Childminder in Cumbria

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/01/2013 08/12/2010

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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 extremely happy and feel secure within the setting. Strong relationships are formed with the childminder and her assistant, who clearly know the children and their individual routines very well. Children are confident to go to them for support as they are friendly and approachable.  Children make good progress in their learning through detailed and precise planning, observation and assessment, which ensure that their next steps in learning are identified and well supported.  A well-organised play environment ensures that children have independent access to a wide range of age-appropriate resources, covering all seven areas of learning.  Safety is a high priority within the setting and the childminder and her assistant effectively implement robust policies and procedures. As a result, children are kept safe from harm.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The arrangements for seeking information relating to children's unique starting points is not yet systematically sought from the parents. Therefore, a shared approach to children's learning is not yet fully embedded.  Self-evaluation is not reviewed regularly enough, in order to consistently include the views of parents and children.

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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 toured the areas used for childminding purposes, these included the main playroom, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, front room and sleep room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children during free play in the main playroom and during snack time in the dining room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked through a range of documentation relating to the setting, including policies and procedures, records of daily safety checks, information for parents and self-evaluation documents.  The inspector held discussions with both the childminder and her assistant.  The inspector delivered feedback to the childminder and her assistant.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and three children. One child is three years old and there are twins aged 13 years old. She lives in a house in the Stanwix area of Carlisle. The whole of the ground floor and the first floor bathroom and bedroom are used for childminding purposes.

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Information about the setting

The house is within walking distance of local amenities and schools. The childminder uses the local parks for children's outdoor play and regularly attends a local toddler group and soft play centres. She drops off and collects children from the local schools and pre- schools. The childminder currently has one assistant, who holds an appropriate early years qualification.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 15 children on roll, 12 are in the early years age group, who attend for a variety of sessions and three are school aged children, who attend before and after school and during the school holidays. She provides care all year round from 7.45am to 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday, except for family holidays. The family has three cats, a dog and a parrot as pets.

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

 enhance partnerships with parents by seeking information relating to children's starting points

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

 improve self-evaluation to ensure that it is more regularly updated and consistently involves parents and children.

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who attend

Children make very good progress towards the early learning goals because planning, observation and assessment are highly effective in supporting their individual needs. Children's individual records of learning demonstrate that they are regularly observed and termly progress reports clearly show where they are in relation to the early learning goals. Children's individual next steps in learning and interests are effectively identified through the use of 'my play plan' sheets following their assessments, and are supported through daily planning and routines. This ensures that children's individual needs are well met.

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who attend

The childminder and her assistant have a secure knowledge about how to promote children's learning and ensure that there is a wide range of activities for them to access. For example, children's personal, social and emotional development is fostered well as they relax in the 'comfy' area of the playroom when tired or they can choose to have a cuddle from the childminder or her assistant, who are caring, friendly and approachable. Children's physical development is supported well through daily outings to the local park or soft play centre or as they play indoors with the soft balls, kicking them around the room. A wide array of books ensures that children develop early reading skills, which are promoted as the childminder reads enthusiastically, using different tones in her voice and actively involving them by asking them to find objects in the pictures. This all provides children with depth and breadth to the seven areas of learning and ensures that they are

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who attend

Children explore their fully accessible environment as they walk or crawl around the room and confidently select the resources of their choosing to play with. For example, children actively play with a home-made garage and confidently select a digger from another area to park inside and push to and fro. The childminder and her assistant fully engage with the children during play and demonstrate effective communication, which supports them to develop their thinking skills. For example, when playing with a variety of food from the role play area that sticks together in two halves, the childminder asks children to say what food it is and then asks them to find the match. This extends children's thinking by talking about the colours of the food. This also provides children with challenge, in order for them to develop their knowledge and skills.

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who attend

Parent partnerships are well established. The childminder develops strong relationships with parents by talking with them on a daily basis and through the use of daily diaries, in which parents are encouraged to write. Parents are regularly consulted regarding children's interests and have opportunities to take learning files home to look at and are asked to contribute to children's learning through the use of the 'sharing information about your child' document. This ensures that a shared approach to children's learning is beginning to form. However, the childminder has not yet fully developed the arrangements for parents to consistently contribute to children's initial assessments to support this approach.

