Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 August 2016 23 September 2014

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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 does not record children's full names, dates of birth or the names and addresses of parents and their emergency contact details. Furthermore, the childminder does not hold information on who has parental responsibility for the child or who the child normally lives with.  The childminder does not keep a daily record showing the names of children and the times they are being cared for on her premises.  The childminder does not take all reasonable steps to ensure children are not exposed to hazards. She has not considered the potential risk of leaving her dog unsupervised in close proximity to children.  The childminder does not assess and track children's development in order to identify exactly where children are in their learning and prioritise where support is needed.  The childminder does not obtain sufficient information from parents about what children already know and can do when they first start at her setting. As a result, she is

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This provision is inadequate

not always able to effectively plan activities to support their learning from the outset.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder provides children with opportunities to play and learn outdoors. Children explore the garden, play with water and ride in cars. They visit the park where they engage in active physical play as they climb on equipment.  Children settle quickly. They are confident and generally enjoy their time in the childminder's home. They independently access toys and resources that interest them.

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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 records are kept showing children's full names and dates of birth, the names and addresses and emergency contact details of every parent or carer, who has parental responsibility for the child and who the child normally lives with 06/09/2016

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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 reasonable period of time after they have left the provision 06/09/2016

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Due Date

 take all reasonable steps to improve risk assessments and ensure children are not exposed to risks in the home and on outings, with particular regard to the control and supervision of the family dog 06/09/2016

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Due Date

 develop effective procedures to assess and track children's development so that any weaknesses in their learning can be swiftly identified and addressed to promote their good progress. 06/09/2016

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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

 gather more detailed information from parents about what children already know and can do when they first start and use this information to more effectively plan for their future learning from the outset.

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Inspection activities

 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information Ofsted received about this provider.  The inspector observed the childminder joining in activities with the children and, at appropriate times discussed the learning that was taking place with her.  The inspector saw the areas of the house and garden used for childminding.  The inspector discussed self-evaluation with the childminder and also how she tracks children's progress and development.  The inspector checked the evidence of the suitability of household members and a range of other documents, including the safeguarding policy.  The inspector interacted and spoke with the children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The childminder does not obtain sufficient information from parents in order to keep all required records. This means she is not able to contact parents quickly in the event of an emergency and places children at significant risk. Furthermore, the childminder does not keep a record showing the days and times that children are on her premises and when she takes responsibility for them. Although she carries out risk assessments to address some hazards these are not effective in ensuring children's safety. The childminder attends some training and benefits from peer support from other childminders. For example, she has recently attended child protection training and has a good understanding of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse. She has details of the relevant agencies to refer to should she need to report a concern. The childminder's systems to assess and track children's progress are weak.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Consequently, she is not able to quickly identify gaps in children's learning in order to plan suitably challenging activities.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The childminder gathers limited information from parents before children start with her. She does not find out enough information about what children can already do. This has a negative impact on her ability to effectively plan for their next steps in learning from the very start. The childminder sets out resources that she knows interest the children. For example, she has a range of different vehicles and a garage. Children spend time lining up cars and pushing them down the ramp on the garage. They are very excited when the childminder gets out the train track. They engage in cooperative play as they share the trains and trucks. The children talk about their experiences of travelling on trains and aeroplanes. The childminder increases their awareness of the world as she tells them about countries she has visited. The childminder shares some information with parents about what children have been learning through the day. She encourages them to tell her

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

what the children have been doing at home in order to widen her understanding of some aspects of their development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's safety and welfare are not assured. At times, the childminder leaves her dog where it could potentially harm children. For example, when visitors arrive at the childminder's home, she shuts herself in the porch leaving her dog barking in the hallway, behind the door. The hallway is open for the children to access. Furthermore, at times, the childminder leaves the room and the dog sits in the middle of the floor where children are playing. This frustrates the children as they cannot reach all the resources and they push the dog and tell it to move. The childminder admitted that on a recent outing, she had tied the dog up very close to where other people's babies were lying in the grass and did not adequately supervise the dog. Children are sociable and chat happily to visitors. They show respect for each other and for the childminder as they share resources and use good manners. Children are developing an understanding of healthy lifestyles. They are keen to

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

play in the garden and understand the need to wash their hands before they eat. They understand the need to wear sun cream and hats as they talk about keeping safe in the sun. The childminder talks to the children about the importance of a balanced diet as they eat their snack. She takes children to local toddler groups and meets with other childminders. Children benefit from socialising with larger groups of children and engaging in a wide range of activities.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Weaknesses in the childminder's assessments and tracking of children's development mean that they are not consistently supported to make progress. Children are developing some skills that support them to move forward in their learning and help them prepare for starting school. The childminder encourages children to count and understand positional language as they play with toy cars and count candles to put on their dough birthday cakes. The childminder helps to develop children's literacy skills. For example, she reads stories and provides them with pens and paper.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 129785 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1067684 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 23 September 2014

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1995 and lives in Kings Langley. She operates all year round from Monday to Friday from 7.15am to 6pm, 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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