Childminder in Lewisham

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY439826 Inspection date 18/06/2012 Inspector Sarer Tarling

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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 registered in 2011 and she lives with her adult son and young primary school age son. The family live in a two bedroom ground floor maisonette in Nunhead, in the London Borough of Lewisham. All of the premises are suitable to be used for minding although children only play on the ground floor. The family bathroom is located on the first floor along with bedrooms which may be used for sleep purposes. There is no garden. However, the childminder uses the communal outdoor area and local parks and playgrounds with the children.

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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 to care for five children under eight years, of whom three may be in the early years age range and of whom one may be under one year. There are currently four children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age range.

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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 are exceptionally well settled within the childminder's safe, relaxed homely environment. Overall, children's health and welfare is promoted extremely well. Children enjoy a highly stimulating range of planned and spontaneous activities and outings. As a result, children make outstanding progress in their learning and development. The childminder recognises and values the uniqueness of each child and provides an inclusive service. Partnership with parents is a key strength and supports continuity of care and learning for the children. The childminder makes good use of self-evaluation to reflect on practice, demonstrating a strong 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?

 improve children's understanding of healthy practices by reviewing hand drying procedures to prevent cross infection.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good understanding of her role in relation to safeguarding children. She shares her written policy with parents and this makes them aware of her responsibilities in respect of reporting any concerns. Furthermore, she protects This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children from unvetted adults by not leaving them alone with others. Children play in a safe environment because the childminder successfully identifies and minimises potential hazards. Written records show she conducts regular risk assessments within the home and before embarking on outings. The childminder supervises children closely, while encouraging them to explore with increasing independence, particularly in the outdoor environment, while she is reassuringly close by. The childminder maintains an up-to-date first aid qualification which enables her to deal effectively with any accidents. The childminder has clear record

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the early years provision

keeping systems that help to ensure that children are safe, protected and well supported in line with parents' wishes.

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the early years provision

Children's learning is enhanced by the excellent organisation and availability of the toys and play materials. These are age appropriate and promote learning and discovery in all areas of learning. Children treat the resources with care and respect. They show a developing sense of responsibility as they help with simple tasks, such as tidying away toys. Children receive exceptional support from the childminder who is enthusiastic and clearly committed to their care and development. She is aware of their individual needs and respects their unique personalities. The childminder actively promotes equality and diversity. Children benefit from outings in the local community and show a good understanding of diversity as they engage in a range of activities linked to a variety of celebrations and different places in the world.

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the early years provision

The partnership with parents is good. Using an 'All About Me' form, useful information is gained from parents about their children. Highly effective observation and assessment systems track children's individual development and clearly identify their next steps in learning. Parents feel involved in their children's learning as the childminder shares her observation and planning records, in addition to the daily dairies and verbal feedback. She shares all her written polices with parents including a clear and up-to-date complaints procedure. Parents report that they already observe improvement in their young children's progress, for example, a greater understanding of sounds and letters. Parents are really pleased how well their children have settled and gained in their confidence and social skills. The childminder recognises the benefits of establishing working partnerships with other agencies, as and when the need arises, in order to support children's

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the early years provision

individual needs. The childminder is motivated and demonstrates a good attitude to continually raising the standards of her childcare provision. She reflects on her practice to identify areas for improvement and is keen to involve parents and children more fully in the process. The childminder has identified training she wishes to attend to enhance her childcare knowledge.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit greatly from the childminder's dedication to their learning and development. She closely observes what children can do, getting to know them extremely well. This enables her to effectively plan valuable activities that take This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 account of their individual interests and support their development exceptionally well. For example, children experiment with different ways of designing and constructing paper aeroplanes, estimating and then measuring how far they fly. The childminder takes them to the library, finding reference and story books about flight which lead to discussions about places to visit and what you would see in different countries.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop excellent skills for the future. They relish opportunities to practise their mark making and early writing skills from a young age. Labelling and bright posters on the walls convey to children that print carries meaning. The childminder supports children in using the laptop for research purposes and teaches them how to use simple programmable toys. They learn to use a variety of tools and enjoy using their creative skills as they explore different materials and resources. Children enthusiastically join in when singing number and counting rhymes, dancing and playing musical instruments. They have tremendous fun painting with brushes, hands and their feet, showing great pride when the childminder displays their work. Children are developing an exceptional sense of numbers and problem solving as they take part in sorting and matching games, complete puzzles and build with a variety of construction toys. Children are inspired to use their

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and outcomes for children

imaginations as they take part in role-play activities, such as having a teddy bear tea party and dressing up.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning about the importance of healthy eating and exercise benefiting from the fresh air on trips to local parks and while taking part in running games and scooter races. Equal value is given to the importance of rest and sleep. Children clamber onto the childminder's lap when tired and are gently rocked asleep. Regular checks on sleeping children help promote their comfort and safety. The childminder plans shopping and cooking activities, which help the children find out about nutritious foods and the importance of a balanced diet. They benefit from the healthy, nutritious home cooked meals and the childminder works in close partnership with parents to ensure their individual dietary needs are fully met. Generally, excellent hygiene routines are in place; however, use of a communal towel for hand drying does not effectively prevent children from cross infection.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has an extremely kind and caring disposition and displays genuine affection for the children. Children behave well because they are constantly engaged in purposeful play and develop good self-esteem because the childminder gives them plenty of praise and recognises their achievements. The childminder constantly helps children learn about keeping themselves safe, by making them aware of potential hazards around them. In turn, children show a strong sense of security within the care of the 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 1 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 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 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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