Childminder in Harrow

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 feel happy and safe in this homely environment. Parents comment on the strong relationships their children have built with the childminder, who is kind and caring. The childminder recognises that children missed out on social interactions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She takes children to visit the local groups and libraries. This helps them to mix with others and to learn about their local community. Children benefit from fresh air and exercise during regular visits to local parks. They thoroughly enjoy a snack of fresh fruit.

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy their time at the childminder's setting. The childminder provides gentle support to help children persevere as they build small towers from blocks. Overall, the childminder wants children to achieve well. However, there are some weaknesses in the childminder's knowledge of how to promote children's learning and development effectively. Children do not benefit from consistently well-planned experiences to help extend and challenge their early speaking skills. The childminder is aware of what children already know and can do. However, her expectations of what they can achieve is not high enough. For example, she allows children to use a dummy for lengthy periods of time, despite it not being needed for comfort. This does not support their speech development well.

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need to do better?

n The childminder has attended mandatory training to keep her knowledge up to date. However, she has not continued her professional development to ensure that her knowledge and practice of teaching continually improve. Recommendations from her previous inspection have not been fully met. n The childminder understands what she wants the children to learn, but the intention is not always met. For instance, during an activity to teach children about spring, she fails to talk to children sufficiently about spring to enable children to learn about the season or increase their vocabulary. Children quickly lose interest in planned activities because their interests and dispositions to learn have not been fully considered. The childminder states that she wants children to develop their creativity, but she directs them where to stick the shapes on their pictures. This limits the opportunities children have to learn through

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need to do better?

experimentation and experience. n Children do make some progress in their learning. For example, their vocabulary has increased. This is because of the good learning opportunities the childminder offers them outside of the home. However, the curriculum lacks ambition. For example, the childminder continuously asks children to name colours that they already know. She lacks knowledge of how to extend children's conversation and thinking. n Children enjoy looking at books independently and with the childminder.

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need to do better?

16 March 2022 However, she points to pictures and asks children to name objects that they already know, rather than reading the story. Opportunities to introduce less- commonly heard words that occur more in books to support children to develop their vocabulary are lost. Children benefit from song and rhyme groups at the local library. They sing to themselves as they play. This supports their phonetic knowledge in preparation for school. n Children demonstrate a strong attachment to the childminder. Their behaviour shows that they feel safe and that they are beginning to understand the rules in the setting. They snuggle up in the childminder's arms and enjoy sitting on her lap as they mould dough. Children are starting to develop their mathematical knowledge and comment on the shapes that they make. They play imaginatively with toy animals and cars. Children show an interest in making marks on paper.

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need to do better?

However, not all of the tools that they have are suitable for their age and stage of development. This limits the opportunities for them to develop their small- muscle skills. n The childminder provides nutritious home-cooked food for the children. She considers their opinions as to what they would like to eat. Children learn about hygiene as the childminder explains to them about washing hands before eating. However, she holds them to wash their hands at the kitchen sink so children have little opportunity to develop their independence in managing their own personal hygiene. n The childminder provides information to parents about their child's day, what they have done, and how they have been. She has completed the required progress check at two years; however, it holds insufficient detail to support partnership working with parents or other professionals, such as schools or health visitors. No children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or

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need to do better?

who speak English as an additional language attend the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder has recently refreshed her safeguarding knowledge. This includes training to understand the wider issues that might impact on the safety or well- being of children. She understands how to recognise the signs of abuse or neglect and the procedure to follow should there be a concern. The childminder has a written safeguarding policy in place, but it refers to the local procedures in a different borough. However, safeguarding information and contacts are displayed in the kitchen and are easily accessible. The childminder completes some risk assessments but has failed to minimise all the hazards in the setting. The front door has not been locked from the inside to prevent children from leaving unnoticed. Cleaning materials and sharp kitchen utensils have not been stored out of reach of children. The fire blanket needs securing to the wall. However, these are easily rectified, and children are constantly supervised so are not at significant

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Due date

review risk assessment to minimise identifiable hazards. 25/03/2022

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should:

n engage with training that improves teaching practice n review the use of questions to promote children's thinking and conversational skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY259794 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 10063415 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 1 Date of previous inspection 10 May 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2003 and lives in Stanmore in the London borough of Harrow. She operates her service from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays.

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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 setting. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about their intentions for children's learning. The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and children. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including insurance and evidence of first-aid training.

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Inspection activities

16 March 2022 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

16 March 2022 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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