Rees, Susan

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/11/2014 19/01/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 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 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The systems to monitor children's learning and development are weak. They do not give the childminder the information she needs to plan challenging and interesting activities; consequently, children's progress is hampered.  The childminder fails to share sufficient information with parents and others about children's development. This has an impact on children's learning at home.  The childminder's systems to monitor, and evaluate the quality of her provision are weak and her action plan does not identify areas to improve outcomes for children.  The childminder is aware of child protection procedures, however, she does not have a written safeguarding policy as required by the Childcare Register.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder is welcoming to children, showing them care and affection. This helps them build trusting relationships.  The childminder promotes social skills well; she encourages children to treat each other with respect and has boundaries, which help them learn how to behave.

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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 undertaken by the children and the childminder.  The inspector discussed practice with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled records in relation to children's learning and development, and those in relation to complaints, training, support and skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the childminder's self evaluation provided on the day of inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views, which were received through letters or recommendation.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered with Ofsted in 2001. She lives in New Bradwell, close to Milton Keynes. The whole ground floor, the first floor bathroom and one bedroom of the childminder's house is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register, and on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. She is currently caring for four children in the early years age range and three older school-aged children, on a part time basis. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children and helps to run a local parent/toddler group. The family currently keeps cats as pets.

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must:

 improve the use of observation and assessment systems by observing what children can do to help identify where they are in their learning, and use this information to tailor activities and experiences to challenge and extend children's learning and development

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must:

 improve partnerships with parents and others to ensure information is shared about the range and types of activities and experiences provided for children, and how parents and carers can share learning at home

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must:

 develop procedures to undertake initial and ongoing assessments of children's abilities to establish their starting points, and to complete the progress check for each child aged between two and three years and provide parents and/or carers with a short written summary of their child's development in the prime areas of learning.

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

 develop self-evaluation processes to monitor, evaluate, and assess strengths and weaknesses of practice to help drive improvement.

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who attend

The childminder demonstrates a poor understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She provides activities for children that she knows they enjoy, rather than because she has identified where children are in their learning, and these are not focussed on helping children reach their next steps for learning. Generally, activities are poorly planned, and resources are not used well enough to challenge children and extend their progress. Therefore, children do not make sufficient progress in their learning because the childminder does not do enough to build on what children already know and can do.

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who attend

The childminder provides activities to support children's personal, social and emotional development. She places herself at children's level to engage them in play and provides affectionate attention. She makes sure play equipment and resources are stored at a low level and she asks them what they want to play with. The childminder is on hand to help children negotiate with each other. Overall, she is successful in helping children to play cooperatively together. She talks to the children to help them develop their communication and language skills. For example, she talks to them while they play, referencing numbers as they count, and identifying colours and shapes. She asks questions to the children and gives clear instructions to them during their play. However, the questions she asks do not extend children's learning as she does not introduce new language to extend their vocabulary or awareness of numbers further. Children listen to

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who attend

the childminder but; their attention is, at times, short. They show understanding and can follow simple instruction but; the childminder's questions do not help them to be creative thinkers. The childminder explains she takes children to local parks and has a garden where they can play. This encourages them to be energetic and practise their balance and coordination skills. This helps to promote their physical development. Children handle a variety of tools, and stack with bricks and this helps to develop their hand-to-eye coordination. They are beginning to develop early writing skills by using crayons and pencils to make marks.

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who attend

The childminder is friendly and welcomes parents into her setting. She shares care arrangements and details about children's welfare with them each day. When children start she uses parents' knowledge about their children to help her begin monitoring systems. However, she does not continue to seek and share information with parents about children's learning as, generally, her monitoring systems are ineffective. For example, the childminder records special moments and makes observations but; does not track children's development under each of the areas of learning. Therefore, she lacks knowledge about how children are doing against expected levels, and she doesn't have the information she needs to plan interesting and challenging activities to match children's abilities and skills. The progress check for two-year-old children is poorly implemented and not well understood by the childminder. She does not share her knowledge of children's

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who attend

development or her records with parents. Therefore, they lack the information they need to support their children's learning at home.

