Childminder in Doncaster

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/07/2014 28/05/2009

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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 with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for and generally make good progress. Their development is well monitored and their next steps in learning are identified and planned for.  Children are happy. They access a welcoming and stimulating playroom that provides them with sufficient opportunities to make independent choices in their play. Therefore, they are eager to learn as they engage in activities that they know well.  The childminder has a suitable understanding of how to keep children safe from harm.  Partnerships with parents and other professionals are well established and as a result, children's moves to other settings are supported effectively.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not maintain a written record for each medicine she administers and this means children's well-being is compromised.  Information from observations is not always used effectively to ensure that each child receives the appropriate level of challenge in order to fulfil their learning potential.  The childminder does not always plan and provide for children's learning experiences in the outdoor environment, in order for them to fully develop their own interest and ideas for play.

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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 playroom.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector asked the childminder questions about her practice at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and parent questionnaire.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged seven and 17 years in a house in Balby in Doncaster. The whole of the ground floor, bathroom on the first floor, and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and preschools. There are currently eight children on roll, seven of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder works with an assistant. The childminder operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for

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must:

 ensure that written permission is obtained from parents or carers each time specific medication is administered to children and that a written record is kept

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must:

 ensure that a consistently good level of challenging activities are planned, so that children working in small groups are challenged sufficiently, in order to promote individual children's next steps of learning and development.

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

 ensure that children have a stimulating environment in the outdoors so that they can fully develop their own interest and ideas for play.

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who attend

The childminder has a suitable understanding of how to promote children's learning and development. She offers a range of educational programmes that broadly cover the seven areas of learning and help children to make suitable progress. Observations made of children's learning are used to identify children's next steps in learning. However, the childminder does not routinely use this information to plan challenging and stimulating experiences to meet all children's individual needs and varying stages of development. Consequently, some aspects of learning are less well planned for and children's learning is not maximised. As a result, some children who are advanced in their development are not consistently challenged to effectively progress to their next stage of learning.

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who attend

The childminder shows appropriate teaching skills as she plays and interacts alongside children. She offers support and encouragement to engage and hold children's interest in activities. As a result, children show a positive approach to learning. For example, children build towers with stacking boxes, compare size and count proficiently from one to five. Children enjoy sitting at the table to draw and selecting which media they would like to use. They show good control of their small muscle skills when using pencils and crayons. The childminder supports their understanding of the world by asking appropriate questions, for example, 'How many eyes?' and 'Will they need ears for hearing?' Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted appropriately, as the childminder encourages children to do things independently. Children are asked to tidy away when they have finished their activities before getting out new resources. This supports

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who attend

children's sense of self-help skills and helps to prepare them for their next stage in learning, such as nursery or school. The childminder's awareness of children who have starting points that are below those of similar age children is generally good. This means that because of her sensitive and caring approach, children are developing the basic skills they need for their next stage of learning.

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who attend

Children use the outdoor environment on a regular basis. This supports their physical development, balance and coordination skills well. However, there are fewer opportunities in the outdoor area for children to continue to fully learn new skills across the seven areas of learning. For example, there is little to engage children's imagination to explore, investigate and develop critical thinking skills about the outdoor world. Consequently, children's curiosity and self-led learning is not promoted effectively. The childminder is aware of this area for development and has good ideas and plans are in place to create a more challenging and stimulating outdoor environment. The childminder works appropriately with parents to ensure that they are kept up to date about their child's progress.

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

The childminder knows children and their families very well and there are good relationships with children. As a result, children feel safe, secure and are developing their self-confidence. The childminder supports children to play and learn together and to develop some level of control over their actions. Consequently, children behave well and play cooperatively with their friends. The indoor environment is well organised and children can access resources of their choice, enabling them to make independent choices. However, the outdoor environment is not used to its full potential as resources and equipment are not as well considered or as attractively presented as indoors. Children have access to daily fresh air and physical exercise, as they participate in a variety of outings where they are encouraged to risk assess for themselves. For example, the childminder teaches them how to cross the road safely. They play a game of waking up

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

the 'green man' before they can cross the road. This excites and interests children, while giving them self-help skills to develop and maintain their own safety. Children are emotionally well prepared for their next stages of learning. This is because everyday routines, such as, hanging up their coats, taking off their shoes and accessing the toilet unaided are all promoted daily. The childminder has a simple and effective way of ensuring that older children wash their hands after using the toilet. They bring down their used hand wipes to deposit into the kitchen bin. The childminder is supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. She liaises with parents and other professionals to ensure that moves to new settings are as trouble free as possible. For example, she has already met with the special education needs and disabilities officer at the local school to pass on information regarding children and help to

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

prepare the way. This support is reassuring for children and parents who are uncertain about the changes ahead. Children accompany the childminder to school on most days, which helps them to become familiar with school routines. Children also know and recognise the teachers' faces, which helps them to settle quickly when they move to school.

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

At mealtimes, children are helped to develop an awareness of healthy eating because the childminder talks to them in appropriate terms about what they are eating. She provides balanced, nutritious meals and snacks that take into account children's individual dietary needs. This allows children to understand the need for variety in food and creates an interest and curiosity in theirs and other children's likes and dislikes. This gives them an awareness of personal preference and choice as they exchange information about which are their favourite foods and discuss if they are good for you.

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provision

The childminder has a sound understanding of the learning and development requirements. She is monitoring and assessing children's abilities and progress and identifying next steps. The childminder is mainly consistent and precise when focusing on the specific needs of individual children who are under achieving. However, she does not fully extend the learning of all children. As a result, there are missed chances to promote, extend and develop learning opportunities for children of varying abilities and children's progress is not maximised.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Both her and her assistant have attended relevant safeguarding and child protection training and know how to identify and report any possible signs of abuse and neglect, at the earliest opportunity to protect children. However, the childminder has not kept effective records for the safe administration of specific medication to children. Therefore, children's health and well-being is not consistently promoted. This is also a breach of Childcare Register requirements. The childminder carries out self-evaluation and has engaged parents through a questionnaire. She regularly reviews and analyses the quality of the service she provides. She has recently developed plans and drawings for the outdoor area, which are due to take place in the summer. Once this area has been

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provision

developed, it will help to provide an enhanced learning environment outdoors for all children.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are well established and make good contributions to meeting children's needs. The childminder shares most policies and procedures with them and this means they are knowledgeable about the service she provides. However, the childminder does not have a written statement of procedures to follow for complaints, which is a breach of the Childcare Register requirements. Parents comment positively about the service they receive from the childminder and feel that their children are safely looked after when in her care. The childminder has made links with the local primary school and nursery, which means that there is some sharing of information, to promote continuity in children's care and 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:

 maintain a record of any medicine administered to any child who is cared for on the premises, including the date and circumstances and who administered it, including medicine which the child is permitted to self-administer, together with a record of a parent/guardian/carer's consent (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  have a written statement of procedures to be followed in relation to complaints which relate to the requirements of the Childcare Register and which a parent makes in writing or by email (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  maintain a record of any medicine administered to any child who is cared for on the premises, including the date and circumstances and who administered it, including medicine which the child is permitted to self-administer, together with a record of a parent/guardian/carer's consent (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  have a written statement of procedures to be followed in relation to complaints

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

which relate to the requirements of the Childcare Register and which a parent makes in writing or by email (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 EY383112 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 821613 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 8

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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

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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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