Childminder in Cumberland

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/05/2013 07/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 make good progress in their learning through detailed and precise planning, observation and assessment which ensure that children's next steps in learning are clearly identified and well-supported.  Children are very happy and feel secure within the setting because strong relationships are formed with the childminder who knows the children and their individual routines very well.  Children benefit from a well-organised and well-resourced learning environment where they develop their skills across all areas both indoors and outside.  Children's learning is effectively supported while attending other settings. The childminder shares information with teaching staff and, as a result, children have continuity in their care, learning and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance children's early mathematical skills in number and counting.  Children are not always provided with duplicated resources to help reduce conflict as they play, to support playing co-operatively.

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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 looked at all of the areas used for childminding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views and comments received from parents on the day of inspection.  The inspector observed a number of children during a range of activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked through a range of documentation relating to the setting. These included policies and procedures, children's daily diaries, observation and assessment records, a record of the childminder's training and self-evaluation documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder, co-childminder and the children throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2007. She is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder lives with her husband and two children aged 10 and 12 years in a house in Brampton, Cumbria. The whole of the ground floor and one bedroom and the bathroom on the first floor are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. The family has a fish as a pet.

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Information about the setting

The childminder works alongside another registered childminder or jointly with an assistant. She visits the local library, community centre and park on a regular basis. The childminder collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. She supports children with special needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 22 children on roll, nine of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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

 provide further opportunities for children to extend their early mathematical skills in their immediate environment, for example, by putting a number label on each wheeled toy and a corresponding number on each parking space, and by providing money in the role-play resources

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

 duplicate some materials and resources to help reduce conflict when children play together, for example, by providing two stools to stand on when they play in the kitchen sink and when they help to prepare the lunch.

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who attend

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals given their starting points. This information is sought from parents and recorded by them in the 'all about me' document. The childminder complements this information by completing her 'initial observations' of children as they play. As a result, the childminder clearly identifies what children can already do. The childminder takes photographs of the children as they play and completes written observations of children, which are clearly linked to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and a good record is maintained of their ongoing achievements. The assessments of children's learning and development are accurate and clearly demonstrate the progress that they are making, highlighting the next steps in their learning. As a result, children are making good progress and gaining the skills necessary for their future move in to school.

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who attend

Planning takes into account the needs and interests of all children and the childminder ensures that the next steps in their learning are effectively and quickly supported. She does this by providing a range of interesting and challenging experiences and activities. For example, as children paint letters with water and paintbrushes outdoors they develop their early writing skills. This is further enhanced by the good quality of the childminder's teaching, talking with the children about the initial letters in their names and linking sounds to letters. Children's physical skills are fostered well because the childminder provides free access to the outdoor environment. They benefit from a range of climbing equipment, wheeled toys and natural resources to further develop their physical skills. The steps and ramp in the garden provide children with further physical opportunities in moving and the childminder encourages children to persevere in developing new skills as

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who attend

they negotiate an appropriate pathway. Children are constantly praised for their achievements, for example, when they reach the top of the garden. Children develop a good understanding and awareness of the world around them. For example, the childminder encourages children to talk about the crane outside and they enjoy learning about growing and looking after things in the natural environment when they plant seeds. Children develop their measuring skills as they fill pots with water and they gain an awareness of numbers in the local environment on doors and road signs. However, there is a limited range of number labels and resources reflecting number within the children's immediate environment for them to access on a daily basis. This means that children have fewer opportunities to develop their early mathematical skills and growing awareness of numbers and counting as they play.

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who attend

Children with special educational needs are supported well as the childminder is skilled in identifying when they require additional support. The childminder and parents share children's progress with each other and both implement effective techniques to support children in their speech and language development using a communication and language assessment document. This ensures that children's progress is closely monitored in order for them to continue to achieve and make good progress in their learning.

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who attend

Partnerships with parents are good. The childminder actively involves parents in their children's learning on a regular basis. For example, parents contribute to their child's daily diary by adding comments and observations from home. They receive regular progress reports from the childminder which ensures that a shared learning approach is promoted.

