Childminder in Westmorland and FurnessOfsted inspection, 24 Jul 2013

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/07/2013 20/01/2009

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's learning is effectively promoted because the childminder has a very secure knowledge and understanding of how they learn. She uses highly effective teaching strategies and adapts her teaching methods to ensure that all children are included and activities meet the individual needs of each child. As a result, children make exceptional progress in their development.  Children benefit greatly from the opportunity to move freely from the indoor to outdoor environment. The outdoor play area provided for children is a truly fantastic place for them to continue their learning through exploration and investigation and further develop their imagination, social and physical skills.  Children's communication and language is promoted exceptionally well because the childminder is highly skilled in interacting and using her conversational skills to promote children's thinking and listening and she encourages children to express themselves and

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This provision is outstanding

their own ideas.  The childminder is exceptionally skilled and sensitive in supporting children to form secure emotional attachments. This provides a very strong foundation to enable them to develop their independence and encourages and motivates them to learn because they feel safe and secure.  The childminder has forged very strong links with parents. She shares a wealth of information with them relating to children's learning and development and care and well-being, to ensure consistency between the childminding environment and home.

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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 children playing in the living room and garden.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed the adult-led activities observed during the inspection with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents of the early years children attending the setting.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, diaries and the systems for the monitoring of their progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the documented self-evaluation systems that support the service.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 1994 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and adult family in a farmhouse in the village of Calthwaite, mid-way between Carlisle and Penrith, Cumbria. The whole of the ground floor, the bathroom on the first floor and the front garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet dog and minded children have access to the farm animals under supervision.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends several toddler groups and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and parks on a regular basis. The childminder collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently 13 children on roll, five of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays.

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Information about the setting

The childminder holds a Level 3 National Vocational Qualification in Children's Care Learning and Development. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and Eden and District Childminding Group.

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

 develop the already detailed picture reference book to include the excellent range of outdoor toys available to children, so they can continue to choose resources for themselves.

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who attend

The childminder provides a high quality service where children thrive in a child-orientated, enabling environment. As a result, children make excellent progress in their learning and development. The childminder has an excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how children learn. Highly effective systems are in place, such as written assessments, to track and monitor children's progress. Parents complete an 'all about me' document to determine children's starting points. The childminder uses this information as a base for her initial planning for children's interests. In addition, she observes children playing to review their changing interests, abilities and preferred learning styles. