Childminder in Surrey

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/01/2015 02/05/2012

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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

 Children are well settled and secure because the childminder tailors the settling-in process to each family and builds strong attachments with children.  Parents benefit from a very effective partnership with the childminder, as she is very considerate of their needs as a family.  Children gain good communication and language skills because the childminder talks with children as they play and encourages them to chat.  The childminder promotes good behaviour by having firm rules and being clear about boundaries.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The provision for expressive arts and design does not consistently involve children who are reluctant to take part in messy play.  The childminder is not consistently devising challenging activities for children to take part in, which means that sometimes play lacks a high level of interest.

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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 playing in the childminder's home.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector read references and comments from current parents to note their views.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 1997. She lives with her husband and three older children in Redhill, Surrey. The ground floor of the house is used for childminding and there is an enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is currently caring for six children, three of whom are in the early years age group. The family has a dog.

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

 enhance the provision for expressive arts and design by devising ways to promote messy play for all children

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

 strengthen the level of interest and challenge in activities for children by regularly including adult-led play.

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who attend

The childminder has a strong understanding of how to meet the learning and development requirements. She organises an interesting variety of outings coupled with a wide range of child-initiated play in her own home. This gives children a broad range of experiences. The childminder is very effective at facilitating children's activities and making sure that they are always engaged in purposeful play. This promotes their good progress in all aspects of their development.

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who attend

The childminder has good teaching skills. She is down at the children's level throughout their play, echoing their vocalisations and talking with children, building their vocabulary and understanding. She sings with children and names objects so that they can repeat the words. Children are very confident to ask her questions about what things are and how things work, so their curiosity is well-rewarded. This promotes children's communication and language skills. The childminder knows children's individual interests and provides toys and equipment to keep them engaged. For example, a child who loves vehicles and wheels has a variety of cars and trucks to explore. The childminder skilfully incorporates counting and colour naming as the children play, which promotes their mathematical understanding. The childminder adapts how she plays to include children of different ages and stages of development. For example, the childminder settled a baby on her knee with

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who attend

some sensory toys to explore, while playing with an older child with technological toys. The younger children can see what older children are doing which draws them into further exploratory play. Children quickly identify how to use different push-button toys and enjoy the cause and effect as they see lights or hear sounds in response to their play.

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who attend

The childminder has a strong awareness of how some children are reluctant to get messy or explore certain textures. The childminder is sensitive to this and introduces children gradually to new experiences. However, sometimes the childminder misses opportunities to use children's strong interests as an introduction, by putting cars paint for example. The childminder takes children to different community groups and on outings in the local area. This means that children build strong social skills when they meet other children and build their understanding of the world by exploring nature. The childminder provides some challenging adult-led activities, such as planting vegetables and making complex craft items. This stretches children's abilities, although such activities are not a frequent feature of the childminder's plans, which has an impact on their effectiveness.

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who attend

The childminder meets with parents when children first start and gathers detailed information about children's current abilities and interests. The childminder frequently exchanges information about children's achievements at home and in her care, which promotes strong partnership working. The childminder includes notes about children's achievements and milestones in the detailed care diary that she shares with parents every day. She demonstrates a good understanding of children's stage of development and their next steps. The childminder makes a progress check of each child's development when they are aged two and creates a summary of their development. This helps her to identify and address any achievement gaps. The childminder shares children's next steps with parents so that they can work together to foster children's development. Parents share what they are doing at home by sending the childminder photographs or notes. This

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who attend

means that children make good progress through the highly consistent care.

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

The childminder is a very effective key person for children. She creates a warm and affectionate family atmosphere and children settle well. The childminder works with parents to tailor settling-in times so that children are confident to separate from their parents. Younger children frequently refer to the childminder for reassurance and involve her in their play, which adds to their enjoyment of play. The childminder has created a good learning environment with a wide range of equipment and good quality toys for children to choose from. Children can choose what they want because most toys are stored at child height. The childminder adapts the play environment by changing the toys regularly, which keeps children interested in what is around them. The childminder takes children to different outdoor play areas as well as using her garden. The wide variety of outings gives children an interesting routine each week.

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

Children have good opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. Parents provide balanced and healthy packed lunches. The childminder makes sure children eat regularly and have drinks of water throughout the day. Children enjoy planting different vegetables in the garden and take part in shopping trips, so they learn about food and where it comes from. The childminder promotes children's independence at meal times, and is vigilant about meeting their individual dietary requirements. Children adopt good hygiene habits because the childminder has well-established routines. This helps to minimise the risk of cross-infection. Children enjoy a wide variety of physical play including ride-on toys, throwing and catching, and swimming. The childminder is very careful of children's safety and teaches rules very firmly. This means that children become very competent at managing the safety in their play, for example by controlling how they kick a ball.

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

Children's behaviour is good. The childminder has clear house rules and uses a firm tone when reminding children how to play. This means that children know what is expected of them and have clear boundaries. Children learn to share and play cooperatively as they swap toys and take turns. This helps children to build strong friendships. Children enjoy exploring how things work and persist when they come across a difficulty, such as learning how to switch things on. Overall, they gain good skills to support them in their future learning.

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provision

The childminder has a good understanding of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She refreshes her safeguarding and child protection training regularly, and has a detailed policy to guide her should she have concerns about the welfare of a child. She shares her policies with parents so that they are aware of her responsibilities and duties. The childminder has carried out risk assessments of her home, garden and different activities, such as swimming. She has a daily checklist based on her risk assessment, and makes sure identifies and minimises any hazards to children. The childminder records essential information about children and keeps documentation safely and securely. This underpins children's well-being.

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provision

The childminder has a good awareness of her strengths and areas for improvement. She works closely with parents to evaluate her provision so that she can make any adaptations to meet their needs. For example, she incorporates different visits or organises haircuts for children where families request it. The childminder adapts her toys and learning environment to suit the children's different interests and stages of development. She also renews her equipment regularly to maintain the quality of what is available to children. The childminder reflects on children's activities by looking back through care diaries and parents' notes about what they have been doing at home. This helps her to provide a wide variety of experiences for children and maintain a good standard.

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provision

The childminder builds very strong partnerships with parents. Parents receive detailed written information about their child's care and activities each day. The childminder consults with parents about anything that may have an impact on the children, such as when the childminder's family was thinking about getting a dog. Parents comment how responsive the childminder is and about the quality of care their children receive.

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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 121728 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 842799 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6

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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

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’.

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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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