Childminder in Barnet

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/05/2014 14/06/2013

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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 childminder provides a welcoming home environment for children; she supports the development of secure attachments which is seen in the children’s positive interactions with her.  Children are developing helpful independence skills as they access a range of environments and resources with confidence.  Children are developing sound communication and language skills because the childminder offers them opportunities to talk and learn new words by providing lots of repetition of language for young children who are beginning to talk.

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It is not yet good because

 Although the childminder is carrying out some observations to share with parents she is not always using this information to support her in planning for children’s individual next steps. Therefore, children’s opportunities to make steady progress in their learning is not secure.  The childminder’s current risk assessments do not identify a risk in one area of the home. Consequently children do not benefit from using this equipment until it is made safe.  The childminder works in partnership with parents to help meet the care needs of children but she is yet to fully establish partnerships with all of the settings that children attend to support a more consistent approach to their learning.

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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 inspectors observed activities in the childminder's home.  The inspectors talked with the childminder and the children present.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors looked at the children's assessment records, and a range of other documentation including the safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors reviewed parental communications and spoke to parents during the visit.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in April 1996. She lives with her two adult children in Mill Hill, London. All areas of the home are used for childminding purposes although the childminder mainly uses the ground floor accommodation with minded children. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently six children attending on a part-time basis, of these, one child is within the early years age range.

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must:

 ensure that children’s individual needs, interests, and stage of development are identified and used to plan children’s next steps in their learning

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must:

 ensure that risk assessments identify all aspects of the environment and take the necessary steps to ensure the sofa in the playroom is made safe.

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

 extend your partnerships with other settings that children attend to further promote a consistent approach towards children’s care and learning needs.

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who attend

The childminder has a sound knowledge and understanding of the seven areas of learning. She promotes children’s learning through play and develops their interests through her flexible approach. For example, children learn about the concepts of shapes, colours and numbers as the childminder supports them to complete puzzles. Children concentrate for long periods of time as they sit with the childminder and persevere in these activities. However, puzzles are sometimes too difficult for the younger children, and although they persevere they do not have the opportunity to complete these and have a sense of achievement. Consequently, children’s self-esteem is not always fully promoted.

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who attend

The childminder provides children with a varied programme of activities and experiences, which include regular trips to the local play groups, parks, the farm and library. The childminder supports children to be independent as she encourages their self-care skills by teaching them to feed themselves and encouraging them to make choices about their play. Children enjoy stories with the childminder, demonstrating that they are learning positive listening skills. The childminder continually speaks to the children and provides opportunities for young children to imitate new words. Children are developing appropriate physical skills as they have opportunities to play energetically in the park and in the childminder’s garden. They have access to a slide and small bikes to develop climbing and coordination skills.

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who attend

Overall, children are developing some useful skills to support their learning and their eventual move to school. However, children are not always challenged at the appropriate level to develop new skills. This is because the childminder does not consistently consider children’s current achievements to inform her planning. For example, children are occasionally given resources that are too challenging to support their learning. Consequently, the planning and monitoring for children’s ongoing learning is not secure.

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who attend

The childminder has established warm partnerships with parents. This is evident in the positive interactions observed between parents and the childminder when parents arrive to collect their children. Parents are encouraged to share information about their children’s care routines, and this information fully supports children’s continuity of care in the setting.

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

Children are happy and settled in the childminder’s care. They are secure in their relationships with her as they clearly enjoy her warm interactions. When they are tired, they are confident to sit on her lap for a cuddle and then fall asleep. The childminder is kind and patient, providing a consistent role model for children. For example, she praises them when they achieve tasks or when they help to tidy the toys away. She encourages them to be patient and to behave in polite ways. The impact is that children are well behaved and treat the childminder and their environments with respect. Children are cared for in a generally safe and comfortable home environment. They are learning about risks as the childminder reminds them to be careful. For example, she reminds them not to close their fingers in cupboard doors and to be careful when they are walking up and down steps. The childminder is vigilant in her supervision of children which helps to keep

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

them safe from harm. However her current risk assessment is not effective in removing a risk that is posed by a torn sofa in the playroom. The childminder has covered the exposed foam on the sofa with a large blanket; however, this can be easily removed by the children. The childminder acknowledged that this must be inaccessible to children until it is made safe.

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

Children choose from a suitable range of resources, which are easily accessible and provide an appropriate variety of learning experiences. For example, young children have suitably sized furniture to support their independence as they are able to sit and engage in table-top activities at their level. Children have daily opportunities to get fresh air and be active as the childminder encompasses this into their routines. They develop a positive approach to healthy eating as the childminder offers them healthy snacks such as fresh fruit. Children are learning positive personal hygiene procedures as they are taught how to wash their hands before and after eating food. The childminder cares for a number of school aged children and one child who attends a nursery setting. She demonstrates a sound understanding of preparing children emotionally for their move to school and nursery. However, she is yet to fully develop her partnerships with all the settings that

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

children attend to promote a more consistent approach towards supporting children’s continuity of learning in each setting.

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provision

The childminder has a sound knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has ensured that all adults living in her household undergo suitability checks. The childminder has many helpful systems to assess and remove risks to children, and although, her action to remove a risk on this occasion is not entirely effective. The impact on children’s safety is minimal, this is because of her vigilant supervision of children in her care. The childminder is aware of child protection issues and she is clear about what signs and symptoms would give her cause for concern. She is aware of her role and responsibilities to safeguard children’s welfare. The childminder has a safeguarding policy and procedure that she shares with parents.

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provision

The childminder provides many positive educational experiences for children as she knows how they learn through play. She creates a happy home environment where children are becoming confident learners. However, she does not yet have robust structures in place to monitor the educational programmes she offers to children. Her observations and assessments of children’s achievement are underway but these are yet to inform her planning. This means that children do not always receive appropriate challenges to help them progress.

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provision

The childminder has developed some helpful policies and procedures to share with parents. These include her commitment to working in partnership with them by maintaining daily diaries for their youngest children. These serve to keep parents informed of all aspects of care as she shares with them what children have eaten, when they have slept and what activities they have enjoyed during the day. She provides parents with basic questionnaires to gain their feedback on whether they are happy with the services she provides for their children. The childminder demonstrates an appropriate understanding of the importance of working in partnership with parents and with external agencies to support children who may require interventions to help them in meeting individual milestones. She has first-hand experience of caring for children with special educational needs. Overall, the childminder demonstrates a positive approach to

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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 a risk assessment of the premises and equipment is immediately carried out where the need for an assessment arises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that a risk assessment of the premises and equipment is immediately carried out where the need for an assessment arises (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 147074 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 974961 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 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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