Childminder in Thurrock

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/03/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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

 Children settle quickly and are confident in the childminder's care as she knows them well and uses parental information to promote children's individual routines.  The childminder provides positive support for young children to promote their language and speaking skills.  Children's understanding of rhythm and numbers is promoted through the effective use of repetition and familiar songs, particularly when children are playing indoors.

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It is not yet good because

 Teaching requires improvement as children's learning in all areas is not promoted appropriately within the outdoor environment.  Safeguarding of children is not promoted fully due to the childminder's limited understanding of recording and monitoring existing injuries.  Self-evaluation does not focus on monitoring children's achievements to enable the accurate planning for the next steps in their learning so that children make best progress. Information gained from other settings is not used well to promote continuity for children.  Children play with very few resources that reflect positive images of today's society, limiting their understanding of people's differences.

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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 the childminder's interaction with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector assessed the effectiveness of the childminder's assessment programme for children's learning and development.  The inspector took into consideration the childminder's self-evaluation system.  The inspector took into consideration the views of parents through questionnaires.  The inspector sampled documentation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged nine and six years in Chafford Hundred, Essex. The whole of the ground floor flat is used for childminding. The childminder does not have a garden but use local parks for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently two children on roll, both of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and family holidays.

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must:

 improve knowledge of safeguarding, with specific regard to the monitoring of existing injuries

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must:

 improve the depth and breadth of learning experiences across the seven areas of learning through outdoor activities, and use all information available to accurately identify and plan for children's next steps in their learning, so that they make good progress.

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

 improve self-evaluation and the monitoring of the provision, with particular focus on identifying key strengths and weaknesses in the quality of teaching and learning, and taking appropriate action to address these

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

 use information gained from other settings more effectively to promote continuity and consistent practice for those children who attend more than one setting

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

 make resources available to children that reflect positive images of today's society to support their understanding of equality and diversity.

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who attend

The childminder provides a basic range of activities for children to promote all the areas of learning. She is enthusiastic in her interactions with children, supporting their learning through engagement and encouragement. She uses simple language and repetition to support younger children's development of speaking and listening skills. This results in children having the confidence to babble and initiate communication with the childminder. The childminder cleverly introduces numbers and mathematical terminology into children's play. For example, when pushing children on ride-on toys, she counts when pushing them forwards and backwards, in small amounts no higher than four, to help children grasp an understanding of amounts. When young children play with bricks she talks about how high the tower is and how many more bricks they want to use to build the tower up. Song and rhythm play a big part in play for young children. The childminder successfully uses this to

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who attend

repeat songs and verses to support their understanding of sounds and pattern. She helps children to clap along with songs to express themselves through music. The quality of the childminder's teaching is appropriate for the indoor environment, but this is not extended to support children's understanding of learning in the outdoor environment, therefore their progress in all areas of learning is not fully promoted. At present the outdoors is only used to promote children's physical skills by visiting local parks and using play equipment and is not used to support active learning, playing and exploring and thinking critically. Children are gaining the basic skills they need for school or their next stage of learning.

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who attend

Children generally enjoy their time with the childminder and she provides experiences to keep them occupied and engaged. The childminder knows the children well and provides activities that links to children's interests and preferences. She talks enthusiastically about children particularly enjoying the ride-on car, and therefore makes this available when they are with her. The childminder has an emerging assessment programme to track children's achievements within their stages of development. She gains basic information when children settle to provide activities that they relate to, but the programme does not effectively support children's ongoing progress. The childminder does produce a written summary of children's progress linked to the areas of learning, both prime and specific areas, depending on the age of the child, and shares this with parents. Parents provide some basic information about their children's learning and the childminder offers

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who attend

suggestions to help children progress at home. The childminder also gains regular information from other settings that children attend and is aware of children's achievements there. However, this information is not used effectively to plan for children's next steps in learning. For example, the childminder identifies a next step for children as introducing them to group play situations to enjoy other children's interactions, whereas the other setting recognised this as a strength that children had already achieved.

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

The childminder knows the children well and gives them the appropriate support to settle. They are comfortable and confident in her care and she is sensitive to children's individual care routines and needs. For example, she gives young children time to wake up and become accustomed to their environment before she encourages them to play. This promotes their self-confidence and self-assurance in a positive way. Children have formed close attachments to the childminder and feel reassured by her company and interactions.

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

Children behave well, with clear boundaries and explanations given by the childminder. She supports younger children appropriately by helping them to share and take turns with others. Children have access to fresh air twice a day, while walking to and from other settings. Chidlren's physical development is promoted adequately by using local parks and equipment to support climbing, swinging and sliding. The childminder supports younger children's physical skills, such as walking by holding their hands, steadying them as they take steps and guiding them around furniture and the indoor environment. The childminder provides some food and drink for children and is fully aware of any restrictions they have regarding their dietary needs. Drinks are freely available and the childminder follows children's individual feeding routines to make sure they receive their milk feeds according to parents' wishes. Children learn about hygiene practices through discussion

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

and daily routines, such as washing hands in the bathroom. Children play in a clean and hygienic environment within the childminder's home because she carries out daily tasks to keep it clean and tidy. Children learn to keep themselves safe. The childminder gives clear explanations and gently supports this by physically helping them around the house. For example, young children are taken by the hand and reminded to keep their fingers away from the doors when going to the kitchen to fetch their milk. Older children learn about road safety and actively take part in crossing roads using safe practices on a daily basis. The childminder gains written information about individual children's backgrounds but does not use the information effectively or provide resources to positively reflect today's society. Therefore, children are not fully supported in celebrating people's differences. Children are emotionally prepared for the next stage in their learning as the childminder

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

supports their transition from her care into the care of others.

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

Children play in a safe and secure environment within the childminder's home. She takes particular care when taking children out of the house and uses effective risk assessment to promote this. The childminder has attended basic training to protect children from harm but does not fully understand all safeguarding procedures, for example, existing injuries that children may have and what to do in these instances. This does not ensure that children's safety is given the highest regard.

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provision

The childminder has a sound understanding of her responsibility to provide and deliver an education programme to promote every child's development in all the areas of learning. However, she does not monitor this well enough to identify weaknesses within the educational programme, such as limited learning experiences for children within the outdoor environment. The childminder strives to gain new skills and practices through her commitment to training with the local authority. She uses newly gained information through this training to support children aged under two years in their development. Although the childminder has breaches in the safeguarding and welfare and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, she understands what she has to do to rectify these, and the weaknesses do not have a significant impact on the safety and well-being of children in her care. The childminder has a self-evaluation

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provision

system in place and has reviewed her service once since registering. She identifies her strengths as the individual support she offers to children, helping them to settle. She identifies her weaknesses as the limited assessment programme to promote and monitor children's learning and development. However, she has not sought additional support or training to expand her knowledge. The childminder has checks for both herself and her husband to evidence her suitability to care for children in her home. The childminder has most documentation and records in place to promote children's ongoing welfare, such as attendance and medication records. The childminder has a current paediatric first aid certificate.

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provision

The childminder endeavours to work in partnership with parents. She provides them with verbal information about their children's day at collection times. The childminder uses information gained from parents when children first settle, to provide for and promote their individual needs. The childminder makes links with other settings that children attend and has developed a positive working relationship with them. However, information gained from parents and other settings is not effectively used to promote children's ongoing development.

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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:

 implement the procedures to be followed for the protection of children, including monitoring and recording existing injuries (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  implement the procedures to be followed for the protection of children, including monitoring and recording existing injuries of children (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 EY441953 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 956049 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 2

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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