Childminder in Surrey

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY332872 Inspection date 23/11/2010 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 assesses 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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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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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 lives with her husband and three children aged 18, 16 and 12 years in Thames Ditton, in Surrey. All areas of the premises are used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed secure garden available for outside play. The childminder walks to the local school to take and collect children. She attends a toddler group and takes children to the park and library. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary Childcare Registers to care for a maximum of 3 children under 8 years at any one time and is currently minding 2 children in the early years age range. 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 good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The overall quality of the provision is good, with some outstanding aspects. The childminders positive and motivated approach, and her insight into children's individual needs and ability to promote their learning, are key strengths of the provision. She says 'she really enjoys her job' which can be seen as she embraces and talks about children's individual developmental needs with enthusiasm. The childminder has an excellent ability to recognise how her own practice ensures that children are happy and well cared for. This ethos is fully promoted through the excellent relationships the childminder establishes with parents, and the support she provides for families. However, self-evaluation processes are not sufficiently robust in all areas of the provision, which means that some areas of good practice have been overlooked.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the opportunties for children to independantly design and create their own ideas  use the Ofsted self-evaluation form and quality improvement processes as the basis of ongoing internal review, assessing what the setting offers against robust and challenging quality criteria  use observations and assessments to identify learning priorities and plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child, and match observations to the expectations of the early learning goals. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is fully safeguarded because the childminder has a clear understanding of child protection procedures. She has recently attended training to update her knowledge, and says 'that this has heightened her awareness of concerns'. Records of risk assessments are used to record potential hazards and the childminder ensures that children are well supervised at all times. Recommendations from the last inspection have been met.

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the early years provision

Children's enjoyment and achievement is outstanding. This is due to the childminders ability to put her vision for their care and learning into practice, and use children's interests to promote their concentration and enjoyment. She says 'that if you give children something that is age appropriate and they repeatedly achieve, that this gives them a lot of confidence in their own abilities, and enables them to succeed. The more that children gain a sense of achievement the more willing they are to try something new, as well as recognise and accept when things are more difficult'. This positive approach shows that the childminder is providing children with the opportunity to develop outstanding skills for the future.

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the early years provision

The childminder continually improves her knowledge, through attending local authority training and network meetings. However, self-evaluation processes do not provide a more in-depth analysis of how outcomes for children can be improved, for example, through the identification of the next step for children's individual learning within assessment records, and the accessibility of resources to promote their independent creative abilities. A good range of well organised play equipment successfully captures children's interest and ensures their inclusion. Books such as 'don't call me special' enable children to accept themselves and other people. The childminder borrows resources from other providers related to the celebration of festivals. She uses opportunities for children to have occasional contact with people who are disabled, so they feel confident about differences and understand about the needs of others.

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the early years provision

Partnership is good. The childminder uses feedback from local providers to reflect on her own practice and how she promotes children's learning. Parents make very positive comments about the provision. For example, they say ' the childminder has a particular skill in understanding people, young and old, and has given me great support and confidence as a mother. She has provided me with many invaluable gems of advice that I have passed onto my friends'. Parents are fully included in everything related to their children. The childminder shares information, and has an excellent awareness of how her own approach affects partnership. For example, she says 'she is very non-judgemental and recognises the choices parents make, as well as their different cultural ways of raising their children'. The childminder is confident to approach different subjects with parents and negotiate changes that ensure their safety and continuity of care. She says

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the early years provision

'she is very happy to go the extra mile with parents and their children because of the wonderful way they treat her'. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children make outstanding progress in their learning and development, and are provided with an excellent range of experiences. Planned adult led activities take place with other registered childminders and incorporate a theme. For example, children take part in small group activities such as singing sessions, use electronic train tracks, construction resources, cook, paint, and go on regular outings to National Trust Gardens. Repeated learning opportunities provide children with sufficient challenge and enable them to feel a sense of achievement. They enjoy free play time, for example, as they take out and line up favourite resources such as cars.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has an excellent knowledge of the progress children make in relation to their developmental starting points, and the skills and confidence they have obtained since she first started looking after them as babies. She has a good knowledge of activities that each child enjoys, such as using gadgets that create noise and sticking activities. The childminder has a flexible approach to children's individual routines and uses her assessments of how children are feeling to ensure their individual needs are fully met. for example, in relation to the timing of meals and sleep times. Daily diaries include details of children's developmental progress which are related to most areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder uses guidance to link her observations of children's progress and their individual achievements as well as the next step for their individual development. However, this system does not always ensure that any

