Childminder in Bromley

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY317272 Inspection date 24/03/2010 Inspector Pamela Patricia Paisley

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Type of setting Childminder 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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 2006. She is on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives with her husband and two children aged seven and nine in Bromley. The whole ground floor and a play room on a lower level of the childminder’s home are used for childminding. The family has a cat, rabbit and fish. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time and not more than three children may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding two children in the early years age range and three school aged children. The childminder works with an assistant. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. Children are making excellent progress in their learning and development in relation to their starting points. The childminder’s home is extremely child centred, giving children great opportunities to play and learn in a highly stimulating home environment where they are highly motivated and very confident to initiate their own activities. The childminder has a strong focus on the all round development and achievement of all children in her care and has attended a vast amount of training courses to enhance her child care knowledge. The childminder works extremely hard to monitor and maintain a high standard of care and is committed to working in partnership with others and takes a lead role in establishing effective working relationships.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 ensure that review dates are included in risk assessment records

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the early years provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of how to protect children, and recognises that this is her first priority. She is vigilant, aware of the signs and symptoms of possible abuse and knows the appropriate procedures to follow should she have concerns about a child in her care. High priority is given to ensuring that children remain safe in the childminder’s home. An effective range of safety devices, such as safety gates, socket covers and smoke alarms are fitted throughout her home and extensive risk assessments are carried out each day before the children arrive to minimise potential dangers, although review dates are not included in risk assessment records. There are well organised comprehensive This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 policies and procedures in place that fully support the childminder in giving utmost priority in protecting all children, promoting their well-being and supporting them

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the early years provision

The childminder is strongly committed to inclusion and enthusiastic about undertaking relevant training, which has given her substantial knowledge and understanding of how to provide inclusive care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children have easy access to an extensive range of high quality play materials, toys and resources that are easily accessible in low level cupboards and storage units and appropriate for individual developmental needs. The childminder’s self evaluation reflects rigorous monitoring of what she does well and what areas she wants to improve. The childminder has attended a number of courses that have greatly enhanced her child care knowledge and she is currently completing a degree which will lead to her achieving early years professional status. The childminder aims to re-organise play space for the children to enable them to extend their play straight into the garden.

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the early years provision

The childminder has developed very strong partnership with parents. Her relationship with parents is honest, open, trusting, friendly and professional. Parents receive very detailed information each week about the curriculum and how it will be used to help children make exceptional progress in their learning. Parents are well informed about their children’s progress through monthly meetings. This enables them to establish effective channels in which they can work together to contribute to children’s education. They receive comprehensive information and guidance in the form of a daily journal on how to support their children’s learning at home. Children's and parents' views of the service the childminder provides are monitored through questionnaires. The childminder has well established partnerships with other early years provisions where the children attend to ensure that their learning, development and welfare is promoted well.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has extensive knowledge and understanding of how young children develop. She knows the children extremely well and ensures that each child takes part in activities and experiences that are rich, varied and imaginative and exceptionally well matched to their needs and interests. The childminder expertly uses long term and short term plans to ensure children take part in an exciting range of highly innovative and developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities which provide optimal challenge. Observations and assessments are used very effectively to plan for children’s next steps of learning. Children take part in exciting and stimulating outings throughout the week to toddler and singing groups, childminder drop-in centres, walks to local parks and the library. During the summer months they go on trips to the seaside where they can walk along the beach and enjoy fish and chips for lunch. Children are very independent in their

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and outcomes for children

personal care and are able to dress themselves, put on their own shoes, do up zips and make their own sandwiches at tea time. Babies have great opportunities to develop their confidence and try new things such as visits to the local children’s centre where they can practice crawling and standing in a very well equipped soft This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 play area. The childminder provides mirrors so that they are able to recognise themselves. She takes lots of photos of activities that children take part in and encourages the children to talk about themselves and initiate conversations about their position in their own families.

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and outcomes for children

Children are gaining excellent use of language and able to express themselves well. The childminder uses photographs of activities to make books which encourages conversations about what they enjoyed. Children are beginning to recognise that sounds make letters and are starting to match words. The childminder makes her own story props which helps to bring the stories alive. Books are very accessible and very creatively displayed in an area where children can relax on soft furnishings to read or look at books of their choice. Pex cards are displayed throughout the childminder’s home so that children have pictures and words for objects to enhance their speech and language. Children are learning about knowledge and understanding of the world through purposeful activities and experiences. They have their own vegetable patch in the childminder’s garden where they grow their own herbs, strawberries, potatoes, curly kale, spinach and

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and outcomes for children

tomatoes plants which are then used at meal times. This helps them to develop hands-on experience of growing their own vegetables, fruit and investigate living things. Children’s knowledge and understanding about diversity is strongly enhanced as they celebrate various festivals throughout the year and have a chance to taste foods from around the world and discuss how other people live, with the childminder. When recently learning about Chinese New Year the children visited a restaurant where they tried various dishes and delighted in trying to use chop sticks. Children have access to an extensive range of books and resources that promote positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. The childminder has introduced treasure baskets so that very young children can experience and explore different textures.

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and outcomes for children

Children take part in an excellent range of physical activities that are well planned to help them make extremely good progress in their physical development. They have plenty of opportunities to visit soft play areas and toddler groups where they can ride bikes. The childminder’s garden is very well equipped with a trampoline, climbing frames and a wide variety of peddle cars and sit and ride toys. Children enjoy a wealth of stimulating creative activities. They are able to experience and experiment with different types of media to do paintings and drawings. Children have independent access to a playroom where they can dress up as their favourite action hero and fairy tale characters. The area is frequently changed to incorporate different themes such as a restaurant, hospital and various shops. Children are learning about everyday technology through the use of a laptop which is very well equipped with games that positively promote their learning.

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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