Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/10/2014 12/03/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Met 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 extends children's learning by asking good quality, open questions. Therefore, children's communication and language development is well supported.  The childminder provides a welcoming and homely environment. She establishes warm and secure relationships with the children and they have a strong sense of security and belonging as a result. Therefore children's behaviour is well managed.  Partnership with parents is good and relevant information is shared to meet children's needs.  The childminder has a very good understanding of child protection and how to keep children safe.

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It is not yet good because

 Self-evaluation is not robust and the childminder has failed to maintain a current first- aid certificate.  Monitoring and assessments of children's learning are not routinely used to inform planning. Therefore, this impacts on the quality of teaching and education programmes provided to ensure children make consistently good progress.

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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 in the childminder's lounge.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder and interacted with the children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of records including children's details, written policies, training certificates and a selection of other documents.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of adults living in the household.  The inspector took parents' views into consideration.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2001 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and teenage son in Fulwood, Preston in Lancashire. The family has two cats. Children are cared for on the ground floor of the home, with toilet facilities available upstairs. The premises are within easy reach of public transport, shops, parks, schools, playgroups and community resources. The childminder operates between the hours of 8am and 5.30pm. She has two children on roll within the early years age range. The childminder is able to take children to, and collect them from local schools.

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must:

 ensure a current first-aid qualification is held, which is relevant for practitioners working with children

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must:

 ensure information from assessments of children is used to monitor and plan for the next steps in their learning.

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

 develop more effective self-evaluation and monitoring to drive improvements that benefit the children who attend.

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who attend

Educational programmes cover the seven areas of learning and generally support children's development. The childminder interacts well with children and supports them through activities that interest them. For example, when building the train track the childminder names the colour of each piece. She later asks the children to 'find the green piece', which they do with confidence and delight as the childminder praises their success. Consequently, they are keen learners and make sound progress, ready for their future learning, such as school. However, the childminder does not undertake assessments of children, therefore, cannot inform planning and monitor children's learning and development. Consequently, she does not consistently plan activities to improve children's learning to the maximum potential, which impacts on the quality of teaching as children are not always sufficiently well challenged. Children's personal, social and emotional development is addressed well and they are

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who attend

settled and happy. The childminder actively encourages the use of good manners and turn taking, by always praising and encouraging children. Consequently, children enjoy their time with the childminder and are happy. There is a sharp focus on helping children to acquire communication and language skills. For example, by repeating back words using correct pronunciation. As a result, the children's language and communication development is good. The children demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning because the childminder understands how to motivate children by encouraging them to try new things. For example, on the day of the inspection young children were encouraged and praised for being very persistent in their attempts until they successfully completed forward rolls.

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who attend

Relationships with parents are very positive and contribute well to meeting children's needs. Parents speak to the childminder on a daily basis and they are kept informed of their child's progress. The childminder effectively supports the parents by offering guidance and support, when needed. As a result, strong relationships actively contribute to children's learning and progression. However, the opportunities for parents to extend their child's learning at home are limited as next steps are not always planned for. Consequently, there are missed opportunities to provide a more consistent approach to children's development.

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

The childminder supports children to feel secure and comfortable with routines and has established close relationships with children and parents. However, she has allowed her first-aid qualification to recently lapse, which does not promote children's safety. In spite of this, the impact on the children's safety is low. This is because she has previously completed a paediatric first-aid course and has a good understanding of first-aid. Children respond to appropriate boundaries with encouragement and support. They happily engage in their activities and experience enjoyable learning opportunities. Relationships with parents are positive and make a good contribution to meeting children's needs. Children form strong, secure emotional attachments, which provide a solid foundation to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. The caring interaction between the childminder and children ensures that all children form positive and trusting relationships. Children

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

settle well, because the childminder gathers relevant information from parents about children's well-being. This ensures all children's needs are known and effectively met. Consequently, children are well supported in the move from home to the childminder's home.

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

The childminder effectively promotes children's independence and sense of responsibility through a balance of child-initiated and adult-led experiences. Children are able to manage their own self-care appropriate to their age because the childminder provides good guidance and gives them time to complete tasks. Consequently children's confidence and self-esteem are well supported and when the time comes, they are self-confident and emotionally well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including school.

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

The childminder acts as a good role model, helping children to learn how to be healthy, such as cleaning their hands before snack and positively promoting healthy foods. For example, the childminder provides healthy home-cooked meals, such as pasta, meatballs and vegetables, followed by fresh fruit or yoghurt. The childminder role models and uses positive communication strategies, to help children understand about acceptable behaviour. Consequently, children's behaviour is very good. For example, children learn to share, take turns and consider others. The childminder provides high levels of supervision to keep children safe and learn the rules and boundaries set to ensure their safety. For example, by explaining to children about road safety while on walks and applying the green cross code, taking time to look and listen for approaching cars. Consequently, children are kept safe and learn how to assess danger and manage risks.

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provision

Safeguarding procedures are generally good. The childminder understands her role in protecting children from harm and is aware of what to do should she be concerned about children's welfare, therefore, children are kept safe. She undertakes risk assessments both inside and outdoors to reduce hazards and as a result, children are cared for in a safe environment. Although the childminder has a good understanding of what to do in the event of a medical emergency, at the time of the inspection, her first-aid qualification had very recently lapsed, compromising children's safety. However the impact is minimal because she had completed an appropriate first-aid qualification previously and is booked on the next available course to update her existing skills and knowledge.

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provision

The childminder has a good general understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching because it is not always targeted to meet the individual needs of children; this is because she does not currently engage fully in a process of assessment, planning and evaluation. However, children are progressing steadily and are secure, with good relationships being evident. The childminder has started to use a process of self- evaluation, however, this is not yet effective. Consequently, she is not meeting a legal requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage, as she has allowed her first-aid qualification to lapse. This is also a breach to the requirements of the Childcare Register.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are strong and contribute significantly to the good progress children make. This is because the childminder is committed to supporting families to ensure continuity and every opportunity for children to reach their full potential. Feedback from parents is overwhelmingly positive. For example, parents state 'my child is brilliant at talking because of her', 'she tells me every day what my child has been doing' and 'we are really grateful that she prepared our child well for starting school'.

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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 an appropriate first-aid qualification is held (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 403514 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 914356 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 2

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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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