Childminder in Lambeth

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/08/2013 09/03/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 2 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 There is an extensive range of equipment that children have unlimited access to.  Excellent interactions between the childminder and the children help her follow children's interests and support future learning highly effectively.  The procedures and policies to ensure that the childminder, her assistant and parents understand how children are kept safe are impressive.  The childminder keeps extensive records of what the children have done, through written observations and photographs. She is highly reflective about what this tells her about the children's development. She uses this information to plan individually to meet the needs and interests of each child.  The childminder's home is spotlessly clean, and she creates a nurturing environment in which children make very good progress.  The childminder has developed exemplary relationships with children and parents, which help her share information highly effectively.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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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.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and interactions.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.  The inspector spoke with children and held discussions with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined documentation including a sample child's folder, planning paperwork, and some policies.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in October 2008. She lives with her husband and child. The family lives in the London Borough of Lambeth. The whole of the ground floor and two of the bedrooms on the first floor of the childminder's home are used for childminding. The childminder is registered to care for six children under eight at any one time. She is currently caring for five children in the early years age group. The childminder offers places from 8am to 6pm all year round.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder works with a childminding assistant.

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

 build on the already strong opportunities for outdoor learning.

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who attend

The childminder has an excellent understanding of how to support young children's learning. She uses the Early Years Foundation Stage framework to ensure that the children are making very good progress. When children start, she works highly effectively with parents to find out what the child's interests are, and she assesses the child's development through observing what the child can do. She creates a folder that tells the learning journey for each child, full of photographs and written information about what the child has done. These meticulous records are not only exciting for the parents to see, they are used by the childminder to assess the progress each child is making. She then uses this information to plan highly stimulating activities for children based on her secure knowledge of what they need to learn next.

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who attend

Parents say that they are very well informed of the progress their children are making. The childminder feeds back to each parent at the end of each session, as well as providing highly informative reports for parents every six months. For children who recently reached the age of three, she provided not only the required information about how well the children were doing in the most important required areas of learning that will support future development. She also provided insightful information about how the children learn, and gave innovative ideas on how the parents could support their child's learning at home. The childminder and her assistant show abundant energy and enthusiasm in response to the children's own ideas. This means that children are keen to share their interests and understanding. They are highly motivated to join in with activities suggested by the childminder. The youngest children who are not yet speaking make eye contact with the

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who attend

adults, they smile, and babble happily when playing alongside the childminder. Older children talk about their likes and dislikes, and relate what they are doing to previous experiences. For example, children had been looking at birds in the park the previous day. They talk about birds nests, and collect grass from the park that they were going to use to make a bird's nest later in the week. Children draw pictures of birds, and give them names, showing significant interest in the topic of birds. These conversations demonstrate the children's highly impressive development in their communication and language skills. Children are encouraged to show care and concern for one another. When they become upset, the childminder uses nurturing approaches to get the children to help sort out disagreements. This leads to children developing rapidly in their personal, social and emotional skills.

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who attend

The childminder gives children very good opportunities to develop their physical skills, through small focussed tasks such as puzzles, finger foods, and drawing, as well as going to the park, and on interesting trips around the area. These trips enrich children's learning. On one trip out, children who are highly motivated to role-play as firefighters, had the opportunity to meet firefighters, and get into the fire engine, for example. The children use these rich experiences to enhance their imaginative play.

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

The childminder creates a nurturing environment in which children flourish. Children quickly form strong bonds with the childminder, which support the children to feel confident, and to engage enthusiastically with activities. Children who have only very recently started with the childminder go to her for a reassuring cuddle when they are worried, or tired. Babies smile at, and make contented cooing sounds when they are with the childminder, and her assistant. When young babies are tired and becoming upset, they respond immediately to a cuddle from the childminder. Children have many opportunities to learn how to manage situations for themselves. This helps them to develop their self- confidence and self-control. If children have minor squabbles, the childminder supports them in how to resolve the situation together, teaching them good skills for the future.

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

The childminder's house is exceptionally clean. The childminder has conducted in-depth risk assessments, and has ensured that children have unlimited access to the safe parts of the environment. Areas that children cannot access have locks, or gates to ensure that the children are kept safe and can be independent. The childminder has ensured that risks are minimised through actions such as having a fire safety check of her smoke alarms, protecting corners of tables and radiators to prevent injuries. The childminder has an impressive array of written policies, which were observed to be working very well in practice. The childminder, her assistant and her daughter remind children of how to keep themselves safe. They ensure that safety gates are always locked behind them. Children have access to their own toilet room downstairs, and the childminder ensures that children clean their hands thoroughly after using it to prevent the risk of cross contamination.

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

Children can access resources independently that are stored in labelled storage boxes on shelves. The boxes are labelled with both words and pictures, so that the youngest children know what is inside. Children know that if a box is too big or heavy for them to get, they can ask for help from the childminder or her assistant. The resources accessible to the children cover all of the areas of learning. The childminder is currently not using her small patio back garden, because she feels there is insufficient space for children to run around. She does take the children on daily trips to a local park, which is very close by, as well as regular trips elsewhere. In the park, she allows children to develop their physical skills as well as planning activities such as looking for birds. However, as children are taken to the park for outside learning, there are less immediate opportunities for children who prefer learning outside to do this spontaneously.

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

The childminder has developed highly productive links with parents and teachers in a local primary school. The childminder cares for some children after school. The excellent links that she has built up with the schoolteacher mean that she is able to build on children's experiences that they have in school whilst they are with her. For example, the teacher tells the childminder which letter sounds that the children have been learning when she goes to collect them, and she practices these with them whilst they are with her. The childminder has also developed links with the local children's centre, and with advisors from the local authority. The childminder is therefore very well placed to access support for children in her care should they require it.

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provision

The childminder demonstrates an extremely strong drive to provide the best possible learning opportunities and care for children. She is highly reflective about what is working well, and what she could change. The childminder keeps highly impressive written evidence of the changes that she has made to improve outcomes for children. She also is highly reflective in her records of children's individual progress and their future learning needs. This helps children to make extensive progress while they are with her. The childminder has reflected on previous advice given to her by local authority advisors, and recommendations from Ofsted, and has acted on them to create a safe, nurturing and vibrant environment.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has a comprehensive set of policies which she shares with parents when children start, so that they understand the procedures that she will follow. The childminder ensures that these procedures are followed and children are kept exceptionally safe while in her care. The childminder ensures that she keeps up to date with current information by attending evening and weekend training that is offered by the local authority. She also works closely with another childminder and they share good practice ideas and information. Through these innovative links the childminder ensures that her practice is fully in line with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She supervises her assistant well to ensure that they also are able to deliver high quality care for children. She has ensured that her childminding

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provision

assistant is trained in paediatric first aid, and has secured them a place on safeguarding training, for example.

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provision

The highly effective links that the childminder develops with parents ensures that she collects significant information about children before they start. This coupled with her own observations that she completes during children's first few days with her help her quickly identify any additional needs the child has. The childminder has developed links with the local authority advisor, as well as the local Children's Centre. The childminder requests permission from parents to share information with other providers of Early Years Foundation Stage that the child may attend, such as the local school. This innovative approach enables her to develop highly effective partnerships with others to best meet children's needs.

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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

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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 action. 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.

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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.

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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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY382031 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 838220 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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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.

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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.

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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, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

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

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