Childminder in Kent

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/06/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 builds good relationships with the children, enabling them to settle and develop their confidence and feeling of being safe.  The childminder is consistent in her approach to managing children's behaviour supporting their understanding and social skills.  The childminder uses her creativity to make resources to provide additional opportunities for the children.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder is still developing systems to assess the progress children are making, and therefore they are not yet embedded in practice.  Children cannot make healthy choices at snack time because they are not given a range of snacks.  Children have limited opportunities to use natural materials to explore and investigate.

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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 spent the majority of the inspection observing the childminder and her co-childminder interacting with the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled and reviewed a range of documentation including children's development records and policies and procedures.  The inspector held ongoing discussions with the childminder and her co-childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2013 and co-minds with her mother. The childminding takes place at her mother's house in Ramsgate, in Kent. Childminding takes place on the ground floor. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family have two dogs and goldfish.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently seven children on roll in the early years age range.

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Information about the setting

The childminding home is close to public transport, schools, shops, parks and other amenities. The childminder can take and collect children from school.

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must:

 further develop the system of planning, using children's next steps, to plan activities that provide exciting, challenging opportunities to meet children's age and stage of development and interests.

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

 provide more natural resources and activities to meet children's individual interests

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

 improve snack time, by offering a range of snacks to enable children to make healthy choices.

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who attend

The childminder has a satisfactory knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and plans activities for the children. She uses different sources such as the internet to provide ideas to support children's learning, often making her own resources. The childminder takes photographs and records observations which are put in the children's learning journals. Samples of children's work are also used to provide clear, interesting records for the parents, who are encouraged to contribute to this process. They can make written or verbal comments or provide photographs. Observations are summarised to identify children's progress so far and to identify children's stage of development. However, this is a fairly new system and is not fully embedded into practice resulting in some information not being completely accurate. As a result, activities or resources are not always based on children's interests or appropriate to their age and stage.

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who attend

Children are settled and move confidently around the home, finding the accessible resources around the room. The childminder and her co-worker sit with the children on the majority of occasions joining in with children's play such as singing songs. Children are encouraged to make choices as they move around, although there are not always sufficient toys to meet children's interests or engage their attention. Outdoor play is offered daily, enabling children to play in the sand or climb on the small climbing platform. Balls are a firm favourite for some of the children, accessing a variety both indoors and outside. Children enjoy using the trampet indoors to bounce developing their large physical skills while the crawlers are learning to pull themselves up on the furniture to stand. Lunch time provides good opportunities to help children gain hand and eye coordination as they learn to use their fingers to eat and begin to use utensils.

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who attend

The childminder understands the importance of promoting children's communication skills. She talks to the children about what they are doing and repeats their babble and then adds words to give it meaning. Consequently, children are becoming confident communicators. However, some opportunities are missed to extend children's vocabulary and understanding during play. Books are used on occasions to share with the children and encourage children to label the pictures. However, books are not always made easily accessible and therefore not fully implemented into children's daily choices.

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who attend

The childminder provides and plans messy play for all the children, using shaving foam and paint throughout the week. She provides sand and water play on occasions to encourage children's sensory play. However, toys are not made of natural materials and activities do not always encourage children to explore and investigate. Children enjoy small-world play, using the cars and children's favourite television characters, although these activities are not further extended or freely accessible.

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

The childminder builds sound relationships with the children, building up attachments and learning about their individual needs. Consequently, children settle well and feel safe and secure. The childminder seeks information from the parents about children's personal details, such as children's routines and development. This enables her to meet their care needs and have a base line to start planning from. The childminder is consistent in her approach to behaviour management. This enables children to understand the boundaries and to develop their social skills, while learning to be kind to others and take turns. For example, several children like to use the trampet and try to get on at the same time. The childminder removes the children and offers a clear explanation about taking turns and their safety.

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

Children begin to learn about living a healthy lifestyle through active play both indoors and outside. The childminder encourages children to become mobile and holds their hands to walk around the room. Children can choose to play outside or inside when the weather is dry, encouraging children to benefit from fresh air and larger play equipment. Children are provided with regular drinks, generally of milk or water throughout the day. They are given regular meal and snack times with parents generally providing lunch for their own children. Snacks are provided by the childminder, although she does not provide a choice, therefore restricting opportunities for children to make healthy choices. The childminder and her co-childminder implement effective hygiene routines during nappy changing to promote children's well-being.

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

Children play in a safe environment because the childminder carries out a risk assessment of the home in partnership with her co-childminder. She constantly reviews the activities and removes toys from the younger children that may pose a choking hazard. Children are encouraged to move around freely, with the newly mobile children learning to negotiate the step to outdoors. The childminder obtains written consent for outings from the parents and obtains all relevant information from the parents to keep children safe.

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

Children play with a satisfactory range of resources that are stored in storage trays with labels. However, due to the young age of the majority of the children, they do not always investigate and therefore do make full use of the resources. This results in children arguing over the toys and not always finding resources that hold or engage their attention. The childminder has made a few resources for the children, providing further variety although, occasionally these are not always based on children's stage of development.

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

The childminder has only been minding for a short period of time and has not yet got children that are moving on to the next stage in their learning. However, she understands the importance of promoting self-help skills such as toileting and hand washing to promote children's independence. The childminder works with the parents to support children in learning to put on their own coat and shoes and to move from bottles to cups.

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provision

The childminder has a sound knowledge about her role and responsibilities towards caring for the children. She understands the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and is in the process of developing her practice to promote children's learning. The childminder works with her mother as her co-childminder and provides a welcoming, caring environment to support all children in their development. The childminder and her mother know each other's strengths and use this to inform their practice.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding about safeguarding children. She is aware of the procedures to follow if she has any concerns about children in her care through the implementation of her safeguarding policy. This policy is issued to the parents to keep them aware of her role and responsibilities. The childminder obtains written consent for aspects of care from the parents to promote children's safety. She records visitors to her setting and ensures that children are within her sight at all times, especially on outings. Risk assessments are carried out for the home, the garden and all outings enabling secure procedures to be implemented effectively to protect children.

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provision

The childminder and her co-childminder work well together, evaluating and reviewing the practice and care that they offer. They reflect on each day, discussing what worked well or what was not so effective. The childminder tends to take the lead in the planning, thinking up activities to support children's next stage in their learning. However, on occasions these are not always aimed at the correct age and stage for the child. The childminder is in the process of completing a written self-evaluation, although this is not yet fully established to identify all the strengths and areas to develop within the setting. The childminder is aware of her strengths and areas where she is not so secure she uses her mother's experience and knowledge. Consequently, providing a secure, developing practice.

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provision

The childminder is developing a sound relationship with the parents and shares the relevant documents and their child's assessment records with them. Parents of the younger children receive a daily contact book that contains children's personal care and routines each day. Parents are welcome to record any comments if they need to, enabling two-way flow of information. This can be continued for the older children at parental requests. All policies and procedures are shared by email with the parents informing them of the childminder's role and responsibilities. In addition, the children's learning journeys are kept up to date and shared with the parents on a regular basis. They are encouraged to contribute to this process and extend children's learning at home through simple activities. This enables children to experience continuity and their learning and development promoted. The childminder understands the importance of sharing

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provision

information with other providers or outside agencies, who share the care of the children, although at present children do not attend other settings.

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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 EY471996 Local authority Kent Inspection number 949825 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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