Childminder in Surrey

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/03/2014 23/01/2013

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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

 Children are generally making satisfactory progress across the areas of learning as the childminder provides a suitable range of activities indoors and outside.  Children are cared for in a warm and welcoming homely environment where they form secure relationships with the adults looking after them.  The childminder takes positive steps to promote children's health and safety.  Children can help themselves to a suitable range of age-appropriate toys to make their own decisions about what they play with and follow their interests.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder's assessments do not provide good information about what children can do to enable her to effectively plan their next steps in learning.  The childminder has not established effective systems to work in partnership with parents to share information and for them to contribute to their children's learning to promote continuity in their learning and development at home.  The childminder has not obtained written parental permission for all children to take part in outings, which is a breach of requirements.  The childminder's use of self-evaluation as a tool to identify priorities for improvement and plan for how these will be achieved is not well developed.

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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 had discussions with the childminder relating to her practice.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at areas of the premises used for childminding and sampled relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children's activities and the childminder's interaction with them.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1994. She lives with her husband in Epsom, located in the Borough of Epsom and Ewell. All areas of the home are used for childminding. There is a garden for outdoor play. The childminder holds early years qualifications at level 3. The family has two pet cats and two rabbits.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently five children on roll, who are all within the early years age range. The childminder offers care each weekday all year round.

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must:

 improve the systems for observing children's development across the prime and specific areas of learning, in order to understand each child's level of achievements and interests, and use this information to shape future learning experiences for each child, by identifying the next stages in their learning

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must:

 obtain parents and/or carers' written permission for children to take part in outings

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

 improve systems for sharing information with parents to encourage them to regularly contribute to ongoing assessment and to support their children's learning at home

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

 develop robust and effective systems for monitoring and evaluating the setting in order to maintain continuous improvement

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who attend

The childminder has a sound knowledge of the learning and development requirements and the seven areas of learning. She provides a varied range of age-appropriate activities and experiences that children enjoy. However the childminder is less secure in her knowledge of the assessment requirements. She is not consistent in conducting observations of children's learning and development. This means that children are not always challenged in their learning and this limits their progress towards the early learning goals. However, children make satisfactory progress overall and they are developing the skills required for the next stage in their learning. The childminder obtains sufficient information about children's capabilities at the beginning of the placement. The childminder is fully aware of her responsibility to complete the required progress check for children aged between two and three years. These are suitably shared with parents so

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who attend

they are aware of their child's developmental achievements.

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who attend

The childminder provides an appropriate selection of resources and activities to supports children's development and play. Their mathematical development is suitably fostered. For example, children are able to develop knowledge of shape, space and measure through access to puzzles, although some do not pose challenge for older more able children. The childminder supports children's literacy development through access to a well-resourced book rack which is stored at their level. Children are developing a love of books and independently access books to look at and or for the childminder to read without prompting. The childminder further promotes children's interest in books through regular visits to the library for rhyme time. Children have opportunities to mark make for a number of purposes, to develop emerging writing skills. For example they enjoy making wheel marks in cornflour and observe the different size tracks that they make.

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who attend

Children have daily opportunities to develop their expressive arts and design skills. They access a range of small world resources that encourages their imagination. They also take part in a range of arts and crafts activities at playgroups. During these times children use a range of materials and media. This enables them to be creative with various coloured paints and glue. The childminder suitably fosters children's physical development. Children enjoy a range of activities and experiences outdoors, which helps to keep them healthy. They have access to a variety of climbing frames and wheeled toys from the push-a-long type to those with pedals. They also visit a number of parks with different types of fixed apparatus where they are able to develop their physical capabilities.

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

Children have settled and built secure attachments with the childminder. She treats each child as a unique individual, promoting equal opportunities appropriately. The children have access to a satisfactory range of resources that are stored in number of storage boxes. The organisation of these resources suitably encourages children to independently select equipment and initiate their own play. The childminder organises her home appropriately to ensure there is safe, adequate space, equipment and furniture to cater for children's play, care and sleep needs. As a result children appear confident and happy within her care.

