Childminder in Kent

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/06/2014 26/07/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 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 environment for children so that they feel safe and secure.  The childminder knows how children learn and provides a range of toys and activities to stimulate their curiosity and interest.  The childminder forms good relationships with children and their parents, which helps them to develop secure emotional attachments and promotes their well-being and independence.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder has not kept Ofsted informed of changes in her circumstance, which has an impact on her childminding arrangements.  The childminder does not consistently use the information gained from parents and through observations, to plan activities and track children's developmental progress clearly across all areas of learning and development.  Occasionally, the childminder misses opportunities to ask questions and give explanations that encourage children to think, to further support their understanding of the world.

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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 invited the childminder to do a joint observation of children's play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the childminder about her safeguarding children knowledge as well as looking at the policies and procedures, including risk assessments.  The inspector looked at children's daily records/assessment books.  The inspector observed activities both inside and in the garden.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2012. She lives with her partner and one preschool age child in Dartford, Kent. The home is close to all major transport links and there are parking facilities outside. Children have the use the downstairs rooms; the toilet is upstairs. There is a secure garden for outside play. The childminder has a pet guinea pig, which has a hutch in the garden.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder works with an assistant. They currently have two children on roll in the early years age group.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends local parent/toddler and childminder groups.

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Information about the setting

The childminder has a foundation degree in early years childcare and she has experience of working as a manager of a full day-care provision.

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must:

 inform Ofsted of any significant event that may impact on the registration and this includes any changes in circumstances and members of the household

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must:

 use the information gained from parents and through observations, to track children's developmental progress across all areas of learning and development so that any gaps in learning can be quickly identified and closed.

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

 develop the partnership with parents further, to plan activities that promote continuity of learning and build on children's experiences and interests at home.

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

 develop the quality of teaching further by consistently using more questions that encourage children to think and by giving more explanations that further support children's understanding of the world.

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who attend

The childminder has a sound understanding of the learning requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She provides a wide range of resources for children to help themselves to. The childminder knows the areas of learning well and ensures her resources support children's curiosity and learning. She regularly observes children in their play and she records daily activities, noting which activities children enjoy. She gives children support and challenges their thinking in spontaneous activities. For example, children enjoy making pictures on the white board with felt tip pens and using chalks on the reverse blackboard. This supports them in developing early handwriting skills. The childminder joins in, and sensitively assesses children's knowledge of colours as children play.

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who attend

Children recognise the shape of their first name and they quickly learn that the letters hold a meaning because the childminder introduces them to phonics, which helps to promote their early reading skills and prepares them well for learning to read at school. Children benefit too because the childminder constantly chats to children, extending their conversation. She provides children with a selection of books to read and children spend time the looking at pictures in them and choosing their favourite stories, which supports their early literacy. Children also enjoy role-play activities such as caring for babies as they feed their dolls and help to change nappies. This supports children's understanding of their world and the extra care that babies need.

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who attend

The childminder knows the children in her care very well. She notes the activities that children particularly enjoy so that she can build on their interests. Children learn early mathematical concepts such as subtraction, as they play games such as skittles where they count the skittles they knock down and check how many are left. Children develop social skills as they learn to take turns.

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who attend

The childminder assesses children using her daily observations in the children's contact books, which she shares with parents, to identify children's next steps in their learning. However, the childminder does not consistently use the information gained from parents and through observations, to track children's developmental progress across all areas of learning and development, to help notice quickly any gaps in children's learning. The childminder completes the required progress check for two-year-old children to share information with parents about children's level of development.

