Childminder in Hertfordshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 August 2017 10 December 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 does not take appropriate steps to ensure that unauthorised persons are prevented from entering the premises.  The childminder has failed to address the action and recommendation raised at her previous inspection. Ineffective partnerships with other settings mean that children's progress is not fully supported.  The childminder does not use what she knows about children's next steps in learning and interests well enough. She does not ensure that activities provide sufficient challenge and stimulation for individual children to help them make good progress.  Partnership working with parents is not fully effective. The childminder does not share information with parents about how to support children's learning further at home.  The childminder does not challenge children to do as much as possible for themselves in order to develop good independence skills.  Self-evaluation is not sufficiently rigorous to identify weaknesses in practice in order to

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This provision is inadequate

prioritise and plan for future improvements to raise standards.

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It has the following strengths

 Children develop good physical skills, for example, they balance along beams positioned at different levels and climb on large apparatus during visits to the park.  Children demonstrate that they feel happy and comfortable in the childminder's care. They enjoy the childminder's cuddles and confidently talk to authorised visitors.

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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 that security arrangements are consistently implemented and take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised persons from entering the premises 24/08/2017

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Due Date

 develop the partnerships with other settings that children attend in order to share information and ensure a collaborative approach to meeting children's learning needs 18/09/2017

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Due Date

 take account of children's individual interests, learning needs and stages of development in order to plan activities that fully engage them and consistently promote their good progress in all areas of learning 06/09/2017

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Due Date

 put in place a written statement of procedures to be followed in relation to complaints which a parent makes in writing or by email. 06/09/2017

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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 partnerships with parents in order to help them to support their child's learning at home  offer children more opportunities that challenge them to do as much as possible for themselves  use self-evaluation to accurately identify areas for development and take effective action to improve the provision and support children's achievements over time.

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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.  The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the childminder.  The inspector held a number of discussions with the childminder. 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 written feedback provided and discussed the childminder's self-evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is not effective. The childminder is unaware of her responsibility to maintain the security of her home. She does not ensure that unauthorised persons cannot enter the premises through gates and doors at the side and rear of her home. This compromises children's safety. Nevertheless, the childminder is able to identify the possible signs of abuse and has a suitable knowledge of how to recognise if children are at risk of being exposed to extreme ideas about what is right and wrong. The childminder does not demonstrate a commitment to improving the quality of service she provides. She does not evaluate her provision to make changes that benefit children. She has failed to address the action and recommendation raised at her previous inspection. She does not maintain effective partnerships with other settings that children attend to support continuity of their learning. The childminder has attended mandatory training, such as first aid. She knows

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

how to treat children's minor injuries and respond appropriately in the event of an emergency.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is variable. The childminder helps children to build on their mathematical skills. For example, she encourages them to join together building bricks to create tall towers and supports them to identify which tower is the highest. However, the activities that the childminder plans for children do not take account of their individual interests, next steps or stages of development. She does not always provide children with sufficient challenge to help them to make good progress. Children sometimes show a lack of motivation to learn as they are not effectively stimulated. However, young children press the buttons on a toy bus to hear the sounds it makes and they begin to repeat some of these sounds. They explore how toy cars roll down the spiral track on the small-world garage. Older children look carefully at the print on puzzle pieces and try to link them together correctly to complete their favourite puzzles. They explore how their voice

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management mean that children's safety is not assured. Children develop some independence. For instance, they make occasional independent choices about the activities they would like to play with. However, the childminder does not challenge children to do as much as possible for themselves. For instance, when children are dressing up, she does not encourage them to try to put on outfits by themselves. She tidies away the activities they have finished playing with and does not encourage them to help. Parents comment that the childminder is like a part of their extended family. The childminder informs parents about their children's progress through daily verbal exchanges. However, she does not help them in supporting children's learning at home to promote a consistent approach to their development.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Weaknesses in teaching mean that not all children make good progress. Some children are not acquiring the skills needed in preparation for their next stage of learning. Nevertheless, children do learn some skills. Some are able to count backwards from five and identify some letters in the environment. Their regular attendance at organised groups with the childminder helps them to build relationships within larger groups of children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 123909 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1063591 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 6 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 10 December 2013

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Telephone number

The childminder registered in 1996 and lives in Hertford. She operates all year round from 7.30am until 6pm, Monday to Thursday, 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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