Childminder in West Sussex

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Heather Allen, monitored your provision on 29/04/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 20/11/2013, we sent you a welfare requirements notice. The actions you were set are included at the end of this letter.

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Outcome of monitoring

The welfare requirements notice had a completion date of 17 January 2014 and required you to: ensure children are always within sight or hearing, particularly when sleeping; ensure the premises are secure and take steps to prevent unauthorised people entering the premises; and ensure risk assessments fully identify risks to children and ensure action is taken to keep children safe at all times, this is particularly in relation to sleeping children and the security of the premises.

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Outcome of monitoring

You were also sent a notice to improve with a completion date of 17 January 2014. This required you to plan more interesting learning experiences for each child so they make good progress in their learning and development through a better balance of activities that they chose for themselves and those planned and led by the childminder.

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Outcome of monitoring

In addition, you were sent a notice to improve requiring you to complete the following actions in relation to the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register: ensure that children receiving childcare are kept safe from harm; ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises; and review the risk assessment of the premises and equipment and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks, in relation to sleeping child.

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Outcome of monitoring

On 20 January 2014, an inspector carried out a monitoring visit to check the progress being made to meet the actions raised following inspection. You had taken steps to ensure the safety of children on outings by carrying out a risk assessment for the different venues they visited, including outings to the park and local groups. You had considered the different ages and abilities of children and arranged to take appropriate resources depending on whether children walked or travelled by car. Our Reference EY411880

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Outcome of monitoring

Children were kept secure in the home environment because you kept the back gate and front door locked when children were on the premises. You had carried out risk assessments to identify and minimise any risks to sleeping children. For example, children were safeguarded if they were asleep in the car on arrival at the premises. They were taken indoors so they could continue their sleep in a safe environment. A travel cot was available upstairs for younger children and the bedroom door was left open so they could be heard.

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Outcome of monitoring

You obtained some information from parents about children's abilities when they first started, including eating and sleeping habits, behaviour and any words spoken. Where children had English as an additional language you helped them to settle by finding out about familiar words in their native tongue and identifying the English equivalent. You knew older children well and planned activities which they were interested in and enjoyed, such as arts and crafts activities and reading. Children concentrated as they designed and created pictures. You had additional resources available to provide challenge and absorb children's interest. For example, when children asked for scissors you provided a range of different types of scissors, including scissors with a serrated edge. However, you sometimes delayed carrying out assessments of younger children's learning and development until several months after they had started. This meant you were not always fully aware of their

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Outcome of monitoring

capabilities. Activities were not always planned to meet their individual needs and help support them to make good progress in their learning and development.

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Outcome of monitoring

We therefore extended the date for completion of the action which asked you to plan more interesting learning experiences for each child so they make good progress in their learning and development through a better balance of activities that they choose for themselves and those planned and led by the childminder.

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Outcome of monitoring

On 26 March 2014, we carried out a monitoring visit to check the progress made in meeting this action. We found that children played well together and enjoyed each other's company. You had identified areas where some children needed support and had planned activities to help them make progress. For example, you had identified that some children had difficulty identifying different colours. You had prepared a game where different coloured cards were placed in a hat and children were asked to name the colour on the card. However, you had not provided support for the learning and development of children who only attended for shorter periods of time. You had not carried out observations and assessments of their abilities and had not planned challenging and enjoyable learning experiences to meet their individual needs and help them make progress towards the early learning goals. In addition, you had not engaged and

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Outcome of monitoring

supported parents in guiding their children's development at home. This could enhance the progress of all children and could prove particularly beneficial when children only attend for shorter periods of time.

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Outcome of monitoring

Following this visit we asked you to engage and support parents and/or carers in guiding their child's development at home. In addition we asked you to carry out Our Reference EY411880

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Outcome of monitoring

ongoing observations and assessments of children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles and reflect on these so that you provide challenging and enjoyable learning experiences for each child in all areas of learning and development so they make progress towards the early learning goals.

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Outcome of monitoring

On 29 April 2014, we carried out an unannounced monitoring visit to check the progress you had made in meeting these actions. There were no children present during the visit. However, you discussed and showed documentation to demonstrate the steps you had taken to meet the actions.

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Outcome of monitoring

Learning and development records are completed for all children in your care who are in the early years age group, including two year progress checks and next steps in learning for children aged over three years. These records, including regular written observations and assessments, show where children are in their learning as well as the progress they are making towards the early learning goals. Individual experiences are planned for each child which support their learning and development. For example, children's communication and language development is encouraged through stories and asking questions. Children gain further support because parents are able to share the learning and development records with other professionals, such as health visitors and teachers.

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Outcome of monitoring

Parents and carers are encouraged to become involved in their child's learning. Daily diaries are completed for all children, so that parents can get an immediate update about what their child has done on a daily basis. They are encouraged to make comments in the diary. A two-way flow of communication is also encouraged by the use of a form which is regularly given to parents. The form contains details of what children have recently been doing at the setting. Parents are asked to return the form giving feedback about what children have been doing at home, including any activities or achievements.

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Outcome of monitoring

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that the childminder has taken prompt and effective action to address the points for improvement.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

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Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your childminding service. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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Next steps

Lorna Fitzjohn National Director, Childminding Our Reference EY411880

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Action Due date Closed date

carry out ongoing observations and assessments of children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles and reflect on these so that you provide challenging and enjoyable learning experiences for each child in all areas of learning and development so they make progress towards the early learning goals 21/04/2014 29/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

engage and support parents and/or carers in guiding their child's development at home 21/04/2014 29/04/2014

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