Childminder in Surrey

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY401497 Inspection date 22/04/2010 Inspector Catherine Greenwood

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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 2009. She lives with her children aged two and four years in Hersham, Surrey. The provision is close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s home is used for childminding, with one of the bedrooms on the first floor used for sleeping purposes only.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children under eight years at any one time, of which no more than one may be in the early years age range. On some days she works with a childminder and they are currently minding nine children in this age group, one of whom attends full time. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years and there are currently 11 children on roll in this age group. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder collects children from the local school on a regular basis. She 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 good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children make outstanding progress in their learning and development due to the childminder's in-depth knowledge of their individual needs. The organisation and accessibility of play equipment and the excellent teamwork that exists between the childminder and her co-minder, are key strengths of the setting. Excellent systems are in place for evaluating the success of activities, and include details of what children have learnt, as well as how they can be adapted in the future. These clearly show the childminder's commitment to improving outcomes for children.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 ensure contract agreements with parents identify which childminder is overall responsible for each child  ensure parents' and children's views are regularly included within the self - evaluation of the provision  share observations and assessments with other providers delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is fully safeguarded due to the childminder's secure knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures. These are shared with parents, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 although the written procedure is not currently available.

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the early years provision

Children benefit greatly from the outings they experience on the childminder's mini bus, to places such as Mercedes world, Bushy park, the river, soft play areas and swimming. Consequently, they show great enthusiasm for outings and the additional seating within the minibus, means that adult/child ratios are good, due to assistants and co-minders being in the same vehicle. The accessibility of a field near to the childminder's home means that children have extensive amounts of space to run freely.

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the early years provision

Children are given lots of choice and support within their play. The childminder makes suggestions, and asks questions that help children to think and talk about what they do. Sometimes she provides challenges that encourage children to identify solutions and come up with ideas to solve problems. All children are fully included through careful activity planning that relates to their individual interests. For example, their enthusiasm for riding on tractors during outings to a farm is used to initiate topics such as 'transport' and subsequently includes visits to an airport and rides on buses and trains. The childminder involves children in everything she does during the day, for example, as they help to cut up fruit for snack time and dig the garden and plant seeds.

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the early years provision

The childminder communicates with parents at the beginning and end of each day, and shares information about children's individual needs and progress, although contract agreements do not identify which adult has overall responsibility for each child. Parents are kept well informed about planned activities through the use a wipe board in the main entrance area. The childminder consistently communicates high expectations to her co-minder and assistants, and routinely makes good use of a range of rigorous monitoring activities relating to provision and outcomes. Although self-evaluation is a continuous process, it does not yet include parents' and children's views. The childminder talks to teachers within some children's schools but has not established links with all other provisions that children attend, to share information about their progress and next step for learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children are provided with a calm environment and are extremely happy and settled. They develop excellent self-help skills through tasks such as laying the table, pouring their own drinks and choosing which cutlery they would like to use. Children are extremely well behaved and enjoy each others' company. They are given lots of encouragement and support, and often recognise and praise each other for their achievements, for example, when they remember to take off their shoes on arrival at the setting. Younger children enjoy the older children's involvement because they help them achieve things within their play and have a very caring approach.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy talking to the childminder and her co-minder, for example, as they remember and tell them about their favourite toys. They concentrate extremely well whilst listening to stories and enjoy the co-childminder adapting the story so This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 they are included. Children are confident communicators and are encouraged to share information, for example, when they arrive at midday from school. They talk about what they are going to do at the beginning of each day and use a jolly phonics CD to help learn the sound of letters. Letters of the alphabet are displayed in the main play area, children have a good knowledge of the sounds of letters, and some older and more able children can write their name with most letters correctly formed.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn about number and shape through planned activities and everyday events, such as counting the raisins that are left on their plate, and as they make and identify shapes from construction resources. Numbers are displayed in the main play area. Planned activities such as sinking and floating, as well as board games, help children learn to count, and they particularly enjoy a memory shopping game. Children identify colour and make patterns using small peg boards and count as they thread beads.

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and outcomes for children

Children taste Chinese food as part of New Year celebrations, and parents are encouraged to provide recipes which the childminder cooks. The celebration of different cultural events includes activities such as potato printing in the shape of shamrocks for St Patrick's day. Children talk to each other about the differences they notice, and things they experience that are related to their home lives and events. They like listening to the childminder reading books such as 'all kind of people' and take part in activities related to topics about different countries, housing, food, and beliefs. Books and puzzles show the different roles of people and disability. Children learn about the roles of other people, for example, through visits from the fire service and outings to the post office, bottle bank, dump and clothes bin where they develop an understanding of recycling facilities.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop physical skills as they use soft play areas, as well as the good range of outdoor play resources in the childminder's garden such an enclosed trampoline, slide and climbing frame. These resources are available for children to use all year round and when the weather is bad, they are taken on outings in protective clothing, for example, to jump in puddles and have fun. Children like to play games such as 'what's the time Mr Wolf?' and 'stuck in the mud' and make up their own games that involve running and control of their movements. Children's current enthusiasm for playing football is fully supported through regular access to a nearby field. They develop good hand and eye co-ordination as they draw and make constructions from Lego such as 'space stations'.

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and outcomes for children

Children have access to an excellent range of media such as shaving foam, jelly, rice, cooked and dried pasta, water and sand play, the contents of which are regularly changed. Play dough and different fabrics, junk resources and paint, are made easily accessible in the main play area for children to use at any time during the day. They have regular opportunities to take part in cooking activities, which are linked to themes, for example, making biscuits using alphabet cutters. At mealtimes children help to prepare food. They play imaginatively with each other, for example, as they pretend to be pet dogs, and pirates, and try to jump between mats on the childminder's carpet. Dressing up clothes are made available a few times a week. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Comprehensive assessments for each child show the childminder's good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children have familiar

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and outcomes for children

routines, enjoyable and varied experiences, and know the boundaries. They feel safe because they know what to expect in relation to their individual care, the environment and familiar adults who work alongside the childminder. They have regular opportunities to learn about road safety. Healthy snack lunches and homemade hot meals for tea, mean children receive a nutritious and well balanced diet and consequently enjoy their food and eat well. 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 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 keep and implement a written statement of procedures to be followed for the protection of children, intended to safeguard the children being cared for from abuse or neglect. 06/05/2010

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