Childminder in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/10/2014 18/05/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 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 varied educational programmes children. Activities are tailored to their individual needs and interests. As a result, children enjoy their time at the childminder's and make good progress.  The childminder forms warm, caring bonds with children. As a result, children are happy, settled and confident to explore their surroundings.  The childminder has formed successful partnerships with parents. She works together with them to provide care that is tailored to individual children's needs.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder's paediatric first-aid certificate has recently expired. She has failed to update her first-aid knowledge to ensure that children are always protected in the event of an accident.  The childminder does not always obtain information about who has parental responsibility and legal contact for children. This is a breach of a legal requirement.  The childminder has less successful partnerships with the schools children attend. As a result, she is not always able to fully complement and support what children are already learning at school, to enable them to make the best possible progress.  Children have fewer opportunities to develop their natural curiosity and exploration skills in the outdoor environment.

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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 activities in the childminder's home and had a tour of the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder about children's progress and achievements, and viewed their development records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector saw evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the childminder, her self-evaluation, risk assessment and policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to children, several parents and viewed parent feedback obtained by the childminder prior to inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2008 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and their two children in a house in Halstead, Essex. The whole of the ground floor, one bedroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. The childminder collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently three children on roll, one of whom is in the early years age group. Children 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 Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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must:

 ensure that she holds an appropriate up to date paediatric first-aid qualification

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must:

 ensure that she obtains information about who has parental responsibility and legal contact for children in her care.

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

 strengthen the relationships with schools that children attend to further complement and support what they are already learning at school, to enable them to make the best possible progress

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

 strengthen the planning of the activities in the outside area and provide a range of resources to further support children's natural curiosity and exploration skills with items, such as, magnifying glasses, bug catchers and a digging area.

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who attend

The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn. She uses this to provide varied educational programmes that engage children well in their play. As a result, all children make good progress. The childminder provides a well-planned, free-flow play environment with a range of resources and activities that cover the seven areas of learning. For example, children have access to a cosy book area with a range of fiction and non-fiction books, a range of board games and problem solving construction sets, and an inviting role-play home area with a pretend kitchen. The childminder obtains information from parents when children first start about their capabilities, likes and dislikes. She uses this information, along with her observations, to form an initial assessment of their skills. As a result, the childminder provides children with learning opportunities that challenge them early on in their time in her care. Children enjoy their

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who attend

time in the garden taking part in activities, such as super-hero pretend play and craft activities, such as painting and drawing. However, the childminder does not plan as many opportunities and has fewer resources to promote children's natural curiosity and explorations skills, such as, magnifying glasses, bug catchers and a nature area.

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who attend

Children learn the key skills they need for the move to primary school. The childminder regularly incorporates mathematics into children's play. For example, when making jelly, children weigh out the ingredients, count how many cubes they need and work out when to stop pouring water into the measuring jug. Consequently, children develop their knowledge of mathematical concepts. The childminder has a range of literature displayed in the environment. There are colour words, numbers, a system for children to register their attendance, and a clock where children can start to learn to tell the time, among many other posters and signs. As a result, children have many opportunities to learn new words, sounds and develop their early literacy skills. The childminder supports children's communication and language skills well. She encourages them to speak during activities and develop their language by adding new words, such as 'squelchy' and rhyming words,

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who attend

such as 'jelly, welly' when the children are making the jelly.

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who attend

The childminder has formed successful partnerships with parents. She regularly shares information about children's progress with them. Parents also regularly contribute what they know their children are learning at home. Parents comment that the childminder takes great care in getting to know each individual child and tailors the activities to their specific learning needs and abilities. The childminder provides parents with a suggestions book as an additional form of communication where parents can leave their thoughts and ideas for future activities to support children in their learning. However, the childminder has not yet established partnerships with the schools that the children attend. Therefore, she is unable to fully complement and support what they are already learning at school, to enable them to make the best possible progress.