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

The children are developing a satisfactory understanding of being healthy. Parents are responsible for providing packed lunches and children eat a healthy range of meals and snacks. They are also developing their self-care skills and are learning about healthy practices. At meal times they have access to wipes to clean their hands before meals. The childminder makes sure the house is suitably clean and that nappy changing arrangements are hygienic. This helps to reduce the risk of cross infection.

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

Children are developing a suitable understanding of staying safe. For example, when on outings they learn about the green cross code and know they must look left and right when crossing the road with the childminder. Children are also learning about safety by practicing the emergency evacuation procedure from the childminder's home. This enables them to know what to do in the event of an emergency. The childminder provides children with verbal praise and encouragement throughout the day so that children have suitable confidence and positive self-esteem. She treats children as unique individuals, which helps to promote equality of opportunity. Children behave well and the childminder has knowledge of and uses positive strategies to help them learn wrong from right. These life skills the children are learning, prepare them for the move into nursery and school as they get older.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward as a result of concerns raised to Ofsted regarding the childminder's safeguarding practice. Ofsted carried out an investigation and found the childminder was breaching four welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder was caring for more children in the early years age range than is allowed, and Ofsted issued her with a warning letter. The investigation also found that some of the required documentation was not in place or available for inspection and the childminder was not checking children's learning and development progress at the age of two years. Following the investigation Ofsted issued the childminder with four notices to improve that asked her to ensure risk assessments identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised;

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provision

to obtain written parental permission for children to take part in outings; to ensure records are easily accessible and available for inspection; to ensure the following information is kept for each child in their care: full name, date of birth, name and address of every parent and/or carer who is known to the provider (and information about any other person who has parental responsibility for the child); which parent and/or carer the child normally lives with, and emergency contact details for parent and/or carer, and to ensure they review a child's progress when they are aged between two and three and provide parents and/or carers with a short written summary of their child's development in the prime areas.

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provision

The inspection found that the childminder has a satisfactory awareness of safeguarding issues and implements an appropriate policy to protect children's welfare. She knows the procedures to follow if concerns about a child's welfare arise to help keep them safe. The childminder has recently completed safeguarding training to update her knowledge and understanding in this area. She is fully aware of the number of children she is able to care for as part of her registration. Therefore, she meets the required adult to child ratios and children are suitably supervised at all times. The childminder regularly risk assesses the premises and she completes written records of these, to support her in monitoring safety for children. Most of the required documentation and records are in place and are maintained adequately. However, the childminder has not obtained written consent for outings from all parents, which is a legal requirement. She collects the child from school

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provision

and does not take them on outings. Therefore, there is no major impact on children's welfare.

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provision

The childminder does not formally evaluate her practice to reflective upon the service she provides and to prioritise targets for improvement. Consequently, this does not enable her to fully identify all weaknesses in order to be able to drive improvement in the quality of her provision successfully. The childminder shows a suitable awareness of her own professional development and has completed one safeguarding training course since her last inspection. The childminder has made progress in addressing some of the recommendations made at her last inspection, although others still require further attention. All of which appropriately demonstrates the childminder's drive for continuous improvement in the outcomes for children.

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provision

The childminder encourages friendly professional relationships with parents and exchanges verbal information daily to provide continuity of care for children. A range of relevant information is on display for parents, including the childminder's registration certificate, childcare qualification certificate and information poster for parents. However, the childminder is not consistent in monitoring children's progress and development through written and photographic observation. This limits parents' opportunities to gain information about their children's learning and development abilities. The childminder also does not inform them fully about their child's learning priorities to enable them to continue to support their children's learning at home. Currently the childminder care for children who also attend other early years settings. She has a satisfactory understanding of her role to work in partnership with others to support children's continuity of learning.

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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 122315 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 952746 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 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

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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