Childminder in Lewisham

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children enjoy the many and varied opportunities that the childminder and their assistant provide to play and explore at this happy home-from-home setting. The childminder ensures that children develop positive attitudes to learning. The curriculum is interesting and broad. There is a strong focus on children learning about the world around them through a range of experiences that keep them engaged in meaningful play throughout their time at the setting. All children are curious, active learners and make good progress.

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The provision is good

New children settle in quickly because the childminder ensures that their introduction is carefully planned and sensitive to the needs of the child. Both the childminder and assistant are kind, patient and caring. Children clearly feel safe and secure in their care. Children enjoy warm cuddles and reassurance from both adults and are quickly soothed if they become distressed.

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The provision is good

Children generally behave very well. They are given clear explanations and support to understand and manage their own behaviour. For example, when children find it hard to share, the childminder quickly intervenes to resolve matters calmly. The children's emotional well-being is central to the ethos of the setting. Children and adults talk to each other throughout the day. Children are encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings and their uniqueness is celebrated and valued.

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need to do better?

n Children learn through play. The childminder delivers much of the curriculum through outdoor activities and experiences for the children, both in the well- resourced garden and in the local community. Children's development and learning is enhanced through regular visits to woods, museums, libraries, and parks. n Adults speak clearly and well to the children using a wide range of vocabulary. Signing is also used effectively to support non-verbal children. Children develop good communication skills and become confident speakers across the curriculum. Support for children who speak English as an additional language is good. n The childminder is ambitious for the children and introduces complex concepts to the children as they play. For example, while rolling conkers through large tubes, the childminder mentions 'gravity'. However, this is not fully explained or revisited to check children's understanding and help them remember what they

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need to do better?

have been taught in the future. n The childminder provides effective supervision and coaching for their assistant, who feels well supported in their developing role. All mandatory training has been completed. The childminder is a good role model, being an experienced

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need to do better?

25 September 2023 and skilful practitioner. n Partnerships with parents are strong and both the childminder and assistant get to know the families well. Parents are provided with information about their children's development and care on a daily basis. Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. The childminder liaises closely with other agencies and specialists. n Parents who wrote to the inspector were full of praise for the childminder and assistant. One parent mentions how the childminder makes sure that no one day is like another and how the children come home teaching their parents about the world around them. Another says that they know the children will 'have a wonderful day full of adventures, care, support and learning'. n Children generally play happily and cooperatively alongside each other. The childminder and assistant skilfully ensure that activities can be accessed and

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need to do better?

enjoyed by children of all ages and stages who attend. For example, the youngest children are helped to push balls into crates while the older children play and explore these resources independently. n Children are learning how to follow instructions to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn not to play on the garden steps or to enter the kitchen area. They have some opportunities to make choices, such as the colour of the paint they want to use or which story they would like to be read. However, sometimes the adults do things for the older children that they could do for themselves. Opportunities for children to cut their own fruit, serve themselves at lunchtime and blow their own noses would further support children's developing independence, in readiness for school. n Children's mathematical development is well supported. There are opportunities to explore numbers, shapes and measure across all activities. For example,

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need to do better?

children compare the size of tubes using mathematical language, such as 'smaller', 'larger', 'width' and 'diameter'. The childminder encourages children to problem-solve, asking the children open-ended questions such as 'how can we fix it?'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Both the childminder and their assistant have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibility to protect the children in their care. The childminder has a broad contextual knowledge of potential risks to children and understands how to refer any concerns to the appropriate agency. The assistant is trained and knows the signs and symptoms that might indicate a child is at risk of harm. The childminder has made sure their assistant is suitably vetted and the assistant knows to report any changes in her circumstances to the childminder. The home and outings are assessed for hazards and both the childminder and assistant supervise the children closely to help them stay safe.

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should:

n consider ways to check that children have understood and remembered the things you want them to learn n review opportunities for older children to further develop their independence at the setting.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY347261 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 10232942 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 0 Date of previous inspection 19 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2007. He lives in the Hilly Fields area of the London Borough of Lewisham. The childminder operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6pm, during term time only. He has an assistant who is registered to work with him.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the childminder received since the COVID- 19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the childminder. n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure it is safe and suitable. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises their early years provision, including the aims and rationale for their early years foundation stage curriculum. n Children spoke to/communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to the childminder and their assistant and observed the interactions between them and the children. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, both inside and outside, and assessed the impact of this on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

25 September 2023 regulates and inspects 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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