Childminder in Rotherham

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/06/2014 01/06/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 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 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 observe or assess children's progress. As a result, she has little understanding of children's level of development. This means she cannot plan to help them attain the next steps in their learning and does not take account of information from parents about children's learning.  The childminder has a poor understanding of the seven areas of learning. This means there are no planned, purposeful educational programmes to provide a balance of adult-led and child-initiated play. As a result, children are not supported in making progress because the quality of teaching is poor.  Most resources are stored where children cannot access them. This means they cannot make choices in their play. The resources chosen for them are mundane and there is very little to spark their natural curiosity.  The childminder has not taken sufficient action to address previously identified weaknesses, and she has paid little regard to the action plans devised by the local

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This provision is inadequate

authority adviser to drive improvement. As a result, the provision is not improving in order to benefit the children who attend.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are kept safe because the childminder has a suitable understanding of child protection issues, and she has clear procedures in place for reporting any concerns about a child.

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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 activities in the main playroom and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector asked the childminder questions about her practice at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed assessment of children's learning and looked at planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications, and discussed the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of a parent spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1998 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in a house in Rotherham. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder visits the shops and park on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 10 children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and family holidays. She is a member of Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 complete observations and assessments of all children's progress to accurately ascertain their level of development, link observations to the areas of learning, and clearly identify children's next steps in learning, in order to obtain a clear understanding of children's attainment

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must:

 plan a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities that include all seven areas of learning, taking into account children's interests and preferences for learning

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must:

 use information from observations and assessments, together with information from parents, to tailor educational programmes that target children's individual learning needs, taking into account each child's level of development, and ensure they are offered good levels of challenge that help them to achieve their next steps in learning

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must:

 complete the required progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years, to ensure children's strengths are identified, and any areas of learning where children are not meeting their expected targets are identified.

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

 make resources accessible so that children can make free choices about their play, and ensure they can access a variety of resources that capture their interests and support their independent explorations.

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who attend

The childminder has a poor understanding of the learning and development requirements. Starting points are obtained from parents when children enter the childminder's care. For example, she finds out if they can say any basic words. However, she does not use the information to plan any focused activities that take into account the skills they have already acquired. For example, children who are underachieving in communication and language are not well supported. They sing simple rhymes and take part in conversations during their play. However, the childminder does not assess their progress and she does not know what stage they are at in their learning. As a result, children are not making suitable progress towards the early learning goals for communication and language, and are not well prepared for their next stage in learning.

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who attend

For most children, there are no systems in place for observing or assessing their progress. This means the childminder has an insufficient understanding of their levels of development. In addition to this, she does not always take their interests into consideration. As a result, she does not plan activities that take into account children's stage of development, or their interests, so activities do not offer them sufficient challenge. There is very little adult-led play and during child-initiated activities, as the childminder rarely uses strategies, such as discussion or questioning, to support children to share their ideas. For example, when children pretend to use a toy as a windmill, the childminder does not ask where they have seen one or what a windmill needs to make it spin. In addition to this, children have access to a very limited range of resources because most of them are stored where they are not accessible. The resources the childminder

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who attend

chooses for them do not reflect their interests, and they are mundane. For example, apart from using a magnifying glass to hunt for snails in the garden, there are no resources to support children's growing interest in mini-beasts. However, the childminder does plan some seasonal activities, such as planting sunflowers. Children learn some early mathematical concepts by measuring them and comparing sizes. They are learning to count through everyday discussions, and they develop early writing skills by making marks in paint and drawing with pencils.

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who attend

There are currently no systems for evaluating the impact of activities on children's learning. Recommendations from previous inspections, to develop the process for monitoring children's progress and recording the next steps in their development, have not been addressed. This means the childminder cannot be certain whether the activities she provides support children's progress. The childminder shares information about activities children have enjoyed through daily discussions. This means parents can continue their learning at home. Sometimes parents share information about children's learning at home, and share the milestones their children have attained. However, the childminder does not use the information so she does not set next steps in learning for children, or plan how she can support their continuing progress. Parents do not know whether their children have learning records because in the time they have attended the setting, no records have

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who attend

been shared with them. The childminder is not aware of her responsibility for completing the required progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. As a result, not enough information about children's progress is known, in order to seek early intervention services if children are not meeting the expected milestones for their age.

