Childminder in Walsall

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Rachel Wyatt, monitored your provision on 18/08/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 19/05/2014, we sent you a notice to improve. If you were set actions at the inspection, or as a result of our subsequent monitoring or investigations, these are included at the end of this letter.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit, the inspector discussed with you the steps you have taken to address the actions raised in the notice to improve. She looked around the areas of your home that you use for childminding, and discussed the toys and equipment you use to support children's learning and development. The inspector observed you working with the children, spoke to you and the children and talked to a parent. The inspector looked at your assessment and planning records, other records you obtain about children and their parents and carers and your attendance records. After the monitoring visit was completed, the inspector had a telephone conversation with a local authority early years improvement officer whose colleague has been working with you.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found you, and your local authority early years improvement officer, have agreed an informal action plan to address the issues raised and which you are working through. You have also started to complete your own evaluation of different aspects of your childminding provision and the impact this has on children's care, learning and development. These measures have enabled you to accurately identify how to address the areas for improvement identified at your last inspection and also to plan for ongoing improvement.

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Outcome of monitoring

You have welcomed support from your local authority. In particular, you have followed the early years improvement officer's guidance to improve your assessment of the children's progress and the planning for their individual needs. The inspector found you have now implemented a tracking system that helps you to summarise your observation findings and to accurately assess how well each child is developing in all areas of learning. This has also helped you to promptly highlight which aspects of a child's learning you need to focus on next in your planning and organisation of activities and resources. You showed the inspector the format you are now using to record progress checks for children aged between two and three years. The inspector found that you are accurately assessing and reporting on the children's progress in the prime areas of learning. You are also discussing your findings with parents and mutually agreeing appropriate next steps. Parents appreciate having

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Outcome of monitoring

regular opportunities to exchange information with you about their children's interests, activities and achievements.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector talked to you about your planning and observed you working with the children. She found that you are now effectively promoting their enjoyment, active involvement and purposeful learning. The inspector observed that you interact well with children, encouraging their expressive language and their growing confidence in asking and answering questions. You help them to be increasingly independent. Children readily help themselves to toys and you often follow up on their choices, such as selecting a book for you to read to them. You further extend children's independence skills, for instance during toileting and hand-washing routines and by involving them in making their own sandwiches for lunch. The inspector observed that children are settled, well behaved and enjoy being with you.

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Outcome of monitoring

Since the last inspection, you have talked to your early years improvement officer about different ways to develop links with other providers of settings which some children attend. You have now organised a communication diary for the children you look after who will also be attending a nursery in September. You intend the diary to be used for sharing information between yourself, the nursery teacher and parents about each child's care, learning and development. The inspector found that in each diary you have recorded helpful details about your role and the type of information you hope to exchange with the teacher, parents and carers. You have, therefore, made an appropriate start to initiating closer relationships with other practitioners working with the children you look after.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that you have taken appropriate steps to monitor children's attendance more closely in order to help you to maintain required ratios. In discussion with the inspector, you demonstrated that you understand what the ratio requirements are for children in the early years age group and for children aged five to eight years. You have devised a daily plan of children's hours of attendance and their arrival and departure times, including times when you take them to or collect them from nursery or school. You have planned in advance the days and times when you need your assistant's help and you are in the process of recruiting another assistant to provide additional cover. The inspector found you have appropriate arrangements for ensuring your assistants' complete suitability checks and attend relevant training, such as paediatric first aid and safeguarding. The inspector's discussions with you and her review of documentation indicate that

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Outcome of monitoring

your records are now well organised. You obtain accurate information about children and their parents and carers in order to promote children's safety, health and welfare and to meet the requirements of all three registers. You also demonstrate that you now know which changes you must notify Ofsted about.

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Outcome of monitoring

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that the childminder has taken prompt and effective action to address the points for improvement.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

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Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your childminding service. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure the number of children cared for at any one time does not exceed the maximum set out in the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, to ensure children's safety and well-being are effectively promoted at all times 20/05/2014 18/08/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

improve assessment arrangements to gain a clear picture of children's stage of development and use this information to plan challenging and stimulating activities that actively promote their good progress across all areas of learning 09/06/2014 18/08/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

share information with parents and with practitioners in other settings children attend, to help ensure the learning needs of all children are met. 26/05/2014 18/08/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

keep records of the following: the name, home address and date of birth of each child who is looked after on the premises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register) 20/05/2014 18/08/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

keep records of the following: the name, home address and date of birth of each child who is looked after on the premises (voluntary part of the Childcare Register). 20/05/2014 18/08/2014

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