Childminder in Halton

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 December 2015 22 February 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:

 Teaching is not good enough to ensure children make good progress across all areas of learning and development.  The childminder's assessments of children's progress are not accurate enough to enable her to plan activities to meet their individual learning needs.  The childminder does not routinely make the most of opportunities to promote children's independence and self-care skills.  The childminder sometimes has unrealistic expectations of children's behaviour and does not explain the boundaries clearly.  The childminder's self-evaluation of the provision is not thorough enough to drive improvements. She does not consider the impact her own and her assistants' poor teaching has on children's progress.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder has completed a childcare qualification and this is beginning to have a positive impact on her ability to promote children's learning and development.  Children are safe with the childminder. She regularly checks her home and the various outings they go on, and makes appropriate changes to minimise risks.  Children have daily access to outdoor play and the childminder provides a range of appropriate resources to help them develop their physical skills.

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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

 improve teaching so children benefit from consistently good strategies which promote their learning and development 30/01/2016

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Due Date

 improve assessment of children's progress, including their starting points, so that activities and teaching can be tailored to meet individual needs. 30/01/2016

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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

 enhance opportunities to promote children's independence, particularly their self-care skills  extend children's understanding of how to behave by making the most of opportunities to promote positive behaviour  develop self-evaluation further and give consideration to the impact that teaching and the activities provided have on the progress children make.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the childminder.  The inspector held discussions at appropriate times during the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of adults working and living at the home.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder has a sufficient understanding of the safeguarding procedures, and shares this with her assistants. They attend safeguarding training to keep their skills and knowledge current. The childminder has adequate partnerships with other organisations, such as local schools, and knows how to access support to help her meet children's needs. The childminder works closely with her assistant and does not leave her unsupervised with the children. They share information about individual children and plan activities. However, the childminder's evaluation skills are weak and she does not support her assistants to improve their teaching techniques. Furthermore, she does not check children's progress in order to identify where improvements can be made to the environment, resources or the teaching strategies used.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The childminder provides a range of basic activities that keep children entertained. However, they are not always tailored to individual children's interests or learning needs, so children are not always motivated to join in and learning opportunities are missed. For example, as children make decorations with chocolate, they are told to stir the mixture without any explanation about what it is they are doing and why. This is because the childminder's assessment of children's starting points and ongoing progress is not accurate enough to identify gaps in their learning and development. Children play with jigsaws and shape sorters, and the childminder occasionally names the shapes, colours or numbers. However, her teaching requires improvement to ensure children make good progress over time. She shares information with parents about what children have been doing and gathers basic details as children start.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The childminder knows the children well and talks to parents about children's routines. Children settle quickly and generally enjoy their time with the childminder. They develop secure attachments with the childminder and her assistant, and their care needs are effectively met. However, opportunities for children to practise their independence skills, and in particular, their self-care skills, are sometimes missed. They attend groups to develop their social skills and are beginning to develop the skills they will need as they move on to school. Children have opportunities to practise taking risks as they play outdoors and in local parks, and they are developing an understanding of healthy lifestyles. The childminder provides healthy meals and snacks and encourages children to try different flavours and textures.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children do not make good progress because the childminder's teaching and her assessment processes require improvement. Children develop adequate skills that they will need as they move on to the next steps in their learning, including school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 303421 Local authority Halton Inspection number 864770 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 11 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 22 February 2011

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1995 and lives in Widnes, Cheshire. She employs two assistants and operates from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except on 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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