Childminder in Barnet

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/08/2014 27/03/2014

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder has formed very good relationships with the children. This helps him to support children to engage in learning and make positive progress.  The childminder provides a safe and secure environment, enabling children to explore their surroundings and access play resources safely.  The childminder provides challenging outdoor experiences for children to promote their healthy lifestyles.  Partnerships with parents are in place to promote continuity of care and ensure relevant information is exchanged to meet children's needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not always provide opportunities for older children to practise their early writing skills, in particular their names in readiness for school.  The younger children do not always access a broad range of books, to increase their enjoyment of reading and support their developing literacy skills.

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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 children playing in the main playrooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder, co-childminder and children at appropriate times.  The inspector sampled a variety of documentation maintained by the childminder.  The inspector viewed areas of the home used for childminding purposes.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2007. He lives with his partner, who is also a registered childminder, in semi-detached premises, in the Whetstone area within the London Borough of Barnet. The whole of the ground floor of the house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. There are currently 10 children in the early years age range on roll. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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

 extend opportunities for older children to practise their early writing skills, for example, by writing their own names to support their literacy development

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

 develop the range of resources available to further support younger children's enjoyment of reading books and their developing literacy skills.

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who attend

Children are settled and happy in the care of the childminder. The childminder knows the children well; he knows what they like playing with, their stages of development, and where they need further support to enable them to reach their milestones. He uses close observations of their progress to help him plan exciting activities that he bases on the children's interests. In addition, he has daily discussions with parents and gathers information on achievements at home, which he uses to inform future plans. This allows the childminder to plan activities for children that support their ongoing development, offer challenges, and explore new and individual learning experiences. The childminder and co-childminder offer a good balance of both free-play and adult-led activities that provide children with varied learning experiences.

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who attend

The childminder promotes language development as he talks to children, listens to them and shares experiences and ideas about their play. Additionally, he asks questions to check out their understanding and increase their language skills. The childminder promotes children's social development by encouraging them to talk with each other as they play together and with their friends. The childminder skilfully supports children's learning without too much interference, giving them plenty of time to complete a task. He praises their efforts and encourages them to continue the task or try new things. This helps children to become confident learners.

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who attend

The childminder teaches children to explore early mathematics as he encourages them to explore the differences in the size and shapes of different objects. For example, as they played with different sized wooden pieces, the childminder asked the children to measure the correct size and compare the thicknesses of each wooden circle. Children showed they were confident as they talked with ease and enthusiasm about the towers they were building. The childminder extended their learning as he introduced new ideas, talking to them about transport and how wheels of cars and bicycles are circle shaped. Children's concentration is very good and they become engrossed in activities for very long periods.

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who attend

The childminder allows the children to build on interests and extend their imagination in play. For example, while playing with blocks and transport toys, children used their imagination as they made up stories about where they were going, and recalled past experiences they have had. In the main, the children use books well as they sit and look at them independently. The childminder gathers the children together for a quiet, cosy activity. However, the childminder does not always provide other resources, such as home-made books with family photographs, for younger children to enjoy a wider variety of reading materials.

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who attend

The childminder uses counting, basic addition, and subtraction in everyday play, to help children develop their early mathematical skills. Children enjoy participating in messy and creative activities, such as using paints and glue to express their own ideas. The childminder encourages the children to recognise colours as part of their general play and routine activities. The children benefit from being able to access a wide range of good quality resources throughout the home to extend their learning through play.

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who attend

The childminder makes good use of posters on the walls to support his teaching and there are plenty of children's creative efforts put up on display, showing the childminder values their work. There are signs and writing in various forms displayed in all rooms where children play. The childminder offers good support to help younger children practise making marks and older children to begin to form some letters in the alphabet. However, on occasion, the childminder writes children's names on their work. This does not always maximise opportunities for older children to practise writing letters and their names on their own work in readiness for school and to support their literacy skills.

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who attend

The childminder provides many opportunities to extend language and teaches children the alphabet and sounds of letters in everyday play and routines. The childminder provides sensitive support to children as he gives them time to think and work out solutions for themselves. For example, when completing puzzles children tried to fit the correct pieces, through trial and error, with encouragement from the childminder. This helps them become critical thinkers and develop hand-to-eye coordination skills.

