Childminder in East Sussex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/11/2014 22/09/2011

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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

 The childminder develops positive relationships with children, which helps support their emotional well-being.  The childminder encourages children to use their imagination as they play.  The childminder provides a suitable range of resources for children to make choices about their play.

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It is not yet good because

 The childminder has failed to inform Ofsted of a change of her address, which is a breach of legal duties. In addition, at times there are other adults working at the premises who have not completed the required suitability checks.  The childminder does not use her knowledge of children's development to identify well- chosen next steps in children's learning. As a result, she does not always routinely plan challenging activities to ensure they make good progress.  The childminder does not always fully support children's communication and language skills. For instance, she does not consider how she asks questions or wait for children to think and respond.  The childminder does not always encourage parents to share information about their children's learning at home to help promote a consistent approach.

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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 checked evidence of safeguarding knowledge and took account of the childminder's self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's development records.  The inspector observed children and the childminder during play activities.  The inspector had discussions with the childminder.  The inspector viewed the rooms used by children.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2011. She works with her mother, who is a registered childminder, and they also work with an assistant. The childminder works from her mother's home, which is close to shops, parks, schools and the beach. The rooms used include the hallway, playroom and a room for sleeping purposes. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. There are steps into the flat and down to the outside area. The childminder brings her own young child to the setting. The co-childminder has two cats. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register, and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder and her co-childminder are currently minding a total of six children and of these, four are in the early years age group. The childminder supports children who are learning English as an additional language. She collects children from the local school and attends toddler groups on a

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Information about the setting

weekly basis. The childminder has an appropriate National Vocational Qualification at level 3.

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must:

 obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service check for all adults who work on the childminding premises

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must:

 use observations and assessments more effectively to plan suitably challenging activities inside and outdoors that support well-chosen next steps in learning for children to promote their good progress.

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

 enhance children's communication and language skills further through asking effective questions and giving children 'thinking time' to respond to these

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

 encourage parents to share information about their children's learning at home in order to tailor planning to children's individual needs and to promote a consistent approach to supporting their progress.

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who attend

The childminder works alongside her co-childminder with all the children, although they take responsibility for planning for their own key children's learning and development. The childminder is aware of the need to promote children's learning and observes children as they play. She uses her observations appropriately to assess and monitor children's progress, which helps her identify any learning gaps to address. However, the childminder does not have a secure understanding of how to recognise what children need to learn next to encourage their individual progress further. As a result, she is not routinely planning challenging activities and play experiences to extend children's learning to ensure they make good progress. However, the childminder completes the required progress checks for two-year-old children with some useful detail. This provides parents with suitable information about children's physical, communication and language, and social

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who attend

skills at this stage. Parents receive daily verbal feedback about their children's day and are able to view their child's learning records regularly. Although the childminder provides information about children's learning in her setting, she does not always effectively encourage parents to share information about their children's learning at home. As a result, the childminder and parents are not always sharing information to support children's learning and progress consistently.

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who attend

The childminder provides resources and activities that she knows children will enjoy and spend time at, which promotes a suitable level of concentration. In general, she is supporting children's developing language appropriately. The childminder asks some questions that promote children's thinking to encourage a wider use of vocabulary. However, at times, the answer children need to give is restricted to 'yes' or 'no'. As a result, at times children are not sufficiently challenged in their thinking and to use their language skills to answer. Occasionally, the childminder does not always give children time to think of what they want to say. She values children's use of imagination in their play. For example, at the inspection, children spent an appropriate level of time creating and participating in a toys' tea party. Children benefit from various outings during the week where they have different learning experiences. These include supporting their physical

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who attend

development at indoor play centres and using different art and craft materials at toddler groups to encourage their creativity. Children experience regular outdoor play, in the co- childminder's garden, in the park or at the beach. The childminder helps prepare children for going to school. For example, she talks to them and reads books about starting school. The childminder helps children develop basic skills, such as managing the toilet on their own and using a pencil. However, her limited understanding of how to plan challenging experiences and activities means she is not effectively preparing children for their future learning and eventual move to school.

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

There are weaknesses in the safeguarding and welfare requirements, although these do not have a significant impact on children's well-being. The childminder forms positive, caring relationships with children. As a result, children settle well and are happy, promoting their sense of well-being. The childminder manages children's behaviour appropriately and praises children when they behave well. Children develop positive social skills as they play with other children and mix with others at the toddler groups. They share resources with others and confidently make some decisions about their play.

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

Children independently decide when they need a drink from their water bottles and help themselves to these when they are thirsty. They bring packed lunches from home and the childminder helps them to learn about eating their food in an appropriate order. In addition, she provides fruit snacks, which supports children's developing understanding of healthy lifestyles. Children make their own choices about their play from the suitable range of accessible toys and resources in the playroom and hallway. There are some natural resources for children to explore and investigate indoors, such as shells and pinecones. These encourage children to use their senses and promote their curiosity. Children are learning to keep themselves safe. For example, they are learning to look and listen before crossing the road with the childminder, and they practise emergency evacuations.

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provision

The childminder is meeting most of the safeguarding and welfare requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, she failed to inform Ofsted of her new address. This is a breach of a legal requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Childcare Register. Following revised guidance from Ofsted obtained during the inspection, the childminder must ensure Ofsted is aware of all adults who regularly visit and work at the premises. This is to ensure appropriate suitability checks are completed to help safeguard children.

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provision

The childminder is confident about the child protection procedures to follow if she has any concerns about children's welfare. She has written guidance and information available and she is due to update her safeguarding training. The childminder or the co-childminder complete appropriate daily safety checks to help ensure children are kept safe from potential hazards. The childminder sometimes works with an assistant and the appropriate suitability checks have been completed for her. The childminder works alongside her co- childminder and they communicate well, helping to ensure they provide consistent approaches to children's care. The childminder supports her assistant appropriately and provides relevant information to her about her role, such as the written policies.

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provision

The childminder has made some progress with the recommendations made at her last inspection. She is evaluating her practices and noting areas for development. The childminder demonstrates a capacity for improvement and has some training booked to improve her knowledge. However, she is still not promoting children's learning effectively or engaging fully with parents. She is monitoring the educational programmes to identify and narrow any gaps in children's learning. However, planning does not ensure activities and play experiences are sufficiently challenging so that children reach their best potential.

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provision

Overall, the childminder has improved her communication with parents, which in particular, helps her to work with them to meet children's care needs. She shares her written policies with parents, helping them to develop an understanding of her role and responsibilities. The childminder demonstrates that she is suitably aware of working with other early years settings or professionals involved in children's lives.

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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:

 inform Ofsted of the name, date of birth, address and telephone number of any person aged 16 or over working on the premises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  inform Ofsted of any changes to your address and telephone number (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  inform Ofsted of the name, date of birth, address and telephone number of any person aged 16 or over working on the premises (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  inform Ofsted of any changes your address or telephone number (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 EY426600 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 845377 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 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

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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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