Childminder in Sheffield

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/04/2014 10/09/2013

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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

 The children are happy and eager to learn and through appropriate organisation of resources, they make their own choices in play. The childminder uses her observations to plan a varied range of activities to support children's next steps in learning.  The childminder provides a homely environment and her relationships with children are positive. She promotes children's self-care skills, independence and health through everyday hygiene routines, outdoor experiences, healthy meals and snacks.  The childminder understands her responsibilities of involving relevant agencies when dealing with safeguarding issues relating to child protection concerns and/or serious allegations.

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It is not yet good because

 Risk assessment arrangements are not robust enough to ensure all areas used by children and fire exit routes are free from trip hazards at all times.  Information gathered from parents about children's starting points during initial assessments is not detailed enough to underpin planning for children's rapid progress and learning.  The childminder is not always effectively using training to consistently promote and enhance the quality of teaching and children's achievements over time.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children playing indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning records, planning for children, a selection of policies and procedures and the childminder's arrangements for self-evaluation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussions.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the qualifications of the childminder, and suitability of the childminder, assistant and other household members.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her seven children in the Shiregreen area of Sheffield. Two of her daughters are also registered childminders working from the home. Another daughter occasionally works an assistant. The whole of the ground floor and first floor bathroom and bedroom is used for childminding. There is an enclosed front garden for outdoor play. The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops, parks and other places of interest with children on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools, nursery and pre-schools. There are currently seven children on roll; two of whom are in the early years age range. The childminder operates all year round, except for family holidays. She works Monday to Sunday, working flexible hours, including

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Information about the setting

offering overnight care. The childminder supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 ensure risk assessment arrangements improve so that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure all fire doors are free from obstruction and to avoid trips and falls when children or adults are using the playroom

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must:

 improve parent partnerships and their involvement in their child's learning, especially when children first start, by exploring ways for them to share detailed information about their child's learning, prior skills, knowledge and understanding during initial assessments.

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

 make effective use of the skills, knowledge and understanding gained through training so that training successfully influences practice to consistently enhance the quality of teaching and children's achievement over time.

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who attend

Overall, the childminder has a sound understanding of how young children learn and develop, although the quality of teaching is variable. She involves herself in children's play and her interactions with them are positive. She asks a varied range of open-ended questions, which encourages children to think for themselves. She regularly observes the children and uses these observations to track their progress across the areas of learning. Therefore, she plans a varied range of activities to support them in making steady progress in their learning and readiness for school. She promotes children's language and communication skills through her positive interactions with them. For example, when involving younger children in making their lunch, she explains throughout what she is doing and she names and describes the foods she is using.

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who attend

The childminder also works with parents to support children who speak English as an additional language. She finds out children's level of understanding so that she can plan for their needs. She appropriately promotes their literacy and mathematical development through fun and varied experiences. Younger children enjoy looking at books and older children engage in drawing and painting activities to develop their early pre-writing skills. Children enjoy playing in the sand, and through using different sized containers, older children learn about mathematical concepts, such as volume, measure, full and empty. In addition, the childminder uses everyday routines to support younger children and babies to learn about numbers, for example, by counting the stairs or counting to five when washing their hands. However, the quality of teaching is variable because assessment arrangements are not robust enough. Although the childminder gathers some information

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who attend

from parents about children's needs and care, there is limited detail known about their learning to date. This includes information about children's starting points, prior skills, knowledge and understanding. Therefore, initial assessments are not precise and accurate enough to support planning for children's rapid progress.

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who attend

The childminder provides a varied range of activities and experiences for children across all areas of learning. Organisation of resources in the playroom and other areas of the home encourage children to make their own choices in play. Therefore, children are eager to learn because they can choose the activities they enjoy. The childminder sufficiently promotes children's development in understanding the world. She takes children on regular outings so that they can meet people who live in their community and explore nature and the natural environment. The children are creative and imaginative learners and this fosters their development in expressive arts and design. Children enjoy role play, such as taking their dolls for a walk in the pram and they engage in a varied range of art and craft activities.

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who attend

The childminder has sound relationships with parents. She regularly discusses with them children's progress, care and activities they experience. Parents have free access to their child's progress records and the childminder continues to explore ways to encourage parents to comment on their child's learning and experiences at home.

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

Relationships between the childminder and children are positive. The childminder provides a homely environment and through her settling-in visits, she ensures children feel safe and emotionally secure in her care. She gradually builds up the time children stay without their parents so that children can familiarise themselves with their new surroundings. Through discussions with parents and an 'all about me' form, the childminder finds out about children's care arrangements, routines and likes. This information sharing contributes to promoting continuity in children's care. This is because the childminder uses the information to incorporate children's individual routines into the day, such as their sleeping patterns, including bed time routines if they stay overnight. These positive relationships and communication with parents provide a smooth transition from home for children. These transition arrangements support children's future learning because

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

children have the confidence to manage and embrace new challenges, such as starting school. The childminder supports this further by taking children to groups, where they have opportunities to mix and play socially with other children. This contributes to promoting children's progress in their personal, social and emotional development.

