Childminder in Darlington

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/11/2014 19/09/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 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

 Children play in a warm and friendly environment and have formed positive attachments with the childminder. As a result, children feel secure and settled.  The childminder engages appropriately with the children as they play with a range of age-appropriate toys. This supports them to make some progress in their learning.  The childminder successfully identifies and minimises risks within the home and is aware of her responsibilities to protect children from abuse and neglect. This helps to safeguard children.  Partnerships with parents are effective to ensure that children's individual needs are appropriately met.

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It is not yet good because

 Children do not make better than satisfactory progress in their learning and development. This is because information gathered from observations is not used fully to shape children's learning experiences, in order to plan precisely for their interests and the next steps in their learning.  Children have not been assigned a key person. This means that it is not clear to see which childminder takes overall responsibility for ensuring that the learning and care is tailored to meet children's individual needs.  The childminder's evaluation of her practice lacks rigour. It does not clearly identify and plan priorities for improvement. This does not fully promote continuous improvement.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children playing.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning and development records, a selection of policies and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-childminder and the children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the information provided through written parental comments.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the childminder's qualifications and suitability of adult household members.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2011 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children in Darlington. The whole of the ground floor, the first floor bathroom and master bedroom and rear yard of the home are used for childminding. However, the childminder primarily cares for children from her co-childminder's home in Darlington. The childminder collects children from the local nurseries and schools. There are currently six children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age range and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She holds an early years qualification at level 3.

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must:

 use the information gained from regular observations and assessments of the children more precisely, when planning activities and experiences across the areas of learning, in order to ensure planned and purposeful play that fully considers children's stage of development

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must:

 implement a clear key-person system to ensure that every child's learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs.

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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.

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who attend

The childminder has satisfactory understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She provides children with a suitable range of resources and activities which cover all areas of learning. This helps children to make some progress in their learning and development. The childminder obtains a sufficient range of information from parents at the start about children's interests, and this is used alongside initial observations of children to assess their starting points in learning. Each child has an individual learning journal, which includes ongoing observations of children's learning and tracking of the progress they are making. However, although individual planning is in place, the childminder does not make good enough use of the observations. These are not used to accurately identify and ensure that planning is sufficiently based on the next steps in children learning. As a result, planned activities do

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who attend

not always take into account children's emerging needs to help them to make the best possible progress they can. As a result, children acquire the basic skills they need in preparation for moving to nursery or school.

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who attend

The childminder is warm and friendly and participates appropriately with children as they play, teaching them skills which will suitably promote their overall development. For example, she models how to hold pencils correctly and gives children praise when they attempt this. Young children further develop their hand-to-eye coordination and physical skills through an appropriate range of resources. For example, they explore different textures in treasure baskets and persist trying to fit shapes into shape sorters. The childminder suitably extends children's communication and language skills, for example, she asks them to find the 'red car' and asks them if they have found a 'big or small' car. She also sensitively corrects any words they mispronounce, which further develops their language skills. The childminder responds warmly to young children. For example, she sits them on her knee and reads stories to them. She supports their physical development as

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who attend

she encourages them to pass books to her and gives them praise as they use furniture to pull themselves up and cruise around the room.

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who attend

The childminder has a sound understanding of the importance of working closely with parents. Information is shared on a daily basis and children's learning journals are sent home regularly. This means that parents are kept up to date about the progress children are making. In addition, parents are encouraged to provide photographs of what children have been doing at home. These are used by the childminder to promote discussion with the children and further support their communication skills and their sense of belonging at the setting. The childminder has a sufficient understanding of the progress check for children aged between two and three years. Although she has not completed a check, she has worked alongside her co-childminder, sharing information as required to support the completion of progress checks.

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

Children's personal, social and emotional development is appropriately fostered by the childminder. They develop close attachments with her as she responds positively and warmly to them. Consequently, children are happy and settled in her care. The childminder works with parents prior to children starting to obtain relevant information, such as children's medical needs, sleep patterns and comforters. This promotes a smooth move for the child from home into the childminder's care, and means that the childminder is aware of children's individual needs. However, although the childminder and her co- childminder work very closely together, they have not implemented a key-person system. This means that it is not clear to see who takes overall responsibility for each child's care and learning, to further meet children's individual needs. Children are appropriately supported in preparation for starting school. They visit local groups, such as rhyme time at

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

the library; this provides them with opportunities to socialise with their peers. In addition, they accompany older children to school, and this helps to familiarise them with other settings. Children have suitable space to play in the setting. Resources are age appropriate and the majority are stored at low level so that children can access them independently. The childminder has a suitable understanding of the importance of using age-appropriate behaviour management techniques. For example, she encourages children to share with each other and uses discussion to help children to learn right from wrong. A written behaviour policy is discussed with parents prior to children starting, and this helps to ensure consistency in managing children's behaviour. Consequently, children behave well in the childminder's care.

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

Children have regular opportunities to play outside and be physical, for example, they visit a range of local parks. In addition, the childminder helps them to learn about the healthy lifestyles through discussion, such as talking about how exercise is good for their hearts. Children sleep in travel cots and according to their needs and parents' wishes. This helps to support their overall well-being. Meals are generally provided by the co-childminder. However, these are healthy and take into account children's dietary requirements. The childminder helps children to learn about how to keep safe through discussion and activities, for example, they practise fire drills and talk about stranger danger.

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provision

Children are safeguarded as the childminder has a suitable knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She works with her co-childminder to appropriately maintain all required records, policies and procedures to meet the needs of the children. This includes a record of attendance and children's dietary requirements. Children's welfare is further promoted as the childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and procedures to follow should she have a concern about a child. This is supported by a written policy. The childminder takes overall responsibility for completing risk assessments and daily checks of the space which is used for children. This ensures that any hazards are appropriately identified and minimised for children.

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provision

The childminder works alongside her co-childminder to monitor the educational programme they provide. They make suitable use of assessments of children's progress to ensure that all areas of learning are appropriately covered. The childminder and co- childminder discuss their practice on an ongoing basis, reflecting on what has worked and what they can improve. In addition, the childminder has completed an early years qualification at level 3 to help to develop her practice. Feedback from parents is obtained through regular questionnaires. However, systems to effectively monitor and evaluate her practice are not sufficiently robust. Information gathered is not used well enough to inform a clear improvement plan and vision for the service, in order to prioritise areas for development. The childminder has, however, made sound progress in addressing most of the recommendations raised at the previous inspection. This includes improving resources

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provision

to promote children's awareness of diversity. However, there is still room to improve the use of observations, in order to support children to make better than satisfactory progress in their learning and development. Appropriate two-way partnerships with parents and external agencies are established to ensure that children's individual needs are suitably met. For example, the childminder obtains sufficient information from other settings to promote continuity of learning and care for children who attend more than one setting. The childminder forms friendly relationships with parents and keeps them fully informed about their child's personal care and the activities they have enjoyed. In addition, parents sign to say they have read the childminder's policies and procedures. This ensures that they have a clear understanding about how the childminder and her co-childminder work.

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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 EY429138 Local authority Darlington Inspection number 870346 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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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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