Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/02/2014 13/09/2011

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early years provision

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

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder does not meet a number of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This relates to demonstrating that the needs of children are met when caring for more children than is normally allowed and her first aid certificate has not been renewed in a timely manner.  The childminder does not use her observations to effectively plan for, or monitor children's learning to help them make as much progress as they can.  Communication with other providers does not successfully ensure there is a shared knowledge and understanding between them about children's learning and development needs.  The childminder's current self-evaluation process is not rigorous enough to identify and address key weaknesses in practice as she has not taken sufficient steps to address the previous recommendations made at the last inspection. Consequently, children do not

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It has the following strengths

 Children are happy and settled as they have sound relationships with the childminder, therefore, they are relaxed and confident in her care.

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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 activities on the ground floor of the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's records and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the childminder and children at various times throughout the inspection.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two young children in a house in Redbourn, Hertfordshire. She uses the whole of the ground floor, a first floor bedroom and the rear garden for childminding. The family has pet dogs. The childminder attends a childminder group and the local children's centre. She visits the local shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently five children on roll, two are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder cares for children from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, all year round except for family holidays.

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must:

 develop a knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and use this knowledge to undertake clear and effective risk assessments to demonstrate the safety and well-being of the children when caring for more children than regulations allow

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must:

 undertake first aid training that is local authority approved and relevant for workers caring for young children

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must:

 implement the planning of challenging and enjoyable experiences across the seven area of learning, based on rigorous observations, taking into account the individual needs, interests and next steps of each child to more effectively support their progress.

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

 strengthen partnership working by ensuring that there are robust communication links with all the settings minded children attend, so that children fully benefit from a shared understanding and common approach to supporting their progress

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

 develop self-evaluation practice to rigorously identify strengths and weaknesses and to effectively target improvements to the early years provision, to help all children make good progress, including the monitoring of teaching and learning.

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who attend

Children are happy in the childminder's care. However, the childminder is not fully aware of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and children's progress is not always effectively supported. The childminder receives some information on children's starting points during the settling-in process. She observes children as they play and has some basic assessments of the children's current development. However, these observations are not linked sufficiently well into the assessment and planning system to ensure that next steps in children's learning and development are fully recognised and met. For example, the childminder can describe children's understanding of language. However, she does not effectively plan to help the children's speech and to increase their vocabulary. The childminder can explain how children have made some progress in their concentration skills through the home

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who attend

routines. Children learn to put one set of toys away before getting more toys out. However, she does not fully use children's interest within the planning of activities to help children maintain their focus so they are not easily distracted. The childminder notices children's current interest in writing as they are beginning to write their names. However, the childminder does not use this enthusiasm to extend children's play and learning as there is a lack of opportunities for children to write for a purpose during their small world play. Consequently, children are not fully ready for the next stage of their learning and eventually for school.

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who attend

The childminder provides children with some good quality resources. Children enjoy playing with the small world fire station. However, the childminder has a limited range of teaching techniques as there is an over emphasis on supervising the children's play rather than fully extending the activities. The childminder introduces the equipment fire officers use, such as 'walkie-talkies' and encourages children to remember other times when they have played with the firefighting role play equipment, including the pretend 'breathing masks'. She explains how the hose and ladder should fit together but completes the construction for them.

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who attend

Parents are given useful information on their child's day and the childminder e-mails the delightful photographs of the children at play. This gives parents some information on the activities children enjoy so they can support their child's learning at home. The childminder has subscribed to an internet based secure system that when fully operational will give parents frequent and detailed information on their child's day with the childminder.

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

The childminder provides a happy and friendly atmosphere where children settle. The childminder has frequent discussions with the parents to ensure children's routines, including their sleep patterns, are suitably taken into account. The childminder helps children learn to be independent. Children are encouraged to visit the toilet and wash their hands by themselves. After lunch they are encouraged to put away their left over food, zip up their own lunch box and put away ready to take home. These self-help skills will help them with the routines at school lunch times. The childminder gives clear messages to children helping them learning to behave well. Children are encouraged to take care of the equipment and be polite and considerate to others. The childminder helps children to organise and play turn taking card games. She helps to explain the rules when asked and this helps children to learn to negotiate and share.

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

Children are making friends and move from playing alone to playing alongside others. They are beginning to feel confident in familiar surroundings when they attend the various toddler and music groups in the area. The childminder is available to give them reassurance so that they can continue to explore in unfamiliar environments. This helps children to be emotionally prepared for their move onto school when the time comes.

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

The childminder provides various options for parents. For example, she provides a snack lunch and cooked meal at tea time or some parents choose to provide a packed lunch. The childminder points out the benefits of healthy eating while children eat their lunch. Children are learning to keep themselves safe and healthy as they regularly visit the park to play on the challenging play equipment so helping them acquire some physical skills and helping them to assess risks for themselves. These visits enable them to begin to have an understanding of risks and how to manage them. However, the childminder does not fully support children's health and safety needs because of the omission identified elsewhere in the report.

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provision

Children's safety is not consistently promoted as the childminder does not meet some of the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is minding more children than her registration allows and her paediatric first aid certificate has lapsed. This is also a breach of the requirements of the compulsorily and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder missed the recent first aid course due to not preplanning before the birth of her baby, however, she is booked to undertake a course shortly. The childminder gives children some stability in their care. She has informed parents that, following the birth of her baby, she cares for more children in the Early Years Foundation Stage than the requirements allow. However, the childminder has not fully assessed the risks of caring for four children aged under five years, including her own and therefore, cannot demonstrate how she meets the needs of all the children in her

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provision

care. For example, after an accident, as the childminder's first aid certificate is out of date. The childminder has sufficient awareness of safeguarding children, including the reporting procedures to follow if there are concerns about a child in her care. She maintains satisfactory risk assessments and daily checks to help keep children from injury.

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provision

The childminder has set up a self-evaluation system and has highlighted some areas for development, including improving her knowledge of the characteristics of effective learning. However, the childminder does not use challenging criteria to sufficiently develop ambitious targets to improve her practice. For example, the childminder has not taken sufficient action to address the recommendations made at the last inspection. As a result, the childminder has not developed a strong relationship with the other settings that children attend. The childminder does have some general information as a parent of the school but this is not specific to the minded children and consequently, children's continuity of care and learning is not fully supported.

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provision

The childminder does not have systems to monitor children's learning and development and her assessment and planning is not sufficiently precise to fully identify any gaps in learning where further interventions maybe needed. However, the childminder has undertaken some training in readiness to undertake the progress check for at age two, when required. This helps the childminder work with parents and, if needed, with other professionals. She has some very positive references from the parents and the children.

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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:

 obtain an appropriate first aid qualification.(compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  obtain an appropriate first aid qualification.(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 EY421651 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 870147 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 5

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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

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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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