Maxwell, Wendy Shirley Ann

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/01/2014 30/03/2009

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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

 The childminder and her assistants provide a broad range of play opportunities to promote children's learning in all areas.  Children are happy and confident because they build strong relationships and have secure attachments with the childminder and her assistants.  The childminder and her assistants help children to learn as they play and to practise their language and communication as they spend time talking and listening to them.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not keep and maintain the required staff to child ratios at all times, which is a breach of a legal requirement.  Systems identified for observation, planning and assessment of children are not sufficiently embedded to effectively monitor and meet the learning and development needs of children.  The evaluation of the provision is in the development stages and does not use sufficiently challenging criteria in order to inform priorities and set challenging targets for improvement.

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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 in the designated playroom.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector engaged in conversation with the childminder, her assistants, parents and the children at appropriate times.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation including children's records, observation and assessment records, suitability records, written policies and a range of records.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2005 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her children aged nine and 14 years in a house in Yew Tree, Walsall. The childminder operates from a separate building located within the rear garden and there is an enclosed garden available for outside play. The family has three dogs as pets.

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Information about the setting

The childminder visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 37 children on roll, seven are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She works with her two assistants on a daily basis and is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 review staffing arrangements to ensure required staff to child ratios are maintained at all times.

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

 implement the new systems identified for observation, planning and assessment of children to more effectively monitor and meet the learning and development needs of children

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

 improve self-evaluation to effectively inform priorities and set challenging targets for improvement.

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who attend

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals as practitioners have high expectations. The childminder has a suitable awareness of the learning and development requirements and works well with parents to exchange information on children's initial and ongoing development. For example, the childminder and her assistants have daily discussions with parents about what their child has done at the setting. They share their achievements and particular interests and activities that parents may wish to extend at home with their child. The childminder and her assistants have a positive rapport with the children and interact well with them as they play to promote their learning and development effectively. The childminder has a secure understanding of how children learn through play. Children have a broad range of planned activities to stimulate and challenge them. The childminder and her assistants help

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who attend

children to make progress sitting alongside them as they play. However, systems for observation, assessment and planning are not effectively implemented to clearly monitor the progress children are making to ensure their learning and development needs are suitably met.

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who attend

The children begin to make their own choices when selecting toys and equipment from low-level shelves and storage containers. They also demonstrate an ability to ask the childminder and her assistants for help when needed, therefore, developing independence and self-confidence. This means that children are gaining necessary skills for their future learning. The childminder and her assistants positively interact with the children to support their learning. For example, they talk to the children about what they have done, such as when they make snakes out of soft dough. This enables children to think about their work through discussion. The childminder and her assistants support younger children's communication and language skills by repeating the correct wording and expanding on children's attempts to communicate. The children enjoy making marks in their own way. This is because the childminder provides them with a range of opportunities to support

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who attend

their exploration of early writing using of pens and chalks with appropriate boards to encourage them to draw and make marks. The childminder assistant demonstrates how to operate push button toys and young children copy encouraging them to learn new skills. Children have a wide range of craft activities planned and they make items to take home. They concentrate well at their chosen task and are proud of their achievements. They play well alongside their friends and chat happily with each other and the childminder as they play. Children have regular outings into the local community to help them to learn about the local environment and celebrate festivals throughout the year. This promotes their understanding of diversity and the wider world.

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who attend

Children have a wide range of toys and resources to choose from. These are easily accessible, giving children plenty of choice to stimulate them and to support their individual interests. The childminder and her assistants quickly move children on to another activity if they show signs of becoming uninterested with what they are doing. For example, by alternating floor play activities and setting up art and craft activities at the table. Children have access to a good range of books and have regular story sessions. This encourages their pre-reading skills. Children develop their knowledge of numbers and use some number names during their play. They are learning the skills they need in readiness for starting nursery and school. The childminder collects children from the local nursery and school. This helps children to become familiar with the environment they will be attending to help with their transition.

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

The childminder provides children with a secure environment and works well with parents to understand children's care needs and routines. Children form secure emotional attachments to the childminder and her assistants, providing a base to promote their personal, social and emotional development. They know the children well and they access a secure and caring environment. Consequently, their emotional well-being is suitably promoted. Children show they are secure and safe with the childminder and her assistants as they give individual support to them. Children show they are happy and content in the childminder setting and develop confidence to express themselves when they want to change an activity. The childminder and her assistants help children to understand what acceptable behaviour is. They are calm in their approach and treat children as individuals taking into account their ages and stages of development. As a result, they learn to

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

manage their own feelings and behaviour. Children feel safe in the setting and begin to learn about risks and safety procedures. The premises are planned to ensure that the children can play, rest and eat in comfort and safety. The childminder talks to the children about safe practices. For example, she asks children not to climb up on the furniture and warns them of the risks that may happen.

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

Children develop an understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, healthy eating and attending to their own personal needs relevant to their ages and stages. For example, they enjoy regular use of the outdoor area and visits to the park. Younger children's needs are also catered for in-line with individual routines that incorporate regular nappy changes, sleeps and feeds to meet their individual needs. This supports their physical skills and promotes their well-being. Children have a healthy diet and the childminder provides home-cooked meals and regular snacks. Children are involved in growing activities in the rear garden and discuss healthy eating. There is adequate and suitable equipment, furniture and toys to support children's growing physical development needs. The childminder understands her role in helping children through transitions. She offers support to them in preparation for their next stage of learning at nursery or school. For

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

example, encouraging them to put on their own coats and shoes and toilet themselves to develop their personal independence. Effective relationships with parents are established and daily information sharing about the routines and care practices are undertaken. The childminder supports parents to feel reassured when they go to work. Parents are involved in their child's settling-in process and have information about the policies and procedures. Because of sound relationships with parents, children's care and well-being is generally enhanced.

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provision

The childminder has a generally good understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, the inspection was brought forward following concerns about staff ratios, supervision and children's safety. As a result, it was identified that the childminder does not maintain staff to child ratios at all times and this is a breach of requirements, which compromises children's safety. The childminder has a sound knowledge of safeguarding and knows what to do if she has any child protection concerns. This helps to promote the welfare of the children. The childminder carries out daily visual checks that enable her to identify potential hazards and minimise risks to children's safety indoors and outdoors. For example, the childminder checks the outdoor area and removes any dog mess prior to children using the outdoor area. The childminder or her assistants are suitably deployed

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provision

and supervise children at all times. They are fully aware of her responsibilities for ensuring children are not left unsupervised in the presence of unvetted adults. The childminder and her assistants hold a valid paediatric first aid certificate and she keeps a fully stocked first aid box. This means that they can give children appropriate care if there is an accident.

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provision

The childminder and her assistants work well in partnership with parents, outside agencies and other settings children attend to have a consistent approach to care and learning. They have a suitable awareness of her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. This includes, completing the progress check at age two and providing a written summary for their parents. The childminder has identified an effective system overall to monitor children's progress and identify any gaps or concerns to seek additional support. However, this new system for observation, planning and assessment of children is not implemented to effectively monitor and meet the learning and development needs of children.

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provision

In general, the majority of policies, procedures and records are in place and implemented effectively by the childminder to ensure the smooth running of the setting. The childminder provides parents with all her policies and procedures during settling-in sessions to ensure they are familiar with them and displays information about suitability and training for her staff team. The childminder has completed some self-evaluation of her practice through the review and provision of a new environment for children. However, the evaluation of the provision made is in the development stages. Therefore, she does not use it sufficiently to inform priorities and set challenging targets for improvement. However, she does ensure she keeps up-to-date with required training including her paediatric first aid training.

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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 EY299317 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 948889 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 37

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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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