Childminder in Blackburn with Darwen

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/09/2014 07/10/2011

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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

 The childminder fosters positive relationships with the children. She seeks initial information from parents about their children's individual care needs and preferences. Children are happy and confident in her care.  The childminder has sufficient knowledge and understanding of safeguarding to protect children's welfare. The learning environment is clean and safe and well resourced to promote children's independence and safety.  The childminder understands the importance of behaviour management and consequently, children behave well.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not track children's progress systematically by taking account of their differing learning styles, to effectively plan for the next steps in their learning and development, offering targeted challenge and extension.  The childminder has not developed ways of involving parents actively in their children's learning and development.  Self-evaluation is not focused enough to accurately prioritise aspects of practice for improvement and does not involve the views and opinions of children or parents.

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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 had a tour of the areas of the premises used for childminding.  The inspector observed the childminder as she interacted with the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at some paperwork, including the childminder's policies and procedures, self-evaluation and the children's development records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of the childminder and other adults living at the home.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2005 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged 15 and 11 years in a house in the Guide, area of Blackburn Lancashire. The whole of the ground floor, a bathroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The family has a dog as a pet. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She is able to collect children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently three children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group 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.

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must:

 develop a robust system for identifying the different ways in which children learn, in order to plan activities that are purposeful and provide children with challenge, identifying the next steps in their learning

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must:

 involve parents in their children's learning by improving the exchange of information and encouraging them to share their views and enhance children's learning and development at home.

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

 implement more thorough self-evaluation process, which includes the views of parents and children, to identify strengths and areas for development and secure continuous improvement.

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who attend

The childminder provides children with resources and activities that cover the seven areas of learning and they are making adequate progress. However, she does not fully assess children's individual learning from these activities, in order to plan meaningful next steps to support their continued development. The childminder uses a tracker document, to highlight children's current stage of development. However, her limited knowledge and understanding of this process means that she is not fully aware of using the information accurately, to identify children's individual learning styles. She does, however, provide children with resources and play experiences that she knows they enjoy and are familiar with. However, the childminder has not fully considered how best to enhance learning effectively through such interests, in order to challenge and extend children's learning. Consequently, this can limit the progress children can make in preparation for the move

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who attend

The childminder is aware of completing the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years and provides a brief written summary of children's attainment for parents. She also gives general daily feedback to parents about their child's day, but has not explored ways of engaging parents more actively in their child's learning. This means that any learning, which takes place at home, is not fully acknowledged or reflected in children's progress, to further develop the ethos of their learning and development being a partnership between the childminder and their home. The childminder has started to build links with the local pre-school and shares basic information about children's learning and development with the school staff, to promote consistency in their early education.

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who attend

Children talk confidently and express themselves through lively discussion and they communicate well with the childminder. They enjoy demonstrating their knowledge of their favourite activities. For instance, when playing with the play dough, children play cooperatively, confidently select resources and demonstrate their appropriate language skills. They actively narrate what they are doing and ask meaningful questions, which are addressed appropriately by the childminder. Children demonstrate their thinking skills by recalling and sequencing a recent visit to the nearby fields, to visit the animals while they play. This is supported by the childminder because she regularly engages with children in their play and uses some skilful questioning, to encourage them to think and extend their vocabulary.

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

Children are happy and settled in the childminder's care and form close relationships with her. The childminder knows and understands the children well and is able to attend to their care needs quickly as a result of this. Settling-in procedures help to promote children's sense of security and enable them to get to know the childminder over a period of time. The childminder verbally gathers information from parents concerning children's care needs and refers to these while they are in her care. For example, the childminder is able to discuss with parents, the emerging needs of a child, who is toilet training. There is a variety of resources that children can access while at the setting and they use these to support their play and ideas.

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

Children enjoy healthy snacks and lunches while at the setting. The childminder understands the importance of a healthy balanced diet and how to provide this, in order to meet the needs of the children. The childminder involves children while at the setting to contribute to this. For example, children accompany her to the local shops to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables that are used for meals and snacks. This develops children's understanding of where food comes from, which supports their knowledge and understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Children have regular access to the outdoors and benefit from daily access to fresh air by means of visits and outings within the local community. For example, children enjoy walks to the nearby parks and fields where they look at horses and feed the ducks, as well as other local amenities that are nearby. The childminder uses this opportunity to help children develop an understanding

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

of their own health and safety through positive everyday practices, such as road safety discussions.

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

The childminder has an understanding of the importance of keeping children safe and has considered some risks within her home and for outings undertaken with them. Fire evacuation procedures are carried out on a regular basis and help children to gain an understanding of staying safe. Systems are in place to ensure children's individual caring needs are met and there are records for accidents and the administration of medication. Children behave well because the childminder is a good role model and always encourages children to say 'please' and 'thank you' at appropriate times. Consequently, children are encouraged to behave in an appropriate manner and have respect for one another, which has a positive impact on their overall well-being and helps them to develop the skills required for the next stage in their learning, such as the move to pre-school or school.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates an adequate understanding of her role and responsibility to safeguard children in her care. She has attended training, such as first aid and has an appropriate safeguarding policy in place that is well understood. She is aware of how to proceed should she have concerns about a child's welfare and is able to discuss the importance of this. The childminder has up-to-date information from the local authority and procedures in place to follow. She is also aware of the Local Safeguarding Children Board and who to contact should the need arise. The childminder also has the support of a childminding coordinator, who regularly visits her setting.

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provision

The childminder has a basic understanding of her responsibility to meet the learning and development requirements. She knows and understands the seven areas of learning and provides activities that meet the basic needs and interests of children. However, these are not planned for effectively. Also, the childminder does not effectively use information gathered from her work with children, to assess and track their individual progress. Consequently, this limits her ability to provide children with an educational programme that has depth and breadth across all seven areas of learning. This also means that she does not yet fully share detailed relevant information with parents and other agencies to support children's continual development. However, she does share information concerning children's well-being with parents at the beginning and end of the day. The childminder also encourages parents to share children's likes, dislikes and routines, which

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provision

are discussed informally and help them to settle and feel reassured. Consequently, parents are encouraged to make a contribution, which has a positive impact on children's emotional well-being. However, partnerships with parents do not extend to the childminder encouraging them to complement the learning that takes place in the setting or informing parents of how they can extend their children's learning at home, to ensure they make optimum progress. The childminder demonstrates some willingness to improve her practice, for example, she has addressed some actions and recommendations raised in her last report. She has updated her policies and procedures. She has also recently contacted her local authority childminding coordinator to discuss essential training and support, in order to develop her setting further. However, self-evaluation is not focused sufficiently to prioritise areas for improvement. The childminder has not yet been considered involving parents or children

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provision

in the process, to ensure their views on the strengths and areas to develop within the setting are included and given due consideration and allow them to be involved in the continual development of the setting.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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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 EY318513 Local authority Blackburn Inspection number 878049 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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