Childminder in Kingston upon Thames

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY433840 Inspection date 29/02/2012 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 2011 on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and three children all aged over eight, in a bungalow, in Chessington, Surrey. The premises are situated within close proximity of local shops, parks, schools and public transport links to Kingston, Epsom and London. The whole of the childminder's home is registered for childminding use, although she does not use the bedroom on the first floor which is a loft conversion.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. The childminder is currently caring for one child aged under two years on a full 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

The childminder has made a good start to childminding. Children have a wonderful relationship with the childminder and are extremely happy and settled in her care. The priority she gives to supporting children's personal, social and emotional development provides firm foundations for the development of all other areas of learning. Play resources and activity planning provide well for most areas of learning and development. The childminder works closely with parents to support children's well-being needs, but the overall concept of engaging parents has yet to be fully developed. Nonetheless the childminder is very enthusiastic and dedicated to developing her knowledge and skills through training. She continues to develop resources and planning to meet children's individual needs which shows she has good capacity for continuing to improve her provision.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide opportunities to be outside on a daily basis all year round; offer activities that will encourage children's interests and curiosity; for example, opportunities to investigate the natural world, for children to use their senses, and to discover things about shape  develop the partnership with parents further; by sharing information and involving them in their child's continuous learning and development. 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 health and welfare is monitored, supported and safeguarded well. The childminder's knowledge and understanding of her responsibility to act on any concerns about children is secure and clearly explained to parents in a written policy statement. All records and documentation required for the safe and efficient management of childminding are in place. The childminder carries out effective risk assessments on her home and for outings and her home is fitted with numerous safety gadgets to protect children from accessing hazards.

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the early years provision

The childminder effectively promotes equality and diversity well overall. She communicates closely with parents to enable consistency and continuity of care for babies between their two settings. Parents describe the childminder as 'extremely professional'. They state that her attention to ensuring a smooth settling in experience and the superb relationship between her and the children is most reassuring. However, the childminder's engagement with parents about children's progress and development towards the early learning goals is less effective. For example, although she carries out and documents detailed observational assessments on children and uses this information to inform and guide planning, parental engagement in this process has yet to be fully established. There are currently no children on roll who attend other settings, or need support from other agencies. However, the childminder demonstrates a developing understanding of

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the early years provision

the need to work in partnership with any other settings when the need arises.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a selection of good quality manufactured toys which are suitable for babies' age and stage of ability, although they are all made of plastic and therefore all feel the same. The childminder makes good use of local baby and toddler groups to provide children with different play experiences and opportunities to socialise. However, not enough use is made of the outdoors to promote good health. Whilst it is accepted that outdoor play is difficult during the winter if babies are not yet walking, the childminder has a wonderful decking area which is directly accessible from the play room but has yet to be utilised.

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the early years provision

Since registration the childminder has completed the local authority childminding course, as well as a workshop to help her understand how to evaluate the effectiveness of her practice. She is also booked on to a two-day safeguarding children workshop which begins the day after this inspection. The childminder recognises her strengths and areas for further development and is using this knowledge well, overall, to improve her practice and provision. She has worked particularly hard on establishing an effective system for carrying out observational assessments. Priorities for improvement focus very much on activity planning for supporting the developing needs of babies once they are mobile. The childminder is very keen to make use of local training opportunities and shows good capacity for sustaining ongoing improvement overall. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children are cared for in a warm, welcoming, clean and secure home environment. The childminder practises good nappy changing hygiene. Her use of child safety gadgets, such as electrical socket covers and baby gates prevents them from accessing hazards. The environment provides sufficient space for babies to practise their developing mobility. They enjoy regular trips to a soft play centre and have fun in the ball pit that the childminder has specifically purchased for them. She organises the day to fit in around babies' sleep routines and to provide varied indoor play experiences. Babies delight in observing the colourful parakeets and foxes that regularly visit her garden through the window. However, whilst babies enjoy weekly visits to the park to feed the ducks, they have too few opportunities to benefit from fresh air; to listen to the sounds of nature, such as birds tweeting and leafs rustling in the wind, which they could so easily do from the childminder's

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and outcomes for children

Babies demonstrate an exceptionally strong sense of belonging in the childminder's care. Parents describe their excitement as they walk up the childminder's garden path each morning. The very strong relationship between babies and the childminder is further demonstrated by the delightful verbal communication and eye contact between them. They giggle uncontrollably as they discover how to pull off the childminder's hair band, and when she engages them in gentle rough and tumble play on the floor. As a result, babies are very sociable and communicative and clearly feel very safe and secure. The childminder stores her toys accessibly so that babies can help themselves, which they do. For example, they pick up a mechanical writing tool and knowingly make marks on a special pad. They help themselves to books and enjoy cosy book sharing moments with the childminder. Babies gravitate towards technological resources. They know which buttons to

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and outcomes for children

press to bring up colourful screen images on hand held devices, or to create 'duck' sounds to the rhythm of popular nursery skills.

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and outcomes for children

Babies express their wishes for specific toys, such as the rocking horse, and show their enjoyment with squeals of laughter as the childminder gently rocks them whilst singing 'horse' rhymes. Babies are inquisitive and the childminder is brilliant at knowing when best to step in to support children's developing skills, such as for fitting shapes into correct holes and stacking plastic rings onto sticks. Baby's rapidly developing communication, language and literacy, and social skills, their interest in solving problems with shape and size, and confidence in using basic technology, demonstrate that the childminder is providing good opportunities for children to develop essential future skills. Despite the lack of outdoor play, and opportunities to use all their senses, very young children are making rapid progress in their learning and development. This is clearly reflected by the observational assessments records carried out and documented by the

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and outcomes for children

childminder. 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 3 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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