Childminder in Kingston upon Thames

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/10/2014 29/06/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

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This provision is good

 The childminder builds strong and trusting relationships with children. They are very happy and show a strong sense of security in the childminder's care.  The childminder successfully teaches children to become independent in preparation for their next transition, for example to pre-school and school.  The childminder is making efficient use of observation and assessment to track children's progress and to identify possible gaps in development.  The childminder plans and provides a good range of activities and experiences for children outside the home which help them to develop their social skills and understanding of the wider world.  The childminder has a positive attitude towards ongoing professional development to improve the outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The childminder does not consistently provide children with opportunity to engage in deep and meaningful and highly challenging play to extend their learning.  The childminder does not always gather detailed information about children's starting points for learning to help her to support each child to make good progress from the outset.

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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 independent play with the childminder and the childminder's interactions with children indoors.  The inspector discussed the childminder's practice with her.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled the childminder's documentation and children's progress and development records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to two parents on the telephone and took account of their views.  The inspector viewed all areas used for childminding.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2004. She lives with her husband and three children, who are all age over eight, in Surbiton, Surrey. The home is situated within walking distance of Tolworth Broadway shops, community facilities and public transport links. The rear reception room, with direct access to an enclosed garden are the base areas for play activities. Children sleep in travel cots upstairs. There is a ground floor cloakroom and family bathroom on the first floor. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently seven children on roll aged under eight. Five of these children are within the early years age group. One child age over eight also attends.

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

 make use of small-scale projects based on children's interests to support their development across all areas of learning and provide a high level of challenge

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

 strengthen procedures for identifying children's on-entry starting points to further support planning to help each child make good progress.

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who attend

The childminder has a good understanding of child development and the stages that children pass through. She knows the children well. The childminder has clear formats in place for completing observations and assessments on children. These include the progress check for two-year-old children, and for continuously tracking their progress. This ensures that the childminder promptly identifies and acts upon any possible gaps in development to support children's readiness for school. However, the identification of children's initial capabilities when they first start, and planning for their progress is unnecessarily delayed. This is because the childminder does not always seek detailed information about children's prior learning and development.

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who attend

Children are very happy and show they are becoming independent learners as they move around the playroom, helping themselves to toys and initiating their own play. For example, pre-school children sat for sustained periods connecting train track pieces, babies enjoyed experimenting with action toys and toddlers became immersed in 'cooking dinner' in the play kitchen. The childminder instinctively understands when it is appropriate to step in to support or extend children's play. For example, children kept busy emptying and filling pots and pans on the play cooker and then when their interest appeared to waiver the childminder stepped in to suggest 'dolly needs dinner'. Children then became re-engaged and worthwhile play continued. When children pulled out the musical piano mat the childminder watched as they experimented by standing on the keys, before joining in making a little rhythmic tune to inspire their interest in continuing.

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who attend

The childminder encourages children to persevere with play and learning goals, such as building a tower. When this is achieved it is celebration time. The childminder supports young children's progress in communication and language by repeating words to them and asking them to do simple little jobs, such as picking up a toy, or putting something on the shelf. The childminder takes children to the library to borrow books. Her bookshelf is full and accessible to children who make good use of it. The childminder shares books with children regularly. She asks open-ended questions such as 'where is the cat?' or 'who is that' to encourage children to think. If they misunderstand, for instance by naming a chicken as another child's name, the childminder responds by telling them where the child is and highlights that the picture is of a chicken. The childminder provides children with access to chalks, crayons and pens to encourage emergent writing. She counts the stairs

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who attend

when taking young children to bed, engages children in singing number rhymes, and sets pre-school children little challenges, such as fetching a set number of objects.

