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Early years · Early years inspection (CIF)

Teece, Elaine Margaret

Inspected 7 Oct 2014 · published 1 Nov 2014 · URN 321908

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Summary

Requires improvement

Sadie Corbett

What we read, and from where

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  • Inspection datesingle source

    7 Oct 2014

  • Inspectors verified

    Sadie Corbett

  • Overall effectivenesssingle source

    Requires improvement

  • URN verified

    321908

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2013.

  • OverallRequires improvement

Tone of the report

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+11Mostly positivemore positive than 53% of reports of this type graded Requires improvement
OutstandingGoodMetRINot metInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Requires improvement.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praisesecureeffectivesafeeffectivelyhappyconfidentenjoyconsistently
Criticisminadequatenot alwaysweaknessesnot consistentlyrequires improvementnot yetgapsnot met

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsWhat needs to improveAbout the inspection positive critical
  • Findings53w+13
  • What needs to improve2025w+11

Strengths

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No standout praise found.

Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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Anatomy of the report

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Pages
10
Words of findings
2,006
longer than usual (typical 773)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 42, typical 48
Average sentence
18 words
Next steps
8
typical 8
Hedged sentences
5%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 2%What needs to improve 68%About the inspection 30%

Full report text

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/10/2014 12/08/2013

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3

p.1

This provision requires improvement

 The childminder provides a wide range of accessible resources to support all the areas of learning. As a result, children are engaged and enthusiastic in their play.  Children play in a warm, welcoming and homely environment and positive attachments have been formed between the childminder and children. As a result, children are emotionally secure and settle well.  The childminder successfully identifies and minimises risks within her home and is aware of her responsibilities to protect children from abuse and neglect. Consequently, children are kept safe.  Partnerships with parents are effective to ensure that children's individual needs are met.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 The childminder does not use observations and assessments effectively to monitor progress and plan for the next steps in children's individual learning. Therefore, children's progress is not yet good.  Self-evaluation is not rigorous enough to support continuous development. The childminder does not effectively identify strategies to ensure improvement. As a result, weaknesses in practice are not fully addressed to ensure better outcomes for children over time.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed play activities indoors.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder in relation to her practice.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including the childminder's policies, procedures and children's assessment records.  The inspector viewed all areas used for childminding.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1981 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and one adult child in a house in Horbury, near Wakefield. The whole of the ground floor and the rear garden is used for childminding. The family has a cat and two rabbits as pets. The childminder attends a weekly activity group at the local children's centre, and visits local soft play centres and parks. She collects children from the local school and nursery. There are currently 11 children on roll; of whom, six are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

p.3

must:

 ensure that each child's stage of development is known, monitored and used to identify and plan children's individual next steps in learning, enabling them to make good progress.

p.3

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

 develop more rigorous self-evaluation to clearly identify strengths and weaknesses and to set targets to improve practice and learning outcomes for children.

p.3

who attend

The childminder provides a range of resources and activities to promote all areas of learning and carries out some observations of children at play to ascertain their abilities. However, this is not consistently done for all children. Furthermore, the childminder does not consistently use the observations she does make to identify and plan the next steps in children's learning. Therefore, planned activities do not always take into account children's emerging needs and interests, to help them make the best possible progress through purposeful activities. The lack of observations also means that the childminder does not monitor their progress adequately. This means she is not able to swiftly identify gaps in their learning. Nevertheless, children are making adequate progress. Their speech and language is being encouraged as the childminder and her assistant constantly talk to the children, speaking clearly and repeating words to promote correct pronunciation. The

p.3

who attend

childminder encourages children to identify and name objects in favourite story books which also supports their communication and language development. Pictures, labels and numbers displayed around the conservatory raise children's awareness of print. This helps the children to develop early literacy skills.

p.3

who attend

Children are able to freely access the wide variety of toys and equipment as they are all stored at a suitable level, to support children's choice and independence. Children access these resources with ease which gives them the ability to initiate their own learning through play. For example, children select a wooden train track and work together to construct a track for their chosen train to go on. They develop their physical skills as they slot the track together and promote their social development as they work alongside their peers. Children's independence is further encouraged as the childminder encourages them to do things for themselves in readiness for school. For example, the childminder and her assistant encourage children to 'have a go' themselves when changing their clothes or putting on aprons in preparation for lunch. They step in to offer support if necessary and give praise for children's achievements. Children are given play opportunities to explore

p.4

who attend

different media and materials. For example, during an activity with malleable dough children were able to use their imagination and physical skills, pushing the dough through a plunger to create 'a sausage'. As a result of the wide range of activities, children are able to develop their skills across the different areas of learning. The childminder also makes use of the local area, visiting parks, soft play centres and attending toddler groups with other childminders, at the local children's centre. This provides opportunities for children to meet other people, use alternative play equipment and be part of the local community. This helps to promote children's social skills and develop their self-confidence, all of which prepares them for future attendance at pre-schools, school and other care settings.

