Elliman, Helen Elizabeth

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/11/2012 20/04/2009

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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 is passionate about the service she provides and values each child and their family very highly. She plans and provides a good range of activities throughout the day that give children the opportunity to achieve and thoroughly enjoy their learning.  Children are well cared for in a warm, relaxed and welcoming, home-from-home environment where they develop a good relationship and secure attachment with their carer. Consequently, children settle easily and feel safe and secure.  The arrangements for safeguarding children are strong and well-embedded. Clear policies and procedures are in place and implemented consistently, which results in the safe management of the childminding service.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not provided with natural materials or everyday objects to explore or investigate. As a result, they do not benefit from the sensory opportunities, independence and concentration skills that these heuristic play materials help to promote.  Parents are not encouraged to contribute their observations and thoughts to their children's progress records or scrap books. Therefore, a full and clear picture of children's achievement at home does not supplement the progress achieved with the childminder.

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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 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as 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 for inspection 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  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 the childminder playing with children in the living room and viewed the resources and equipment stored in the dining area.

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Inspection activities

 The childminder showed the inspector all of the areas that children have access to and discussed safeguarding arrangements and how she keeps children safe in her home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's progress records, scrap books, planning documentation, policies and procedures, children's registration records and a number of other childminding records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed questionnaires and supporting documents completed by parents.

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Inspection activities

 During the inspection the inspector looked at the childminder's self-evaluation documents and action plan.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2005 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two children aged 10 years and 8 years, in Carlisle, Cumbria. The whole of the ground floor, the bathroom and the children's bedroom on the first floor, are used for childminding. There is an enclosed, rear garden available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends several pre-school groups locally. She visits the local shops, parks and playgrounds with the children on a regular basis and collects children from several schools and pre-schools in Carlisle. The childminder uses a car to transport children on outings and school runs. The family have a Bassett Hound dog.

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Information about the setting

There are currently seven children on roll, of whom four are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder cares for children up to the age of 12 years. She is open all year round from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, except for family holidays. The childminder provides overnight care and will work on a Saturday by negotiation. She is a member of the National Childminding Association, Carlisle and District Childminding group and receives support through the local authority childminding advisors.

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

 provide children with opportunities to explore and investigate natural materials and everyday objects, that stimulate the senses and promote independence and concentration skills

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

 encourage parents to contribute their observations and thoughts to their children's progress records so that a combined evaluation of progress is made.

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who attend

The childminder knows the children well and she values their unique abilities and individual attributes, to provide activities that match their needs and interests. This ensures that they have good opportunities to develop to their full potential. The childminder understands how children learn best and makes sure their interests are incorporated into their play. She uses play opportunities well to introduce new experiences. For example, the introduction of the childminder's new puppy causes great excitement but some children have not experienced such close proximity to an animal before. Therefore, through planned activities, the childminder introduces story sacks and picture books about her dog so that children can become more familiar with the concept of looking after a pet and relieve their anxiety of animals. The childminder has a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, which she implements in her practice,

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who attend

to provide a range of experiences incorporating all seven areas of learning. As a result, children are motivated and eager to learn and seen to be making good progress in their learning and development, based on their starting points and their varying capabilities. The observations and assessments made by the childminder clearly show how much progress children have made since starting with her. She observes children in their play and records their achievement. By doing so the childminder identifies where children are, on their own developmental pathway and uses this information to plan for the next steps in their learning.

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who attend

Children enjoy themselves and have fun as they play with the childminder who supports their learning well. She makes sure that resources are accessible and meet their learning needs by planning a range of play opportunities both in the home and in the community. Children's communication and language skills are supported well and all other prime and specific areas of learning are included in activities. The childminder's teaching practice is good. She supports language acquisition by introducing new words and vocabulary, and reinforces speech by repeating the words children say. The childminder skilfully challenges children by using open-ended questioning techniques and by doing so, extends and reinforces their learning. The childminder involves the children when borrowing resources, therefore, giving them the self-confidence to select different materials. The children recently visited the toy library and selected a new animal story sack. She introduces the

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who attend

story sack to the children who eagerly explore its contents on the floor and find a music tape, book, matching picture cards and two soft long eared toy dogs. The children recognise that one of the soft toys looks like the childminder's new puppy, 'It's Cooper' they say as they listen to the song, then join in the action song using the toy dogs. Children's love of books is supported well. They cuddle into the childminder as they look at the book about the Basset Hound and they listen to the childminder as she explains how to look after them. Then they read the story sack picture book about a dog. As a result, children learn how books can be used for accessing reference information as well as to read for pleasure. The childminder asks the children about what they can see in the pictures and they discuss how a dog's 'paws' are 'like our hands and feet'. Children introduce a programmable dog into the activity and proceed to press the buttons on his

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who attend

paws to make him talk. The childminder has a good selection of manufactured toys and resources for children of all ages. However, younger children do not have access to natural materials and everyday objects to investigate and explore, that help to promote sensory and heuristic play experiences.

