Prince, Tracy

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/04/2014 31/10/2011

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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

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder does not have a suitable understanding of the safeguarding and welfare, or learning and development requirements. Self-evaluation is weak and consequently, she is in breach of a number of the legal requirements.  Children are not suitably safeguarded while playing outside as the childminder has not identified risks to children. There is no suitable safety surface under outside play equipment. The childminder does not consistently supervise children outside.  The childminder does not ensure that mobile phones are not used while children are present. This means that children's welfare is not assured.  The childminder is not able to manage children's behaviour consistently. This means that children's behaviour hinders others.  The childminder does not effectively support children who learn English as an additional language. This means that children are unable to understand what is being said.

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder does not have a hygienic and suitable area for the preparation of food or consistently provide children with healthy, balanced snacks.  The childminder does not use information she gathers about children's learning and development progress to effectively plan for what children need to learn next.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy frequent trips to local parks and farms to enable them to explore their natural surrounding and learn about the seasonal changes.

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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 observed the children and childminder playing and interacting.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's records and the childminder's policies and procedures.  The inspector checked risk assessments and children's attendance registers.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1997. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children in Barking, in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham. The ground floor of the property is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The family has a dog.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is currently caring for six children, four of whom are in the early years age range. She supports children who are learning English as an additional language.

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must:

 ensure children are supervised at all times to ensure their safety, particularly when in the garden; ensuring that there is suitable safety equipment to protect them when playing on play equipment, such as climbing frames and the trampoline

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must:

 ensure that risk assessments cover all possible hazards which children come into contact with, with particular regards to the garden

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must:

 ensure that behaviour is managed consistently and that children are supported to learn how to manage their own behaviour

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must:

 develop strategies for communicating with children and parents who learn English an additional language

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must:

 review safeguarding procedures to include the use of mobile phones by parents and the childminder's family

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must:

 ensure that there is an area which has suitable facilities for the hygienic preparation of healthy and balanced food for children

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must:

 develop the use of observations, assessment and planning to identify children's current stages of learning and development and use this information to provide suitable challenges for all children to help them make progress in relation to their starting points

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must:

 develop reflective practice to identify strengths and priorities for development that will improve the care and learning opportunities for children

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who attend

The childminder has a weak understanding of how to effectively support all children's learning and development. She has 'all about me' documents to gather information from parents about their children's starting points when they start with her. The childminder also completes settling-in assessments after children have settled into her care. However, she does not carry out regular observations on what children can do or carry out assessments on their current stages of learning and development in relation to their starting points. This means that educational plans are not individualised or tailored to meet children's own needs. Therefore, children are not able to make consistent progress in relation to their starting points. The childminder understands the importance of the progress check for children aged two years. She uses information, which she gathers from the check, to contact relevant professionals, which means that support systems can be put

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who attend

in place. This helps children whose development is not as expected to receive additional help.

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who attend

The childminder's teaching practices are variable. She uses questions to support children's understanding of playing with small world toys, such as a farm set. For example, she asks the children what buildings they think animals might live in. She extends this further by asking the children what sounds those animals make and if the children know what the animals may eat. This helps children to use their imaginative skills and knowledge of the world around them as they play. However, at other times, the childminder uses statements rather than questions as she interacts with the children. For example, she asks the children who wants a particular colour of play dough. She sometimes inhibits children's creativity by telling them that she does not want the different colours of play dough mixed up. This means that children are unable to use their imaginations fully to create models using colours they like.

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who attend

The childminder does not support children who learn English as an additional language well. She does not ask parents for key words in children's home languages. This means that children are unable to hear familiar words and make connections between their home languages and English. In addition, the childminder does not work sufficiently well alongside parents who learn English as an additional language to help them support their children. Consequently, children who learn English as an additional language are left confused and unable to understand what is expected of them, which affects their behaviour.

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

The childminder has suitable relationships with the majority of the children she cares for. Children approach her freely to ask for a drink or a particular resource if they are unable to reach or access what they want. However, the childminder does not support children who learn English as an additional language as effectively. Consequently, they are unsettled and do not build sound relationships with the childminder and the other children. Children's behaviour is not consistently managed. As a result, frequently, some children's behaviour hinders other children's learning and enjoyment. In addition, children find it difficult to share and take turns, snatching toys away from other children, which disrupts children's play and leads to some venting their frustration through shouting.

