Childminder in Rotherham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/03/2014 09/01/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children are happy. They enjoy making safe and independent choices in their play, selecting from a varied range of resources. The childminder makes use of outings and visits to enhance children's learning experiences.  The childminder's relationship with the children are positive; they settle quickly in her care and feel emotionally secure because she promotes continuity in their care. Through everyday routines, such as outdoor play and hand washing, the childminder appropriately promotes children's health.  The home is safe and through her risk assessments and understanding of safeguarding issues, the childminder appropriately safeguards and promotes children's welfare.

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It is not yet good because

 Planning challenging and purposeful activities for children is not frequent or consistent enough. This is because the childminder is not always effectively using her assessments so she has clear overview of children's learning needs.  Strategies for gathering information from parents about their child's starting points and learning at home are not robust enough to ensure initial assessments are precise and accurate when planning for children's learning.  Arrangements for monitoring and evaluation are not rigorous. Therefore, clear action plans are not always in place to secure a programme of sustained improvement to effectively promote children's achievements over time.

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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 a tour of the premises and observed children playing indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and assistant at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning records, planning for children, a selection of policies and procedures and discussed the childminder's arrangements for self- evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of qualifications of the childminder, and suitability of the childminder, assistant and other household members.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussions with the childminder.

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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 16 years and 20 years in Clifton, Rotherham. The whole of the ground floor, first floor bathroom and garden are used for childminding. The childminder works with an assistant. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops, park and other places of interest with children on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools, nursery and pre-schools. There are currently seven children on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group and they attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 6.30am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. Weekend care is occasionally offered by prior arrangement. The childminder is a member of the

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Information about the setting

Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 improve planning to ensure it is based on a secure overview of children's next steps, and to make sure it is consistent and frequent enough to ensure children are challenged through a wide range of purposeful and focussed activities across all areas of learning

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must:

 ensure strategies for involving parents in their child's learning are consistent and improve their involvement in children's initial assessments by seeking detailed information from them about their child's prior skills, knowledge and understanding in regard to their progress and development at home.

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

 develop systems for promoting continuous improvement, for example, by enhancing monitoring and evaluation arrangements so that they are frequent and robust enough to ensure identified weaknesses are prioritised through targeted action plans to support children's achievements over time and to ensure any improvement is sustained.

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who attend

Overall, the childminder has a sound understanding of how young children learn and develop, although the quality of teaching is variable. She involves herself in children's play and her interactions with them are positive. For example, through asking some open- ended questions, she encourages children to think for themselves so that they become active learners. For instance, when children build towers or do jigsaws, she encourages them to work out for themselves where the pieces go. Overall, the childminder provides an appropriate range of activities to support children in making steady progress in their learning and readiness for school. For example, the childminder completes observations on children and she uses these to track and monitor their progress across all areas of learning. This enables her to identify some next steps for children. For example, she recognises some children need support in developing their language skills and she

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who attend

promotes this by looking at books, talking to children and repeating words. This means she is taking steps to promote children's communication and language skills through some planned activities. However, the childminder is not making full use of her assessments to ensure she has a clear overview of all children's learning needs. In addition, her planning arrangements are not frequent or consistent enough to ensure she is planning focused, purposeful and challenging activities to meet all children's needs. For example, she is aware some children need support in their independence skills and feeding, but she has not yet planned activities to support this. Therefore, the quality of teaching is variable and lacks some consistency.

