Childminder in Brent

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

The childminder provides a welcoming environment in which children feel comfortable and secure. Staff interactions with children are consistently warm and supportive. For example, babies are quickly reassured and comforted with cuddles from the childminder. However, children are not encouraged to be as independent as they are capable of being. For example, older children get spoon-fed at lunchtime and have their noses wiped for them. As such, the curriculum is not ambitious enough for all children and does not fully support them to be ready for their next stage of learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children behave well. The childminder teaches children to be kind and respectful to each other and explains the importance of rules. For example, she explains that a child might hurt themselves if they run around inside. However, some activities are not pitched correctly to meet the needs of all children, so children sometimes find it hard to sustain appropriate behaviours for learning.

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The provision requires improvement

The childminder encourages healthy lifestyles through offering nutritious, home- cooked meals and snacks. Children also get lots of opportunities for physical play in a well-resourced and secure garden. For example, babies enjoy being on the swings together, while older children race each other on scooters and balance bikes. The childminder teaches the children about the natural world through growing flowers and vegetables together and visiting local parks and gardens. However, there are occasions when staff fail to identify potential risks in the outside area.

p.2

need to do better?

n The childminder is clear about what she wants children to learn. She is passionate about developing children's personal, social and emotional skills. However, her assistants have limited knowledge about child development and are less clear about the curriculum intents. This means that children do not make as much progress as they could. n Staff help children to develop their language skills over time. They frequently sing with the children and expose them to rhymes in different languages. The childminder understands the importance of sharing stories. However, children are read to as a group, despite them being at very different stages of development. This limits engagement and does not successfully meet the needs of individual children. n The learning environment has a range of resources to meet the needs of different ages and interests. For example, one child perseveres with a shape- sorting activity while another enjoys dressing a wooden doll with magnetic

p.2

need to do better?

clothes. However, adults sometimes overly direct play, meaning children do not

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need to do better?

9 October 2023 always get the time and space they need to make choices and develop their independent play skills. n Children have regular access to the garden, which is well resourced to encourage physical play. They learn about the natural world by exploring outside in all weathers. However, staff do not recognise all risks in the outside area. For example, cherry tomatoes that have fallen to the ground are choking hazards. The potential impact of this is minimised by excellent supervision and staff address the risks as soon as they have been identified. n The childminder has secure routines in place to meet the needs of babies. However, the use of blankets over cots to block out the light is not in line with safer sleep guidelines. Babies are well monitored as they nap, and the childminder has already taken steps to address this breach in requirements. n The childminder teaches children about the changing seasons and celebrates a

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need to do better?

variety of festivals throughout the year. She takes account of children's cultural backgrounds and ensures their family traditions are included and celebrated. This supports all children to feel valued and represented. n Children enjoy eating in the garden together. They are offered a variety of healthy, home-cooked foods and are reminded to use their manners during mealtimes. However, older children eat with their fingers and are then spoon-fed by an adult. This does not support children to be ready for their next stage of learning. n The childminder knows each child very well and has caring, warm bonds with the children. She works in partnership with parents to provide consistent care routines, such as toilet training. She offers regular feedback to parents and encourages them to seek support when she has noticed any possible delays in development. n Parents speak very highly of the setting. They call it a 'home from home' and

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need to do better?

mention how caring and loving the childminder is. They share that their children are happy in her care and they highly value the strong family feel. Parents appreciate the experiences the childminder offers, such as baking together and trips out to Kew Gardens.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The setting is secure and hygienic. Staff take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously and have suitable knowledge about child protection policies and procedures. They know the appropriate agencies to contact if concerned about a child's welfare or if an allegation is made against an adult. The childminder keeps up to date with her safeguarding training and ensures she updates her assistants accordingly. All staff are paediatric first-aid trained. The provider understands events that are notifiable to Ofsted and has risk assessments in place while waiting for suitability checks to be completed for new staff.

p.3

Due date

ensure babies are placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance 23/10/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure steps are taken to minimise risks to children in the outside area through more robust daily checks and remaining vigilant throughout the day 23/10/2023

p.4

Due date

provide staff with professional development opportunities to ensure they understand the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage. 27/11/2023

p.4

should:

n review how group times are organised to ensure that children's individual learning needs are more effectively met n support children to develop greater independence skills, including offering more choice and time to develop independent play skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY471498 Local authority Brent Inspection number 10304942 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

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

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 9 Date of previous inspection 6 February 2018

p.5

Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2014. She lives in the London Borough of Brent. She operates all year round, on Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3 and works with two assistants. She offers funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 childminder. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about children's learning and development with a particular focus on the prime areas. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the childminder. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on

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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

9 October 2023 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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