Atkinson, Susan

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is inadequate

The current safety procedures are inadequate. The childminder's inability to ensure that adults in sole charge of children are adequately trained, poor knowledge of what information needs to be notified to Ofsted and failure to minimise potential risks all have a significant impact on children's safety and welfare. However, the childminder forms a secure bond with every child. She gently reassures children in times of need, such as when they are new to her home, to help them to feel happy and settled in her care. The friendly childminder teaches children to remember that, 'to achieve, all you have to do is believe'. This helps children to become resilient and contributes towards the positive attitudes they adopt. Meaningful resources, such as books with fundamental morals, are used well, to help children to gain an understanding of the importance of taking responsibility for their actions and learn what is right and wrong. The well-qualified childminder has high

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The provision is inadequate

expectations for every child. Her good range of activities and appealing learning environment actively support children to gain the key skills they require for their future success. Children become deeply engrossed in their learning. They respond well to the childminder's positive and timely interventions during play.

p.2

need to do better?

n The childminder does not ensure that all adults working with children have the appropriate qualifications and training for their role. For instance, the childminder has not ensured that her assistant, who is in sole charge of the children for periods of time, holds and maintains a paediatric first-aid qualification. This poses a significant risk to children's health, safety and welfare. n The childminder does not take reasonable steps to minimise risks to children. For example, she does not make sure that vehicles, in which children are being transported in, are sufficiently insured. Furthermore, on occasions, the childminder does not ensure that her external doors are secured, to prevent the risk of any intruders entering the provision. n The childminder does not ensure that the installed fire detection equipment is checked and maintained regularly enough. For instance, smoke alarms that have been removed to change the batteries are not replaced swiftly enough. This

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need to do better?

causes a considerable risk to children, particularly during overnight care. n The childminder does not evaluate her practice well enough to identify the key areas for improvement. There are a number of areas of significant weakness that the childminder has not addressed promptly enough. For example, she has failed to inform Ofsted of a significant event, such as a change to those living in the house. This contributes towards the inadequate safety procedures in place. n The quality of education is good. The well-qualified childminder observes children closely to focus on what they know and enjoy. She uses this information to plan fun and challenging learning experiences that inspire children to play and

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need to do better?

2 October 2019 learn. For instance, in response to children's love of water play, the childminder adds resources, such as number buckets, to enhance children's awareness of numerals. This motivates children to build on their mathematical skills and quickly supports them to develop a desire to learn about numbers in other ways. Children make good progress in their learning and development. n Overall, partnerships with other professionals are good. The childminder takes children to regular 'come-and-play' sessions at the local school, to help to prepare them for their move. She regularly meets with a range of professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the childminder does not source precise information to target her support most accurately, to help to close any gaps in their learning more rapidly. n The childminder grasps opportunities to build on children's knowledge of

p.2

need to do better?

favourite stories. For example, she encourages children to recall key events and principle characters and to use this knowledge to create their own story board. The childminder's apt and upbeat interactions aid children's ability to follow instructions, communicate freely and maintain good concentration levels. n Partnerships with parents are good. The childminder keeps parents fully informed about their children's learning and progress. She shares information and resources with parents that help them to build on children's skills at home.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder has a poor understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage. Her knowledge of what information is required to be notified to Ofsted is weak and a number of risks to children are not adequately reduced. This poses a significant risk to children's safety. However, the childminder attends regular safeguarding training. She is alert to the signs and symptoms of abuse and has a suitable understanding of child protection procedures. The childminder puts useful measures in place to keep children safe when using electronic devices and shares information with parents to help to keep children safe when using the internet at home. She has a firm understanding of the numbers of children she is able to care for.

p.3

Due date

ensure that any assistant, who is in sole charge of the children, holds and maintains a current paediatric first-aid qualification 16/10/2019

p.3

Due date

2 October 2019 ensure that all fire detection equipment is regularly checked and maintained so that any risks to children are minimised 16/10/2019

p.3

Due date

take steps to prevent the risk of any unauthorised persons entering the provision so that children are kept safe at all times 16/10/2019

p.4

Due date

make sure that vehicles in which children are being transported are adequately insured 16/10/2019

p.4

Due date

improve knowledge and understanding of what information needs to be notified to Ofsted. 16/10/2019

p.4

should:

n improve the systems for self-evaluation and promptly identify precise areas for improvement that help to raise the quality of the provision to a consistently good level n build on the well-established partnerships formed with other professionals and share more in-depth information about what children with special educational needs and/or disabilities need to learn next, to target support most precisely and to help them to make more rapid progress.

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY298257 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10109713 Type of provision Childminder

p.5

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder Age range of children 0 to 14 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 21 Date of previous inspection 25 March 2013

p.5

Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2004 and lives in Shap. She works together with an assistant on a regular basis. The childminder operates all year round from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for family holidays and some bank holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. She holds an appropriate qualification at level 3.

p.5

Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector how she organises her home and discussed her aims and rationale for the early years foundation stage curriculum. n The inspector spoke with the childminder and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n A planned activity was jointly evaluated by the inspector and the childminder. n A range of documents were looked at by the inspector, including qualification and training records for the childminder and her assistant, policies and procedures, health and safety documents, and attendance records. The inspector discussed self-evaluation with the childminder. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and from comments noted on recent reference letters.

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Inspection activities

2 October 2019 We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

2 October 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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