p.4

who attend

The childminder gathers basic details of children's developmental starting points through initial discussions with parents. She asks them to complete an information sheet about their child, as part of the settling-in process. She keeps parents informed on a daily basis through regular verbal discussions. Parents are also encouraged to contribute their views about their children's achievements and interests at home. As a result, parents state that they feel that they are partners in their children's learning. Since the last inspection, the childminder has developed her practice and now completes and works in partnership with parents regarding the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. Parents are given the opportunity to discuss and add their views to her assessment, and she provides them with a copy so they are able to share this with their child's health visitor in preparation for their health check. This promotes effective partnership learning to

p.4

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

Children are happy and settled in the childminder's care. She shares daily information with parents so that she knows each child's routines and preferences, which provides continuity so that children feel secure. Children form a close attachment with the childminder, as she is very caring and is aware of their needs. Children form good friendships with the other minded children and they are confident and emotionally secure in the homely, family environment. Younger children happily play with the toy kitchen, busily making a cup of tea and some toast for the assistant. Older children are confident to express their needs and wishes and inform the childminder when they need the toilet. Successful settling-in procedures ensure that young children feel secure and develop strong bonds with the childminder. Her calm approach means children are happy and content as they play. For example, the childminder is responsive to children's needs; she gives good eye contact

p.4

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

and is attentive and friendly. As a result, children feel secure and they quickly and confidently settle.

p.5

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

The childminder promotes children's physical well-being and supports their emerging understanding of healthy lifestyles. Children have regular opportunities to play outdoors, both in the secure garden and at local amenities. Outdoor play and visits to the park enhance children's health and well-being as they enjoy fresh air and regular exercise. Risks are effectively minimised within the environment due to the preventative measures that have been taken. For example, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, socket covers and safety gates are all fitted to promote a safe environment in which children can learn. Children are encouraged to take small, safe, measured risks during their play. For example, younger children playing with dough are allowed to use the sharper utensils, under supervision, when trying to manoeuvre the dough out of pots. This enables children to learn about how to be safe while tackling challenges.

p.5

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

Children enjoy a variety of healthy foods and snacks, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, and they have access to drinking water at all times. As a result, children develop a healthy attitude to new tastes and food experiences. Meal times are a social experience as all children sit around the table together. The childminder encourages and promotes good table manners as they eat politely and use cutlery correctly. Children are able to independently feed themselves, as the childminder provides support and encouragement which further promotes their independence and self-confidence. The childminder acts as a good role model in line with her behaviour management policy. Children are given clear and consistent messages about learning to share, taking turns and being kind to one another. The childminder consistently praises and encourages children, building on their self-esteem in a child-orientated and well-resourced environment. Through good use of

p.5

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

praise, providing consistent routines and boundaries, children are developing a secure understanding of right and wrong.

p.5

provision

Following the last inspection, where the childminder received a number of actions to improve, the childminder has made a number of changes to her practice. The childminder now demonstrates a sufficient knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements and, along with her assistant, has undertaken safeguarding refresher training. She protects children in her care through sound supervision and is aware of the procedures to be followed in the event of a child protection concern being raised. Additionally, the childminder has ensured that the correct vetting procedures have been completed for adults living and working in her home, protecting the children in her care. She carries out risk assessments to ensure the premises and equipment are safe for children and she practises regular emergency evacuation procedures. The childminder has a current paediatric first-aid certificate and her assistant has now also received this

p.5

provision

training in line with the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She now also keeps accurate records of accidents, and for the administration of medicines, obtains all the required parental consents.

p.6

provision

The childminder is aware of the seven areas of learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage and completes some observations of children's development. However, this is not yet consistently done for all children. Consequently, the childminder is not fully aware of each child's individual stage of development, because she does not assess children's development regularly to evidence when progress is made. Consequently, she is unable to correctly identify children's individual next steps in learning in order to plan for their individual needs. Therefore, not all children are able to make consistently good progress. Furthermore, the childminder is unable to clearly identify individual children who may need intervention or additional support. As a result, gaps in learning are not always quickly and effectively narrowed.

p.6

provision

The childminder demonstrates a suitable attitude to developing her practice and has made progress since her last inspection, meeting previous actions and recommendations. However, self-evaluation of practice and the use of meaningful improvement plans are not fully embedded or rigorous enough for this progress to be maintained, or to form part of her everyday practice. As a result, the childminder does not always identify areas of her practice that need attention or make continuous and targeted plans to bring about continuous improvement. Effective two-way partnerships with parents and external agencies are established to ensure that children's individual needs are generally met. The childminder forms friendly relationships with parents and keeps them fully informed about their child's personal care and the activities they have enjoyed. Relationships with other providers, delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage, have improved because the

p.6

provision

childminder discusses children's progress with all those involved in their learning. As a result, the continuity of children's learning and care is better supported.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number 321908 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 868738 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 6

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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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