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

Children enjoy time in the fresh air most days during walks in the community and trips to local parks. This extends their learning experiences by providing them with large spaces to investigate, and they can test their skills on large play equipment. This means children can make choices about their play while developing their physical skills. They also have access to the childminder's garden. However, the space is not used well because resources are not set out to promote children's independent investigations. This means that although children occupy themselves, activities are boring and there is no focused teaching to support good progress in their learning. The childminder takes children to visit another childminder's home. This helps them to develop secure peer relationships as they learn to mix with other children. Simple, age-appropriate explanations help them to understand the needs of others, and this is helping to prepare them for the larger social environment they

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

will experience in school. The childminder provides children with healthy snacks. This helps them to understand how making healthy choices contributes to their overall health and well-being. They develop self-care skills as they learn to dress themselves, wash their hands and gain independence in using the toilet. As a result, they can attend to their own personal care needs when they move on to school.

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

Children's safety is promoted during play and daily routines. They take part in a number of trips off the premises, and this extends their learning into the wider, natural environment. For example, they explore the changing seasons during walks in the woods by looking at different flowers and observing how the trees change. They are shown how to risk assess for themselves. For example, the childminder teaches them to use large play equipment in the park safely. As a result, they are learning how to keep themselves safe. By using clear, age-appropriate explanations, she teaches children to share and play cooperatively. Children receive clear and consistent messages and, as a result, they are developing a secure understanding of right and wrong. Children's behaviour in the setting is good.

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

Secure partnerships with parents ensure information about children's care is shared. Care routines for babies reflect those they enjoy at home. The childminder is attentive to their needs and they demonstrate suitable attachments with her that promote their emotional well-being. The childminder uses age-appropriate guidance to help children consider each other's needs. This supports them in developing secure relationships with their peers. Children show that they are settled and self-assured as they choose from the resources available to them. The childminder understands their need for additional emotional support during transitions. Short introductory sessions, which they enjoy with their parents, help them to settle and provide some continuity in their care. Children receive suitable levels of support to get them ready for the move to the local nursery school, and this means they are emotionally well prepared. Daily routines, such as changing their

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

shoes, reflect those they will experience in school. The childminder takes them with her to collect older children from school, and this helps them to understand school routines. They become familiar with the teachers, so when the time comes for them to move on to the next stage in their learning, they are welcomed by an adult they know.

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provision

Children are kept safe because risk assessments are in place and these contribute to children being kept safe while on the premises and during trips. Daily checks mean the premises and equipment are suitably maintained and are safe for children to use. The childminder has completed child protection training to develop her knowledge of safeguarding issues and demonstrates a suitable understanding of how to keep children safe. She is knowledgeable about the procedures to follow should she have concerns about a child's safety or well-being. The childminder holds a current first-aid certificate, which means that she can give appropriate treatment if there is an accident to a child in her care. Children's attendance, including when they arrive and leave, is recorded. Accidents and medications administered to children are recorded in line with the legal requirements. Policies and procedures are shared with parents. This means, in general,

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provision

parents are aware of the service on offer to them and are knowledgeable about the procedures in place to keep their children safe.

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provision

The childminder has little regard for the learning and development requirements. As a result, she has not taken action to improve the educational programmes, and the standard of teaching is poor. Insufficient planning means children are not supported in making good progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder does not assess children's progress, which means she is not able to share accurate information about children's learning. As a result, when they move on to the local nursery school, continuity in their learning is not supported.

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provision

The childminder shows insufficient commitment to improving her practice. She has not taken suitable action to address all weakness identified at previous inspections. In addition to this, she has given little regard to action plans devised by the local authority childcare development team. As a result, areas for improvement, such as developing a system for monitoring children's progress, have not been implemented for most of the children in her care. This means she has made little progress in improving her provision since her last inspection.

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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 303144 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 818677 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

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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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