Childminder in Cumberland

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/12/2012 08/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children are extremely happy in the care of the childminder who provides them with constant reassurance and praise; as a result, this boosts their confidence and self- esteem.  The childminder provides a wealth of rich, varied and imaginative activities based upon children's individual interests and developmental needs. As a result, children are making excellent progress in their learning and development.  The childminder has an excellent understanding of how children learn. She actively encourages them to choose their favourite books and toys and joins in their play enthusiastically.  The childminder attends numerous training courses and regularly evaluates her practice, taking into account the views of parents and children, which results in very well-targeted plans for continuous developments.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 activities in the kitchen, living room and the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the childminder and children at appropriate times while observing the activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records and learning journeys, as well as policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views by reading several parental questionnaires and references.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1998. She is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her son aged 13 years in a house on the outskirts of Whitehaven, Cumbria. The whole of the ground floor of the property is used for childminding as well as the bathroom and main bedroom on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play. The childminder attends toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. The family has a dog and a rabbit.

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Information about the setting

There are currently six children on roll in the early years age group and the childminder cares for children over the age of five years also. She operates all year round from 6.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday and some weekends. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She holds a National Vocational Qualification at Level 3 in Early Years Care and Education. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and the West Cumbria Childminding Network.

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

 consider further ways to enhance methods of communication with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, for example, by using photographs to show the routines in the setting.

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who attend

The childminder has an excellent knowledge of how children learn and develop. She helps children to settle by gathering information about their interests and individual needs from the parents and children when they first start attending the setting. From this information she ensures that activities and toys are made available based on the children's interests. This supports the children to make very rapid progress in their learning towards the early learning goals. The childminder uses 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' guidance to assess and identify the children's starting points and ongoing developmental stages. The childminder undertakes regular observations of the children and uses this information to plan for their individual next steps in their learning. The childminder encourages parents to share information about their children when they first attend and thereafter on an ongoing basis.

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who attend

Children confidently choose from a super range of toys and books that interest them and they are highly motivated to play independently and with the childminder. She enthusiastically shows an interest in what they are doing and in what they have to say, which helps them to feel valued. She skilfully enhances their learning through play by playing alongside them and engaging in shared thinking and by asking challenging questions to help children think and make connections. For example, children enjoy choosing their favourite books about fire engines and sit with the childminder while she reads them stories. She extends their learning by asking the children questions, such as how many fire fighters they can count in the picture. She then encourages their speech and recall by talking to them about their recent visit to the local fire station. Children enthusiastically recall sitting in the fire engine and sliding down the pole. They then

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who attend

remember what they learnt from the firemen, such as not playing with matches or fireworks in case they burn themselves. The childminder provides special books for individual children. For example, one child's aunt works for the Royal Air Force and so the childminder has bought a book about helicopters, which initiates conversations about the different work people do.

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who attend

Children have many opportunities to make marks with a variety of materials, such as chalks, pens, pencils and paints. As children use glitter to make Christmas decorations, they spontaneously move their fingers in the glitter to make marks. The childminder immediately recognises this and uses this opportunity to encourage the children to form letters, such as 'S' for Santa. The childminder encourages parents to support the children's learning at home. For example, she chooses toys that the children enjoy playing with, such as electronic toys which help them to form letters, and she encourages the children to take them home to use with their parents. This works very well as a means of supporting and encouraging the children's learning in the setting and at home.

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who attend

Children have numerous exciting opportunities to be creative as they make Christmas decorations. The childminder encourages the children to make choices constantly, such as which colour paper and glitter they would like. They learn to solve problems and have a 'can do' attitude. For example, when they pour too much glitter on the paper, the children carefully pour it back into the container, showing very good coordination and perseverance. The children particularly enjoy decorating a small Christmas tree. They learn about different sizes, shapes, colours and textures as the childminder plays alongside them. For example, the childminder asks the children to find 'the large green bauble' and 'the purple one with glitter on'. The children learn new words, such as 'icicle' and 'silver'. They count the baubles and compare the sizes of the icicles, using words, such as 'bigger' and 'longer'. Children learn about numbers from the many displays on the

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who attend

walls and they spontaneously count up to 13 as they climb the stairs. They also learn about shapes as they help to make sandwiches and decide whether to cut them into rectangles or triangles.