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who attend

The childminder takes children to the aquarium and zoo regularly. As a result, children learn to recognise and name a wide variety of animals and creatures and develop understanding of habitats. When they return to the childminder's home there is scope for their play to become more developed because they have the experience to reflect. The childminder has a selection of animals and sea creatures, such as giant rubber stingrays for children to engage in make-believe play. However, opportunity to build on pre-school age children's interest in this, by planning small-scale projects or helping them to create highly exciting play settings, is not fully exploited by the childminder. Children, including babies and toddlers, have opportunity most days to explore and experiment using their senses. For example, they mould sand, manipulate dough, empty and fill water and engage in arts and crafts while visiting community groups.

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

The childminder provides children with a warm, welcoming family environment. Children are happy and settled because the childminder has good procedures in place for minimising parent separation anxiety for children. Children settle in by attending for increasing periods before staying all day. If they attend term time only, and are young, the childminder invites parents to bring them to visit her during the summer to help prepare them for settling back in. Children show they are confident and trust the childminder. They seek her out for reassurance or comfort when they are tired, upset or unwell. The childminder gathers information from parents before children start about their care routines, such as sleep times and eating habits. This is so that she can, where possible, provide consistency and continuity for children.

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

The childminder prepares children well, both emotionally and practically, for starting pre- school and school. She reads them stories and engages them in conversations, for example on route home from collecting older children from school and when they 'play schools' back in the home. The childminder teaches children to manage their own personal care, such as taking themselves to the toilet, blowing their own noses and dressing themselves. Parents provide snacks and meals for their child. Everyone sits together at the table and the childminder, along with older children, promote social conversation and good manners. Children learn to share, take turns and negotiate with others through regular opportunities to mix with other children in the community, and the childminder's gentle and consistent reminders.

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

The childminder has a suitable variety of play and learning resources to meet children's needs, and she makes use of the library and toddler groups to provide children with variety. The childminder provides for children to keep healthy and active by taking them to the park most days and to a soft play centre once a week. Children enjoy jumping on the childminder's giant garden trampoline, and pottering around in her garden. They enjoy watering the flowers, digging in the soil and observing the visiting squirrels. Children have access to bikes and ride-ons and are helped by the childminder to develop the technique of using these. The childminder teaches children road safety and the importance of holding on to the pushchair when they are out walking. Children learn what to do in the event of a fire by practising the emergency evacuation indoors. The childminder also teaches children to tidy up their toys so that the floor does not become too cluttered.

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

Toddlers do this enthusiastically and pre-school children understand that too many toys present a trip hazard on the floor.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of the requirements for safeguarding and promoting children's welfare, learning and development. All required records and documentation are in place and suitably maintained. The childminder completes regular and effective risk assessments on her home and the places she takes children to, and takes effective action to minimise potential hazards. The childminder's knowledge and understanding of the procedure to follow if she is concerned about a child's welfare is secure and clearly explained to parents in a written statement.

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provision

The childminder has a positive attitude towards improving her practice. Since the last inspection she has implemented a comprehensive system for recording observations of children's learning and development and for tracking and assessing their progress towards the early learning goals. She has also renewed her first-aid certificate and attended a workshop titled 'tuning into babies and toddlers'. The childminder evaluates her practice generally well. Current plans for improvement focus on strengthening her planning for pre-school children to ensure they are consistently challenged and to meet with parents to review and plan for children's progress.

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provision

The childminder works in close and effective partnership with parents to ensure consistency in meeting children's well-being needs. She provides them with written copies of her policies and procedures, and discusses and agrees these in full with parents before children start. For example, they talk in depth about behaviour management. Parents highlight the childminder's patience, consistent approach to managing behaviour, for teaching children good manners and social skills as her key strength. They greatly appreciate her family environment and say that 'the childminder's own children are a credit to her'. Procedures for sharing assessment of children's on-entry abilities, progress and attainment, and planning for their next steps with parents are not fully developed. Nonetheless, communication with parents is strengthened by the childminder's use of a daily journal, which everyone involved in the children's care contribute to. Typical

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provision

examples of the childminder's entries include details of sleep patterns, some developmental wow moments, such as when a child built their first tower with bricks and said new words, as well as a general description of the activities children have participated in. The childminder demonstrates good capacity for maintain ongoing improvement.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY294837 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 843715 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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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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