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

The childminder works with parents to help settle their children into her setting and build trusting relationships with those around them. She models how to behave and sets clear social boundaries, such as reminding children to be kind, share and be patient. Overall, she is successful in helping them to play beside each other harmoniously. Although, some behaviours decline when children are tired or not fully involved as activities are not challenging them. The childminder provides opportunities for them to learn how to behave in bigger groups of children as she regularly makes good use of community groups in her local area. This enables them to mix with other children from their community, learning routines and building their confidence around others. In addition, they can take part in activities, which support their understanding of diversity, differences between people and other cultures. The childminder provides children with a small range of resources, which

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

have positive images of diversity. The childminder builds children's awareness of safety. They know that some drinks are hot and must not be touched. The childminder explains to children about road safety, while out, and increases their awareness of the potential dangers around them. Overall, their behaviour is age appropriate and they are gaining an awareness of how to keep themselves safe.

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

The childminder encourages children to live healthy lifestyles. In general, she promotes their independence and helps them learn to do personal care tasks for themselves. She keeps her home clean and tidy, and encourages children's understanding of hygiene routines through hand washing activities. Wet wipes are often used throughout the day to ensure children have clean hands before sitting down for meals. Overall, the childminder promotes healthy eating and drinks are readily available. The childminder encourages children to be physically active throughout their day. She also provides quiet spaces for those children who need a rest or sleep.

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

Overall, the environment is welcoming to children and resources are easily accessible, enabling them to help themselves. The childminder has taken measures to ensure her home is secure and safe for childminding. This means children can move around the environment without being exposed to hazards or dangers.

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

In general, the childminder helps children build trusting relationships and learn how to play with others. She builds their confidence and self-assurance to enable them to feel confident with their move on to other settings or school.

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provision

The childminder does not have a clear understanding of how to effectively support, and target children's ongoing learning and development. Although she has current documented guidance to help show children's developmental milestones, she does not use it to help her target activities to focus on children's ongoing progress. Therefore, children are not making as good progress as they can. Her knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage is weak. This means she is not monitoring children's learning well enough to have a precise and accurate picture of what they can do. She does not have high expectations of children and does not plan interesting or exciting activities to help them reach their learning goals. Assessment systems are poorly implemented. Parents are not valued for their knowledge of children or provided with information about children's learning. Information about how well children

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provision

are doing against expected levels is unavailable. Therefore, parents do not receive the information they need to help them understand how well their children are doing. The lack of helpful information means that they receive little guidance on how to help their children at home.

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provision

The childminder confidently talks about safeguarding issues. She is alert to indicators and has systems in place to share her concerns with the appropriate safeguarding agencies. She explains her procedure for the safe use of mobile phones, cameras and social networking sites. She ensures all those who are in contact with children are appropriately checked. Visitors are supervised and, overall, she maintains the welfare of children well and sees to their day-to-day needs. However, she has breached the Childcare Register requirements as she does not have a written safeguarding procedure.

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provision

The childminder's system for monitoring the quality of her provision is poor. Although she is able to establish what works well, and what needs to improve, she does not address weaknesses. For example, the childminder has failed to sufficiently address weaknesses raised at her last inspection related to children's learning and development. This demonstrates a lack of commitment to driving improvements in her practice. Although the childminder has attended some training relating to the learning and development requirements, it has largely been ineffective in developing her knowledge and practice skills. Nonetheless, the childminder is keen to continue to be registered and is committed to developing her skills.

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provision

The childminder's relationships with parents and other agencies, around children's learning and progress, are generally poor. There is insufficient sharing of information to enable planned and consistent learning to take place.

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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:

 keep and implement a written statement of procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  keep and implement a written statement of procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect (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 141518 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 841475 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 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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