Childminder in Luton

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/08/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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's welfare and safety are significantly compromised as the childminder does not keep a daily record of their attendance.  The childminder does not always make full use of all updates from parents, in order to enrich the activity planning.  The procedures for snack time do not consistently support the promotion of children's independence and their understanding of social skills.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder supports her assistant well and they use purposeful teaching techniques. They promote children's learning through their independent play and through well-planned activities.  The childminder works with parents to find out about children's needs and routines. She makes sure that both she and her assistant understand these. This enables them to help children to settle and to build appropriate relationships with each of the adults.

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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 house and garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the childminder, her assistant and the children present and observed activities with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of household members, the childminder's self-evaluation information and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents, as given in their written feedback to the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged one and three years, in a house in Luton, Bedfordshire. The whole of the property and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder is registered to work with an assistant. She attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently five children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 ensure that there is a clear daily record of the children being cared for and their hours of attendance.

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

 enhance the activity planning by making greater use of updates from parents about their child's learning and development at home

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

 review the organisation of snack time, so that this consistently promotes children's independence and their understanding of social skills.

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who attend

The childminder works well in partnership with her assistant. Their teaching methods are effective and support children in making good progress in their learning. The childminder has a thorough understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This supports her in planning activities and resources that promote children's development. She has good procedures to gather a detailed range of information from parents. She uses this information on a practical basis, in order to assess children's starting points and to monitor their progress. The childminder and her assistant observe children as they play, evaluating this information to develop their next steps and inform the ongoing activity planning. The childminder's generally good ongoing communication with parents means that they have opportunities to share daily news about their children. She also supports parents in extending their children's learning at home.

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who attend

For example, she provides parents with additional resources and props to support children in singing their favourite action rhymes. However, the childminder does not always make full use of all updates from parents about how their child has been learning and developing at home. Consequently, the childminder does not include this extended range of information in her activity planning. The childminder has secure procedures in place for carrying out the progress check for children aged between two and three years. This supports her in planning appropriate activities and in recognising any areas where children require additional support.

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who attend

The childminder sensitively supports children in developing the skills to learn effectively, preparing them well for school and their future learning. Her well-planned activities means that children have opportunities to explore and experiment. For example, they drip food colouring into a jug of water and note how this changes. They then go on to experiment further by combining colours to make new ones. Children are positive about their learning and are proud of their achievements because the childminder recognises and praises their efforts and successes. For example, when the childminder praises children for their attempts at writing, they are so proud that they confidently show her how they formed the letters. They go on to talk about being so good at writing that they will one day write a book. The childminder's good planning also means that children's learning is gently reinforced and they learn to use their knowledge in other areas. For example, they grow

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who attend

vegetables and talk about the life cycle of these and what they need, in order to grow and flourish. They then go on to look at other life cycles, such as that of the butterfly. They also look for insects in the garden and talk about the conditions they prefer to live in. The childminder's good support and role modelling means that the assistant is competent in extending children's play. For example, the assistant helps the children to use a computer programme that supports speech development. She helps them repeat the words and do the actions, such as making a big mouth, pointing to the sky and touching their noses. The assistant then extends this by singing an associated action rhyme. This then leads to singing other rhymes and the assistant introduces additional props to maintain children's active involvement.

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who attend

Children enjoy a wide variety of activities that promote their physical development. For example, they bounce on the trampoline, practise sack races and balance bean bags on a spoon or on their heads as they run down the garden. Activities, such as these, enable them to develop skills in balance, control and coordination. The childminder offers children creative opportunities that develop their awareness of diversity. For example, they dance to music from around the world and learn simple greetings in other languages. The childminder interacts well with the children, promoting the development of their language and communication skills. For example, when children proudly show her their completed drawings, she encourages them to talk about these and they happily explain the details and talk about what else they might add to them. Children's play and learning are enhanced as the childminder provides additional resources that meet their developmental

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who attend

needs. For example, babies and young children enjoy exploring sensory items. They shake filled bottles and watch as the items swirl and sink and they enjoy exploring the sounds and texture of a large foil blanket.

