Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/12/2013 13/05/2009

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 1 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

p.1

This provision requires improvement

 The childminder complements children's learning and development in the other settings they attend as she has valuable relationships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The childminder is highly skilled in promoting children's awareness of their own culture and home languages and those of others.  The childminder helps support children to learn about healthy living by providing healthy meals. She guides children to learn new physical skills through introducing children to tennis and yoga.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not fully inform parents of incidents and keep the required records. This includes when physical restraint is used to keep children safe.  The childminder does not fully support children to manage their own behaviour.  The childminder does not always successfully support children to freely express their own ideas when completing art and craft activities.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector accompanied the childminder to pick up the children from school.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities on the ground floor of the premises and talked with the children.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the childminder and conducted a joint observation during the inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's records and a range of other documentation including evidence of suitability and qualifications of the childminder.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1994 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and adult daughter in a house in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, and uses the whole of the ground floor, a bedroom on the first floor if children need a rest and the rear garden for childminding. The childminder's husband also works as her assistant.

p.3

Information about the setting

The childminder has a foundation degree in Early Years and attends a childminder group. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently seven children on roll, two are in the early years age group and attend after school and some holidays. The childminder is available to care for children all year round from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday except for family holidays.

p.3

must:

 keep parents informed of their child's day by ensuring they are informed on the same day, or as soon as reasonably practicable of any occasion where physical intervention is used and keep a record of such interventions

p.3

must:

 improve the skills required to help children manage their feelings, talk about their own behaviour, and its consequences, and know what is expected of them by being involved in drawing up and keeping the house rules in order to learn to work successfully as part of a group.

p.3

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

 enhance opportunities for children to develop their own ideas and experiment with materials by allowing them to complete their art and craft activities independently.

p.3

who attend

Children enjoy their time in the childminder's care. The childminder provides a useful range of activities and resources to promote children's learning, within the normal daily routine. Children count the number of children, in order to prepare the table setting for tea with the correct number of knives and forks. The childminder has details of the children's starting points through discussions with the parents and her early observations of the children's interests. This helps her aid children's learning from the outset of the minding arrangements. The childminder regularly undertakes useful observations and assessments of children's progress. This confirms that they are working comfortably within the typical range of development for their age. The childminder uses this to plan future learning and work in conjunction with the targets set by the children's school. This helps them in their next stage of learning and for school. She identifies the next steps in the

p.3

who attend

children's learning and develops appropriate activities to help children make suitable progress.

p.4

who attend

The childminder helps children with their language skills. There is a rich variety of books on display that children can easily access. The childminder reads with them and helps them with their homework. She frequently encourages the children to help with cooking and they thoroughly enjoy mixing and seeing the changes to the ingredients as they cook fudge. This helps children to be interested and eager to learn. Children are keen to taste the sweets and take some home to share with their parents. The childminder organises suitable art and craft activities. Children concentrate well and follow the instructions to fit together the pieces to make a model Christmas trees. They carefully peel the backing from the small and fiddly pre-prepared sticky shapes. However, on occasions the childminder places the glue on the model for the children as it is difficult to manage the dispenser. This does not always enable children to experiment, to develop their own ideas and

p.4

who attend

encourage them to take pride in their achievements.

p.4

who attend

The toys are stored at low-level encouraging children to engage well and independently in their learning. Children fit models together using the plentiful supply of interlocking bricks and they are encouraged to show their structure to their parents, which they are proud of. This helps children to be motivated to learn. Parents report that they receive regular information including them ideas to help their children's learning at home.

p.4

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

The childminder has an exceptional understanding of each child's backgrounds and promotes children's home language in their play and learning. Children enjoy teaching the childminder and other children a few words of their home languages. The childminder provides displays and the hand washing sign in several languages. This helps children develop a strong sense of belonging. When children are visiting family overseas for the Christmas holidays, the childminder makes a display of photographs of the places and details of the family customs. This helps the other children attending gain a positive understanding of diversity. The childminder and her assistant work closely together, sharing information and discussing various strategies to support the children. For example, the childminder reports that children respond well to a clear instruction to get ready to go home from the assistant. They help children form relationships with each other by being

p.4

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

offering some positive reassurance following good behaviour. The childminder encourages children to be nice and say sorry for upsetting other children. She can explain how children settle and how well their behaviour has improved in her care. However, older children are not engaged in drawing up the house rules which are displayed well above children's sight line, the childminder does not always fully explain the consequences of their actions and the labelling of the bottom stair as the 'naughty step' does not fully support children to manage their feelings.

p.4

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

The environment is welcoming and child orientated, this develops children's levels of independence well. For example, they learn to remove and store their shoes on the doorstep and hang up their own coat. Children are learning about healthy living as they play outside in the better weather. They are learning to take care as they follow the safety rules on the walk from school to the childminder's home. The childminder encourages children to play vigorously in the garden in the better weather. She encourages them to develop new skills following her interest in tennis and is starting to introduce children to yoga. This helps them develop a suitable control over their bodies and the ability to relax. The childminder provides healthy snacks. This helps them have a good understanding of a healthy diet.

p.5

provision

The childminder demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of her role and responsibilities to safeguard children in her care. She knows the procedures to follow if she has any concerns about a child. The suitability of all adults looking after children is assessed and her husband acts as her assistant. The childminder ensures he also has up-to-date training in safeguarding and first aid. This generally gives them an appropriate understanding of the action to take if there is an accident or concern about the welfare of a child.

p.5

provision

This inspection took place due to a concern being raised about behaviour management and information for parents. Generally the childminder has a very good relationship with parents; she consistently passes on messages from school and undertakes frequent parental questionnaires. The last survey a year ago shows very high satisfaction from the parents, including behaviour management. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection, report that they are extremely pleased with the service they receive from the childminder. However, parents are not always informed promptly of incidents that happen at the childminder's home and that adversely affect the care of the other children. The lack of information leads to parents not being able to fully support their children's well-being. This is a breach of requirement and also breach of the Childcare Register. For example, the childminder's assistant uses appropriate physical restraint to keep children from harm on

p.5

provision

the walk home from school. However, a record of the incident is not made and parents are not quickly informed on the day. As a result of a discussion with the inspector, the parents were informed and a record made of the incident during the inspection.

p.5

provision

The childminder and her assistant care for children after school only. The childminder is an experienced and qualified childcare professional and she demonstrates a suitable understanding of how to promote children's progress throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage. She suitably monitors children's learning and works closely with the school to adequately close gaps in children's development and complements the care and learning the children receive in school. The childminder demonstrates a satisfactory awareness of the roles of external professionals so children can receive intervention, when required. The childminder is keen to attend further training to develop an adequate programme of professional development. She provides suitable professional development for the assistant and they discuss behaviour management strategies.

p.5

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

p.6

actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

p.6

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner. (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner. (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number 123294 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 945379 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 7

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10