Childminder in Sutton

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY418004 Inspection date 17/06/2011 Inspector Amanda Tyson

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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 2010 on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and their two children who are both within the early years age group. The premises is situated in Carshalton which is in the London borough of Sutton and within walking distance of a wide variety of public and community facilities. The whole of the ground floor, and one bedroom on the first floor, are used for childminding.

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Description of the childminding

Registration is for no more than four children under 8 years; of these, not more than one may be in the early years age group at any one time. A variance to this condition has been granted to allow the childminder to care for up to three named children in the early years age group. This variance only applies until one or more of the named children start full time school or they are no longer cared for by the childminder. There are currently four children on roll in the early years age range. The childminder works full time and children attend on both a full and part time basis.

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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 welfare, care and learning is well supported and safeguarded. Overall, activity planning and resources support children''s learning well. The programme for promoting good health is exceptional. Effective partnership working, with both parents and other agencies involved with children, along with the use of observational assessments ensures that children''s individual needs are the focus of planning. The childminder has embraced self-evaluation and uses it effectively to identify and target priorities for improvement. She is keen to access training and to attend local childminding network meetings. Exciting plans for the future demonstrate strong capacity to sustain ongoing improvement. .

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further?

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

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further?

 improve fire safety by wall mounting the fire blanket, and by developing children''s understanding of fire safety risks , for example the causes of fire and how to act in different situations  develop the programme for encouraging scientific exploration, particularly outdoors, and for developing children''s use of technology further This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The childminder has worked hard since registration to create a warm, welcoming, safe, and secure environment for children. Risk assessment, for both the premises and outings is, generally, rigorous and effective. However the fire blanket has not been wall mounted which prevents easy access in the event of an emergency. All records and documentation required for the safe and efficient management of the setting are in place and well maintained. The childminder is astutely aware of her safeguarding responsibilities and monitors children''s welfare and development very closely. Equality and diversity is embedded within her operational policies and procedures; the childminder knows the children well and is firmly focused on planning for children's individual needs.

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the early years provision

Play resources are of good quality, stored accessibly for children to help themselves, and supplies are being regularly supplemented to meet children''s developing interests and individual needs. For example, a good quality weather and date board was purchased and positioned in the hallway to help distract children from their anxiety after parents have said goodbye in the mornings. The childminder makes good use of community facilities, such as the library, leisure centre and parks, as well as her garden. She has made very good use of the regulators self-evaluation form to identify priorities for improvement. For example, she intends to make use of local training opportunities, plans to develop her garden into a more exciting play and learning environment, and get older children to maintain their own daily diaries. Each child has an individual learning and development plan and her developing systems for tracking their progress towards

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the early years provision

the early learning goals are simple and effective.

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the early years provision

The childminder works very closely with parents, and children''s past and present early years providers; to support their individual welfare, learning and development needs. Communication between them is good. Parents express particular appreciation of the detailed daily diaries, which keep them well informed about their child''s achievement, well-being, and development. Parents are encouraged to add their own entries, for example about children''s weekend activities or milestones achieved. This helps considerably to ensure consistency and continuity of care and learning support. Overall, this is a progessive setting. The childminder is driven by her vision of achieving excellent outcomes for children in all areas.

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and outcomes for children

Overall, children demonstrate a strong sense of security and belonging within the childminder's home. Visits to local toddler groups help babies and toddlers develop social skills, such as sharing and communicating with others. Children behave well and the childminder is consistent and fair in her approach of teaching right and wrong. They mimic her inclusive practice, for instance as they spontaneously make an extra 'magic wand', so that a toddler can join in their game when they wake up This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 after a sleep. Children move freely around the childminder''s home helping themselves to resources as they initiate their own games or to make props for their play.

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and outcomes for children

A key feature of the childminder's success in helping children to make good progress towards the early learning goals is her use of observational assessments to identify and target the next steps for children's learning and development. The educational programme provides well for children to develop communication, language, and literacy skills. Babies' vocabulary and comprehension is rapidly developing. They thoroughly enjoy looking at picture books with the childminder and joining in singing and action rhymes and benefit from the sociable atmosphere of a mixed age group. Opportunities for mark making and writing are given prominence for all ages. Babies use their hands to create marks in gloop, sand, paint, and shaving foam and generally have fun exploring using the senses. Preschoolers recognise and name the alphabet, are able to link most letters to sounds and can write their names. They giggle uncontrollably whilst experimenting

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and outcomes for children

with nonsense rhyme as they pretend to create a 'magician's spell' using their self- made wands.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder skilfully engages children in sustained shared thinking. This means that she helps them to find solutions to practical problems through open ended questioning, or talks them through difficult tasks so that the end result is all their own work. This raises self esteem and confidence. For example, when a preschooler decides that they want to create earrings for their giant sized cut out ''mummy figure'', the childminder helps them to plan how they will do this by thinking about the shape of ears and to decide if their mummy will wear 'studs or loops'. Moments like these provide the forum for children to share their feelings, such as how they miss mummy and for the childminder to reassure children that ''mummy misses them too and looks at the pictures they make her every day on her office wall''. The childminder has a few good quality resources, such as a microphone, which is a particular favourite for babies who are encouraged by the

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and outcomes for children

echo created by their own voices. However, children's competency in using technology and opportunities to engage in scientific experimentation, both indoors and outdoors, has only just begin and not yet fully developed.

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and outcomes for children

The foundations for children to learn about good health and to adopt healthy habits are being exceptionally well laid within the daily activities. Children have their own toothbrushes and preschoolers know that daily brushing after lunch 'gets rid of the sugar'. They need no reminders to wash their hands after 'independently' blowing their noses and before snack time. They wave their hands about challenging the childminder, good naturedly, to 'smell' the cleanliness of the soap. All children enjoy the outdoors. Young children enjoy observing the colours of nature and feel of the elements, having the space to crawl, toddle or run around in wide open spaces, and feeding the ducks. Preschoolers are challenged by public playground apparatus and learn about the lifecycle of tadpoles when they visit the pond. The teaching of road safety is given prominence and is effective. Preschoolers not only know about stopping at roads, but about the dangers of cars

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and outcomes for children

reversing out of driveways too. However, when it comes to fire safety their understanding is limited to evacuating via the ground floor, even if the fire is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 downstairs and they are upstairs. 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 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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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