Childminder in Croydon

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY427595 Inspection date 09/12/2011 Inspector Gillian Cubitt

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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 registered in 2011. She lives with her husband and one child of pre-school age in a house in Coulsdon, Surrey. The home is close to the town centre and main-line stations and bus routes. There are parking facilities outside the home. The house has a drive and is approached by steps. Children use all downstairs rooms and one bedroom for resting. There is an enclosed patio and a further grassed area.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register, and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered for five children aged under eight years, two of which may be in the early years age range. The childminder has currently two children on roll in the early years age group who attend part time. She also offers care to older children aged up to 11 years.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder collects children from local schools and nurseries. She attends nearby children's play centres, local libraries for rhyme times and nearby parks.

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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 childminder promotes children's safety and welfare well through her good understanding of each child's needs and implementation of effective health and safety procedures. The childminder plans generally good activities and experiences to promote children's development. As a result children are making good progress in most areas of their learning. All children and their families are welcome and the uniqueness of each child is acknowledged but not always fully valued. There are good established partnerships with parents and partnerships with others involved in the children's care are developing. The childminder uses on-going self- evaluation to plan and secure future improvement to her practice. She takes positive action demonstrating a good capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 consider further ways to help children to learn to value different aspects of their own and other people's lives  improve children's mathematical development helping them to seek patterns, make connections and recognise relationships through finding out about and working with numbers and counting, with sorting and matching and with shape, space and measures. 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 a good knowledge of safeguarding matters and actively promotes children's welfare and safety. The childminder shares information with parents about the procedures she follows to safeguard children so they are clear about her role and responsibilities. She completes rigorous risk assessments to minimise any potential safety risks in her home and garden. There are also very good risk assessments for when children go on everyday outings to the shops or children's groups. Children participate in regular fire evacuation practice to help them understand about their own safety.

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the early years provision

The childminder creates a warm and comfortable environment for children and parents. She organises her home so children are able to choose toys for themselves. Children have a wide selection of toys to use and some reflect positive images of diversity. Many of the resources are used well to support children learning but they are not used effectively to help children to learn to respect people's differences. The childminder acknowledges the different cultures of children who attend although she has not given full consideration to finding ways to show that children's cultural diversity is valued.

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the early years provision

The childminder promotes good relationships with parents and they comment on how well their children are progressing in the childminder's care. Parents have plenty of information, including settling-in procedures and ongoing 'all about me' records which provide parents with daily routines and activities children encounter. Documentation required for the safe and efficient management of the provision is well maintained and policies are clearly written and shared with parents. The childminder demonstrates a sound understanding of the importance of working with others who also work with the children. She has started to talk to the reception class teacher about children's activities so that she knows what children do in school. Currently children are following a theme on water and the childminder builds on this by talking with children about what lives in water. In this way she is promoting continuity of care and support for children's learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder consistently evaluates her service. She reflects on her ideas, sets out plans for improvement as well as seeking feedback from others such as parents and local advisors. She maintains her ongoing childcare training and identifies areas to help her improve. For example, she has recently attended a course for observation and assessment of children which significantly helped her in identifying and planning for children's needs.

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and outcomes for children

Children show they feel at home and part of the family household, being loved and supported in their play and learning. They are actively involved in a well-planned weekly programme of activities that provides children with a balance of adult-led This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and child-initiated activities. Children become independent learners and play well on their own as well as with the childminder. Children's individual stages in their learning are noted through observation. The childminder uses her knowledge of the children to develop their progress with a variety of activities which helps them to make good progress overall in their learning and development.

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and outcomes for children

Children become confident and show independence because they are able to choose from a wide variety of toys and resources. They have wonderful fun with a large pink box which they use to sit in and create many forms of imaginative play, one moment it is a bus, then a car or a boat. Children make room for others to sit in and enjoy their play. The childminder also joins in and asks questions such as 'shall we go shopping?' Then children think about what they need at the shops. This interaction with the childminder supports children's developing minds and encourages them to think about their world and the community. Children enthusiastically help themselves to their favourite books and enjoy looking at pictures and reading with the childminder. This activity also flows into creating pictures linked to stories using crayons and colouring pencils. This promotes children's physical development and confidence in the early stages of writing.

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and outcomes for children

Young children's speech is developing well through the childminder's constant interaction and repetition of words to aid children's understanding. Children enjoy access to many interactive toys, becoming confident users of information and communication technology at a very young age. Children are generally beginning to count and can identify shapes. However, this aspect of children's learning does not receive sufficient attention in the childminder's activity planning.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from going outside each day. They happily play with mobile toys on the patio and toddlers enjoy playing with soft balls. Children also visit parks and children's groups where they extend their physical activities and they also learn to socialise and make new friends. Children have fun at 'rhyme time' sessions singing and dancing to music and playing percussion instruments which contributes towards their development and understanding of rhythm and sound.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and secure because the childminder has a very good settling-in procedure that gives children time to get to know her and her home before she introduces them to the wider community and local children's groups. Children learn the 'rules of the house' and begin to contribute by helping to tidy away toys. They listen to the childminder when she says 'kind hands' and know they must share and be gentle with others. Children learn to keep safe because the childminder includes them in fire evacuation practice. When on outings they hold on to the pushchair and the childminder asks older children to help her identify road hazards. This encourages children to think about their safety when outside. Children's good health is supported well. Children learn positive personal hygiene habits and the benefits of healthy lifestyles. They enjoy home cooked nutritious meals. Water and refreshments are always available and children enjoy these

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and outcomes for children

especially after their rigorous exercise. All areas of the childminder's home are very clean and well maintained to support children's good health. 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 3 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 3 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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