Childminder in Suffolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/07/2014 08/07/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Children are not effectively safeguarded as they have on occasions been cared for by an adult who has not had their suitability to work with children checked.  The childminder does not effectively supervise children to ensure their safety, especially when using large play equipment in the garden or when playing in the external playroom.  Children's safety is compromised as they play in an outdoor environment where adults smoke. The childminder does not implement an effective no-smoking policy and does not prevent smoking in a room, or outside play area, when children are present or about to be present.  The quality of teaching is poor. The childminder does not use observations appropriately to identify children's next steps in learning and to assess their progress or to plan challenging and stimulating learning experiences for them.

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It has the following strengths

 Children move confidently around the childminder's home, freely accessing the interesting range of resources available to them.  Parents are provided with a verbal account of their child's day.

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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 childminder's lounge and garden and viewed all areas of her home used for childminding purposes.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder, her husband and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation to evidence the suitability of adults living on the premises and the childminder's qualification.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at records relating to children's details, information about their learning and development, accident and medication records, written risk assessments and written policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to at the time of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2006 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband in a house in Felixstowe, Suffolk. The whole of the ground floor and the garden are used for childminding. The family has some pet fish. The childminder visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 16 children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She 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:

 ensure that any person who is likely to have regular contact with children has undergone appropriate vetting to confirm their suitability

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must:

 ensure children are adequately supervised at all times and are always within sight or hearing of the childminder

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must:

 implement a no smoking policy and prevent smoking in a room or outside play area, when children are present or about to be present

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must:

 make use of information about the next steps that children need to take in their development to plan and provide activities which extend and challenge children's learning

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must:

 implement an effective system for observation and assessment of children, in order to ensure a precise understanding of what children can do and need to do next.

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who attend

The childminder has some systems in place for observing children's play and for some children, records her observations in development files or learning journeys. However, her system is not consistent. For example, she has no evidence available to show how she tracks the progress of some of the children in her care and how she plans for their learning. As a result, the abilities and learning needs of all children are not clearly identified. The childminder uses some tracking sheets to follow children's development, however, these are not effectively completed to enable the childminder to keep a sharp focus on children's learning. The tracker sheets are not dated and development bands, which the childminder feels the children are working in, have only been highlighted once and not followed up. The childminder has completed some progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years, however, these are again not dated to provide

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who attend

an accurate assessment of the children's development. Planning is weak and the childminder does not use observations effectively to identify children's next steps in learning. Consequently, activities do not provide appropriate challenge or support children's good progress. Parents do have some opportunities to view the learning journeys, where these exist.

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who attend

Children enjoy playing with a selection of toys and play resources. They interact well together and make good use of the range of equipment available to them indoors and outdoors. Children make choices over their play and enjoy playing imaginative games. They are provided with some opportunities to develop knowledge of colours, shapes and numbers when they go for walks with the childminder. For example, the childminder asks the children to spot things that are of a particular shape or to identify what colour cars they can see. Children learn about planting and growing as the childminder provides a section of her garden for children to plant flowers and they discuss the vegetables she and her husband grow. Children develop knowledge of weight and measurement when they pour sand from one container to another in the large sand tray in the garden. The childminder uses some appropriate language and questioning skills to develop children's

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who attend

Children's freely-chosen play enables them to develop some skills for future learning. For example, they independently use the childminder's toilet and hand-washing facilities, learn to take directions from the childminder and have opportunities to explore early writing skills. Younger children become familiar with the school building when they accompany the childminder as she takes and collects older children from school, thus preparing them for this transition when they reach the appropriate age. The childminder liaises with the local school to establish an understanding of the skills that are important for children to achieve prior to beginning their school life. She endeavours to promote these skills, helping to prepare children for their next stage of learning.

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

Children mostly play in the large lounge or the external playroom, situated at the end of the childminder's garden. While this room is safe and well-organised and the childminder uses a baby-monitor to hear what is happening there, she does not always supervise children effectively. The childminder often remains in the main house with younger children and listens to older children's play on the baby monitor. This is not a robust enough procedure to ensure children's safety as the childminder is not able to be vigilant to prevent accident or injury or witness any accidents or incidents that may occur. The childminder has a range of written policies and risk assessments in place to enable her to keep children safe. However, these are not always effectively implemented or followed. This results in children sustaining accidents when using large scale play equipment, such as the trampoline, while not being effectively supervised by the childminder.

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

Children are generally settled and comfortable in the childminder's care. They move freely around the areas of the childminder's home accessible to them, selecting resources and toys from the interesting range available to them. Children behave well and understand the childminder's house rules. They help to clear the toys away when they have finished playing with them to create a clear and safe space in the playroom. The childminder makes appropriate use of her home to provide children with an enabling environment.

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

Children are provided with some opportunities to participate in activities that prepare them for their next stages of learning. For example, they visit local places of interest and develop independence when meeting new people. Children generally enjoy a healthy diet in the childminder's care as she promotes healthy eating through discussions and activities. Children remain well-hydrated as the childminder ensures they have regular access to fresh drinking water. Children experience fresh air and exercise daily when they play in the childminder's garden or go for walks locally. Children's health and well-being, however, is compromised because the childminder does not implement an effective no- smoking policy. This compromises their good health.

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provision

This inspection was prioritised following concerns being raised about the childminder's ability to safeguarding children and to ensure that they are well-supervised when using large scale play equipment. The inspection found that the provider has failed to ensure that minded children were never left with adults who have not had their suitability checked. It also found that the supervision of children is weak, resulting in some children encountering accidents that are not witnessed by the childminder. These significant weaknesses in practice are breaches in the safeguarding requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and are also breaches of the requirements of the Childcare Register. Children's safety is also compromised because the childminder does not effectively implement a no smoking policy. This results in children playing in an outdoor environment where adults regularly smoke. The childminder has

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provision

some systems in place for ensuring that her home remains secure, clean and well- organised. The adults living in the premises have undergone appropriate checks to assess their suitability and evidence to demonstrate this is available on file. The childminder has attended safeguarding training and is able to describe the signs and symptoms that may indicate abuse and is aware of how to report any concerns appropriately. However, she has not effectively safeguarded the children as regular visitors to her home, who have had unsupervised contact with minded children have not been vetted.

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provision

The childminder shows a firm commitment to updating her knowledge through training courses and seminars. She has maintained her paediatric first aid certificate and attended training on a range of subjects such as allergy awareness and supporting children with autism. She makes some use of the knowledge she obtains through these training courses to improve her setting. The childminder has reviewed her provision in the past to enable her to self-evaluate her practices, however, this is not robustly reviewed to ensure continuous improvement and to enable the childminder to identify weaknesses in her provision. The childminder speaks to parents to seek feedback on the care of their chidlren and provides them with a comments/suggestions box to enable them to feed into her self- evaluation.

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provision

Parents spoken to at the time of the inspection are complimentary of the childminder and state that their children are happy there. Some parents chose the childminder through positive recommendation from other parents. The childminder has some links with local pre-schools and schools which enable her to share information about children's 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:

 ensure any person caring for, or in regular contact with children is suitable to work with children, which must include an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure no person smokes on the premises at any time while childcare is provided or in the presence of a child receiving childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure any person caring for, or in regular contact with children is suitable to work with children, which must include an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure no person smokes on the premises at any time while childcare is provided or in the presence of a child receiving childcare (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 EY344753 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 981796 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 16

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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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