Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/04/2014 18/05/2012

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 4 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

p.1

This provision is inadequate

 The childminder is caring for more children than ratio requirements permit and is not meeting their individual needs.  The childminder does not provide sufficient supervision for babies during meal times, which increases the risk of choking.  The childminder does not minimise all hazards to children through effective risk assessment, which increases the risk of accidents.  The childminder was unable to provide a valid public liability insurance certificate and is not maintaining a daily attendance record consistently.  The learning environment provided does not meet the individual needs, interests and stages of development of all children.  The childminder does not always provide suitable activities to enable children to explore and learn through purposeful play.  The childminder does not carry out progress checks for two-year-old children or ensure that the observation, assessment and planning process is consistent for all children.

p.1

This provision is inadequate

She does not effectively support all children to help them make good progress.  The childminder does not have a clear understanding of her roles and responsibilities and does not use self-evaluation systems to identify significant weaknesses.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children appear to feel secure with the childminder, showing positive relationships.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities both indoors and outside.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looks at available records of development for children.  The inspector sampled documentation.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2011. She lives with her husband and two children in Thame, Oxfordshire. Children use the ground floor of the property for play and have use of two upstairs bedrooms for sleeping. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. There are steps up to the front door. The family has a guinea pig. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and is caring for five children in the early years age range. She is registered on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register and is caring for two older children. She offers care on weekdays, including out of school care. She walks to the local school and other early years facilities to take and collect children.

p.3

must:

 ensure that the numbers of children cared for are within the usual ratios for childminders and that exceptions to this are only made when the individual needs of all children are being met

p.4

must:

 ensure that children are adequately supervised, with particular regard to supervising babies during meal times and in the garden

p.4

must:

 ensure that risk assessments are effective in identifying and minimising hazards to children, with particular regard to the trailing hosepipe in the garden

p.4

must:

 demonstrate that valid public liability insurance is in place

p.4

must:

 maintain consistently a daily record of the children being cared for on the premises, including their hours of attendance

p.4

must:

 ensure that the learning environment is planned appropriately to meet the individual needs, interests and stages of development of all children

p.4

must:

 plan activities consistently so that children are able to explore and learn through purposeful play

p.4

must:

 ensure that progress checks for two-year-old children are put in place to identify levels of development and to share information with parents

p.4

must:

 ensure that the observation, assessment and planning process is consistently in place for all children to identify their levels of development and next steps in learning

p.4

must:

 develop a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities as a childminder through robust systems for self-evaluation to identify and address key weaknesses, priorities and targets.

p.4

who attend

Indoors, children have access to a limited range of resources that include a box of musical instruments, some plastic construction blocks, a pushchair and some books. Children and babies enjoy exploring the instruments. The childminder talks to them about the instruments, such as how to use the microphone and how to find the middle of the keyboard. However, she does not plan the learning environment sufficiently or provide appropriate resources to meet children's individual needs, interests and levels of development. Resources are limited outside, too. Children enjoy a game of football with older children and they take interest in some frogspawn. A small trampoline, two-wheeled toys and a water tray with a scoop and flannel provide only limited learning opportunities for children to develop physically and to find out about the natural world around them.

p.4

who attend

The childminder plans some activities to promote children's learning, such as providing modelling dough for them to explore. She talks to children appropriately during this activity about different shapes and the Easter story, to support their learning. Children are clearly used to making up their own stories, delivering these to an audience with confidence. The childminder helps them to learn about the structure of a story, such as the beginning, middle and ending, and encourages them to use their voices for different sounds. This helps to promote children's communication skills and to promote their self- esteem. However, the childminder's planning of activities does not consistently take account of the needs of all children. Children are often merely occupied and activities lack appropriate levels of challenge. The childminder does not take sufficient steps to prepare children for their next stages in learning.

