Childminder in Essex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 December 2015 7 March 2011

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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 ensure that prior written consent is obtained from parents before she gives children any medication. This means the required documentation to support children's well-being is not in place.  The childminder's planning is not fully effective. This is because she does not consistently use information about children's precise learning needs to promote their good progress.  The childminder does not effectively use self-evaluation as a way of identifying specific areas for future improvements. This does not fully support the consistent development of her service.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy spending time outside in the fresh air. For example, they play in the garden and go on regular walks with the childminder and her pet dog. Parents report that their children go out on a wide range of trips.  The childminder has developed close relationships with parents which help her to be consistently aware of each child's ongoing care needs. Parents report that the childminder has supported their children to be confident and have good values.  At times, children show sustained interest in learning. For example, they practise and refine their physical skills as they pick up, successfully match and insert puzzle pieces into a board.  Children demonstrate their growing independence during daily routines. They spontaneously tidy up their toys before lunchtime without any prompting from the childminder.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 ensure written permission for particular medications is obtained from a child's parent or carer before the medication is administered 23/12/2015

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Due Date

 ensure that planning is used to provide all children with challenging activities which promote their individual next steps in learning. 23/12/2015

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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

 strengthen self-evaluation to inform priorities and set challenging targets for ongoing improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities in the childminder's home and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector held a range of discussions with the childminder. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the childminder's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of persons living in the household.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided by them.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder attends regular training which helps her to keep up to date with current safeguarding practice. She has a written procedure in place which demonstrates her understanding in regard to her responsibility to protect children. Children in the care of the childminder are able to play in a clean, safe and well-maintained environment. The childminder reflects on the service she provides. Parents and children are encouraged to express their views and opinions through their discussions with the childminder. She uses this information to make decisions about how she can make improvements to her service. However, current self-evaluation does not accurately identify specific areas for improvement or confirm that all requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The childminder finds out information from parents about children's starting points. However, she does not consistently use this information to identify activities that will specifically meet their individual learning needs. While the childminder's ongoing planning meets children's interests, it does not include information linked to their precise learning needs. This does not support children to make good progress towards the early learning goals. Children enjoy the time they spend with the childminder and are occupied, although on occasion, activities lack appropriate levels of challenge to meet children's precise needs. For example, she does not use opportunities to extend children's critical-thinking skills during a sorting game. Children confidently help themselves to toys and resources and make decisions about what they would like to do. They learn about the world around them when they spend time out in the local community with the childminder.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children are well behaved and learn about how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know that they must sit at the table when they eat food. The childminder has administered medication to children which was given to her by parents. However, she has not obtained the required prior written consent. The risk to children is small because parents have given verbal consent for her to administer the medication. Children are encouraged to help themselves to the selection of activities the childminder has set out for them before they arrive. They develop a very close relationship with the childminder. They freely share their concerns with her and show a strong sense of belonging in her home. Parents provide their children with a balanced range of foods which is stored appropriately by the childminder.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are generally working within the range of development typical for their age, taking account of their starting points. As a result, they develop some of the basic key skills needed for nursery or school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 202053 Local authority Essex Inspection number 871055 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 10 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2011

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1987 and lives in North Weald. She operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays.

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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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