Childminder in Northumberland

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/01/2014 10/11/2009

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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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 The childminder supports children's language skills and mathematical development well as she constantly talks to them and encourages them to count as they play.  The childminder plans a range of exciting activities that ignite children's curiosity. Consequently, children are motivated and engaged in their learning.  Children have secure relationships with the childminder due to the strong bonds they develop in their time at her setting.  The childminder consistently maintains a well organised environment which ensures children are safe and are able to easily make choices about what they want to do.

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It is not yet good because

 Assessment of children's development is not yet precise enough to continually identify the next steps in their learning in order to plan activities that help them make good progress.  The sharing of information about children's ongoing development with other providers is not well embedded to fully support continuity of children's learning between settings.  Self-evaluation is not yet precise enough to fully identify and plan priorities for improvement and successfully involve parents and children's views.

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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 made observations of the children while they were engaged in activities in the lounge and conservatory.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records, observation and assessment files, planning documentation and a selection of policies.  The inspector spoke to the childminder and the children throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views, through written documentation they had provided for the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1997 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner. The whole of the ground floor and the bathroom on the first floor is used for childminding. The family has a dog. The childminder attends toddler groups. She collects children from the local schools and nurseries. There are currently three children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age range and they attend for a variety of sessions. The childminding provision operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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must:

 ensure that regular observations consider the next steps in children's development and activities are planned that provide challenge to help children make good progress towards the early learning goals

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must:

 improve the two-way sharing of ongoing information about what children can do and are interested in, with other providers who also care for the children, to provide a continuous learning journey for children's development.

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

 improve self-evaluation by incorporating the views of parents and children more effectively and prioritising targets for improvement that will raise the overall quality of practice and the level of children's achievements.

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who attend

The childminder has a broad understanding of the learning and development requirements. This results in her planning activities across both the prime and specific areas to ensure that children make progress. Information from parents is collected about children's starting points when they begin attend her setting. This results in the childminder having a secure understanding of what children can do and the childminder then plans how to move children's learning forward. The childminder shares information with parents about what they have enjoyed at her setting and encourages them to continue children's learning at home. This contributes towards establishing secure partnership working and benefits children's development. The childminder has a secure understanding of the types of experiences she will provide to support children's development and demonstrates some good teaching. Regular observations about what

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who attend

children can do ensure that the childminder can provide appropriate activities and experiences to mainly further their development. However, observations are not yet always sufficiently focused to enable the childminder to accurately identify the next steps in children's learning and use this to help all children make good progress in preparation for starting nursery or school.

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who attend

The childminder has a suitable understanding of how to support and guide children's play. She plays alongside the children and follows their interests. As a result, children are interested in the activities and motivated to learn. Mathematical development and literacy are well supported in daily routines. The childminder teaches and extends children's counting well and constantly uses language to extend their vocabulary. Children are highly confident communicators. They love being engaged in conversations and are curious learners who constantly ask questions to extend their knowledge. The childminder teaches children about the life cycle of caterpillars very well using fun and exciting activities. Children relish cuddling up on the sofa with puppets as they listen to a popular story involving a caterpillar and keenly count the fruits and foods that have been eaten. The childminder extends this further as she brings out resources, such as, magnifying glasses

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who attend

and hides leaves in the sitting room that children excitedly look for. This all supports and extends children's literacy, communication skills, counting and knowledge about understanding of the world well.

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

Children have formed highly positive relationships with the childminder showing that their emotional well-being is securely developed. They confidently approach her independently for support and keenly involve her in their play, as they take her hand to build train tracks together. The childminder collects good information about each child's welfare needs from parents when children first start to attend. She then uses this to ensure that their needs are met and their familiar routines are followed to ease transitions between home and her setting. Children are clearly happy and well settled at the childminder's home and they receive praise and appropriate support to raise their self-esteem and confidence. The childminder manages children's behaviour appropriately and ensures that children have clear boundaries and rules to adhere to. For example, they know to share with their peers which promote their personal, social and emotional development well.

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

The childminder conducts daily risk assessments of the areas that children use to ensure that these are both safe and suitable. She teaches children about safety through gentle reminders during the session, such as how to sit properly on their chair at the table. Children begin to develop an awareness of how they can keep themselves safe. They practise regular fire drills to ensure that they know what to do in the event of an emergency and learn how to keep themselves safe on outings as the childminder teaches them about basic road safety. The childminder promotes children's good health and self- care through routines and regular fresh air and exercise. For example, they visit the park and local outdoor attractions. This helps children to develop an awareness of the importance of fresh air and exercise. Children bring packed lunches from home and the childminder supplements this with snacks of fresh fruit. This encourages children to make

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

healthy food choices. The childminder consistently reinforces good hygiene procedures, such as hand washing before meals. As a result, children are beginning to learn how they can keep themselves healthy. Children play in a child-friendly, safe environment with clean, age-appropriate and well-maintained toys and equipment. The environment promotes children's independence as resources are stored in low-level boxes allowing them to make choices.

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provision

This inspection took place following concerns raised about the childminder's ability to ensure that all welfare requirements are consistently met. The inspection found that the childminder currently holds a first aid certificate but that this has not always been the case. There has been a period of over a year when she has allowed her first aid certificate to lapse and a welfare requirement was not met. The childminder explained how she regularly reads current information so that she can keep her knowledge updated. This means the risk to the children's safety and health during this period was minimal. The childminder is fully aware of her responsibility to ensure all household members are checked. However, at the time of inspection it was noted that Ofsted have an incorrect surname listed for a member of the family. Ofsted will renew the suitability checks. The childminder does not yet use any assistants to help her care for the children, however, she

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provision

is considering employing an assistant in the future. She fully understands the procedures she must follow when employing assistants so that she complies with the welfare requirements.

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provision

The childminder shows a secure knowledge of how to safeguard the children in her care and recognises signs of abuse. She follows a safeguarding policy which means that she passes any concerns about a child on to the appropriate professionals.

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provision

The childminder shows a secure understanding of the welfare requirements and has developed a suitable awareness of the learning and development requirements. This results in her mostly meeting requirements. She is beginning to monitor the progress children are making in her setting. However, this is not yet robust or consistent enough to accurately identify the next steps in each child's learning to support them in making as much progress as possible. The childminder demonstrates a suitable attitude towards developing her practice through discussions with other childminder's, although she comments that she has found it difficult to attend training courses in her local area. She has made some progress to address the recommendations raised at the previous inspection, this includes evaluating her practice and developing relationships with other providers. However, these are not yet fully robust to ensure they have a positive impact

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provision

on the care and development of the children. The childminder has completed an Ofsted self-evaluation form, however, her systems are not yet sufficiently thorough. Whilst the childminder can identify what she does well she is less certain of the areas to improve that will benefit the children who attend. As a result, she does not yet have a secure understanding of her priorities for improvement and how to successfully involve parents in the process. This means that systems to support continuous improvement are lacking.

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provision

The childminder has developed secure relationships with parents and daily verbal exchanges keep them updated about the care and education of their child. The childminder shares her policies with parents when children begin to attend her setting this helps to keep them suitably informed about how her setting operates. The childminder talks generally with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, this is mainly focused on welfare issues. She has not further developed her procedures to securely share information about children's progress towards the early learning goals. This results in the continuity of learning for children who attend more than one setting not yet being fully supported.

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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 403144 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 941824 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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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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