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

The childminder and co-childminder work well as a team and have a strong connection to the children in their care. He understands how to organise his childminding provision so that the needs of babies are given a high priority, alongside the other minded children. As a result, children demonstrate a strong, trusting bond with both the childminder and co- childminder. The childminder is calm and a good role model. Consequently, children play in harmony, taking turns, sharing and learning to show respect for each other. Praise and recognition from the childminder supports the children to develop an understanding of good social skills, and learn good behaviour. They are supported by the childminder to learn to resolve issues, such as talking about their feelings if they are not happy.

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

The childminder helps children to learn about personal safety; for example, he reminds them during daily routines of the need for good road safety and car safety. The childminder regularly checks on safety throughout the day, implementing measures to prevent any potential risks to children. In addition, he includes the children in fire evacuation drills to help them learn more about keeping safe in emergencies. The childminder awards the children a certificate after they practise and complete every fire drill. This reinforces children's understanding of safety in and out of the home.

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

The childminder and children make good use of the garden in all seasons. There is a wide range of resources available to challenge and provide children with regular opportunities for physical play. Children engage in activities for long period outdoors, such as looking at frogs through a microscope, or climbing and making up their own balancing games with a ball and an upside-down table.

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

The childminder promotes a healthy lifestyle with the children through the provision of healthy snacks, drinks and daily opportunities for exercise. He ensures children learn the importance of drinking plenty of water in hot weather to support their good health. The childminder provides a good balanced meal, where children of all ages sit and eat independently. This prepares them to become ready for school. All children rest according to their own needs, in a quiet and calm area of the home. They are checked on frequently by the childminder and co-childminder to help to ensure they are safe and well.

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provision

The childminder works well with his wife as his co-childminder to meet the children's needs consistently well. The childminder has a good understanding of his responsibility in relation to child protection and safeguarding issues to protect children's welfare. Robust and relevant safeguarding policies and procedures are in place which the childminder uses as part of his daily practice to keep children safe. For instance, he makes sure that children are within his or his co-childminder's sight and/or hearing at all times and uses risk assessment effectively throughout the home and garden. The childminder is aware of not leaving children in the care of persons that are not suitable or have not been vetted. As a result, children's safety is effectively prioritised.

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provision

The childminder and co-childminder have a well-organised system for ensuring they collate and maintain all required documentation. The childminder is aware of his role to ensure he informs Ofsted of significant matters within the specified period. Furthermore he is aware of ratios that are required to be maintained during pick up and drop offs to schools, as well as at all other times when he is working, to meet children's needs appropriately.

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provision

The childminder has a positive approach to self-evaluation to improve the service he and the co-childminder provide. The childminder has taken steps to meet all of the actions and recommendations raised at the last inspection. This has contributed to children's welfare and learning being promoted through positive changes in practice. The childminder monitors the delivery of the learning and development requirements effectively. He evaluates the activities well, identifying where he can make improvements to offer children even more challenges. He uses his knowledge of each child's development, abilities, likes and dislikes to help them make good progress. The childminder is keen to improve his knowledge and he accesses relevant training to further his understanding of how children learn.

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provision

The childminder works well in partnership with parents, supporting them to settle their children. He communicates with them on a daily basis. Furthermore, he uses a daily diary system, shares children's developmental records at a monthly parents' meeting and communicates by telephone or seeks parental views periodically via questionnaires. These methods keep parents informed and included in the service their child receives. The childminder provides parents with copies of the policies and procedures for the provision so they are aware of his childminding practices regarding their children's care and learning.

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provision

The childminder works well with other partnerships in the local area. For example, he has a strong relationship with the local schools and nurseries to help to provide a smooth transition for older children starting school. As a result this enables him to contribute effectively to children's individual learning and development. He understands the importance of sharing information with outside partnerships to meet the ever-changing needs of the children in his care.

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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 EY349146 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 983248 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 10

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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

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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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