Childminder in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/06/2014 10/11/2011

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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 remain safe and healthy as the childminder ensures they are protected. She has a satisfactory understanding of safeguarding issues to promote children's welfare.  The childminder communicates well with parents. The exchange of relevant information, such as, children's individual needs, care routines and learning, ensures children's well-being is supported.  Children have formed close attachments with the childminder. This means children are confident and settled in their surroundings and quickly settle.

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It is not yet good because

 Children do not make good progress because the childminder does not have a full understanding of each child's stages of development, in order to shape future learning experiences for them and fully support their progress. Observations are not consistently of good quality to ensure children's learning is adequately supported.  Children have fewer opportunities to play with natural and open-ended resources to encourage them to explore in different ways. Resources and toys available do not consistently offer sufficient challenges to develop children's further learning.  The childminder does not reflect sufficiently on her practice, in order to identify strengths and all areas for improvement which will improve the quality of the provision for children.

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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 indoor learning environment.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder and children.  The inspector viewed a sample of children's development records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed evidence of risk assessments, policies and procedures and other documentation in relation to health and safety checks.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of members living in the household and the childminders qualifications.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents from written references provided at the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and one child aged 13 years in a house in Colchester, Essex. The whole of the premises and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has two cats as pets. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. The childminder visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently nine children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. She operates all year round, from 6.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 improve knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of effective teaching and learning, so that children are best supported to be engaged and motivated in their learning and are offered sufficient challenge to sustain their interest in tasks

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must:

 improve the quality and accuracy of observations made to ensure activities provided support children's progress.

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

 develop the range of activities and resources provided to fully create a stimulating play space and ensure children are offered suitable challenges in all areas of learning and includes opportunities to discover and explore using natural materials

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

 implement more thorough and focused self-evaluation, which includes the views of parents and children and strengthens the links between identified priorities and plans to secure continuous improvement.

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who attend

The childminder has a basic knowledge of how children develop and understands her role in teaching children to promote their learning. However, the childminder does not have a secure understanding of the different ways in which children learn. In addition, the lack of a good range of interesting, exciting resources that offer children with appropriate levels of challenge means children are not developing their own ideas, concentrating or able to investigate and explore for themselves. This results in some children lacking the enthusiasm for learning, for example, toddlers enjoy throwing balls but are not challenged sufficiently. The childminder does not provide them with opportunities to aim and throw precisely, therefore, children become bored. Children are provided with small bowls of dried pasta with the expectation of making shakers. Young children find this interesting and want to play by just feeling the texture, pouring and filling the pots. The childminder

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who attend

provides additional resources, such as spoons, to support their learning, but only when prompted as she lacks confidence and understanding of different ways in which children learn. Fewer opportunities are available for children to access resources, such as, treasure baskets, sensory play and exploring with natural materials that support babies and toddlers development. The childminder records children's activities and makes observations regarding their progress. However, these are not consistently of good quality so activities are not always matched to support their continued learning.

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who attend

The childminder talks calmly and quietly to children. They sit and enjoy cuddles while listening to stories. The childminder encourages young children to repeat words and praises them for their efforts as they learn new words. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported. Resources are labelled in the child's home language so that some text is familiar to them. The childminder has sourced story books in children's first language and also uses the toy library to borrow resources that depict diversity. Children are developing appropriate communication and language skills in readiness for school. Children make appropriate gains in their physical development as they have some opportunities to develop their climbing and balancing skills as they use the large apparatus at the park.

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who attend

Appropriate information is exchanged in discussion with parents. Parents are encouraged to talk to the childminder about their child's starting points in learning and ongoing achievements at home using the home link book. The childminder creates suitable opportunities for parents to read her basic summative assessments of their child's learning, ensuring they are kept suitably informed of the activities their children engage in and their ongoing progress.

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

Children are settled and have formed secure attachments to the childminder. They are familiar with the new environment of the childminder's home because a variety of settling- in visits are completed to support each child's individual needs. Relevant information is sought from parents during these visits to ensure children's individual eating, sleeping and nappy changing routines are also followed by the childminder. As a result, this helps children foster a sense of belonging and consequently, they settle well and experience continuity in their care. Children confidently interact with the childminder and often approach her for cuddles. The childminder approaches behaviour management in a calm manner, using strategies that suit children's individual levels of understanding. For example, she uses gentle reminders about sharing and taking turns and redirects younger children's attention by suggesting they use other toys. Consequently, children do play

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

cooperatively alongside each other. Children are given positive praise and recognition for their efforts and achievements. For example, young children 'have a go' at blowing bubbles and are praised when they successfully manage this by themselves.

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

The home is welcoming for children and some resources are easily accessible for them to support spontaneous play. However, there is a limited range of exciting and challenging resources that keep them motivated and engaged. Children attend several local social groups with the childminder. These opportunities extend their interactions with others and help them to develop appropriate social skills in preparation for their move into early years settings and school when the time comes. The childminder works closely with parents in supporting children with the transition from nappies to potty and encourages older children to develop independence and skills in self-care, for example, accessing the bathroom independently and washing hands. Children are encouraged to dress themselves appropriately before going outdoors. Children are encouraged even from a young age to develop a sense of their own safety, for example, they are reminded to sit on a chair

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

carefully. They are encouraged to tidy away to avoid accidents and they are reminded about road safety when walking in the environment.

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

Children are provide with healthy snacks and drinks ensuring their individual dietary needs are well met. Children enjoy daily access to fresh air and exercise as they walk to school, toddler groups or play in the park. This supports children to stay active and ensures they benefit from further aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a sound understanding on how to protect children. Children are safe in her care because the childminder implements a clear range of policies and procedures, to ensure children are kept safe from harm and knows what to do should she have any concerns regarding a child in her care. All people living in the household have completed the necessary checks to ensure their suitability to be in contact with children. Children's safety is further promoted as the childminder undertakes risk assessments of her home and the outings offered to children. As a result, hazards are promptly identified and acted upon in order to minimise any risk to children's safety. For example, recent weather has made the garden unsafe as fencing has been damaged. Children are unable to access the garden as doors remain locked until work is completed. The childminder ensures they have daily opportunities for physical exercise and fresh air as outings to the

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provision

Children are cared for by a childminder, who wants to provide the best for them and a good overall service. The childminder demonstrates a capacity for improvement and has responded to recommendations made at the last inspection to improve opportunities for children. The childminder welcomes help to improve her provision from the local authority early years adviser and has acted on any advice given to ensure children benefit from a childminder, who understands and meets their needs appropriately. The childminder attends regular cluster group meetings at the local children's centre to improve her knowledge on how to promote children's learning. However, the childminder has not yet started to effectively monitor the overall quality of her provision or the educational programme provided. This means that identifying areas of teaching that are less effective or the provision of resources to support children's learning is not swiftly identified. This

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provision

has a negative impact on how well children learn and progress. Whilst the childminder has informal discussions with parents, their opinions or comments are not sought or used purposefully to inform the self-evaluation process to improve the provision for children.

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provision

The childminder does ensure information is shared with parents and this is supported through the use of a daily diary, which is passed between the child's home and the childminder. This details the child's care routines and the activities they have enjoyed. The childminder is aware of the benefits of sharing this information with other early years providers and has made links with the local nursery that children attend, in order to promote consistency for children across the different settings. Written references provided by parents suggest they are very happy with the care their children receive. They comment positively regarding the information provided by the childminder and the communication links in place across the settings their children attend.

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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 EY414617 Local authority Essex Inspection number 875532 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 3 Number of children on roll 9

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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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