Childminder in Wolverhampton

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/01/2014 24/05/2013

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early years provision

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

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This provision is inadequate

 Potential hazards are not recognised and addressed in order to ensure children's safety; this is with regard to glass mirrors, a carpet gripper strip and difficulties with the fire evacuation route.  There is inconsistency in the organisation of the childcare with particular regard to some records and documentation not being readily accessible for use by the childminder and her assistants or available for inspection.  Planning does not always support children effectively in developing early literacy, such as younger children's dexterity and co-ordination in making marks.  Opportunities for children to extend their learning, such as making pictorial shopping lists are not always considered fully, to further children's critical thinking or making connections in their learning.

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It has the following strengths

 Children make firm friendships and are well-supported in gaining skills in independence, particularly in their self-care, as they prepare for the next steps in their early 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 observed interaction and practice with the childminder and her assistants and the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the children, the childminder and some of her assistants during the course of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out safety checks on both premises the childminder is registered to operate from.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of comments from parents through questionnaires obtained by the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined some documentation including children's files, information about the suitability of the childminder and other adults in the household, risk assessments and some policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2002 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her teenage son in Bilston, West Midlands. She is registered to operate as a childminder at two addresses in the local area and works, at times, with assistants. One setting is based in a first floor flat, using the lounge and a playroom for the childcare. The second setting is a mid- terraced property, with two main rooms for use and the rear bedroom on the first floor. Toilet facilities are on the ground floor. This inspection was conducted over both premises. The childminder is also registered to offer overnight care at either property.

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Information about the setting

The childminder visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from a number of local schools and pre-schools. The childminder cares for children with English as an additional language. There are currently 75 children on roll, six of whom are in the early years age group. Some children attend on a part-time basis. The childminder holds an early years foundation degree and operates all year round from 7am to 6pm.

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enforcement action:

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice with a completion date of 28 January 2014 requiring the provider to:

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enforcement action:

ensure the practice of risk assessment is fully understood and is rigorous in identifying potential risks to children's safety

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enforcement action:

improve the maintenance and availability of required records to ensure the safe and efficient management of the setting for children; this refers to staff suitability records, fire drill logs and accident records.

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

 extend younger children's early dexterity skills by using media, such as cornflour gloop, brushes and water, to develop their physical co-ordination and start to notice the different marks they make

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

 extend the planning to fully support and encourage children in developing skills in making connections in their learning, such as creating a pictorial shopping list for a trip to the shops.

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who attend

Children are making steady progress as the childminder and her assistants work together to deliver activities that cover all areas of learning and development. Teaching is adequate in offering children learning opportunities through free play and some planned activities. Where some of the activities are more spontaneous, the childminder and her assistants do not always extend children's learning fully. For example, children go for a walk to the local shops and are instructed by the childminder about the required purchases. Money is discussed and the assistant is directed to support children in 'paying' for the items themselves. However, this is not extended fully, such as engaging children in creating their own shopping list from pictures or photographs to aid recognition and develop an awareness of early literacy. Children engage in friendly and, at times, complex conversations with the adults, such as considering the sleeping habits of cats and the

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who attend

physical exercises completed by the television character portrayed by one of the children. The childminder also acknowledges the cultural backgrounds and languages spoken by the families and reflects this in the variety of activities that promote awareness of differences in society.

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who attend

Children select their activities and the assistants work well to develop more effective questioning that encourages children to think and solve little problems for themselves. An assistant supports children in developing their self-care and independence and prompts them to look for the right buttons, match their shoes and take responsibility for finding their bag as they set off for their nursery session at the nearby school. Building and construction activities are enjoyed as the assistants draw attention to colour, shape and height of the bricks, noting children's responses through their day-to-day observations. Children join in with developing their imagination and creativity as they dress up as their favourite television characters and create situations in their play. Activities for older babies and toddlers are not so well defined particularly regarding their development of coordination for mark-making activity. This tends to be standard activity, such as painting

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who attend

and does not always take account of the younger children's need for various media to assist this development, such as cornflour gloop, or the use of water and brushes to notice the effect their movements and actions are having in creating marks and patterns.

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who attend

The childminder and her assistants complete regular updates of children's progress, tracking each child in order to identify any gaps in their learning and development, or plan more effectively for challenge and extension. This includes some progress checks at age two, when parents have been involved in the assessment and have taken the written documents home for closer reading. Parents are also consulted in preparation for children who may move between the provider's two settings and as children prepare for the move to full-time school. They are offered the opportunity to meet with the childminder and her assistants for more formal discussions about children's progress. Staff use daily record sheets to ensure the communication between other settings children attend is effective and that parents receive any messages, which may have to be passed on. The childminder is working with parents to compile information about each child that enables her and her

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who attend

assistants to identify and meet individual needs. The childminder cares for a number of children from families where there are additional home languages. She works with parents to meet their wishes regarding the priority use of English in her setting. The childminder also endeavours to seek key words in some children's home languages, particularly for children new to the provision, so that their needs can be met effectively.

