Childminder in Norfolk

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/09/2014 09/07/2010

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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 provides a warm, welcoming environment in which children feel safe and secure as they experience close and caring relationships with the childminder.  The childminder demonstrates up to date knowledge of safeguarding procedures and could raise a concern, should the need arise. She is aware of the procedures to follow to report any concerns she may have about a child in her care, safeguarding their welfare.  The childminder engages with her local schools and community to provide appropriate experiences for the children in her care.

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It is not yet good because

 Self-evaluation is weak and results in some legal requirements not being met. The childminder has failed to meet the legal requirement for maintaining a current paediatric first aid certificate.  The observations and assessment are not thorough enough to ensure that each child is making appropriate progress. The childminder does not accurately identify any gaps which may arise in children's attainment in order to access swift and appropriate intervention and support.  The childminder has not yet developed the partnership with parents to fully engage them actively in their child's learning and development and share information about the progress their children make at home.

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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 premises with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed play and learning activities and spoke to children in the childminder's home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked documentation and evidence of the suitability of the childminder and other adults in the household.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children, aged 12 and 18 years, in a village near King's Lynn in Norfolk. The whole of the house is used for childminding and there is an enclosed garden for outside play. The family has a pet dog, a cat, some chickens and quails. There are seven children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range and attend on a part time basis. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder collects and takes children to the local school and pre-school and takes them on occasional outings to the shops and other amenities, as well as regularly accessing the local children's centre. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 obtain and maintain a current paediatric first-aid qualification that is relevant for workers caring for young children and, where relevant, babies

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must:

 develop observation and assessment skills, particularly in the prime areas, in order provide a challenging educational programme for all children that attend the setting.

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

 improve the exchange of information with parents by providing them with regular information on their children's learning and inviting them to share home experiences in order to create the best learning opportunities for each child

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

 devise and implement a thorough self-evaluation process to monitor the provision so that weaknesses in knowledge and practice are quickly identified, action is taken to address these and any required training can be sought.

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who attend

The childminder offers a caring and nurturing environment where children are making satisfactory progress in their learning and development. She is using learning journals to record and track children's progress, although the observations and assessments lack detail and clarity. This means that the childminder is not planning relevant and challenging next steps across the seven areas of learning for each child in order to maximise opportunities and experiences. The childminder offers parents a verbal commentary and uses a daily diary to inform them about their child's day. She does not, as yet, involve them actively in their children's learning and development. Any experiences and learning that take place at home are not shared to demonstrate the true partnership between the childminder and the family in contributing to children's all-round learning and development.

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who attend

While the childminder provides some varied learning opportunities, the activities do not always engage and stimulate the children. The television remains on for the majority of the session and distracts from the learning. This results in children intermittently playing and pausing to watch the television, reducing their ability to concentrate and become absorbed in a task or activity. When children do engage in play, the childminder uses effective communication skills to encourage them to try new things. For example, she extends theirs sensory experiences by providing opportunities to smell and touch herbs in the garden. She also works well with parents to identify and meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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who attend

Children are gaining the basic skills in preparation for their move to other settings and eventually school. However, this is a result of the childminder's caring skills rather than through more focused teaching. She encourages children to engage in conversation at times, and gives a running commentary when she is involved in their play. She encourages children to recall and predict what they might do later when they go to school, developing their thinking skills. Children enjoy accessing the garden activities and resources. They dig and play in the sand and take their construction activities outside, gaining a different perspective on their play. They develop their physical skills, co-ordination and dexterity through the active play, honing hand and eye coordination when completing puzzles. They enjoy using the wheeled toys and the climbing frame to gain confidence and skill when negotiating space.

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

The childminder forges close and caring relationships with children in her care from the start of their placement. She liaises with parents to devise individual setting-in sessions so that children become familiar with the childminder and the environment and feel secure and happy when they separate from their parents. The childminder has a suitable range of resources that are safe and suitable for the ages and abilities of the children she cares for. Children can access the toys and equipment with ease and develop their independence, making some choices about their play indoors and outside. Children develop a sense of belonging in the setting as they have their own pegs and personal washing requisites in the bathroom. This also contributes to minimising the spread of infection and promoting children's health. The childminder is able to demonstrate that she manages minor accidents and injuries to children appropriately and keeps records to inform parents of

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

such incidents. However, she has not sought further paediatric first-aid training in a timely manner and, as a result, her first aid-certificate has expired. This is a legal requirement and also relates to the Childcare Register.

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

Children's behaviour is managed appropriately as the childminder explains the simple boundaries and expectations to them. They learn to share, cooperate and take turns though the gentle support from the childminder. This prepares children well for coping with more structure and routine when they move on to school. The childminder has some experience of managing challenging behaviour as part of the support she offers for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She is aware of working closely with parents and others professionals to offer consistency and continuity for any child whose behaviour may give cause for concern.

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

Children's health is further promoted through the childminder's awareness of providing balanced and nutritious meals and snacks. The childminder seeks detailed information from parents about any dietary preferences or allergies and ensures that these are adhered to. Children enjoy the social interaction at meal times, engaging in friendly conversations as they discuss the foods they are eating and become aware of healthy lifestyles. They enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise in the garden and visiting local parks and play areas to test out their physical skills and confidence.

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provision

The childminder has a basic understand of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a suitable knowledge and understanding of child protection and is aware of the action to take should she have any concerns about a child in her care. Parents are further reassured of their children's welfare as the childminder has ensured that all adults undergo the required checks on suitability. She carries out risk assessments on her home, both indoors and outside to ensure that children are safe and secure. She also covers any trips and outings undertaken to minimise hazards for children.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a basic understanding of observing and monitoring children's progress, however, it lacks sufficient detail to ensure that they continue to learn to the best of their ability with the appropriate support and guidance. The childminder has recently achieved a level 3 qualification and accesses courses at her local children's centre in order to develop her knowledge. However, this has yet to have an effective impact on improving the learning and development programme.

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provision

The childminder is not fully aware of the value of using thorough evaluation to assess the impact of her practice on children's development and learning. This has contributed to her failure to meet the legal requirement of maintaining a first-aid certificate. She has also not yet considered involving parents and children in the process of evaluating the quality of the practice to drive further improvement. She is, however, confident in her ability to meet children's care and emotional needs. The childminder is aware of the benefit of working closely with other providers such as children's schools, to promote consistency and share information appropriately.

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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 an appropriate first-aid qualification is held (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure that an appropriate first-aid qualification is held (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 EY246450 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 819699 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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