p.5

who attend

The childminder has an observation, assessment and planning process. She has recently started to use a commercial electronic system to support this process. She demonstrates that, for some children, she is able to identify their levels of development and has observations to support these assessments. However, this process is not in place for all children and the childminder is unable to explain clearly other children's levels of development. The childminder has not completed progress checks for children aged two years. This weakness means that she is not providing required information to parents or making the required assessment of children's progress at this stage in order to identify any gaps in their achievement and the steps required to close these. The childminder shares some on-going information with parents through the electronic assessment system and through discussion which gives parents information about progress.

p.5

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

The childminder cares for more children than ratio requirements allow, which affects her ability to meet individual welfare needs satisfactorily. For example, she does not provide sufficient supervision for babies when eating, leaving them for minutes at a time while she is engaged in other tasks. This action significantly increases the risk of choking. Although the childminder has undertaken risk assessments, she does not use these effectively to minimise all potential hazards to children. A loose hosepipe coiled around a wheeled toy in the garden increases the risk of tripping or choking, for example.

p.5

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

Children are settled and appear to feel secure with the childminder, which demonstrates that positive relationships exist between her and the children. Babies enjoy cuddles and show attachment to her. Children show confidence in some activities but the limited learning environment does not support their all-round development or encourage them to be curious and inquisitive ready for the next stage in learning. While older children attending during school holidays show kindness and consideration to younger children, the environment is quite noisy and rather chaotic for babies, which does not help their ability to listen and develop their communication skills. Levels of behaviour are appropriate overall and the childminder has adequate strategies to manage any issues.

p.5

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

The childminder teaches children to wash their hands before snack time, so they learn to manage their personal needs and follow appropriate hygiene routines. The childminder encourages older children help to get the table ready, which promotes their independence through taking on suitable responsibilities. Children eat healthy foods, enjoying banana and brioche as they sit sociably at the table. The childminder helps older children to prepare for their move to school, in some ways, by encouraging friendships and through telling appropriate stories.

p.6

provision

The childminder does not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of her responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This inspection took place as a result of concerns raised to Ofsted regarding the childminder's behaviour management techniques and the way in which she supervises children, together with the numbers of children that she cares for at one time, including when on outings. Evidence gathered at the inspection showed that the childminder uses appropriate methods to manage children's behaviour. However, the childminder has cared for more children than ratio requirements allow in order to provide continuity of care for parents. She is unable to demonstrate that she meets the required criteria for this circumstance because she is not meeting children's individual needs sufficiently.

p.6

provision

The childminder's risk assessment procedure does not identify and minimise all hazards to children. The childminder is unable to provide a valid public liability insurance certificate and she has not maintained a daily record of children's attendance. These failures mean that the childminder is not adequately safeguarding children. She does not meet the requirements of the Childcare Register. Furthermore, the childminder does not meet several learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. These significant weaknesses demonstrate that she is not monitoring her practice adequately or children's progress to support their development effectively. As a result of the inspection findings, the childminder is required to take further action.

p.6

provision

The childminder demonstrates a suitable awareness of possible symptoms of children at risk and knows the procedures to follow if she has concerns. However, she does not maintain a written procedure for safeguarding procedures, which is a breach of Childcare Register requirements. She supports children in learning about internet safety and states that she supervises them closely when they use this.

p.6

provision

The childminder explains that she shares some information with other settings, such as nurseries, that children attend. She states that she obtains the views of parents through discussion. However, she does not use self-evaluation systems to identify weaknesses in her practice. She does not demonstrate a clear understanding of her role and responsibilities as a childminder. Since the last inspection, the quality of care and learning provided has deteriorated.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

p.7

actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

p.7

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks, with particular regard to the trailing hosepipe in the garden (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that public liability insurance is in place (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that a daily record is maintained of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  maintain a written statement of procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks, with particular regard to the trailing hosepipe in the garden (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that public liability insurance is in place (voluntary part of the Childcare

p.7

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

Register)  ensure that a daily record is maintained of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  maintain a written statement of procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

p.7

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

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY439762 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 967910 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 7

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

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’.

p.11

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11