Childminder in Hertfordshire

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

The childminder has a poor understanding of the requirements of her registration. She is in breach of numerous requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage' (EYFS). These breaches have a significant impact on children's safety and well-being.

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The provision is inadequate

The childminder does not plan a thoughtful balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning based on what she already knows that children can do. At times she is caring for more children than allowed by the ratios of the EYFS. At these times she finds it harder to interact with children to support their learning. The childminder does not offer a broad enough range of activities and experiences, to give younger children the knowledge they need to be ready for their next stage in their learning. Activities on offer are more suitable for older children moving on to school and younger children can become bored. Children have to wait for longer than is appropriate for the childminder to prepare the next activity. This has the greatest impact on the youngest children as they struggle to sit still for long periods of time.

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The provision is inadequate

In spite of this, children are making some progress in line with their expected age and stage of development. For example, older children confidently count from one to 20 and can identify the letters in their name. They cooperate well with each other. Children are, sometimes, well occupied in the childminder's care and explore some activities and resources that they enjoy. For example, children explore play dough. They roll and mould shapes with their hands and the childminder helps them to push and press the dough into different shapes. They choose books from an accessible book case and look at these independently. However, activities are repetitive and children are learning from the repetition of activities, rather than by taking an active role in their learning. This means that children, overall, do not make good progress.

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need to do better?

n The childminder has not taken sufficient steps to bring her registration in line with requirements of the EYFS, despite being served legal notices following a visit to her home on 25 May 2021. She is unaware of multiple requirements of the EYFS and demonstrates a poor understanding of these requirements. These repeated and further breaches demonstrate a poor capacity to improve, and have a significant impact on the safety and well-being of children in the setting. n The childminder is making exceptions to the usual ratios. She is often overwhelmed by the needs of the children who are present. She also does not make enough allowance in her learning plans to meet the specific needs of the younger children who attend. For example, they often do not join in activities to identify numbers and letters as this is not appropriate for their stage of

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need to do better?

17 June 2021 development. As younger children also have to sit for longer than is appropriate for their age they become restless. n The childminder is not maintaining documentation required for the safe and efficient management of her service. She is failing to record all children's times of arrival. She is not recording accidents to children, or monitoring for the potential impact of these accidents. Additionally, she has failed to obtain a relevant paediatric first-aid qualification to enable her to protect children in the case of an accident. She does not maintain a record of complaints made against her service. n The childminder has made some improvements to the safety of her home following actions issued by Ofsted. For example, she has fixed a broken door handle so that children can no longer leave the main minding room unattended. She has cleared areas, used by children, of piles of resources and equipment so

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need to do better?

that the safety of these areas is improved. However, she has failed to make other improvements. For example, to her procedure for monitoring pre-existing injuries to children. This demonstrates that improvements made by the childminder are not sufficient to ensure children's safety n Older children understand some of what is expected of them and behave in a positive way towards others. However, younger children are often tearful as the childminder struggles to understand what they want. The childminder does not manage behaviour well. She does not help children to understand why certain behaviours are expected, for example she tells them to sit down, but does not help children to understand why this is important. She is not acting as an effective key person. For example, she does not respond to cues from children that they are bored or frustrated with an activity. n Children enjoy opportunities to develop their physical skills. They dance to songs

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need to do better?

they recognise, and sing along with the childminder. They benefit from daily visits to a nearby play area where they can use a slide and swings to move their bodies and learn to climb. The childminder helps children understand some patterns of speech. For example, they sing 'The Wheels on the Bus' fast and slow, and quietly and loudly. They follow the actions and giggle as they wave their arms to be the 'wipers on the bus'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is not effective. The childminder has awareness of signs and symptoms of potential abuse and/or neglect, she recently updated her safeguarding policy with contact details for relevant agencies following actions issued by Ofsted. However, she has failed to implement an effective system to monitor developing signs of concern, such as pre-existing injuries.

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Due date

ensure that you are able to monitor signs of potential concern about children such as pre-existing injuries to recognise and respond to such concerns without delay 23/07/2021

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Due date

maintain an accurate record of children's times of arrival and departure, in order to promote their safety 23/07/2021

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Due date

obtain a full and relevant paediatric-first- aid qualification in line with the requirements set out in Annex A of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage' 23/07/2021

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Due date

maintain a record of all accidents that occur to children in your care and ensure that you inform parents of all accidents to their children as soon as is reasonably practicable 23/07/2021

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Due date

improve the management of children's behaviour through warm, positive interaction so that they understand what is expected of them 23/07/2021

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Due date

implement the role of the key person for each child in your care, to tailor their care to their individual needs 23/07/2021

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Due date

make sure that staffing arrangements meet children's needs and ensure their safety; this is with particular reference to only applying exceptions to the usual ratios for childminders where you are able to meet all children's needs 23/07/2021

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Due date

ensure that you maintain a record of all complaints made about your provision. 23/07/2021

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Due date

improve your learning arrangements so that each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity; this is with specific reference to ensuring that experiences respond to each child's individual needs and stage of development, and that children are able to become actively engaged in their learning. 23/07/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2570931 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10198164 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 0 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2020 and lives in Kings Langley. She operates all year round from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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Inspection activities

n This inspection was prioritised following the receipt of information that raised concerns that the childminder was not meeting some requirements of their registration. n This was the first inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation. n The childminder showed the inspector the areas of her home that children access. They discussed how the childminder plans and provides activities for children. n The childminder and the inspector spoke about the communication that the childminder has with parents. n The childminder shared some documents with the inspector about the suitability of persons living in the household. n Children spoke to the inspector about things that they do at the childminder's home. n The childminder and the inspector reviewed a learning experience for children

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Inspection activities

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

17 June 2021 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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