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who attend

Parents are recognised as the children's first educators and detailed information is gathered from them before the start of any arrangement. The childminder shares information about the Early Years Foundation Stage with parents in regular newsletters, through displays on the wall and information sheets contained in children's folders. Therefore, parents are informed about learning and development and how they can continue to help with their children's learning at home. All parents and carers are encouraged to spend time on arrival and at collection times talking with the childminder about their child's day, care and welfare routines. Daily diaries are also used with the younger children's parents to keep them informed. This is important, especially when it is not the parent who picks the children up. Children's progress files and scrap books are well organised and include termly progress records which detail the progress children

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who attend

make with the childminder. These documents are shared with parents. Included in each folder is a comment sheet for parents to complete. However, parents have not been encouraged by the childminder to add their valuable observations and thoughts about children's progress and learning at home to this document. Therefore, their observations and thoughts do not contribute to the overall evaluation of progress made by children.

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

Children's well-being is effectively promoted. They benefit from the secure attachment and close physical reassurance maintained by the childminder and the continuity of home routines. This helps children feel emotionally secure and safe. Children are beginning to show an increasing awareness of their own self-care needs and independence. For example, younger children are beginning to recognise when they are wet and lie on the changing mat to get their nappy changed. The childminder responds quickly to meet their needs, and comments on how she will discuss toilet training with parents now children show an awareness of this.

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

The childminding environment is well organised to support children in making choices and decisions about their play. Children are independent and motivated as they decide what to play with and confidently interact with the childminder. The warm and welcoming environment supports children's learning and development. They access the resources easily and have freedom of movement around the room. Children are well behaved. The childminder explains how house rules are displayed for older children to adhere to and she advises younger children as they play, about their expected behaviour. She constantly praises children as they play and as a result, children feel valued and their self-esteem and confidence is promoted.

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

Children's health and physical development is well supported both indoors and outside. The childminder encourages the children to make healthy food choices at mealtimes and displays detailed menus for parents so that they know exactly what children are having each day. Children sit at the table to eat their meals and they have a drink which is accessible and available to them at all times. Children are encouraged to be active and they experience physical exercise as an important part of their daily routine. For example, they go for walks and visit places of interest in the local community. Children attend soft play facilities where they practice all forms of physical feats on a range of play equipment. They have access to a safe and secure rear garden where they push themselves on sit and ride toys and practise their kicking skills, using footballs. Children learn about keeping their hands clean and wash them prior to eating and after touching the dog. This good

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

hygiene practice along with an effective sick child policy reduces cross-contamination and the spread of infections. Children learn how to keep themselves safe from harm through instruction, topics and visits. For example, the children regularly practise the fire evacuation procedure so they understand what to do if the smoke alarm goes off unexpectedly. The childminder skilfully builds on this by taking children to the fire station to meet the fire fighters and look at the fire engine. To enable children to recall this visit and be reminded of safe practices, she places books in the bookshelves which are linked to the fire station visit and fire safety.

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

The childminder understands the importance of helping prepare children in readiness for their transition to other early years settings and then onto school. She has made a start in this process by introducing the children to larger groups of people, by attending toddler and pre-school groups. By doing so she is helping children to learn about sharing and taking turns and socialising with other children and adults in non-domestic premises.

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provision

The childminder's good understanding of how children learn and her knowledge of the areas of learning enable her to plan a good range of experiences tailored to meet children's individual needs, age and ability. This means that activities and experiences are appropriately challenging for all the children attending and therefore they maintain their good progress.

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provision

The safeguarding and welfare requirements are effectively met. The childminder has a good knowledge and understanding of her role and responsibility for safeguarding children if she was concerned about a child's welfare. A comprehensive set of policies, procedures and risk assessments are implemented consistently, resulting in the safe management of her childminding service.

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provision

Parents are provided with good information about the service provided; this is achieved through daily discussion and documentation. Parent comments from recent questionnaires state 'how they feel welcome in this relaxed and friendly, home-from-home environment', how 'the childminder involves the children in everything and has an energetic approach' and they state how they would 'highly recommend her to anyone looking for childcare'. Parents are very happy with the service the childminder provides and comment that they 'do not feel there is any area to develop'. The childminder has attended recent training to update her knowledge and to benefit the children in her care. For example, she has attended workshops on observation and planning, food safety, medication and infection control, and safeguarding, to name a few, which demonstrates her commitment to continual development. The childminder has completed her self-evaluation document and

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provision

produced an action plan which she is working through to improve her practice. She takes on board any suggestion for improvement made by the local authority childminding adviser and she has completed the action and recommendations raised at her last inspection. As a result her practice has greatly improved. The childminder understands the importance of working in partnership with other settings that children may attend in the future. This ensures that all those involved in the care and education of these children, provide appropriate and consistent care and share information about their learning and development.

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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 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. 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 EY312658 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 820406 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘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. 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 that are usually their 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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