Childminder in Kingston upon Thames

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/09/2012 Not Applicable

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 The childminder carries out a thorough assessment of children's starting points for learning at the beginning of their placement with her. She monitors their progress well using the Development Matters guidance and takes good account of children's developing interests when planning activities.  Young children's personal, social and emotional needs are very well supported. Children are happy, safe and secure. They are curious, confident and becoming rapidly independent. These attributes lay the foundations for children to make the best possible progress in all other areas of learning.  The childminder makes very good use of the outdoors to promote learning and good health and this is having a very positive impact on children.  The childminder makes good use of self-evaluation to identify priorities for further improvement and to identify professional development needs.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder's knowledge of best practice for supporting children learning English as an additional language is not fully developed. Although children are making good progress in the development of English, not enough priority is given to supporting and promoting bilingualism.  Opportunities for young children to explore and experiment using their many senses and with a wide range of media is not a strong enough feature within planning.

p.1

Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children engaged in play activities and care routines.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector scrutinised children's developmental assessment records, sampled their registration records, written policies that the childminder provides for parents, and her written self-evaluation form.  The inspector discussed observation of children's activity with the childminder.  Parental views were sought and taken account of.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012. She lives with her partner and two children who are both aged over eight in the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames. The house is situated within walking distance of Kingston town centre, the river, parks and infant and junior schools. All areas of the home are used for childminding. Children sleep in one of the bedrooms upstairs and play activities take place in the lounge-diner and there is an enclosed patio garden for outdoor play. Toilet facilities are located on the first floor.

p.2

Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She currently has four children under eight on roll, one of whom is learning English as an additional language. Three children are within the early years age range, one of whom attends full-time school. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She takes children to various community groups, the library, parks and specific places such as the farm. The childminder is bilingual and speaks Serbo-Croat and English.

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 provide more regular opportunities for young children to make marks and to squeeze and feel media, such as paint, gloop (cornflour and water) and dough

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 strengthen knowledge of recommended strategies for supporting children who are learning English as an additional language and for promoting bilingualism, including encouraging parents to continue use of the first language at home.

p.3

who attend

Children have settled very well with this newly established childminder and are confident, secure and happy in her care. The childminder carries out a thorough assessment of children's stage of development during their first few weeks of attending. She finds out from parents all about children's interests and what they can do before the commencement of the placement and then notes her observations of children's involvement in play. The childminder uses the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance to identify their levels of achievement against the expectations of the early learning goals. Children's starting points for learning are high and the childminder recognises this. She uses the information gained from parents and her observational assessments to plan a balance of activities which support children's personal, social and emotional, communication and language, and physical development

p.3

who attend

very well. For example, regular visits to local community stay and play sessions help them to acquire social skills. The good range of activities help to lay the foundations of children's future learning. Children enjoy playing in the leaves in the park, feeding the ducks and observing boats on the river. They show particular interest in music and are becoming familiar with a range of rhymes. They move their bodies excitedly as soon as the childminder starts to sing a familiar rhyme and this increases as they anticipate, for example, 'wiggling their body like jelly'. Older children enjoy making things, such as shakers from bottles filled with pasta, for younger children to experiment with which they do with interest.

p.3

who attend

The childminder listens to school age children read after school to support their literacy development. Younger children's awareness of themselves and of diversity, such as people's different skin tones, is supported through the use of good quality picture books. Children quickly master how to operate battery operated toys because the childminder spends time demonstrating this. She spends a lot of time on the floor playing with young children, for example helping them to learn to link animal names to animal sounds. Children are helped to develop role-play skills through playing with dolls, for instance giving baby a cup of tea. Children have access to a suitable range of toys, although the childminder's range is still under development and she has yet to make good use of open- ended resources such as cardboard boxes and things of different texture. Children explore and experiment with sand and water and different media, such as gloop, dough and paint

p.4

who attend

when they visit the community play centres. However, the childminder has yet to make messy play a feature of planning within her home to allow children to more regularly explore a wide range of different media. The childminder consistently and successfully promotes children's developing English language skills in everything she does. She uses a small number of words in children's home language, but the development of bilingualism is not fully supported. For example, she does not encourage parents whose children are learning English as an additional language to continue to encourage use of the first language at home.

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are helped to settle in to the childminder's care through a gradual parent-child separation process. The childminder gains a comprehensive health history from parents and clarifies all their wishes regarding care routines before children start attending. She follows their instructions for meeting children's individual medical needs and their wishes in relation to sleep routines. They communicate daily and plan together for the next steps in children's physical development, such as potty training. The childminder is very tuned into children's emotional needs and strives to help them overcome any anxieties. For example, she is careful to avoid exposing them to noises which mimic or sound like crying, such as battery operated dolls and the 'baa' of a toy sheep because crying upsets them.

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The childminder engages young children in playful communication during mealtimes and encourages them to feed themselves. She ensures that older children have a well balanced breakfast which fuels them with energy for the day ahead. After school, they are able to let off steam in the park before returning to the home for relaxed imaginative play. The childminder organises her home to enable babies to progress from crawling to walking safely. They move freely around pulling themselves up and confidently take their first steps into the childminder's outstretched arms. Nature walks and daily trips to the park where young children enjoy the thrill of a swing ride and older children are challenged by the climbing and balancing apparatus help to ensure children receive plenty of fresh air and exercise. They learn road and dog safety rules when they go out and learn about fire safety through evacuation practice in the home. Daily hygiene routines, such as for

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

washing hands before eating and after using the potty, are mimicked by younger children which demonstrates that the foundations for them to adopt good future habits are being firmly laid.

p.5

provision

The childminder has made a good start to childminding. She has worked hard to familiarise herself with the new learning and development requirements in relation to carrying out an assessment of children's starting points and progress towards the early learning goals. She is well prepared for carrying out the newly required developmental check on two year-olds. All requirements for record keeping, such as for supporting children's health and safety, are met. The childminder makes effective use of risk assessment to identify and minimise potential hazards to children and has good safety procedures in place for outings. Her knowledge of child protection issues and procedures is secure and children's welfare is closely monitored.

p.5

provision

The childminder attended a training workshop to help her make good use of self- evaluation. She has carried out a good, critical review of her provision and sought the views of parents. The childminder has identified a number of priorities for improvement, most pertinently for strengthening her partnership with parents. Plans, such as for introducing a two-way communication book so that information can be more easily shared between her and parents, as well as regular meetings with them to review and agree next steps for children's learning, are being targeted. The childminder is astutely aware of her responsibility to form a partnership with children's school teachers so that she can support children's learning through a play-based approach. Older children are very new to the childminder's as well as school. The childminder has plans in place to meet with teachers so that she can provide leaning support through a play-based approach. The childminder

p.5

provision

is committed to increasing her variety of play resources. Overall the childminder demonstrates a good understanding of her strengths and weaknesses. She is committed to engaging in a programme of continuous professional development, for example by researching child development theories, such as for supporting children with English as an additional language, and making continuous use of local authority training opportunities.

p.5

provision

Parents have only known the childminder a few weeks, but they report that they are very pleased with the service she provides. They appreciate the childminder's attention to respecting their wishes, such as for meeting particular health needs, providing opportunities for children to socialise with other children and with regards to potty training. They are delighted with the ease at which children have settled in and by the childminder's use of the outdoors.

p.5

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

p.6

Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.6

Setting details

Unique reference number EY442437 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 787923 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

p.7

Name of provider

Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.7

Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

p.7

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.7

Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

p.7

Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

p.7

Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.7

Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

p.7

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.9

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9