Childminder in Staffordshire

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 Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children arrive ready to play and see their friends. They demonstrate that they feel at home in the company of the kind and friendly childminder. Toddlers have fun playing in the pop-up tent in the living room. They run speedily and nimbly around and through the tent. The boisterous, active play helps to promote children's physical development. Children often play outdoors in the childminder's garden. They pour and splash the water in a water-play tray. They step up onto the balance beam. Children make games with what they find. For example, they find stones and pretend to feed them to the little teddy-bear statues. This demonstrates children's imagination and knowledge of the world.

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The provision requires improvement

The childminder selects toys for children to play with. She takes children on interesting outings. For example, to the library. That said, the childminder demonstrates limited understanding of how the youngest children learn. She does not plan their learning well enough and they do not make the progress that they are capable of from their starting points. The childminder teaches children rules for their behaviour. However, the boundaries she sets for their behaviour are at times inconsistent. Her expectations of toddlers' understanding are sometimes unrealistic. This means that there are occasions when children feel insecure.

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need to do better?

n The childminder does not take account of what children already know and can do. This means that activities are often unchallenging and do not promote children's good progress. For example, she plans to teach toddlers to use glue. The activity is fiddly and lacks meaning for young children. The childminder discourages toddlers from exploring the materials she has provided. They lose interest and go to find more engaging things to do. n The childminder teaches children new words. She looks at books with them and names the items in the pictures. However, there are occasions when the childminder does not promote children's communication skills well enough. For example, she does not manage background noise. This makes it harder for children to listen and think during story times and activities. It does not promote children's swiftest progress in learning to speak. n The childminder has strategies in place to teach children right from wrong.

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need to do better?

When children are unkind towards other children, she asks them to say they are sorry. However, the childminder sometimes uses long, complex sentences that do not make her meaning clear enough. Children do not fully understand what is required of them. This slows children's progress towards confident self-control. n The childminder seeks out training and reflects on her practice. She recently completed an online workshop. This addressed some of the practicalities of running a childcare business alone at home. The training helped the childminder

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need to do better?

26 July 2022 to review and further improve routines, such as toileting and hand washing. This aspect of children's learning and development is sequenced well. Children gain independence in self-care as they grow. n The childminder uses themes to plan activities. Today, children are learning about holidays, and she puts out small-world vehicles for children to play with. Their play helps children to learn about relative distance and ways of travelling. For example, some places are within walking distance and others require journeys in aeroplanes. This helps children to understand the world. n The childminder helps children to learn habits that promote their health and safety. They learn that sun cream protects them from sunburn in the hot weather. The childminder works with parents and carers to ensure that the contents of children's lunch boxes promote a healthy diet. She checks whether children have any health needs before they attend her provision, such as

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need to do better?

allergies to particular foods. n The childminder worked in partnership with parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. She provided care for children who were eligible to attend. She kept in touch with children who stayed at home during the first national lockdown. Parents say that nothing is too much trouble for the childminder. They say that children bring home biscuits and cakes that they have baked.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder keeps her knowledge of child protection matters up to date. She completes training that refreshes and extends her understanding. She knows what to do if she is concerned that a child in her care may be suffering abuse or neglect. The childminder promotes children's health and safety. Toddlers take naps in the living room and the childminder regularly checks that they are safe. The childminder makes sure that smoke detectors are working. She checks that door keys are accessible so that the premises can be evacuated quickly. She conducts fire practices so that everyone knows what to do if there is an emergency.

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Due date

improve knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements and provide children with challenging and engaging activities that promote their good progress. 23/08/2022

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should:

n strengthen techniques for helping children to listen carefully and learn to speak n communicate expectations more effectively so that children develop the highest levels of self-control and feel really secure.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2554295 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10232070 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 5 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2019 and lives in Great Wyrley. Her provision operates all year round, from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The childminder and the inspector discussed the childminder's intentions for her curriculum. They considered the impact of activities on children's progress. n The inspector observed interactions between the childminder and the children. She spoke with and played with children. n The inspector read written feedback from parents and one parent spoke with her. The inspector took account of parents' views. n Documents used in the childminder's setting were sampled by the inspector. The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of the childminder and members of her household.

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Inspection activities

26 July 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

26 July 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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