Childminder in Cumberland

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY330655 Inspection date 27/08/2009 Inspector Diane Roberts

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Type of setting Childminder This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 2006. She lives with her husband, father-in-law and children aged seven and 15 years in a rural location in Cockermouth, Cumbria. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding with the exception of her father-in-law's accommodation, a further bedroom, laundry room and granary. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. She has two cats.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding four children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder educates her children at home.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder drives to collect children from local schools and attends several toddler groups on a regular basis. She has nursing, midwifery and teaching qualifications and her educational philosophy is drawn from a Waldorf Steiner base.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. The childminder is highly effective in providing for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Her excellent knowledge and understanding of each child’s individual needs ensures all aspects of their welfare are skilfully promoted with great success. The childminder's splendid dedication to her role and responsibilities means all children consistently benefit from a marvellous learning environment. Utmost priority is given to establishing firm, trusting relationships with parents, schools and other providers to ensure continuity of care and a smooth transition for each child. The impressive commitment the childminder shows to evaluating her service demonstrates her outstanding capacity to maintain continuous improvement and ensure any priorities for future development are quickly identified and acted on.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 review hand washing strategies to ensure good health is consistently promoted. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

Children's care, education and development are greatly enhanced in this inclusive setting due to the childminder’s true dedication to ensuring all children are fully included and appreciated. A rich and varied environment greatly supports children’s learning and development, giving them the confidence to explore and learn in a secure and safe, yet challenging, indoor and outdoor space. Highly effective strategies which promote children's safety and wellbeing are firmly in place and shared with parents. Policies and procedures are consistently and conscientiously applied, reviewed and updated. Children benefit from the childminder’s firm commitment to self-evaluation and improving standards of service to them and their families. Flourishing partnerships with parents and a commitment to establishing affiliations with other providers of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) ensure a positive impact on children’s development and

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provision

learning. A welcoming family environment with an approachable childminder greatly encourages effective communication. Regular newsletters give clear details on all activities and are impressive in their content. Parents speak most highly of the service and are extremely confident in the quality of care their children receive. For example, parents refer to their children being 'happy, secure and safe’ in the childminder’s care and ‘are listened to’ and ‘well looked after’. Parents express their opinion that advice and guidance given by the childminder has been ‘invaluable’ to them. They consider their children’s ‘skills, knowledge and understanding of boundaries have greatly developed’ under the guidance of the childminder and she ‘actively encourages children's love of play’. They are ‘impressed with range of activities on offer’ her ‘attention to detail’ and their children’s resulting, ‘language and breadth of understanding’.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children look happy, assured and confident to explore and try out new things in this outstanding setting. The provision of wonderful experiences and superior support helps to develop each child’s sense of self-worth and individuality, firing their imaginations and nurturing their sense of awe and wonder. Learning through experience is promoted with great skill by the childminder whilst at the same time advancing each child’s individual talents. Children take great delight in knowing the routine of the setting and eagerly take their places on such occasions as circle- time. Demonstrating their prowess in British Sign Language they take turns to sign, ‘hello’ and the corresponding initials for everyone’s name. All children benefit from respectful and caring relationships with the childminder and each other. They play tremendously well together, are most co-operative and show intense concentration when involved in activities. Children are encouraged to fully embrace the outdoors

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

and a great amount of natural materials such as shells, acorns, logs and feathers are used daily to promote imagination. A fantastic outdoor environment offers opportunities for doing things in different ways whilst giving first-hand contact with weather, seasons and the natural world. It offers children freedom to explore, use their senses and be physically active. Children learn further about seasons of the year through walks in the surrounding countryside and observations help to nurture wonderment in them. Traditional stories, songs and rhymes further feed This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children’s imagination and opportunities to enjoy music help children express their feelings and creativity whilst developing their auditory skills.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder is highly skilled in creating an exceptional, child-friendly, inspiring environment. This means all children benefit from a sound emotional environment that is reassuring and comforting, where they are valued for who they are, differences are appreciated and every child is understood. Children thrive in a rich learning environment that is excellently laid out with a tremendous range of accessible resources, such as books, puzzles, dressing-up clothes, puppets, craft resources and small-world resources, all in excellent condition. Children quickly become engrossed when listening avidly to stories read by the childminder who uses excellent intonation to bring stories to life. They confidently discuss topics, such as the role of lighthouses, demonstrating their knowledge and understanding together with impressive communication skills as they use actions alongside words to show meanings. Children’s language is further supported by the childminder as

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

she regularly enters into the spirit of play, letting children take the lead.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder has a terrific understanding of how planning for a child’s learning and development works in practice and is able to refer to her training and experience. A remarkable balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities soundly linked to the whole EYFS curriculum are offered each day. Children’s achievements are observed, recorded, celebrated and consistently used to inform next steps in their learning and shared with parents. Children are observed sensitively and responded to appropriately on every occasion, thereby encouraging and extending their curiosity and learning. The childminder is most conscientious in making sure her learning and teaching plans meet every child’s individual needs and assessments of achievement.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children learn about keeping themselves and each other safe and the childminder is vigilant in following daily and weekly health and safety checks. Comprehensive risk assessments for individual children, activities and outings are firmly in place together with a fire risk audit of the premises. Children are greatly encouraged through visual aids to take responsibility for their own safety when playing outdoors or on outings. For instance, visual displays ask the question, 'Do I have my sun hat on?’ or ‘Do I need a drink in the sun?' Children’s welfare is promoted through healthy strategies such as routine hand washing and hygienic use of tissues. However, although children’s good health is maintained through the use of individual towels to dry hands, children very occasionally share a bowl of water to wash their hands before eating. The childminder models healthy eating, ensuring fruit or vegetables at every meal. Children learn about the food chain through

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

planting, growing, gathering, preparing and using different foods, often enjoying self-selected locally produced food or food picked from the childminder’s garden. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? 1 The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement.

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? How well are children safeguarded? 1

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 1 How well are children helped to be healthy? 2 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 1 How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being?

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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