Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/04/2014 30/09/2013

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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 take part in a range of varied activities and interesting outings. The childminder teaches children the basic skills they need to make some progress in their learning, in particular in their personal, social and emotional development. Consequently children are confident and have good social skills.  The childminder is well informed about the children's individual needs as there is a clear settling-in process and good links are made with parents. Children are becoming aware of their own safety as they are involved in everyday routines. Children make independent choices about their play as they can reach toys stored safely around the home.  The childminder has effective routines and risk assessments to monitor and maintain children's safety and well-being. He has a committment to training and a secure understanding of safeguarding procedures.

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It is not yet good because

 Questioning of children to extend their learning and promote their communication and language skills is not used well enough to secure good progress towards the early learning goals.  There is scope to build on children's independence through everyday routines, such as snack and meal times.

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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 talked to children and watched them play, have their morning snack and lunch.  The inspector looked at a selection of documents relating to the children's progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the childminder about the daily routines and how he meets the needs of the children in his care.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of documents to ensure the safety of the children through effective safeguarding procedures and for the smooth running of the care arrangements.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. He lives with his wife who is also a registered childminder and a son aged 10 years in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. The ground floor of the house is used for childminding. Children do not generally access upstairs other than to use the family bathroom. The childminder keeps a tank of fish as pets. Children use an enclosed area of the garden for outside play. The childminder collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. The childminder cares for children who speak English as an additional language. There are currently six children on roll in the early years age group and four children who attend full-time school. All children attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder cares for children all year round, from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays and he 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:

 ensure interactions are fully matched to the children's needs and promote language skills to support future learning, with specific regard to the use of story time and spontaneous questioning during activities for younger children and those who speak English as an additional language.

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

 review the familiar routines and environment and consider how best to support children to develop their independence.

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who attend

The childminder has an appropriate understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. He uses this knowledge alongside his co-childminder to meet the children's overall learning needs. The co-childminder takes the lead in completing the learning records and the childminder contributes his observations and assessments to this process. The childminder cares for children who speak English as an additional language. However, gaps in children's speech and language development are not fully addressed in the activities provided, for example, story time is not used to extend children's vocabulary. This means children's progress is not good given their capabilities and starting points. Young children are happy and enjoy playing with the wide range of toys which are readily available around the home. The childminder is fully involved in all aspects of the children's

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who attend

play and learning. He teaches them the colours of the cars as they put them on the top of the garage and watch them roll down. He shows children how to move the cars around the garage developing their physical skills as they lay on the floor to manipulate the small cars and to reach and stretch as they play. The childminder teaches children to look at the different pictures on the jigsaw puzzles. He extends their understanding but fails to use clear pronunciation of new words to fully support children's communication skills.

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who attend

Parents receive regular updates both verbally and through the use of a diary. The co- childminder takes the lead in completing the more detailed weekly updates. These communications include some information about the children's learning and development as well as their welfare. The co-childminder sends home the learning journal every half term for parents to share. Children talk about their favourite activities with the childminder and this is passed on to the parents to help them continue their children's learning at home. The childminder uses the local community, garden centres, play areas and visits to the local farm to extend and promote children's physical and social skills. Children gain the basic skills they need to support most aspects of their future learning at other early years and educational settings.

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

Children are developing positive relationships with the childminder, his co-childminder and their family. They demonstrate they are comfortable in the childminder's home as they readily approach the childminder for reassurance and support. The childminder and co- childminder discuss the information from parents about the children's individual daily care routines during the settling-in period so that he can support their emotional development effectively. The childminder supports children to behave well. He is kind and speaks softly to the children and encourages them to be considerate of others, which helps them start to form friendships. The childminder has some resources that reflect the differences in society. This helps children learn they have similarities and differences that connect them to and distinguish them from others. Children are beginning to feel confident in familiar surroundings when they attend the various toddler and activity sessions in the community.

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

The childminder is available to give them reassurance so that they can continue to explore in unfamiliar environments. Children visit the school to pick up the older children and become confident around the school premises. These experiences help children to be suitably prepared for their move on to school when the time comes.

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

The childminder takes the lead in providing nutritious meals and snacks, helping children to understand the importance of adopting healthy habits and of a healthy diet. Children are keen to sit up at the table when they are told their lunch is ready. They find their chairs and sit up ready for their meal. However, as they are not always given the opportunity to set the table and serve themselves at meal times, the older and more able children's independence is not fully encouraged.

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

The childminder teaches children about good personal care routines. Children respond well to the childminder when asked if they need a nappy change. They help in finding their own bags from the named hooks in the hall and help to find their nappies. The childminder teaches children good social skills and to be aware of how their actions impact on others playing nearby and especially when they sit together at snack time. Some children are very keen to help to tidy away the toys with help from the childminder. Younger children are sometimes encouraged to help which supports their developing independence.

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provision

The childminder works with his wife who is his co-childminder. He understands his role and responsibilities to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder is suitably aware of his responsibility to safeguard children, including the reporting procedures to follow if there are concerns. The childminder uses the Local Safeguarding Children Board information as the basis of his safeguarding policy. The childminder maintains satisfactory risk assessments and daily checks to help keep children safe, both indoors and on outings. He is responsible for the premises and making sure the premises are hygienic and that any repairs are undertaken to maintain children's safety.

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provision

The childminder monitors the children's progress and the overall provision through regular discussions with his co-childminder about what is working well and what could be improved. They review the activities they provide and have recently improved the outside play area and organised the toys and resources so children can more easily reach them. The childminder builds appropriate working relationships with other professionals working with the children and their families, such as at the clinic and other early years settings. The childminder uses resources, such as the internet to research aspects of care or to enhance his knowledge of how to promote children's learning effectively. In addition, he has completed safeguarding training, food hygiene and first aid, to ensure he is up to date with current practices.

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provision

The childminder has well-established and strong relationships with parents. Parents are welcomed into the home and frequently asked for their views on the setting. Comments in the 'parent book' show they are very happy with the care and play opportunities the children take part in. Parents report that they are very happy with the childminder and co- childminder and their children love to come and often do not want to go home. The childminder has effective links with home to support children's well-being and learning.

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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 EY413378 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 966381 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 10

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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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