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

Positive behaviour is encouraged by the childminder. She uses effective techniques to ensure that children clearly understand what is acceptable behaviour. For example, the childminder has implemented a set of 'house rules' which she implements effectively and consistently so children know right from wrong. The childminder uses a range of sensitive techniques to explain to children how they should treat others. This ensures that children begin to understand the rules and boundaries of the setting. However, as children play with water in the sink and when they help to prepare lunch they become frustrated as they share a stool as duplicated resources are not always provided to further encourage children's co-operative play.

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

Children are very happy and settle easily in the setting because they feel safe and secure. The childminder has formed a strong bond and secure attachments with all of the children in her care. She knows the children well, therefore, their individual needs and routines are effectively met. Children are confident to access their play areas independently and do many things for themselves. For example, the childminder actively encourages children to choose their own resources to play with and put on their own shoes before they go outside. This ensures that they are developing their independence skills in preparation for transition to school.

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

Children are kept safe and secure. The childminder implements robust policies and procedures and daily safety checks to ensure that children are kept safe from harm and that all risks are minimised. The external doors are secure and regular checks are conducted on sleeping children which ensure that children are safe within the setting. Children learn how to keep themselves safe because the childminder teaches them about the importance of wearing a seatbelt when they are in the car and children take part in regular fire evacuation procedures. As a result, children's safety and well-being is effectively promoted.

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

Children benefit from a very appealing, welcoming and well-organised homely environment where they have access to a wide range of good quality resources. The play rooms are bright and colourful and the childminder displays children's work around the rooms. Photographs of the children are displayed for them to look at. As a result, children feel valued and respected and their self-esteem and emotional well-being is assured.

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

Children adopt healthy lifestyles. They have plenty of opportunities to exercise in the fresh air on a daily basis because they have free-flow access to their outdoor environment, run around the grounds of the local park and walk to the local library. A range of healthy and nutritious foods are provided to children at mealtimes throughout the day and children have access to fresh water so that they remain hydrated.

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provision

The childminder has a good knowledge of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She works hard to ensure that this is implemented effectively in her practice through accurate and precise observations and assessments of children as they play. The childminder has a good understanding of how children learn and uses the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage to identify and support each child's development pathway. She is committed to improving her knowledge and regularly attends training events in order to further develop her skills. The childminder works alongside a co-childminder or jointly with an assistant. They all work very well together as a team to ensure that children make good progress in their learning. They regularly discuss children's progress and implement ideas to enhance the setting. As a result, children continue to make good progress in their learning towards the early learning goals

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provision

because they are fully supported by a team of skilled early years practitioners.

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provision

The childminder is secure in her knowledge for protecting and safeguarding children and knows the procedure to follow should she have any concerns about a child in her care. Detailed and robust policies and procedures are effectively implemented to ensure that children are kept safe from harm. Risk assessments are thorough and ensure that children are safe within the setting and when on outings. This ensures that children's safety and well-being is effectively promoted within the setting.

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provision

Self-evaluation is well embedded and clearly highlights the strengths and areas to improve. Parents are encouraged to contribute to the review process by completing questionnaires and through daily discussions. Children also contribute through discussions with the childminder. This ensures that children and parents views and opinions are valued and acted upon. The childminder is committed to continuously improving her service as she seeks advice from her local childminder advisor and has effectively implemented the recommendations from her last inspection.

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provision

Parents feel involved in their children's learning. The childminder actively communicates with parents on a daily basis, on arrival and at collection times. They contribute to their child's initial assessments, progress reports, and daily diary. Parents report that they are happy with the 'homely and personal' environment provided by the childminder and how the activities and play opportunities keep children interested and motivated to learn.

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provision

Partnerships with external agencies are well established. The childminder works with the local schools and pre-schools to share children's progress in a range of different ways. For example, 'Boomerang books' are used as a method for sharing children's progress and learning to enable continuity of care and learning. The childminder effectively communicates with staff at the other settings children attend to ensure that children's learning is fully complimented. As a result, children are well prepared for their transition in to school as a shared approach to their learning is fully established.

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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 EY361441 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 873599 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 22

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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

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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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