Childminder 149362

Inspection date 24 January 2019 Previous inspection date 21 July 2016

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of 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

n The childminder has not ensured that her knowledge of safeguarding children is up to date. She is not familiar with government statutory guidance or the correct action to take in the event of a safeguarding concern. n The childminder does not manage children's behaviour in a suitable manner. She does not provide children with clear and consistent guidance about acceptable ways to behave. n The childminder does not focus her programme of professional development on driving the quality of teaching to a consistently good standard or strengthening her knowledge and understanding of her role and responsibilities. n The assessments the childminder completes on children are not regular. This does not support her to understand children's accurate levels of achievement or consistently plan suitably challenging activities. n The childminder shares limited information with the other settings that children attend.

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This provision is inadequate

This means children do not benefit from continuous support for their learning needs.

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It has the following strengths

n The childminder knows how to support children's language development. For example, she uses clear pronunciation and introduces children to new words, such as 'wobble', 'cold' and 'splash' as they explore jelly. n Children have developed a suitable bond with the childminder. They enjoy the time that they spend with her and gain comfort as they need. n Parents are happy with the care provided and receive regular information about the activities children take part in.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date gain an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues, including having regard to the government's statutory guidance, in order to be able to identify children at risk at the earliest opportunity, and to respond in a timely and appropriate way 24/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement effective strategies to manage children's behaviour in an appropriate way and provide children with consistent support to understand acceptable ways to behave 24/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

establish a more focused programme of professional development that helps to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level and improves knowledge and understanding of the role and responsibilities of a registered childcare provider 24/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure that assessments completed on children are regular, to understand their level of achievement, inform planning and challenge them to make consistently good progress 24/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

establish more effective relationships with the other settings children attend to support a regular two-way flow of information and ensure children have continuous support for their needs. 24/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the childminder. n 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. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The childminder has not maintained an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding practice. Therefore, she is not alert to all of the indicators that may place a child at risk of harm. This means that the childminder is not able to respond to safeguarding issues in a timely or appropriate way. This has a significant impact on the safety and well-being of children. The childminder is not clear on her responsibilities as a registered childcare provider. She has not considered ways to improve her quality of teaching or develop knowledge and understanding of her role. The childminder makes some attempt to reflect on her practice. For example, she spends time each week discussing issues with other childminders and sources some information and ideas for activities online. However, these strategies do not support her to identify significant weaknesses in her practice.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

The childminder has made minimal effort to build relationships with the nurseries or schools that children attend. Information shared rarely focuses on aspects of children's learning. This does not support children to receive consistency in their experiences.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children have access to a range of toys suitable for their age. However, the assessments that the childminder completes on children are not regular. For example, she last assessed some children six months ago. This does not enable her to ensure that their next steps in learning are precise. This means that children are not always suitably challenged to make consistently good levels of progress. Teaching is variable. For example, during a planned activity, children had some resources taken away when the task had been achieved, despite their obvious interest to carry on. The childminder recognises some activities that children are reluctant to take part in, and she plans experiences to address these. For instance, children practised their smaller physical skills as they used a spoon to mix cereal with melted chocolate. She encouraged children who were not keen to get their hands dirty to use their fingers to move the cake mixture from

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The childminder's limited knowledge of safeguarding compromises children's welfare. Furthermore, she does not understand how to manage children's behaviour in a suitable manner. For example, she tells children that their actions are naughty and does not provide them with consistent and clear messages about acceptable ways to behave. At times, children's poor understanding of expectations results in a disorderly environment and places them at potential risk. For example, children climbed on plastic toy boxes and were not asked to come down until they lost their balance and fell a short distance. Children threw resources during their play. They followed the childminder's dog around, although it clearly displayed that it was unhappy and began to growl. Children have some opportunities to develop their social skills. For instance, the childminder takes children to several groups each week where they interact with other children.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

The weaknesses in assessment and teaching mean that children do not make consistently good rates of progress. Nonetheless, children do gain some of the basic skills that they require for future learning. They form special friendships with other children and have the confidence to express their preferences. Children begin to use mathematics as they say number names randomly in their play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 149362 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10063675 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder Age range of children 1 - 10 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7 Date of previous inspection 21 July 2016

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Registers

The childminder registered in 1994 and lives in Letchworth. She operates all year round, from 7.30am to 6.30pm on 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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Registers

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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Registers

procedures set out in the guidance Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Registers

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Registers

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Registers

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