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provision

of age through an effective tracking process. Here, she can identify any gaps in their learning and ensures they are appropriately challenged in their learning.

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provision

The childminder regularly liaises with other settings that children attend to ensure the consistency of information pertaining to children's well-being. However, this has not gone as far as developing a process to ensure she can gather information from the establishments about children's learning. This does not enable her to complement the learning of the older early years children that she minds, meaning their learning needs are not always consistently met. The childminder is enthusiastic and motivated and works well with parents to meet children's individual care needs and promote consistent routines. She has established positive relationships with parents and liaises with them over children's specific needs, ensuring that they are appropriately involved in assessment arrangements and made aware of any concerns. The childminder demonstrates that she has suitable processes in place to guide parents in supporting their child's emerging developmental

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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 EY453961 Local authority Derby, City of Inspection number 938569 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 10 Number of children on roll 22

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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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