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

Children are extremely happy and settled within the setting as the childminder and her assistant have formed secure attachments with all of them and they clearly know their children's care routines well. Children are independent in their learning and the childminder and her assistant are skilled in identifying when they need support. For example, when eating banana at snack time, the childminder is proactive in identifying that some children do not like the texture of it in their hands, so she supports these children by getting them a fork to use. This ensures that children's individual needs are well met.

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

Safety is a high priority within the setting and features, such as locked external doors, a video camera sleep monitor, daily checks on equipment and resources and well-developed cleaning systems ensure that children are kept safe from harm. The implementation of robust policies and procedures, which the childminder and her assistant are fully aware of ensure that children's safety and welfare is at the forefront of practice. Therefore, enabling children to feel safe and secure. Children benefit from an extremely stimulating, welcoming and well-organised learning environment where they access a wide range of age-appropriate resources. For example children develop their skills in initiating their own play through the use of role play equipment and develop their awareness of number through the number posters displayed around the playroom. Displays of children's creative work demonstrates that the childminder highly values their achievements and therefore, supports them in developing

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

their self-esteem and self-confidence skills, preparing them for their transitions to school.

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

Positive behaviour is encouraged within the setting and the childminder and her assistant use effective techniques to ensure that children clearly know the rules and boundaries of the setting. For example, when children take toys from others, the childminder explains that they have to wait until it is their turn to play with it. In addition, during snack time, the children are encouraged to wait until all of them are finished before they leave the table. As a result, children are well mannered and display positive behaviour.

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

Physical well-being is highly promoted within the setting as children benefit from freshly prepared, nutritious meals. Children have access to fresh drinking water upon demand and during snack and lunch times. The childminder and her assistant also show high regard to positively encouraging children to develop self-care skills, by allowing them to attempt to wash their own hands with wipes before snack and lunch. There is currently no outdoor play area for the children to directly access at the setting. However, the childminder is proactive in ensuring that children have daily exercise through walks, visits to the local parks and soft play centres. Therefore, children are developing healthy lifestyles through healthy eating practices and physical exercise.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge of the revised Early Years Foundation Stage and supports children effectively in their progress towards the early learning goals, given their starting points. Children's developmental records demonstrate that she is thorough in her observations as she records 'wow moments' for each child. Also, assessments of children clearly identify their next steps in learning. Therefore, children develop and learn well. Effective planning and well-organised play areas ensure that children have access to equipment and resources, which cover all seven areas of learning and take into account their individual needs and interests. As a result, children are provided with depth and breadth in their learning and development and have their needs well met.

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provision

Self-evaluation is embedded well and the childminder has identified her strengths and areas to improve and clearly understands the impact this will have upon children. Detailed improvement plans demonstrate her passion to create a directly accessible outdoors environment for children in the setting, which will enables them to play freely indoors and outside. Although, the childminder is secure in her knowledge of how she intends to improve and has continued to evaluate her provision, this has not been regular enough to enable parents and children to consistently contribute, so their views can be fully incorporated. Parent partnership is strong and the childminder effectively engages with them on a daily basis. Parents are encouraged to be involved with their children's learning as they share information, record their achievements from home and highlight if they have any concerns. Parents are welcome to take children's learning files home to allow time to look

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provision

through them in more detail with their child. However, the childminder has not yet developed a systematic and consistent approach to seeking information from parents to determine children's unique starting points and therefore, a shared learning approach is not yet fully embedded. The childminder communicates with other settings each day as she collects children and is developing ways to share information regarding their progress and learning.

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provision

The childminder is knowledgeable in her responsibilities for safeguarding children and is fully aware of the procedures that she would take if she had concerns regarding a child protection issue. Robust policies and procedures are effectively implemented and the detailed risk assessments and daily checks ensure that children are safe when indoors or on outings in the local community. As a result, children are kept safe from harm.

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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 EY409233 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 879637 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 15

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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.

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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 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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