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

Children form warm, caring bonds with the childminder. They are happy, confident and settle well. Indoors, the childminder provides a range of easily accessible resources that are appealing and interesting for children to play with. As a result, children build their self- esteem and confidence as they make choices. The childminder obtains information from parents when children start about their care needs. She uses this to provide an environment that they feel familiar with. As a result, they settle well into the childminder's care. The childminder supports children's social skills as she regularly takes them on outings to develop their communication skills and so they can socialise with other children and adults. Children learn about how to manage their own emotions. When they arrive in the morning they use a visual chart to tell each other how they are feeling, for example, they select stickers with faces on them, such as happy, sad and confused. However,

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

children are less well protected in the event of an accident as the childminder's first-aid certificate has recently expired. The childminder does carry the children's personal details with her on outings in order to be well prepared to liaise with the emergency services and inform children's parents if there was an accident or incident.

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

The childminder provides children with a healthy diet. They eat healthy snacks and home- made meals provided by the childminder. The childminder has successful strategies in place to support children to learn the importance of eating healthily. She has implemented a dinner winners system where children are rewarded when they try new foods. Children regularly use the garden outside for physical exercise, such as super-hero races and riding on bicycles. In addition, they regularly have trips to the local park where they use the climbing apparatus. The childminder promotes children's independence well. Children make their own lunch, dress themselves and wash their hands independently. Children develop good manners as the childminder reminds them to say please and thank you appropriately. Children learn good hygiene as the childminder reminds them to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before eating food.

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

The childminder manages children's behaviour effectively. She regularly reminds children of the boundaries in place and children listen well to her instructions. Children regularly take part in emergency evacuation procedures, so that they learn how to keep themselves safe in an emergency. For example, children understand why it is important to keep a register of the people in the house. They say, 'we need to put our names down because if there is a fire we will know who is in the house'. The childminder helps children to become familiar with the school environment as she takes them to collect the other children she cares for from the local school.

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provision

The childminder understands her responsibility to implement some of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. However, the childminder's first-aid certificate has recently expired and this is a breach of the legal requirements. However, the childminder has a good knowledge of how to respond to a child who needs first aid, such as a choking incident. As a result, this breach does not have a significant impact on children's safety, as the childminder is knowledgeable about how to administer first aid. However, it does mean that children are not as well protected in the event of an accident, as the childminder has failed to update her knowledge when she needed to. The childminder can identify the signs and symptoms of abuse and knows the appropriate action to take if she has concerns about a child. The childminder risk assesses the environment and carries out checks to ensure that children remain safe. All adults on the premises have Disclosure and

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provision

Barring Service checks to ensure their suitability. Furthermore, the childminder obtains children's personal details from parents on entry. However, she does not always obtain information about who has parental responsibility or legal contact for the children. This means that the childminder is not meeting this legal requirement.

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provision

The childminder monitors her educational programmes to ensure they cover all seven areas of learning and provide varied experiences for children. She regularly assesses children's progress to identify any gaps in their learning so she can provide timely support. The childminder's self-evaluation highlights her strengths and areas for improvement and includes the views of children, parents and other professionals. She plans to extend the resources in her outdoor area to provide more varied and exciting experience for children, such as a mud kitchen. The childminder has identified that her paediatric first-aid certificate has expired. She informed parents straight away and has booked herself on the first available course in order to up date her knowledge.

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provision

The childminder has formed successful relationships with parents. She regularly shares information about children's progress. Parents regularly contribute to children's learning and the childminder provides ideas and activities to complete at home. Parents comment that they are so pleased with the care the childminder provides. They say that she is very approachable and supportive of working parents. The childminder's home is situated near to the local school that children attend. However, she has yet to make contact with their individual teachers. Therefore, she is not fully prepared to further complement and support what children are already learning at school, to help them achieve the best possible progress. The childminder has formed relationships with other local childminders. She regularly shares ideas about good practice with them.

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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 she has an appropriate and current first-aid qualification (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that she has an appropriate and current first-aid qualification (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 EY384873 Local authority Essex Inspection number 858891 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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