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

The childminder appropriately promotes children's health and self-care skills. Her menus provide children with a varied range of healthy meals and snacks. By involving children in making the meals, she talks to them about the choices they make, such as explaining the pasta, tuna and sweetcorn will help them grow healthy and strong. Through regular routines, such as hand washing, the children are learning about their own personal care needs, health and hygiene. Through walks, outings, playing in the garden and visiting the park, children have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the benefits of playing in the fresh air. These activities also encourage children to be active, which appropriately promotes their physical development and understanding that exercise promotes a healthy lifestyle. Children are appropriately learning about ways in which they can keep themselves safe. For example, the childminder talks to children about road safety on outings and she

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

reminds younger children that climbing on tables is dangerous.

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

The childminder appropriately manages children's behaviour. She praises children's achievements and she values their contributions. She displays their work around the playroom and this provides children with a sense of belonging and it promotes their self- esteem and confidence. Through games, positive role models and discussions, children understand that it is kind to share and take turns. Children have regular opportunities to mix and socialise with other children at groups and this supports them in developing positive relationships with their peers. The children move freely around the home and they are able to independently access a varied range of resources. This promotes children's independence and self-care skills.

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provision

The childminder understands her role and responsibilities to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This inspection was carried out following a concern and provider notification relating to safeguarding issues. A full investigation by Ofsted, followed by an inspection found that the childminder understands her responsibilities in reporting child protection concerns, including serious allegations to appropriate agencies. Therefore, her safeguarding practice and policy contributes to protecting children from harm. However, the investigation found the childminder was not always seeking consent from parents to leave the children with an assistant. She rectified this immediately and through written parental consent, all parents are aware of who is caring for their children. This inspection found that the childminder has some appropriate measures in place to ensure she keeps children safe. She supervises their play and this includes ensuring the

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provision

care of the older children is not impacting on the safety of the younger children. The childminder completes risk assessments and she puts in place some suitable precautions to minimise accidents. For instance, when children are playing in a particular room, she frequently picks up the toys so that they do not fall or trip. However, the childminder is not always consistent in this approach and as a result, there are tripping hazards in the younger children's playroom. Although the childminder was not using this room on the day of the inspection, toys were left scattered on the floor. This room features one of the three fire escape routes for the premises, and although this was not the nearest route for children on the day, the scattered toys pose a risk. This is because they hamper the route of escape due to tripping hazards if the younger children present or adults need to use this escape route. The childminder maintains all relevant documentation that contributes

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provision

to promoting and safeguarding children's welfare. This includes a number of written policies and procedures, which she shares with her assistant so that they are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Her policies and procedures include the safe administration of medication, recording of accidents and managing of children's behaviour. The childminder ensures all adults living or working on the premises complete appropriate suitability checks. In addition, her risk assessments include contacting the police and appropriate agencies if she has any concerns about the behaviour of adults around children. This means she ensures the suitability of household members, assistants and visitors to the home which promotes children's safety.

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provision

The childminder understands the importance of self-evaluation and she has taken some positive steps to make improvements, including addressing the actions and recommendations from her last inspection and the recent visit by Ofsted. Through reorganisation of space, she provides spaces for younger children and older children to play. She organises resources so that children access age-appropriate activities and resources independently. Furthermore, through making better use of her observations the childminder has a better awareness of children's individual learning styles and interests and she is taking steps to incorporate this information into the planning of activities. Some improvements have been made to promote parent partnerships, however, information sharing about children's learning, especially on entry is still not strong enough. The childminder has recently completed a recognised early years qualification at level 3. This

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provision

demonstrates her commitment to developing her skills, knowledge and understanding of how young children learn and develop. However, she is yet to effectively implement ideas from this training in practice to consistently promote and enhance the quality of teaching and children's achievements over time.

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provision

The childminder has sound relationships with parents and she provides a flexible service for them, working variable hours, including providing overnight care to meet their demanding shift patterns. Comments from parents are positive. They say the environment is like home and that the childminder makes children feel part of the family. They express how happy their children are and they feel informed about their child's day and experiences. This includes being aware of who is caring for their children. The childminder welcomes the views of parents when evaluating her service. She appropriately communicates with other settings children attend so that she promotes continuity in children's learning. The childminder is aware of the importance of working in partnership with external agencies, such as health professionals to support children who may need additional support or help.

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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 EY373474 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 965492 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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