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who attend

Although the childminder may not always consistently plan focused and purposeful activities when planning for children's learning, she ensures resources are available for them to make their own choices in play. For example, she organises a varied selection of activities around her home that children access independently. Therefore, children approach their play with enthusiasm because they can play with things they enjoy. For example, when children show an interest in the inspector's pen, the childminder builds on this by providing the children with pencils and paper so that they can pretend to do their own writing. These activities appropriately promote children's literacy development. The childminder sufficiently promotes children's development in understanding the world. She takes children on regular outings to enhance their learning and to enable them to experience nature and the natural environment. For example, children enjoy visits to the

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who attend

swimming baths, farms, parks and other places of interest within their local community. In addition, young children enjoy playing with resources that encourage them to explore how things work and that help them understand simple technology. For example, they twist and turn knobs, lift flaps and understand they need to press buttons to make the lights flash. Children enjoy number songs, and the childminder encourages them to talk about shapes and colours when playing with bricks. These activities promote children's progress in mathematics. Children are creative and imaginative learners. They enjoy role play, such as playing with the dolls, farm animals and dressing-up. In addition, they engage in a varied range of art and craft activities, such as painting, sticking, playing with dough and water. These activities foster children's development in expressive arts and design.

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who attend

The childminder has positive relationships with parents. She discusses with them children's progress and they have free access to their child's records at any time. Overall, this means they receive some information to enable them to extend their child's learning at home. However, planning for children's next steps is not always consistent and purposeful. Therefore, there are opportunities to improve information for parents to ensure planning for children's progression supports them in making better than satisfactory progress. The childminder tends to share children's daily care needs with parents verbally or occasionally she uses daily dairies. This information sharing contributes to promoting continuity in children's care and ensures parents know what children activities children are experiencing whilst in the childminder's care.

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

Relationships between the children, childminder and her assistant are positive. The children are happy and they feel safe and emotionally secure in their care. This is because when children first start, the childminder uses settling-in-visits to gradually build up the time children stay without their parents. This provides opportunities for children to become familiar with their new surroundings and carers on a gradual basis. Furthermore, through discussions with parents and completing 'all about me' booklet, the childminder gathers some relevant information about children's routines, likes and care arrangements. She incorporates children's individual routines into the day, such as their sleeping patterns and this promotes continuity for children. Therefore, the transition from home provides security for children and this means they settle quickly because they feel emotionally secure. However, the use of the 'all about me' booklet is not consistent for all children. In

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

addition, the information the childminder gathers from parents when children first start is not always comprehensive enough about children's starting points in regard to their learning and progress at home. Therefore, the childminder is not fully engaging parents in their child's initial assessments, which means they are not precise and accurate enough to support children in making good or better progress in their learning. Through her positive relationships with children, providing a smooth transition from home in regard to meeting their care needs, the childminder appropriately promotes children's personal, social and emotional development. This contributes to children having some skills to embrace change, such as starting school or nursery. For example, through going to groups, children have the confidence to mix and play with other children.

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

There are sufficient arrangements in place to promote children's health, self-care skills and understanding of leading a healthy lifestyle. For example, the childminder supplements the meals parents provide with healthy snacks and she talks to children about the importance of making good food choices. Through regular routines, such as hand washing, the children are learning about their own personal care needs, health and hygiene. For example, the childminder supports younger children in washing their hands at appropriate times throughout the day. In addition, through regular cleaning routines, she minimises the risk of illness and infection. This includes adhering to appropriate nappy changing procedures and cleaning up of any accidents when children are toilet training. The childminder ensures children have plenty of opportunities to be outdoors so that they enjoy the benefits of playing in the fresh air. For example, she takes children on regular

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

walks; they use the park and enjoy playing in the garden. These activities encourage children to exercise and to be active and this appropriately promotes their physical development. Children are appropriately learning about ways in which they can keep themselves safe. For example, the childminder involves them in fire evacuation practices and on outings; she discusses road safety with children. The childminder appropriately manages children's behaviour. She praises their achievements and she plans activities around their likes and interests. This provides a sense of belonging for children and promotes their self-esteem and confidence. The childminder helps children to learn about acceptable behaviour because she provides consistent routines and boundaries. Through play and discussions, she encourages children to share and take turns, providing calm and clear explanations when dealing with minor disputes. Children have regularly opportunities to mix and socialise with other

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

children at groups. This supports them in developing positive, harmonious and cooperative relationships with their peers. The children move freely around the home and they are able to access a varied range of resources. This promotes their independence and self- care skills.