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

The childminder and her assistants conduct risk assessments in order to keep children safe. However, these do not always cover some hazards as the childminder may not consider them as potential risks to children's safety and welfare. For example, a bedroom in the terraced property contains a wardrobe with a full length glass mirror and the childminder is not fully aware of the possible hazard to a child if the mirror were to break. This is important as the childminder is registered to care for children overnight although it has been some time since she was asked to provide this level of care. A carpet gripper strip is exposed, revealing the sharp metal prongs, at the top of the stairs. Children would have to negotiate this area when opening the safety gate placing them at risk of injury were they to be in socks or bare-footed. Children participate in fire drills and know the expectations of the routes to be taken in both properties to evacuate. The route used to

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

the rear of one of the terraced property involves the gate, which at times, can be very difficult to open. This means there is a delay in the process of children clearing the premises swiftly. The childminder is aware of the gate sticking, but this is not checked daily to ensure that the gate does open more easily and this places children and the adults at risk.

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

Other hazards, which were present at the previous inspection have now been fully addressed, such as securing the shelving to the wall and replacing the garden fencing. Safety, general cleanliness and maintenance are better in the first floor property. Here, children tend to use the playroom mostly for active play. The lounge is used occasionally for selected television or quiet activities. At the terraced property, children use the front room and the playroom with ease, selecting their toys and resources independently and with ease. The childminder maintains the space and age ratios accordingly at both settings given the restrictions of the premises.

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

The key person system is established and the children know the childminder and her assistants well. They form close and caring relationships, ensuring that their emotional development is addressed. The adults know the individual children well and adjust their approach at times, responding to children's feelings and moods where necessary. This allows younger children to learn to cope with some strong emotions and feelings, such as not wishing to talk to the childminder when they come out of their school nursery session. There is a strong emphasis on supporting children in becoming independent in their self- care, particularly as they prepare for the move to the next big steps in their early education. The childminder works closely with parents to gain all of the necessary information to meet children's individual needs including health and dietary requirements. They express their preferences and older children discuss their meals with the cook, whom

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

they fondly refer to as 'nanny'. Children enjoy a range of freshly cooked meals and are praised by the childminder for their good manners and their careful use of cutlery. Babies and toddlers are supported well as they learn to self-feed and progress to sitting at the table, having chosen their particular placement and apron. This helps to promote a strong sense of belonging.

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

Children enjoy active play outdoors, much of which takes place off site, as they visit the local parks, shops and libraries. This supports children in getting daily regular exercise and fresh air, walking to and from school, and testing out their confidence and skills on the static equipment in the parks and play venues. Babies and toddlers develop early walking skills as they move round using the furniture with ease to support their balance. They develop an awareness of being healthy as they follow well-practised personal hygiene routines that are embedded in day-to-day practice to minimise the risk of the spread of infection.

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provision

This inspection was conducted as a result of concerns raised with Ofsted with regard to the safety and suitability of the first floor property. The inspector found that this property was maintained well and the lounge, which is used occasionally, affords children space and comfort where they can rest, engage in quieter activities or watch selected television programmes if they wish. Children respond to signage and direction from the assistants about tidying away toys and activities for their own safety. However, the overall attention to safety and risk assessment is inconsistent, particularly with regard to the hazards present at the terraced house site. This is also a requirement on the Childcare Register.

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provision

Following the last inspection the childminder has taken steps to address some of the actions and recommendations. The information required from parents about their children is now all in place and the childminder has collated each child's file more methodically. All parents are asked to give consent for their child to be left with an assistant for a short period of time and also indicate additional emergency contacts and parental responsibility. These records are now available for inspection. However, there is some inconsistency in the organisation of the childminding provision, particularly regarding the use of the two different sites. When checking assistants' suitability records, some Disclosure and Barring Service records are stored in the wrong files. Some documentation, such as accident records and fire drills, are fully noted and the records available for examination in the first floor property. In the other setting this is not always the case, as paperwork is

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provision

disorganised and not always put back where the childminder would expect it to be, hindering the safe and efficient running of the provision. However, the childminder and her assistants are diligent in completing attendance records for each child, noting their times of arrival and departure and the various collections of children from other settings.

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provision

The childminder has a sound knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and shares her policies and procedures for child protection with parents and her assistants. As part of her supervision and monitoring of the practice she also ensures that child protection training is attended and updated for herself and all of her assistants. She conducts regular appraisals with her assistants and they speak positively about the training opportunities made available for them to further their own knowledge and skills in the early years field. All assistants hold current first aid qualifications and many have also attended relevant food safety courses. The childminder also liaises with other settings and schools that children attend, to develop a consistent approach and ensure that any concerns would be shared professionally and confidentially in the best interests of the child at all times. She also ensures that all adults living or working in the household

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provision

undergo the relevant vetting procedures and has processes in place to reassure parents of their ongoing suitability to be working with the children.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a willingness to improve and has attended to some of the issues from the last inspection. She has recently achieved a foundation degree in early years studies. The childminder has engaged in self-evaluation acknowledging the complexity, at times, of her service operating across two settings, particularly regarding the collation of some documentation. She has sought the views from parents through questionnaires. Comments are very positive as parents express their appreciation of the flexibility of the childminder and her provision, particularly with the collection and delivery of children to other settings. The childminder also operates, at times, as childcare provider on domestic premises and this allows for a seamless and flexible approach to the care arrangements parents make for their children. Parents feel that such arrangements support them in maintaining their employment or studies with peace of mind.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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

 ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 403397 Local authority Wolverhampton Inspection number 945239 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 75

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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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