Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 August 2017 24 October 2012

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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 Good 2

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The childminder and assistant do not have a valid first-aid certificate. This compromises children's health and safety.  The hours of children's attendance are not accurately recorded.  The childminder does not always make the best possible use of supervisory sessions to monitor and evaluate her assistant's practice to focus on raising the overall quality of teaching to the highest level.  On occasion, the childminder does not consistently provide children with challenging learning opportunities to help them to make more rapid progress.  The childminder is not effectively evaluating her practice to identify weaknesses and is not putting actions in place to ensure weaknesses are addressed.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder works in close partnership with parents. She shares information about their children's progress with them. The childminder provides ideas that parents can use to support their children's learning at home.  The childminder has a good understanding about how children develop and learn. Children are provided with a range of activities that captures their interest.  Children benefit from settling-in sessions that meet their individual care needs. This supports them to quickly settle into the childminder's care. She provides praise and encouragement that helps children to grow in confidence.

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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

 complete and maintain first-aid training, including paediatric first aid and ensure that any assistant who is left alone with children has valid paediatric first-aid training 04/09/2017

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Due Date

 maintain an accurate daily record of children's hours of attendance. 04/09/2017

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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 the supervision procedures used to monitor and evaluate the assistant's practice to raise the overall quality of teaching even higher  provide a higher level of challenge in activities to encourage children to excel even further in their learning  strengthen the procedures for self-evaluation to ensure all weaknesses in practice are identified and actions put in place to meet all requirements.

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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 evaluation of an activity with the childminder.  The inspector held a number of discussions with the childminder and assistant. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of persons living in the household.  The inspector spoke to children during the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through reading the written feedback provided.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. The childminder and assistant do not have valid first-aid certificates. The assistant has sole care of the children at times. This puts children's health and safety at risk. Children's hours of attendance are not being accurately recorded. The childminder has a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse. She knows the procedures to follow and who to contact in her local authority with any such concerns. The childminder does not effectively evaluate her practice to identify the weaknesses. However, she does monitor children's development and progress. The childminder provides support to help children make good progress. She has attended some training opportunities to support her knowledge and skills, this helps develop her teaching skills that benefit children's development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder gathers information from parents when children first start. She uses these views along with her own observations to identify children's starting points. The childminder provides the children with a board to chalk on. This helps promote their early writing skills. The childminder spends time counting with children to support their mathematical development. She challenges them to work out how many more pieces of play dough are needed to make five. Children are encouraged to predict what may happen next during a story. This helps them gain a good interest in reading and books.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The weaknesses in leadership and management mean that the childminder does not promote children's safety and welfare. However, she does support children's understanding about right and wrong, and uses clear and consistent messages. Children are supported to learn the skills of taking turns and sharing. They are provided with opportunities to develop their independence. For example, children help to tidy away toys when they have finished playing and learn to pour their own drinks. Children enjoy trips to the local parks, walking to the library and playing at a variety of childminding groups in the local area. The childminder talks to children about food that is good for them during mealtimes. These are some of the ways that the childminder supports children's understanding about keeping healthy.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are eager to learn and happily participate in the good range of activities that is available. They learn more about the world around them as they explore, for example, the childminder encourages children to search for bugs and insects. Children learn the skills needed for their next stage in learning and for their move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY248200 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1059641 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 8 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 7

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 24 October 2012

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Telephone number

The childminder registered in 2003 and lives in Bushey, Hertfordshire. She holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The childminder works with an assistant. She operates all year round from 7.45am to 6.30pm, 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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