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and outcomes for children

gaps in children's learning and development are clearly identified and shared with parents.

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and outcomes for children

Children are extremely happy and settled, and feel safe and secure, due to the childminders extremely affectionate and caring approach. In addition, they have excellent opportunities to make independent choices within all areas of play. The childminders positive and animated interaction with children, provides them with an exceptionally positive role model, and ensures they are extremely well behaved and co-operative. Children's social skills and friendships are fully enhanced, through planned activities with other providers.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder uses all areas of play to incorporate learning. For example, when children are playing on the trampoline, she sings action rhymes, such as 'two little monkeys jumping on the bed', which capture children's enthusiasm. Counting games as children bounce and run across the trampoline mean they are beginning to repeat numbers and count in numerical order. The childminder engages in children's play in a fun way, that makes them laugh with enjoyment, for example, as she makes growling noises through the trampoline netting. She helps children learn to balance on new scooters by pushing them around the garden, and is close at hand to help them go up and down the slide. The childminder is very aware of all children's involvement and encourages them to join in with all activities. She says 'she picks up on children's ' cues' , which enable her to keep them focused, and have realistic expectations of their ability to concentrate'.

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children have exemplary opportunities to develop skills for the future, for example, through conversations with the childminder, who throughout the day, consistently engages and talks with them in an exceptionally positive way. Her ability to fully promote this area of learning, can be seen as children show interest in everything on offer, concentrate and persist with activities they enjoy, and build their range of vocabulary as they say complex words such as ' helicopter'. Children show great interest in looking at books independently, and enjoy listening to stories read by the childminder. They develop excellent self help skills, which are achieved through the opportunities they have to do things independently, such as feeding themselves at mealtimes from an early age. These opportunities also successfully promote other areas of learning, and they subsequently develop extremely good

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and outcomes for children

Children are beginning to learn about number and shape, within all activities, for example, as they make and count stars from play dough, identify the number of objects in books, and join in with nursery rhymes. They learn about capacity, as they fill and empty containers in sand and water trays. Children develop their knowledge of the features of living things as they take part in planting and growing activities, and handle and explore creatures such as worms, which they find on outings to the park. They show great interest in how things work, and are skilled at operating programmable toys and electronic books. They are particularly keen on using a pump which re-cycles water whilst playing in the childminders garden.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop excellent control of their movements as they have access to a large range of resources that promote this area of their development. Their understanding of how to keep themselves safe, which can be seen as they spontaneously decide to borrow and put on safety helmets before riding scooters in the park. Photographs show that children are provided with excellent opportunities to extend their physical skills, as their love of playing outdoors is fully embraced by the childminder. For example, they develop excellent self-confidence as they independently climb up wooden ramps. Children take part in a wide range of creative activities such as cooking, painting, making collages, and using play dough. However, most art and craft activities take place during regular visits to playgroups, and during planned adult led activities. Consequently, the opportunities for children to design and create their own ideas and access creative

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and outcomes for children

Children are provided with healthy packed lunches by their parents. They have a wide range of healthy snacks, and water is made easily accessible in individual beakers. Their enthusiasm for healthy food is encouraged as the childminder plans and carries out activities such as making homemade pumpkin soup, where children help to prepare the ingredients. Occasionally the childminder provides children with home cooked teatime meals, which include dishes with 'hidden vegetables', This help towards their ' five a day' nutritional needs.

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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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Early Years Foundation Stage

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 2

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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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