Childminder in West Northamptonshire

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 good

An Ofsted inspector, Carla Roberts, monitored your provision on 24/04/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be good.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 12/03/2014, 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 requirement notice asked you to ensure you assess the risks and hazards which may arise for children on outings, and ensure you identify the steps to be taken to remove, minimise and manage those risks and hazards and ensure children are kept safe while on outings and obtain written parental permission for all children to take part in outings. You were asked to complete the actions on this notice by15 April 2014.

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Outcome of monitoring

You were also issued with a notice to improve which asked you ensure the care provided for older children does not adversely affect the care of children receiving early years provision; improve knowledge and understanding of appropriate behaviour management strategies in order to effectively manage incidents of children's inappropriate behaviour, and to know when to seek expert advice to support children's ongoing well-being and safety; ensure all records are easily accessible and available for inspection; ensure the daily record of the children being cared for on the premises includes their hours of attendance and improve self- evaluation processes and use these to drive future improvements by identifying the settings strengths and weaknesses accurately and taking appropriate action to address these. The notice asked you to complete these actions by 15 April 2014.

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Outcome of monitoring

You were also issued with two further actions to be completed by 30 May 2014, which asked you to observe children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles and provide an appropriate range of resources, in order to shape learning experiences for each child, reflecting those observations through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity and improve knowledge of the learning and development requirements to ensure that each area of learning and development is implemented effectively, particularly the educational programmes for children's communication and language, physical, Our Reference EY450387

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Outcome of monitoring

and personal, social and emotional development.

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Outcome of monitoring

At the monitoring visit on 24 April 2014, the inspector found through observation of practice, discussions with you and scrutiny of records that you have taken action to meet the requirements for all areas where the date for completion was 15 April 2014. The two actions due for completion on 30 May 2014 were not monitored. However, the inspector discussed what progress you were making to meet those requirements, and found that you were making good progress.

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Outcome of monitoring

We found that you had reviewed your risk assessments for outings and had made vast improvements. You have now put in place detailed risk assessments for each type of outing you make, which includes school runs by foot or by vehicle and trips to the local soft play area. Your risk assessments identify all potential risks to children and what steps you will put in place to minimise these. You have also devised a helpful checklist which you complete prior to any outing to make sure that you have covered all necessary tasks, which includes completing the risk assessment to ensuring all parents have signed permission for their child to be taken on a particular outing. We found that you were able to discuss in detail how you effectively put these risk assessments into practice. You have therefore taken steps to ensure that children in your care are safeguarded on outings and we are satisfied that you have met this action.

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Outcome of monitoring

We found that you have now devised an effective system to ensure that parental permissions are obtained for routine and ‘one off’ outings. For example you have a form in place for each child you care for, signed by parents to give consent for you to take them on routine outings such as school runs, and to the ‘Monkey Mayhem’ soft play centre. For less regular outings you have devised a day trip permission form which asks the parent to sign for a particular outing on a specific date. The permission slips ask the parent to confirm that they have read your outings policy and that they have spoken to their child about the outing and expected behaviours on that outing. The inspector found evidence that these forms are being completed prior to a particular outing. You have taken appropriate action to meet this requirement.

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Outcome of monitoring

We found that you have reviewed your behaviour management policy and also undertaken your own research to further improve your knowledge and understanding of positive behaviour management techniques. Your policy is very detailed, makes reference to using positive discipline and is clear that no corporal punishment or humiliation will be tolerated. You demonstrated through discussion, a good understanding of your policy and good techniques you have in place to manage both unwanted behaviour, but also encourage positive behaviour from the children in your care. You were able to demonstrate clearly how you adapt your techniques according to children’s different needs and ages. We are satisfied that you have taken action to meet this requirement.

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Outcome of monitoring

We found that you have put a system in place to ensure that all paperwork is available for inspection, that it is stored in an organised manner, and completed Our Reference EY450387

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Outcome of monitoring

accurately and regularly as required. You were able to easily locate all documents asked for by the inspector and these were in good order. You have a strong system in place to ensure that children’s time of arrival and departure on a daily basis is always completed and could evidence that this was being completed on a daily basis. We are satisfied that you have taken action to meet the requirements.

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Outcome of monitoring

We found that since the last inspection you have reflected on your own areas for improvement and taken steps to address these. This is not only evident in the enthusiasm you have demonstrated in taking steps to meet the requirements, but in discussion with the inspector at the time of the visit. You were able to discuss what steps you have identified yourself, to further improve your own practice and knowledge on an ongoing basis. We are satisfied that you have taken steps to meet this requirement.

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Outcome of monitoring

We monitored progress made in relation to the two actions which are not due to be completed until 30 May 2014. We found that you were able to demonstrate through discussion and documents you had completed, that you are making good progress towards meeting these requirements. You confirmed that you had done further reading of supporting documentation to improve your knowledge of the learning and development requirements and could demonstrate that you are starting to use this in practice when planning activities for the children you care for. You were able to demonstrate the systems you are developing to make observations of children, and use these observations to plan for the next stages in the children’s learning. You have put in place individual folders for children and are starting to use sheets you have devised, on a regular basis to record meaningful observations of what children are learning from the adult led, and child initiated activities provided, and how you

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Outcome of monitoring

will plan for the next steps in their learning. We are satisfied that you are making good progress towards meeting these actions and will be conducting a further monitoring visit to ensure that the systems you are starting to put in place are embedded in your practice.

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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 further monitoring. Our Reference EY450387

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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 EY450387

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Action Due date Closed date

assess the risks and hazards which may arise for children on outings, to remove, minimise and manage those risks and hazards 15/04/2014 24/04/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

obtain written parental permission for all children to take part in outings 15/04/2014 24/05/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

observe children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles and provide an appropriate range of resources, in order to shape learning experiences for each child, reflecting those observations through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity 30/05/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

improve knowledge of the learning and development requirements to ensure that each area of learning and development is implemented effectively, particularly the educational programmes for children's communication and language, physical, and personal, social and emotional development 30/05/2014

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