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

The childminder provides a suitable range of resources indoors for the children to choose from and play with. Outside, the childminder provides children with opportunities to engage in physical play, use their imaginative skills in the play house or learn about using electronic toys, such as children's laptops. However, despite the suitable range of physical play equipment, the childminder has not sufficiently thought about children's safety when playing outside. This is because she does not provide safety equipment at the base of the play equipment, such as crash mats. This means that any children falling would land on concrete. In addition, the childminder does not ensure that she is always outside while children are playing. Therefore, this does not safeguard children effectively.

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

The childminder helps to support some aspects of children's health and well-being by allowing them daily play outside. In addition, she takes children regularly to the local parks and farm, which children talk about happily. This helps children to enjoy being outside in the fresh air and learn about their environment. The childminder does not support children's health consistently. She provides children with fresh drinking water when they ask for it. Although on the day of inspection the children had fresh fruit for their snack, children were constantly curious as to where their biscuits were. This shows they are used to having biscuits for their snack. In addition, the childminder's kitchen was disorganised as there were dirty dishes, an iron and knives close to the edge of the work tops. Therefore, there was no area which was suitable for the hygienic preparation of food.

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

The childminder takes and collects children from the local schools. She ensures that they walk home along the safest route possible and talks to the children about road safety and staying safe. This helps children to learn how to cross roads safely and walk on the designated paths. Links with the school teachers enables the childminder to find out how children have been while at school. She passes on relevant information to the parents when they collect their children. This helps to keep the parents up to date with any information the school teachers pass on.

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provision

Overall, the childminder shows a poor understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She has failed to ensure that she meets all the requirements of the Early Years Register and Childcare Registers. Consequently, Ofsted will issue the provider notices to improve and monitor the provision within three months.

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provision

The childminder has attended safeguarding training and understands what she should do if she has any concerns about children in her care. She has links with many of the local professionals, which means that she can make referrals and seek additional guidance when necessary. The childminder shows a clear understanding of the numbers of children she can care for and keeps daily attendance registers on which she records children's arrival and departure times. The register is also used when the childminder practises the emergency evacuation drill with the children. The childminder has a suitable written safeguarding policy and procedure, which she shares with parents. However, she does not have procedures which cover the use of mobile phones in her home. The childminder informs parents that they must not use their mobile phones in her setting, but does not ensure that her own children follow the same rules. This means that children's welfare

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provision

The childminder uses risk assessments to check for possible hazards indoors and on outings. This means that she is aware of the possible hazards children may encounter while out. For example, she knows where the safest place is for them all to cross the road back to her home. However, the childminder does not ensure that children are safe while playing outside in her garden. This is because risk assessments are not used effectively to identify risks to children outside. Therefore, the childminder has not identified the dangers of having large play equipment on a concrete surface without any protection, such as crash mats. Consequently, children's safety is not assured. In addition, the childminder does not always ensure that she supervises children while they are playing outside. For example, she leaves the children outside while she goes indoors to collect drinks or take other children to the toilet. This means that children's safety is not assured and, therefore,

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provision

the childminder is in breach of the safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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provision

The childminder does not use observations regularly or effectively to identify what children can do and their emerging interests. Therefore, she does not have a clear understanding of each child's capabilities and stages of learning and is unable to provide individualised support to extend their development. This is a breach of the learning and development requirements.

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provision

The childminder has a basic self-evaluation plan, which she has reviewed recently. She has identified that she needs to create opportunities for children to learn about the world around them through growing plants in her garden. However, the childminder has not identified the significant weaknesses in her practice, which means that she is in breach of a number of the safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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provision

The childminder has links with a range of professionals, including local safeguarding officers and speech and language therapists. This means that she is able to make referrals should she have any concerns about children in her care. This helps to provide additional support for the childminder and the parents.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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

 ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare register)  ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner (compulsory part of the Childcare register)  ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare register)  ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner (voluntary part of the Childcare register)

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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 504405 Local authority Barking & Dagenham Inspection number 958978 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 6

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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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