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

The childminder's appropriate communication with parents means that she has a clear understanding of each child's needs and abilities. She acts as the key person for children and shares information with her assistant, so that they offer children consistent care and relevant support. Children show that they enjoy the company of the childminder and her assistant. For example, babies smile, gurgle and maintain good eye contact as the adults sing and talk to them. Although, children are happy, settled and have secure relationships with the childminder and her assistant, they have a false sense of security. Their safety and welfare are compromised by the lack of the required daily attendance record. The childminder and her assistant praise children for their efforts and their achievements. Children enjoy this praise and it builds their confidence, helping them to feel positive about themselves and their learning. They are, therefore, suitably prepared for the move

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

New children are aided in settling as the childminder makes sure that she and her assistant understand children's preferences and normal routines. Settling-in sessions are planned in partnership with parents, so that they suit each child. Children are supported in developing their understanding of how to manage their behaviour. The childminder makes sure that she and her assistant are consistent in their approach to behaviour management. They offer children explanations about their behaviour, encouraging them to share and consider each other's feelings.

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

Children are adequately supported in developing their self-care skills. For example, they learn to put on their own shoes before going outside to play. However, on occasion, the procedures for snack time do not always fully support the promotion of children's independence and their understanding of social skills. For example, resources and equipment are not always efficiently organised to enable children to sit together or to help themselves to their snacks and drinks. Children gain a suitable awareness of the relevance of healthy lifestyles. They wash their hands before eating, using their own hand towels and referring to the child-friendly displays that support this. Their participation in cooking activities helps children to develop a clear understanding of the importance of a healthy diet. For example, they make pizzas and talk about which healthy toppings they could use. Children also enjoy daily opportunities for outdoor play and the childminder talks with

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

them about the importance of exercise and fresh air. Ongoing discussions and clear daily routines support children in developing a sound understanding of safety. For example, before they go out, they talk about road safety and the different types of crossings. They then put these discussions into practice, for example, as they learn to use pedestrian crossings safely.

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provision

The childminder does not keep a record of the names of the children being cared for each day and their hours of attendance. This is a breach of both the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Childcare Register requirements. It has a significant impact on children and means that their welfare and safety are considerably compromised as it is not clear which children are present at any one time. However, the childminder and her assistant have a sound knowledge of child- protection issues and understand the procedure to follow should they have any concerns about children in their care. The childminder also ensures that her assistant completes all relevant suitability checks. Appropriate risk assessments are in place, helping to ensure that hazards are removed or minimised and the home is safe for children.

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provision

The childminder works with her assistant to evaluate their work. She seeks the views of parents to inform this review. Although, this evaluation does not always identify all weaknesses, it enables the childminder to plan improvements to the provision for children. For example, recent changes include the introduction of props for action rhymes. These help to maintain children's attention and they concentrate as they listen to the words and carefully hold up their props at the correct time. Although, she has omitted to keep a record of children's daily attendance, the childminder generally has sufficient understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She monitors her assistant and ensures that she understands the policies and procedures. The childminder demonstrates to her assistant how to interact appropriately with children, in order to extend their play and learning. She also talks frequently with the assistant, so that she understands her

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provision

training needs and books relevant training for her. The childminder maintains a positive attitude to her work and attends further training. This has a positive impact on children. For example, after attending specific training, the childminder reports that she is now more able to extend children's understanding of healthy eating. The childminder regularly checks children's assessment records, in order to monitor their progress and highlight any areas where they may require additional support.

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provision

The childminder has appropriate procedures in place to support her in working in partnership with other people caring for the children. These include exchanging assessment and planning information with the local pre-school, so that they can work together to promote children's learning. Although, she does not currently care for any children, who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, the childminder has secure procedures in place to support this. Her attendance at her local children's centre has given her a clear understanding of the role of other professionals. Consequently, she could seek further help for children and their families should the need arise. The childminder maintains generally effective relationships with parents, ensuring that children's care is consistent. She completes daily diaries for each child, so that parents understand what their child has been doing each day. Parents report that they appreciate

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provision

the amount of information they receive about their children's activities and progress.

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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 that there is a daily record of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure that there is a daily record of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY461041 Local authority Luton Inspection number 966712 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 5

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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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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