Childminder in St Helens

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 January 2016 1 September 2009

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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 consistently assess children's progress, in order to identify individual learning styles and plan effectively to address any gaps in their learning.  Partnerships with other settings children attend are not fully established. The childminder does not ensure there is an effective approach in sharing information to complement learning.  The childminder has not developed ways of involving parents actively in their children's learning and development. Parents do not always have sufficient information to continue their children's learning at home, or contribute to their overall progress.  The childminder does not include the views and opinions of parents and children in her self-evaluation of the setting. This means she is unable to fully evaluate the quality of service she provides and make the necessary changes.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder is warm and affectionate and spends good quality time with the children. Children seek her out for comfort and reassurance. Children confidently explore the well-resourced learning environment.  The childminder provides healthy and nutritious home-cooked meals and snacks, to promote children's good health and well-being.  The childminder provides many different opportunities for children to 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

 undertake observations and assessments consistently to provide an accurate picture of what all children know and can do, in order to inform their next steps more precisely to promote continued good progress in learning 31/01/2016

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Due Date

 provide parents with detailed information about their child's learning to enable them to continue this at home 31/01/2016

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Due Date

 establish links with other providers when children attend more than one setting, so that children fully benefit from a shared approach to support their continued good progress. 31/01/2016

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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

 seek and include the views of parents and children when making evaluations of practice, to prioritise and make the necessary improvements.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning with the childminder.  The inspector spoke to the childminder and the children throughout the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the childminder's policies and procedures, children's records and the childminder's self-evaluation.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of adults who live at the childminder's home.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder has attended training and has a sound knowledge of her role and responsibility to protect children and keep them safe. The childminder maintains accurate records for fire drills, medication and accidents, to ensure children's safety. Policies and procedures have been updated and risk assessments are in place. The childminder has accessed training and worked with her local early years team to address previously raised actions. However, parents are not regularly asked to contribute to the self-evaluation of the setting. This means the childminder is unable to make meaningful adjustments. The childminder has introduced a system to assess children's learning. However, the monitoring of children's assessments is not robust enough, to ensure children make consistently good progress. This also means that parents are not always kept up to date regarding their child's progress, or supported by the

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

childminder to extend children's learning at home. Partnerships with other settings children attend have not been sufficiently achieved. The childminder does not yet share information to ensure there is a joined-up approach, to help children make continued progress and complement the learning that takes place at both settings.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The childminder provides children with resources and activities that cover the seven areas of learning. However, children do not make consistently good progress. This is because of the childminder's limited knowledge and understanding of how to use assessment effectively to progress their learning. This means she cannot sufficiently plan for their next steps, including noting any gaps which may occur in their development. That said, children are working within the typical development bands for their age and are developing the necessary skills to be ready for school. The childminder talks with children as they play and gives them plenty of time to think and answer. Children are developing good communication and language skills and are becoming confident communicators. The childminder plays with children down at their eye level. This helps children focus and maintain their concentration.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children's health and safety are secured. The childminder holds a valid first-aid qualification and maintains a stocked first-aid box. Resources are attractively presented and encourage children to make independent choices in their play. Children form secure emotional attachments with the childminder. Suitable settling-in sessions are in place, to support children's emotional well-being when they first start to attend. Older children behave well, because she makes her expectations clear and is a good role model. Children enjoy outings, which helps increase their confidence away from the setting and contributes to their physical development and good health. Babies' well-being is promoted. The childminder follows routines and care practices as discussed with parents.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Outcomes for children are weak. Weakness in assessment, planning and information sharing mean that children are not yet supported to make good progress in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY271859 Local authority St. Helens Inspection number 1035224 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 10 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection 1 September 2009

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2004 and lives in St. Helens. She operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3.

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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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