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provision

The childminder has a sound understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She ensures children are safe through her regular safety checks and risk assessments. This, alongside appropriate supervision and appropriate safety precautions around the home and on outings contributes to her taking steps to minimise accidents. The childminder and her assistant are aware of child protection issues and this contributes to protecting children from harm. The childminder accesses safeguarding training and this means she is able to recognise signs of abuse and neglect. She understands her responsibilities in monitoring concerns and knows which agencies she must involve if she has any worries about the children in her care. In addition, through sharing her policies and procedures with her assistant, she ensures they have a suitable understanding of their roles and

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provision

responsibilities. This contributes to appropriately safeguarding and promoting children's welfare. This inspection took place following concerns and a notification from the provider relating to the same concerns about managing children's behaviour in relation to toileting children. As a result of these concerns and provider notification, Ofsted and external agencies initially carried out investigation visits to look into the concerns. Following this, a full inspection took place. Following the visits by Ofsted and other agencies, the childminder received a notice to improve to ensure she responded to complaints within prescribed timescales. The childminder is now aware of her responsibilities in regard to responding and recording concerns and she reflects this in her written complaints procedure. Therefore, she has taken appropriate action to address the notice to improve. In addition, the inspection found the childminder manages children's behaviour

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provision

appropriately. It also found that the childminder supports children during their toilet training and when dealing with any accidents, she ensures children are clean and comfortable. Therefore, meeting children's needs. This contributes to the childminder's suitability in managing behaviour and her understanding of safeguarding practice and policy. The childminder maintains all relevant documentation that contributes to promoting and safeguarding children's welfare. This includes a number of written policies and procedures, which she shares with her assistant. For example, her policies include the safe administration of medication, recording of accidents, dealing with allegations and managing children's behaviour. In addition, the childminder ensures all adults living or working on the premises complete appropriate suitability checks. This contributes to keeping children safe.

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provision

The childminder has taken some steps towards evaluating and monitoring her service. Therefore, this results in her making some improvements to the provision for children, including addressing the actions and recommendations from her last inspection. For instance, she uses childminder forums to gather new activity ideas. This contributes to widening the range of activities she offers children. In addition, by addressing, the actions from her last inspection, she observes children more frequently and uses these to assess and track their progress across all areas of learning. Although, how she uses these assessments to plan challenge for children is not yet frequent enough or consistently embedded in practice. In addition, since the last inspection, the provider provides more activities to support children's development in mathematics and understanding the world. For example, children go on regular outings and they enjoy counting through fun

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provision

activities, such as songs and rhymes. Through reviewing her practice, the childminder is aware of some her strengths and she identifies areas to improve. For example, she understands the importance of working in partnership with parents and she tries to seek support from her local authority. This demonstrates some commitment to improve. However, monitoring is not robust or frequent enough to sustain a continual and regular programme of improvement. For example, she is not prioritising identified improvements, therefore, action plans lack rigour to successfully support children's achievements over time. Through informal discussions, the childminder asks parents for their suggestions for improving her service. Through some training, using childminder forums for ideas, the childminder explores ways to gain new ideas to support children's learning. This means she is taking some positive steps to improve the provision for children through improving

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provision

The childminder's relationships with parents are sound. Through discussions, the occasional use of daily diaries and children's progress records, she provides some information to parents so that they can support their child's learning at home. The childminder says parents are happy with her service and that they comment on how their children enjoy their time in her care. The childminder appropriately communicates with other settings children attend. For example, she finds out what children are experiencing in school or nursery so that she can support and complement this learning. For example, she encourages children to make lists and write menus to support their pre-writing skills when they are in her care. This promotes continuity in children's learning. The childminder is aware of importance of working in partnership with external agencies, such as health professionals to support children with identified needs. Therefore, she ensures appropriate

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provision

steps are taken when planning for their learning through sharing information with others.

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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 EY447097 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 956653 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 7

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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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