Childminder in Wakefield

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/02/2014 13/02/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 4 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children form secure emotional bonds with the childminder because she is caring and responsive and provides them with reassurance.  The childminder provides a varied home-cooked diet for children that helps them to understand good health and enjoy a social mealtime.  The childminder has a developing knowledge of the learning and development requirements. She uses this alongside a suitable range of activities, to teach children the skills they need to make appropriate progress in their learning.

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It is not yet good because

 Observation and assessment is not yet sufficiently robust. The gathering of initial information from parents is not used to fully identify children's starting points, in order to assess the progress children are making towards the early learning goals.  Self-evaluation does not include a clear improvement plan, which takes into account the quality of teaching and learning as well as the views of children and parents to support children's achievements over time.  Babies and toddlers do not have access to a suitable selection of books to support their developing literacy skills.

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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 viewed the areas of the premises and garden used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of relevant documentation, including policies and procedures.  The inspector observed children playing in the lounge.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2006 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner, two adult children and a child aged 11 years in a house near the town centre of Wakefield. The whole of the ground floor, bathroom on the first floor and the garden are used for childminding. The family has a dog, a cat and a rabbit as pets.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends children's activities and groups. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently seven children on roll, one of whom is in the early years age group and attends for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, excluding family holidays. The childminder works with an assistant and holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 3.

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must:

 use information gained from parents and observations, in order to more effectively assess children's starting points and their progress towards the early learning goals, so that planning is more precisely based on children's next steps in learning

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must:

 encourage parents to become involved in their children's learning, by providing information and support to them, to help guide their child's learning at home, so that children benefit from a collaborative approach to their learning.

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

 improve the approach to self-evaluation to ensure that there is a clear action plan that takes into account the quality of teaching and learning, as well as the views of children and parents

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

 improve babies and toddlers access to a suitable range of books, so that they learn to handle books and are able to enjoy making independent choices.

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who attend

Children are cared for in a welcoming environment and are happy and secure in the care of the childminder. The childminder demonstrates a suitable understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She offers a range of educational programmes that broadly covers the seven areas of learning to help children make suitable progress. The childminder can describe the general learning intentions for each child. Although, she obtains some information from parents on entry, for example, what children are interested in, she is not effectively assessing children's starting points or the progress they are making towards the early learning goals. This means that planning is not sufficiently tailored to children's individual needs, in order to fully support them in making good progress in preparation for starting nursery or school. Strategies to engage parents in their children's learning are not maximised. This means that there is not a

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who attend

shared approach to their children's learning and development.

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who attend

The childminder interacts well with children to teach them skills, which promote their overall development. For example, she demonstrates to babies how to hold a stick to bang on a xylophone. Babies smile and grasp hold of the stick as they try to copy her actions. The childminder reinforces their learning as she gives them lots of encouragement and praises their efforts. This means that babies' learning is appropriately supported and helps to develop their hand to eye coordination. Children's communication and language skills are satisfactorily promoted; as babies begin to babble, the childminder listens to their utterances and talks to them about what they are doing. She sings to them as they begin to recognise their favourite nursery rhymes. Children readily help themselves to toys and resources to support their play because the childminder provides them with a selection of age-appropriate playthings. However, babies and toddlers do not routinely have access to

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who attend

books, which inhibits their active exploration of printed material and enjoyment of early stories.

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who attend

The childminder teaches children about lifecycles and changes over time. For example, they look at tadpoles and observe what happens as they begin to grow. As a consequence, this extends children's interest in the world around them. As children play, the childminder enthusiastically engages with them to support and extend their learning.

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

Children form secure attachments with the childminder because she is caring and receptive to their needs. This means that they are confident, settled and keen to explore and learn. As a result, their social and emotional development is progressing well. Children receive encouragement and are praised for their efforts and they respond positively to the praise and affection they receive. This fosters their growing confidence and self-esteem. Children behave well because they feel save and content and build trusting relationships with the childminder and her assistant. The childminder offers short settling-in periods, this helps children to make the transition between their home and the setting. As a result, children settle quickly and benefit from consistent care that ensures their individual needs are met.

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

Children's safety is given priority as the childminder ensures her premises are secure. Daily checks of the premises ensure children play in a safe and clean home. The childminder encourages children to be active and explore their environment, whilst teaching them to be safe. For example, older children know that they need to take care when playing with small items, to minimise the risk of babies picking them up.

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

As part of her healthy food provision, the childminder provides home-made, nutritious meals using fresh ingredients, which support a balanced diet. The childminder understands the importance of physical exercise and fresh air and children enjoy regular visits to local parks and soft play areas. This helps to support children's good health through exercise. Children also learn to take risks and keep themselves safe as the climb and negotiate different levels and surfaces. This means that children are gaining confidence and independence away from the childminder's home, which helps to prepare them for starting school.

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provision

The childminder has a satisfactory understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has attended relevant training and knows how to identify and report any possible signs of neglect and abuse, in order to protect children. The childminder and her assistant hold current paediatric first aid certificates, which supports their understanding of how to deal with minor injuries. She promotes children's welfare by identifying and minimising hazards and ensuring the premises are secure. The childminder undertakes risk assessments and is vigilant in minimising risks within her home and outdoor environment.

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provision

The childminder has a suitable understanding of the learning and development requirements. However, certain aspects of the quality of her teaching are not yet thorough enough, in relation to her observation, assessment and planning arrangements and the learning environment. The childminder is beginning to improve her systems for observing children's progress and is starting to link these to the areas of learning. She is keen to improve her provision and strives to improve her practice. For example, plans are in place to improve the outdoor area by providing children with an area for planting and growing vegetables. The childminder has recently attended several courses to improve her knowledge and understanding to benefit the children in her care. For example, she has completed an Early Years Foundation Stage training session.

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provision

The process of self-evaluation is still in its infancy. The childminder has started to reflect on her provision and to consider areas for improvement. However, reflective practice is not yet rigorous enough to identify weaknesses in teaching and learning and the views of the parents and children are not taken into account as a way of helping the childminder to identify how further improvements can be made. The childminder has suitable relationships with the local authority and is aware of available support mechanisms to help meet children's individual needs. She has not yet needed to pass transitional documents about children's achievements to school. However, she is aware of this process and how to ensure continuity in children's learning. Parents' express their happiness with the care their children receive and are grateful for the childminder's flexibility. However, there is not a collaborative approach to children's

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provision

learning because the childminder does not provide parents with sufficient guidance about how they can support their child's learning at home.

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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 EY333791 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 909023 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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