Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 August 2016 22 May 2013

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder has not taken all reasonable steps to minimise significant risk to children. She has failed to ensure that fire control equipment is accessible in the event of a fire.  The childminder does not ensure fresh drinking water is available and accessible for children at all times throughout the day.  The childminder does not record children's daily hours of attendance or retain these for the specified period of time. In addition, she is unaware of her responsibilities in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998.  The childminder does not use the information she gains from her observations or assessments of children's learning effectively. She does not complete the required progress check for children aged between two and three years. Therefore, she does not consistently identify where children can be challenged further, or find out where they require additional support.  The quality of teaching is not yet consistently strong. At times, the activities the

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This provision is inadequate

childminder provides are not precisely tailored to include children of all ages.  The childminder's programme of professional development is not yet effective in strengthening her understanding of her responsibilities, in relation to changes to practice and guidance.

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It has the following strengths

 Parents are happy with the care provided. They appreciate the support the childminder provides on how to manage children's behaviour at home, and the regular photographic evidence they receive of children's daily activities.

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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 appropriate fire control equipment is in place, which is in working order to ensure reasonable steps are taken to promote the safety of children and others on the premises in the case of fire 23/08/2016

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Due Date

 ensure fresh drinking water is available and accessible to children at all times 23/08/2016

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Due Date

 keep a daily record of the hours of attendance for children looked after on the premises and retain these for a period of two years 23/08/2016

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Due Date

 develop knowledge of the responsibilities under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 and ensure these are met 23/08/2016

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Due Date

 ensure the information gained from observations and assessments of children's learning is used effectively, to understand their levels of achievement, inform planning and challenge them to make good progress in all areas of learning 09/09/2016

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Due Date

 put procedures in place to complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, in order to provide parents with a short, written summary of their development in the prime areas of learning 09/09/2016

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching, so that children consistently benefit from activities that are age appropriate. 09/09/2016

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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

 explore further ways to strengthen the programme of professional development, in order to retain information and adhere to the most up-to-date childcare legislation.

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Inspection activities

 We carried out this inspection, as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about this provider.  The inspector observed a range of activities indoors and outdoors. She held discussions with the childminder about children's learning, progress and behaviour.  The inspector viewed the childminder's documentation, including policies, training certificates and evidence of the suitability of all persons living on the premises.  The inspector took account of the views of all current parents through discussions on the day and completed questionnaires. She spoke to children at appropriate times.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. The childminder does not ensure that she has fire control equipment accessible to use if needed in the event of a fire, and is unsure of when this was last in place. This means that she has not taken all reasonable steps to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in her care. Furthermore, although the childminder shares digital images of children appropriately and confidentially, she is not aware of her responsibilities in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998. In addition, although she can account for the children in her care at all times, the childminder has not recorded their hours of attendance for a four month period. This means that she is not meeting a number of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage. The childminder is keen to improve. She speaks with other childminders and completes regular courses aiming to keep her knowledge up to

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

date. However, she admits that she finds it hard to retain the information provided, such as the requirement to complete a progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. The childminder is trialling a variety of methods to help her accurately monitor the progress of children, but has yet to establish an effective way. She has developed suitable relationships with the other settings children attend, and discusses children's ongoing development with them.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children enjoy choosing games to play from a range of available resources. For example, older children dress up as tigers and laugh as they imitate a roar; young children engage in pretend play as they speak into toy phones. The childminder routinely observes and assesses each child and identifies some next steps in their learning. However, assessments do not focus precisely on children's age and stage of development to inform the childminder's planning, and provide structure to each child's day. As a result, current activities and experiences do not challenge children in all areas of their learning. The quality of teaching is variable. The childminder does not always adapt activities to include all children. During a joint activity setting up a train track, the childminder focuses well on the older children using a range of questioning techniques to encourage them to think independently. She listens to what they have to say and extends the conversation to help

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

develop their understanding of the world. However, on occasion, the childminder has limited interaction with younger children who begin to lose interest and look for other ways to entertain themselves, such as climbing into a resources box.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The weaknesses in leadership and management have a significant impact on the judgement for children's welfare. Children have developed secure bonds with the childminder and her family. They share affectionate words and enjoy outdoor football games with the eldest children. The childminder gathers detailed information about each child when they start and uses this to meet their individual care needs. She completes risk assessments to ensure she provides adequate supervision and care for each child during the short period she cares for four pre-school children in the holidays. The childminder supports children as they prepare to move on to nursery. Some of the ways she does this is through role play activities, regular discussion about what to expect, and taking them to local groups to help build their levels of social confidence. The childminder uses a range of strategies to promote positive behaviour. She provides children with clear guidance about

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

the house rules, including her expectation to share resources, show respect and not to jump on the furniture. The childminder complements the food children bring from home with a range of balanced snacks and is aware of their dietary requirements. She cleans away any spills to promote safe hygiene practice. However, although fresh drinking water is offered at regular intervals throughout the day, children do not always have access to this to assure their good health, such as when playing outdoors in the warm weather.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

The weakness in the childminder's use of observations and assessments means that children are not consistently supported to make good progress. Available activities are not always precisely tailored for the ages of the children in her care. Children acquire some of the skills that they need for future learning and for starting school. They are developing appropriate social skills, as they use their manners unprompted, learn to take turns and respect the needs of others. They make confident choices and listen to instruction well.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY398727 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1060638 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 2009 and lives in Hemel Hempstead. She operates all year round from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Telephone number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

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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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