Childminder in Barnet

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and settled in the care of the childminder and her assistant. They develop good attachments with the childminder, and frequently seek her or her assistant for cuddles. This helps children to build on their social skills. Overall, children listen to the childminder and follow her instructions. For example, they help to tidy away the toys before lunch. The childminder's home is well resourced and there is plenty of space for children to move around. However, the childminder does not ensure that toys are presented to younger children to enable them to freely explore. Older children enjoy imaginative play experiences. For instance, they pretend to be a doctor and have many 'dolly' patients to make better. They learn about using a stethoscope to pretend to listen to the heart and give medicine to make their dolly feel better. Older children develop their writing skills as they make notes about their patients.

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The provision requires improvement

The childminder recognises children have had limited social interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, the childminder has provided ideas to parents to help them to support their child's learning at home. She has adapted her practice in line with government guidelines to ensure effective hygiene. Overall, children are well behaved and play cooperatively together. Children are provided with a healthy range of food and snacks. They learn about good hygiene practices from an early age, such as washing their hands at appropriate times during the day. The childminder supports children to learn about oral hygiene. She encourages them to practise brushing their teeth as part of the daily routine.

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need to do better?

n Overall, the childminder knows the children well. She identifies children's starting points in their development when they begin. However, she does not use this information well enough to build a curriculum that supports children's individual development. The childminder does not always plan some activities well to support all children with what they need to learn next. For example, the childminder organised a cooking activity for children to make an edible firework. However, the childminder did not effectively plan what she wanted all children to learn. Also, she did not think about reminding children beforehand about the dangers of fireworks. All children were expected to take part. The childminder and assistant had not considered whether the activity was appropriate for younger children. Consequently, the activity was very adult directed and did not enable or give children the time to explore creatively.

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need to do better?

n The childminder plans her curriculum in advance and links some activities to events or celebrations. Children have been involved in activities such as for Black History Month, Halloween and Bonfire Night. This helps to support them to experience differences in the local and wider community.

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need to do better?

4 November 2021 n The childminder ensures that a variety of books are accessible for children to look at. The assistant sits and reads with children. However, she does not recognise when younger children are not interested and need to move on in their play. Children enjoy participating in singing and older children show high levels of enthusiasm. They know many songs and confidently ask to sing their favourite ones. n The childminder and assistant speak with children as they play. They ask older children during the cooking activity to count how many bowls there are and what colours can they see. However, the childminder and her assistant tend to give children more instructions, rather than having open discussions to encourage their speaking skills further. They do not model language sufficiently for younger children during this activity, so that they hear words to support them in building their vocabulary.

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need to do better?

n When the childminder makes age-appropriate toys accessible to younger children, they show great interest and spend long periods of time exploring. For example, babies are intrigued as they push a sensory stick across the floor and watch the colours change as it rolls. They enjoy pushing the toy vacuum cleaner across the floor. This supports babies' physical skills while manoeuvring the cleaner as they walk around. When younger children choose their own play, they are more vocal and babble away. n The childminder establishes good methods of communication to ensure that she shares information with parents about their children's day. She gives parents verbal feedback each day and also provides them with further information using an online application. Parents report that they are happy with the service provided. n The childminder endeavours to support her assistant's practice and further development. They have regular meetings to discuss their plans and complete

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need to do better?

further training. Although the childminder and her assistant have completed training and discussed changes to the early years foundation stage, there are gaps in their knowledge. They do not fully understand how to plan an ambitious curriculum to fully support all children's skills for the future.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder understands her responsibilities to protect children's safety and welfare. She is aware of the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm and knows who to contact to report any concerns. The childminder regularly updates her safeguarding training. She ensures that her assistants understand safeguarding so that they are all familiar with any changes to requirements. The childminder carries out suitability checks for all her assistants when they start with her. She checks her home and garden to make sure they are safe before children arrive in the morning. The childminder ensures that any children who are sleeping are safe. She uses closed-circuit television to monitor children who are sleeping and checks on them every 10 minutes.

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Due date

improve understanding of ensuring that all children's individual needs and stages of development are fully considered when planning learning experiences 29/11/2021

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Due date

improve the programme for communication and language through providing good-quality interactions and modelling language as children play. 29/11/2021

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should:

n organise toys and resources so that babies and young children can freely make independent choices in their play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY482894 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 10213120 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 6 Number of children on roll 7 Date of previous inspection 21 April 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2014. She lives in Whetstone, in the London Borough of Barnet. The childminder works with two assistants. She works Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, all year round.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the childminder 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 of the provider. n The childminder and assistant spoke to the inspector at convenient times during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education, and had discussions with the childminder and her assistant about an observation of children as they took part in an activity. n The inspector viewed the areas of the childminder's home and garden that children use. n The inspector looked at children's records and a range of other required documents. n A discussion took place with parents to gain their views of the service provided.

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Inspection activities

4 November 2021 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

4 November 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

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