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

The childminder provides a warm and comfortable, homely environment in which children play and relax, which supports their emotional well-being. Settling-in visits help children to become familiar with their new surroundings at their own pace and enable them to form close bonds with the childminder. During this time parents and the childminder complete details of the children's care needs, which the childminder follows and updates as the children grow and their needs change. This also eases children's move from their known, home environment to the childminder's setting. The childminder and parents work particularly well together with care plans such as potty training. Events are noted in the daily contact book, and parents and childminder share both verbal and written information on care and routine needs on a daily basis. As a result, children are supported extremely well as they learn to use the toilet independently which prepares them for their move to

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

The childminder organises her room well with toys and resources available in attractive low- level container drawers which encourages children to help themselves, increasing their confidence and independence, and satisfying their curiosity. Children display positive behaviour because they are interested in the activities the childminder provides. She also uses frequent praise and encouragement, for example, as children tidy away toys, to raise children's self-esteem and encourage positive behaviour, supporting their personal, social and emotional development.

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

All areas in the childminder's home are clean and well maintained which supports children's health. Children's care routines are followed enabling children to have active time in the garden and quieter, resting times after lunch. The childminder abides by parents' wishes for their children's dietary needs and ensures children have regular refreshments such as water, fruit and muffins, which children happily feed themselves. Children talk about sweets being bad for their teeth, showing their developing understanding of healthy eating. The childminder promotes children's understanding of good hygiene by encouraging them to wash hands after going to the toilet and before eating lunch. She supports children to develop independence in self-care routines by displaying visual reminders about washing hands.

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

The childminder has a satisfactory understanding of safeguarding children and has written appropriate procedures to follow if she has a concern about a child in her care. The childminder carries out risk assessments of her home to ensure all areas are safe. She has safety gates to prevent children wandering upstairs but permits children to go upstairs with her supervision, which helps them to learn to take risks, while keeping them safe. The childminder has appropriate fire detection and prevention equipment and practises fire evacuation regularly to support children's understanding of actions to take in an emergency.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward following concerns raised regarding the childminder's suitability and understanding of the welfare requirements with respect to managing children's behaviour. The inspection found that the childminder is a qualified practitioner in childcare and has a sound knowledge of children's learning and development. She has effective policies and procedures in place to support her practice. She also has appropriate systems to support and promote children's positive behaviour. The childminder ensures that all adults in her household are appropriately vetted and she checks the identity of visitors. However, the inspection also found that the childminder now has a new baby as part of her household of which Ofsted are unaware. This is a breach of the welfare requirements to keep Ofsted informed of any significant changes in the household. The childminder is also not meeting the requirements of the compulsory and voluntary parts of

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provision

the Childcare Register in this respect. The childminder has a satisfactory knowledge of child protection and safeguarding. There is a clear safeguarding policy. The childminder knows the signs and symptoms of possible abuse and knows the correct procedures to follow should she have any concerns about a child in her care. The childminder is in the process of self-evaluating the service she provides. However, due to the birth of her baby the childminder has taken a short time for recovery and to settle into new routines. She is now arranging for her assistant to start working with her to enable her to concentrate on developing the provision for children's learning and development. She is satisfactorily addressing the recommendations from the last inspection and has also redesigned her garden to provide children an attractive place to play.

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provision

The childminder is in the process of self-evaluating the service she provides. However, due to the birth of her baby the childminder has taken a short time for recovery and to settle into new routines. She is now arranging for her assistant to start working with her to enable her to concentrate on developing the provision for children's learning and development. She is satisfactorily addressing the recommendations from the last inspection and has also redesigned her garden to provide children an attractive place to play.

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provision

The childminder provides parents with information about her setting together with access to policies and procedures. She displays her registration documents and has appropriate insurance cover and first-aid training that meets the welfare requirements. All documents relating to children's welfare are maintained correctly and are also available for parents to see. The childminder's friendly, informal relationship with parents supports children's welfare well, although there is opportunity to extend this further to include parents' ideas and views as to their children's favourite activities and achievements they make at home.

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provision

Although the children in her care are not currently attending any other settings or school, the childminder is aware of the importance of working in partnership with other settings and outside agencies so that children's needs are met and there is continuity in their learning.

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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:

 notify Ofsted of changes of circumstance no later than 14 days after the change occurs. (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  notify Ofsted of changes of circumstance no later than 14 days after the change occurs). (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 EY440246 Local authority Kent Inspection number 979707 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 2

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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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