Childminder in Hounslow

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY340599 Inspection date 09/03/2011 Inspector Jane Nelson

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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

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, adult daughter and three children, aged 15, 12, and 9 years in a house in Feltham in the London borough of Hounslow close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The living dining room, kitchen on the ground floor and a bedroom on the first floor of the childminder's home are used for childminding. There is access to an enclosed garden at the rear for daily outdoor play. Toilet facilities are on the first floor. The family have two pet rabbits and five pet hamsters.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of five children aged under eight, three of whom may be in the early years age range, at any one time. The childminder is currently caring for one child in the early years age range and three children in the older age range, who attend before or after school. The childminder collects children from the local school and attends several toddler groups on a regular basis. 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

Children's individual interests are reflected in the good range of play experiences the childminder provides, encouraging their involvement and enjoyment of activities and promoting their learning and development. Positive relationships with parents result in information being shared well. Self-evaluation is generally used effectively to identify most areas for future development. The required documentation and records are in place and maintained.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend and develop the use of the risk assessment record to include outings review and develop the use of assessing observations to reflect children's progress over time  develop methods to include parents and children's views in the use of self- evaluation

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the early years provision

The childminder supervises children closely and uses risk assessments to monitor safety issues in the home and on outings. The required record of risk assessment This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 is in place, although is not yet extended to cover outings. The childminder understands her responsibilities relating to child protection. She is clear about the procedures to follow, including those should an allegation be made relating to herself, if concerns arise. The childminder has identified the need to update her knowledge in this area and has applied to attend training in the coming months.

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the early years provision

The childminder' s home is welcoming and she creates a friendly and relaxed family atmosphere, where children feel at home and free to make choices and suggestions about what they play with and the activities they do. Space is used appropriately for children to play, eat and rest safely and comfortably. A good range of play experiences and activities are provided by the childminder, combining home based play and visits to local parents and toddler groups and the children's centre. Play resources are set out on the floor in the living room for children to access easily with a further selection of creative materials and board games stored in a small conservatory at the rear of the home.

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the early years provision

Good relationships with parents result in information being shared well. Some information is shared via the childminder's website providing alternative arrangements for parents to access information about her setting. Parents state they are delighted with the childminder's care and the wide range of activities their children enjoy in her care. They comment they can see how much their children are learning from the childminder. Information relating to children's development is recorded by the childminder through regular observations illustrated with photographs. The use of observations to illustrate children's progress over time is not yet fully developed, although the childminder is currently reviewing some elements of how she records and tracks children's progress. The childminder is aware of the need to work in partnership with other settings children attend.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a good commitment to ongoing improvement. She has completed a Level 3 Diploma qualification in Home Based Childcare, since her last inspection, and is beginning to use the Ofsted self-evaluation form, in addition to her own reflective practice, to identify where some future development should be targeted. She identifies it would be useful to obtain parents and children's views on her setting, but has not yet devised a system to use these in her self- evaluation. The required records and documentation are in place and information is clearly recorded.

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and outcomes for children

Children's learning and development is encouraged well and they are developing skills for the future through their play and as they investigate their environment. They benefit greatly from warm and affectionate interaction with the childminder which helps children to feel valued and gain a sense of belonging in her home.

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and outcomes for children

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the childminder's care and are confidently developing an awareness of their own safety. For example, children use the stairs carefully when going upstairs with the childminder to the bathroom, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and know to be careful when standing on a chair at the sink to help with the washing up. They confidently use the see saw swing in the garden, pushing themselves off the ground with their feet while holding on tightly. Children demonstrate a developing awareness of their own hygiene, through practices that are part of the daily routine. They ask to wash their sticky hands after making play dough with the childminder, and remind her they need to wash hands after playing outside and stroking the pet rabbits. Children have access to regular drinks and enjoy a healthy snack of fresh strawberries and their lunch of ham sandwiches.

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and outcomes for children

They sit comfortably at the table and chat to the childminder as they eat, counting the number of strawberries in their bowl and adding one more. Children enjoy regular opportunities for outdoor play and exercise, for example, they play in the childminder's garden, visit local parks and use their own scooters when out on walks or during the morning school run with the childminder.

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and outcomes for children

Children concentrate and persist at activities with the childminder's close support and encouragement. They help her mix flour and water to make play dough, when the dough is made, they use various utensils such as, different shape cutters, rollers and a safe plastic knife to mould and cut the play dough into shapes, which the childminder then bakes in the oven. The childminder explains this will take a long time, and children help her to wash up the utensils they have used at the sink. In the garden children have great fun digging in the small sand pit, they choose their favourite colour bucket and use different size spades to dig, and fill the bucket. Children sift and feel the sand flattening it with their feet and compare the texture of the sand to sugar. Children and the childminder talk continually as they play together, sharing jokes and laughing as children suggest feeding the childminder sand on a spoon, while digging in the sand pit.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning about the world around them through their play experiences. They regularly attend local pre school groups with the childminder socialising in a larger group of their peers and participating in the local community. Children learn about helping and caring, for example, they help the childminder get the family pet rabbits out of their hutch and into an enclosed run in the garden. They talk to the rabbits through the cage door and stroke them carefully while the childminder holds them. Children share discussion with the childminder about, different events and festivals, and things they observe in the community, 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 3 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 2 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 2 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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