Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/06/2014 27/01/2014

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 4 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 caring and nurturing environment, where all children form appropriate bonds and secure emotional attachments.  Children are safe and protected from harm because the childminder understands her safeguarding responsibilities.  The childminder develops positive relationships with parents. This helps to ensure they exchange daily information about children's care needs and parents' wishes, which helps children to make a smooth move between their home and the childminder.

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It is not yet good because

 Planning and assessment systems are not effective to ensure play experiences and activities are always sufficiently challenging based on children's next steps for learning.  Teaching is at times directive and adult-led, which does not allow children to make their own choices during play. There are not always sufficient toys and resources to hand to encourage children to become independent learners.  The childminder does not effectively monitor her training needs and practices to ensure documentation she shares with parents reflects her responsibilities, and her educational programmes provide challenge to reflect the needs and interests of 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 children playing indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection and completed a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning records, planning for children and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussions with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1999 on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in Abingdon with her adult and teenage daughters. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is available for childminding, together with a first-floor bathroom. There is a fully enclosed garden for children's outdoor play. Access to the provision includes two steps to the front door. The family has two dogs. The childminder's home is within walking distance of local parks, shops and schools. She is currently minding six children who attend on various days and sessions, two children are over the age of eight years.

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must:

 plan a mix of activities that are challenging and tailored to each child's individual needs, interests and stage of development.

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

 allow children to make their own choices during play and ensure there are a sufficient range of toys and resources available to promote children's independent learning

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

 develop systems for promoting continuous improvement, for example, through self- evaluation; to monitor and evaluate children's learning and development and identify areas for improvement in documentation, to address these promptly and develop a well-established programme for professional development.

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who attend

The childminder supports children's learning appropriately; however, there is a variation in the teaching depending on the activity. When children are looking at stories about animals on a farm, the childminder models appropriate language and vocabulary. She talks to them about the noises the animals make. This helps to develop children's communication skills, although her questions at times do not extend children's learning about what they see. Opportunities to extend children's numeracy skills, such as counting while singing about five little ducks are also supportive of younger children's learning, however, they do not extend preschool aged children's counting skills to ten and beyond. The childminder sets out some puzzles for children to access, however, these do not challenge the older or younger children as they are too easy, and some have pieces missing. Children make some choices and decisions about their own play and learning, for example, they choose a

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who attend

book they would like to read and play farm bingo with the childminder, which they enjoy and engage in for a while. However, there are insufficient toys and resources readily available to ensure children remain fully immersed in purposeful play. This is because the childminder puts out resources that link to a topic, for example, animals. This limits children's choices, as they are not sufficient in breadth and choice to allow children to follow their own ideas and interests. This means that children lose interest in some of the activities the childminder plans and provides for. Teaching is also at times directive and adult-led meaning children are not always able to freely express themselves during their play. For example, during a craft activity, the childminder tells the children where to stick the tails for their animals. There are limited resources, such as mark-making tools, to extend children's creativity and interest further.

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who attend

The childminder plans for some areas of learning more effectively than others. She carries out regular observations of what the children do and records this in their learning profiles, sometimes including photographs. The childminder links the children's learning to the appropriate age and stage of development; however, she does not use this information to plan challenging activities according to children's individual next steps and learning needs. This means that children's learning is not always maximised to the full potential. Children are however, working within the typical range of development expected for their age, which means that they have the basic skills they need for school or their next stage of learning. Parents are welcomed into the setting and encouraged to complete an information sheet, detailing children's likes and dislikes. The childminder shares information about children's care, learning and play with parents through verbal feedback.

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who attend

Parents write to say they are happy with the childminder's care.

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

Children show they are happy and feel safe as they move around freely exploring their environment. They settle quickly and form a secure bond with the childminder. The childminder has an appropriate range of toys and resources, although these are not always available to children to support their independent and free choices. The childminder effectively plans regular opportunities for children to play outside, visit parks and walks in the local community to visit the library and playgroups. This promotes children's physical well-being.

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

Children have healthy balanced snacks and parents provide a range of food from home, which the childminder prepares following their instructions. Children help themselves to drinks when they are thirsty. This helps children take responsibility for keeping themselves healthy under the childminder's supervision. The childminder uses appropriate hygiene practices and ensures all children, including those who are potty training, wash their hands afterwards. This helps to develop children's understanding of good hygiene practices from an early age. Daily routines and activities help children to develop an understanding of potential hazards and how to stay safe, for example, they practise fire drills with the childminder to evacuate the home in an emergency. The childminder has an up-to-date first aid certificate to support her in managing any minor accidents the children might have. She informs parents of any accidents that occur and of any treatment she

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

Children are well behaved and confident. There are expectations for good behaviour as the childminder uses clear explanations about how to be kind to one another and take turns. The children have positive self-esteem and confidence in their abilities because the childminder regularly praises their behaviour and efforts. The childminder talks to children about going to big school and takes them to local groups, where they learn to socialise with other children. This helps children prepare for their next learning environment.

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provision

Overall, the childminder has a sound understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She ensures her home is safe for children to play. This is because she completes regular safety checks, risk assesses her home, garden and outings, and supervises children's play. The childminder puts in place appropriate precautions to reduce the risk of accidents and injury, for example, using safety gates to restrict children's access to the kitchen and pet food. The childminder has an appropriate understanding of child protection issues so that she protects children from harm. Through training, she is aware of the different signs of abuse and neglect and she knows she must monitor, record and report any concerns to the relevant agencies. She has a written safeguarding policy to support her that she shares with parents. However, she does not share information

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provision

with them about the safe use of mobile phones or cameras in her setting or the procedures she will follow in the event of an allegation made against her or other household members. The childminder maintains all required documentation, policies and procedures to meet requirements and this contributes to her safeguarding children. For example, she obtains all relevant information about children's needs and her written policies outline how she manages their behaviour, deals with accidents and handles complaints.

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provision

The childminder has taken some steps towards evaluating and monitoring her service. Through her reflective practice, she identifies some aspects of her service that she can develop to improve the provision for children. She is exploring different ways to access training to keep up to date with safeguarding information. However, her approach to monitoring and evaluating the educational programme lack rigour to ensure activities suitably challenge children. Systems to monitor the impact of all of her practices are not robust, for example, so that parents receive detailed information about all of her responsibilities. The childminder understands the importance of continual professional development to improve her personal effectiveness and outcomes for children. However, she has not identified any early years training to help her develop her practices. The childminder has sound relationships with parents. Discussions and sharing some

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provision

information about their child's progress supports them to work together to meet children's care and learning needs appropriately. The childminder understands the importance of working with other settings children attend to promote continuity in their learning. She finds out what children are doing in pre-school so that she can complement these experiences when the children are in her care. As a result, she is beginning to incorporate what other professionals and parents are telling her within her own planning. This promotes some continuity in children's learning. The childminder understands her responsibilities in working in partnership with external agencies and other professionals if children 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 134536 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 965261 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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