Mackie, Linda Claire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/07/2014 28/05/2012

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early years provision

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

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder does not have a secure understanding of safeguarding children, including how to complete risk assessments in order to keep children safe.  The childminder has limited understanding of the learning and development requirements. This means that the children's progress is not clearly monitored.  The quality of teaching is poor. There is a lack of adult-led activities, in order to provide opportunities that challenge children. Furthermore, the educational programmes are not of sufficient depth or breadth across all areas of learning.  Opportunities to engage parents in children's learning, to help them to extend children's learning at home, are not fully explored.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder has a range of toys and equipment to support children's understanding of the world and information technology.  The childminder provides opportunities for children to engage in activities away from the childminder's setting. This helps children develop social skills and prepares them for the move onto school.

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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 compulsory part 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 taking place in playrooms and lunch time in the kitchen area.  The inspector viewed the areas of the childminder's home used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder and discussed her understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and her knowledge of children in her care.  The inspector viewed the documentation made available.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her three children aged fourteen, twelve and six years. The family live in the Poynton area of Cheshire, close to local facilities. Three rooms on the ground floor are used for childminding purposes. There is a secure garden available for outdoor play. Family pets include two dogs. The childminder attends activities with children in the local community, regularly visiting toddler groups and the library. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. Currently, there are four children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, 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 risk assessments are undertaken, to ensure that all hazards are identified and minimised, to promote children's safety, with specific regard to the climbing frame in the outside play area.

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must:

 develop knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policy and procedures to ensure that children are kept safe and well.

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must:

 develop knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements, to ensure the educational programme is implemented through planned, purposeful play, and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.

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must:

 use information gained from observing children to determine their level of achievement, interests and learning styles, and plan learning experiences based on these observations, to help children make the best possible progress in their learning and development.

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

 improve communication with parents, so that they are able to share details of their child's achievements at home, and contribute to planned next steps and activities to promote their child's ongoing learning and development.

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who attend

The childminder has not developed a secure knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, children progress less rapidly than they might, given their starting points. The childminder completes very informal observations of children and is able to explain some aspects of children's progress, some possible next steps in learning and what they like to play with. The childminder follows the children's lead during play, apart from planned trips to the shops, library, park and local toddler groups. This means that not all areas of learning are implemented through planned, purposeful play activities. As a result, not all areas of learning include a balance of adult-led and child-initiated opportunities. Consequently, the education programmes do not offer depth or enough challenge to children. They sometimes become boisterous because of a lack of appropriate stimulation. As such, the

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who attend

childminder is not effectively challenging children, or fully supporting them in their next steps in learning and development.

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who attend

Nevertheless, children are eager learners and keen to get involved in activities. For example, a child enjoys painting outside at an easel, and fetches the paints and mixes them together in a palette. The child applies paint to the paper and watches it run down. The child is completely absorbed in the activity and extends this to paint the floor. The childminder watches the child and praises him for his efforts, providing some commentary to his efforts as she comments 'well done you are enjoying painting'. The childminder has a range of resources to support children in understanding the world. These include small- world toys and push-button toys, and equipment that suitably prepares children for information communication technology in their development and learning. There are some books, together with puppets and props, to support children's communication and language development, but the range of books is limited. Children's language

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who attend

development is supported by the childminder, who uses repetition of words to reinforce children's learning. As a result, children speak using sounds and single words. Some children use short sentences and engage in familiar dialogue about their day and routines. Children repeat words and expressions, for example, 'all gone' at lunch time.

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who attend

Although the childminder is able to talk about children's likes and dislikes, she has limited understanding about children's developmental stage. She uses informal observations to think about what children can do next. There are no formal plans in place to promote children's next steps in learning and development. No learning journals were available for the children that she currently cares for. However, informal observations and photographs are shared with parents via text messages. Parents have regular conversations with the childminder, and they share some information about children's interests at home. However, parents are not encouraged to share information about their child's achievements, at home or work, in partnership with the childminder to agree future next steps in learning and development. Therefore, the childminder does not have a complete picture of children's abilities and future activities are not shared, so that parents and the

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who attend

childminder can work together to help children make the best possible progress.

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

Children have a range of resources which are available and easy to access inside the childminder's home. Outside, they enjoy regular visits to the park and also have the use of the childminder's large garden. However, this has not been suitably risk assessed, so that children are effectively protected from harm. There is a climbing frame which poses a hazard to children. Consequently, children's safety is compromised.

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

The childminder develops bonds and attachments with children. This relationship is further supported through the childminder's settling-in procedures, which are developed to meet the needs of parents and children. She makes sure that relevant information is shared during initial sessions as children begin to settle in. Consequently, her knowledge of their care needs is clear. Children are confident and mostly display positive behaviour. This is supported by the childminder who encourages children to take turns and reinforces their positive actions, for example, she praises children when they are kind to other children and help to find a child's comforter. The childminder is committed to children's personal, social and emotional development, recognising their achievements with positive reinforcement and praise. For example, she tells them 'well done, thank you for helping', when children clear away after themselves at meal times. Consequently children's self-

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

esteem is strengthened. The childminder takes children to the local park, shops, library, toddler and pre-school groups. This helps children to develop their social skills, so that they are prepared for the next stage in their learning, such as a move to a preschool group and later to school.

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

The childminder understands the importance of good hygiene routines and encourages children to develop sensible practices. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before meals and they know that this is for their own benefit. Children are active, energetic and take part in physical exercise. They access the large garden space at the childminder's house to run about and enjoy the fresh air and are taken out regularly. They visit the local park and other places of interest. There is space for children to rest at the childminder's home if necessary during the day. The childminder provides healthy snacks and lunches for children, including homemade food, fresh vegetable sticks and yogurt. Children are also encouraged to drink plenty of fluids during the day, contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

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provision

The recommendation from the last inspection, to improve knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, has not been met. The childminder has limited knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding. She does not outline how to identify and respond to the possible signs of abuse, or have a written safeguarding policy and procedure to ensure that children are kept safe and well. This is a breach of the requirements of the Childcare Register. Furthermore, risk assessments are not robust enough to ensure that hazards are identified and minimised to promote children's safety. Specifically, the climbing frame in the garden has not been effectively assessed, so that children are kept safe at all times. This is a breach of the requirements of the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register. However, children are developing some understanding of how to stay safe. Regular emergency evacuation procedures have been implemented.

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provision

The childminder has given some attention to the recommendation from the last inspection, in relation to developing observation and assessment systems. However, this has not been consistently applied to all children in her care, and is not effective enough to ensure children are consistently challenged or making good progress. The childminder recognises that her understanding of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage is under developed. Her understanding of children's learning and development is limited as she does not use guidance, such as the Early Years Outcomes, to monitor children's progress. As a result, children's progress has also not been consistently monitored.

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provision

The childminder does not use self-evaluation effectively to ensure that the quality of the provision is monitored and that areas for improvement are clearly identified. She does not seek the views of parents, and is not currently effective in identifying strengths and areas for improvement, so that practice is developed. The childminder does show commitment to further training, however, to improve her practice. The childminder has good working relationships with parents of the children that she cares for. She communicates with them on a regular basis, including face to face and text messages. Information is shared about their children's play and activities. However, there were no parents or comments available from parents on the day of the inspection. The childminder has suitable links within the local community with the local preschool and toddler groups.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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

 ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  the childminder must ensure that they are familiar with issues of child protection and procedures to safeguard children from abuse or neglect (compulsory 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 EY437097 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 870550 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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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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