Castle Elizabeth Anne

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 September 2015 23 July 2010

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The childminder does not fully understand how children learn. She is not confident in observing and assessing children's progress. She is unsure of how to plan effectively to promote the next steps in children's learning and development.  The quality of teaching is inconsistent. The childminder provides some general activities and play experiences although many are mundane and lack challenge. The childminder does not always recognise the possible teaching and learning opportunities in children's self-initiated play.  Self-evaluation is ineffective in identifying and addressing weaknesses in practice. The childminder has not extended her professional development to keep up to date with changes to legislation and guidance. This contributes to the decline in the quality of the provision.  Partnerships with parents and other providers are not sufficient to fully promote the two-way sharing of information about children's learning.

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The childminder does not consistently provide children with opportunities to choose from the range of resources available.

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It has the following strengths

 Children explore freely and safely and are cared for in a warm and welcoming home.  Children benefit from the childminder's caring and friendly interactions as they build close attachments.  Children are confident to explore and have positive levels of self-esteem.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 use information gained from accurate assessment to plan challenging and enjoyable learning experiences that are delivered through purposeful play and a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity 30/12/2015

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Due Date

 devise a targeted programme of professional development in order to extend knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements and raise the quality of teaching 30/12/2015

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Due Date

 develop an effective two-way flow of information with parents and other providers, sharing precise details about what children know and can do, promoting continuity of learning. 30/12/2015

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 provide further opportunities for children to access resources and activities that are of interest to them  develop and review the self-evaluation process to identify and prioritise areas for improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection about her practice and the systems she uses for observation, assessment and planning.  The inspector and childminder jointly observed children at play.  The inspector sampled documents the childminder uses to support her practice, including relevant policies, consent forms, daily registers and children's development records.  The inspector took into account parents' views by sampling written documents made available during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder has attended training on safeguarding. She demonstrates appropriate knowledge and understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and knows what to do if she has a concern. The childminder is qualified, attends relevant training and keeps herself updated by reading and reviewing new regulations and guidance. She is qualified to carry out first-aid procedures. The childminder does not always fully understand the statutory requirements. Her weak knowledge of the learning and development requirements impacts on the children's ongoing progress. She adequately monitors children's progress. However, the childminder does not always use her knowledge of child development to plan activities based on individual children's needs. The childminder reads childcare and education publications and attends essential training to further her professional development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is not yet good. The childminder's general understanding of the learning and development requirements, impacts on her ability to plan purposeful activities. Children enjoy their time with the childminder and generally initiate their own play, which the childminder supports. However, children mainly engage in activities that are led by themselves which lessens their wider experiences. During children's play, the childminder supports their language skills. They chat about what they are doing and join in with their favourite songs. However, the childminder does not always extend children's thinking skills through effective questioning. The childminder observes children to assess their development and to identify some next stages for their learning. However, the next steps identified are often too generalised. They are not linked to individual learning and developmental needs and children are not appropriately challenged to make better

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

progress. The childminder speaks with parents on a daily basis. These conversations sometimes focus too heavily on the children's care routines and not on the children's learning and development. She is not yet exchanging pertinent information about children's progress with other providers involved in children's early learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children are supported to understand positive behaviour. The childminder promotes sharing and taking turns. The childminder provides regular outdoor play for children. Children take part in many sensory activities. However, the childminder does not consistently provide children with opportunities to choose from the good range of activities and resources available. For example, at the inspection she chose craft resources and sorting activities without involving children in making their own choices. As a result, on occasions some children did not engage well in the activities and walked away.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make steady progress in their learning and development in relation to their starting points and gain some of the skills they need to move on to school. Children develop some independence when completing some self-care tasks.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 201983 Local authority Essex Inspection number 854298 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Age range of children 0 - 11 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 23 July 2010

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1987 and lives in Great Wakering, Southend-on-Sea. She operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She provides funded early education of two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Telephone number

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Telephone number

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Telephone number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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