Blooming outstanding
A group of childminders judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted has transformed a waste ground in the London Borough of Waltham Forest into a sensory garden for the children they care for - with a litlle help from their partners.
The garden has plants and materials of various textures, scents and colours to give all children, particularly those with a disability, a chance to safely explore and enjoy the stimulating experience.
Tina Buckmaster and her childminder friends, who live in the Chingford/Highams Park area of the borough, are no strangers to hard work. In 2004, after finding it difficult to get to early evening training sessions held in another part of the borough, Tina arranged a meeting to discuss mentoring with the council’s early year’s development officer who arranged premises for the childminders to hold weekly drop-in sessions. Through these, the Bluebell Childminding Network was born.
‘You need to take a professional approach and have a genuine passion to want to achieve something everyday’
The network has 20 members (the maximum allowed), but its popularity has led to another 20 associate members. Tina is a mentor and mentor coordinator for Bluebell. The members share experiences and informatio
n and make sure they are aware of childcare trends as well as identifying funding for childcare and development courses. Tina is one of seven childminders in the network to have received an ‘outstanding’ grade in the 2007/8 Ofsted inspection, and attended one of Ofsted’s outstanding provider events held in March. A further two were judged outstanding in the previous year’s inspection cycle. Similarly, at least four colleagues all achieved overall grades of ‘good’, with some areas judged as outstanding in their inspections.
Tina, pictured third from right, with four of her Bluebell colleagues and Christine Gilbert HMCI at the Outstanding Provider event
To succeed as a childminder, Tina believes, ‘You need to take a professional approach and have a genuine passion to want to achieve something everyday.’ She has a National Vocational Qualification level 3 in childcare and offers support and guidance to childcare students from local colleges. Tina says, ‘Supporting others has helped me to learn and benefited me a lot too.’
‘Children are well protected because the childminder has an in-depth knowledge of child protection issues, recognises her role and responsibilities and knows how to implement safeguarding children procedures.’
Tina’s advice to other childminders is to ‘form good relationships with the parents and the children and to be honest with yourself about whether you will be able to deal realistically with issues if and when they occur.’ She gives a special welcome pack to all new parents and as the Ofsted inspector, Jane Davenport, noted, ‘Parents receive extremely detailed information in terms of planning, observations and reviews. This helps them to understand how their child learns and develops through play.’
Jane also notes, ‘Children are well protected because the childminder has an in-depth knowledge of child protection issues, recognises her role and responsibilities and knows how to implement safeguarding children procedures.’ Tina keeps records of all volunteers, child
ren and visitors to and from the setting, has detailed policies for the collection and non-collection of children, and has arrangements for recording accidents or any pre-existing injuries. These methods, the regularly practiced emergency evacuation procedure and her first aid training, contribute to ensuring children are safeguarded from harm.
Children thrive because they are so comfortable with the daily routine and delight in the individual attention they all receive. The living room has been transformed into a library and the children are taken on outings to aquariums and farms. There are prop boxes for role play, which include kimonos and shalwar kameez to encourage diversity, as well as a book in Braille to help children understand others’ needs. Tina’s own two children, now in their early 20s, have also benefited by learning about other people’s needs and different ways of life.
Being a childminder has helped Tina juggle a career alongside raising children
In recognition of her work, Tina received an 'Inspirational Childminder of the Year' award from her local authority. She admits that she never really switches off, as every room in her house reflects what she does, but being a childminder has helped her juggle a career alongside raising children. After the children have left, she writes up her observations and plans for the next day.
When asked about the early years self-evaluation form, Tina believes it helps her to look back, reflect and find a better way ‘as it
is easy to get stale.’ From September 2008, all registered providers who deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (for children aged five and under) are asked to complete a self-evaluation form which gives inspectors an idea of what a provider feels is working well and things they would like to improve.
As an individual childminder, rather than a centre providing care, Tina feels the Ofsted inspections are quite personal ‘as they are an assessment of you, your home and your way of working’.
With her clear vision and a strong commitment to providing the best possible outcomes for all children, Tina and her many colleagues at the Bluebell Childminding Network have more than the garden to celebrate and share.