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who attend

Children learn extremely well about the world around them as they make bird feeders and use their binoculars to watch birds in the garden. They also study insects using magnifying glasses and bug finders. They learn about changes to substances over time, for example, they add water to artificial snow to change it to artificial ice. They also learn about osmosis as they take a paper Christmas tree and stand it in water. In time the water is soaked up and creates a large fluffy tree. They have numerous opportunities to use technology, such as computers and remote controlled toys. They marvel at the remote controlled gadget used to turn on the Christmas tree lights and skilfully learn how to use it by pressing the different coloured buttons. They also enjoy sitting with their friends in the sensory box which has fairy lights and music and audio stories. Excellent opportunities are provided for children to learn about the similarities and differences in the world around

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who attend

them. The childminder is deeply committed to providing an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome, valued and respected. Due to the excellent range of activities and learning opportunities available to the children, they are prepared extremely well for their readiness for school.

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

Children have warm relationships with the childminder who provides consistently high levels of praise and encouragement to try new activities and develop their independence. The children are extremely well behaved and thrive on the individual attention received from the childminder, who consistently boosts their confidence and self-esteem. The childminder has high expectations of the children and encourages their independence by giving them appropriate responsibility to undertake tasks, such as helping to prepare their meals. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well supported in the setting. The childminder uses pictures and words displayed on the walls to help children's understanding of routines throughout the day. Consideration could also be given to using a sequence of photographs to further enhance the methods of communication with the children.

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

Children can choose from an exceptional range of stimulating and exciting toys. The childminder's skilful use of these resources significantly supports the children's all-round learning and development. Children can also choose from a folder containing photographs of all the toys and games stored in other areas of the home. The children enjoy activities at the local children's centre, where they meet up with other children and develop very good social skills.

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

The children develop excellent self-care skills and are becoming competent in managing their personal needs relative to their ages. For example, they are learning to put on their shoes and coats before going outside in the cold weather. Children have an excellent understanding of healthy lifestyles. They help themselves to their drink when required and the childminder offers them a range of healthy snacks each day. Children are aware of hygiene issues, such as washing their hands before eating, and can identify their own individually labelled towels. Children enjoy playing in the garden with numerous outdoor toys and visit local parks and playgrounds close by. Children's routines are meticulously followed in line with parents' wishes and children rest and relax when they wish. Children begin to learn how to keep themselves safe, for example, the childminder reminds them to be careful as they use a knife to cut up their sandwiches. Children learn to care for living

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

things. They help feed the rabbit and make bird feeders to hang on the bird feeding station.

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

Excellent attention is paid to the sharing of information about children who attend more than one setting. Very detailed written reports are provided which ensures children receive consistency in their care and learning. As a result, children are extremely well supported in their transitions between settings and when they are ready to move on to school.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She continually evaluates and plans an inspiring range of activities and experiences that highly motivate and interest children. Her planning is based on her excellent knowledge of the areas of learning and of how children learn.

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provision

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are extremely well safeguarded as the childminder makes sure their welfare and safety is of the utmost priority at all times and in all situations. She demonstrates an excellent understanding of her role and responsibility to protect the children in her care and this is further supported by a meticulously maintained set of policies, procedures and documentation. The childminder ensures children's safety throughout her home and on outings as she completes extremely comprehensive risk assessments that are regularly reviewed and adapted, as and when required. The childminder is fully aware of reporting incidents to relevant authorities and has clear strategies in place to maintain children's safety at all times.

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provision

The partnership with parents and others involved in the children's care is outstanding. Parents and carers receive extensive information through policies, procedures, daily sheets, verbal discussion, parent folders and development records. Parents are consulted regularly through discussion and questionnaires about the childminding service to help the childminder consistently meet children's individual needs. Children also complete questionnaires with parents to express their opinions on what they like or dislike. Parents are highly complimentary about the care that children receive. They comment upon the excellent care and range of activities provided as well as the extremely good two-way flow of information.

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provision

The childminder's partnership working with the local children's centre and other agencies is of the highest standard. The childminder receives excellent written references from the family support workers with whom she works by offering respite care to children from disadvantaged families. She is described as 'flexible, consistent and reliable; provides an exceptional childminding service and always goes the extra mile'. The childminder is highly motivated, enthusiastic, and committed to the continuous development of her early years practice. She attends a significant number of training courses provided by the local authority and external agencies and plans ahead to update her knowledge. The childminder is excellent at monitoring and evaluating her practice. Regular reflection and self-evaluation assists the childminder in continuing to make improvements to an already outstanding service provided for the children and their families.

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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 action. 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 316936 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 893259 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 6

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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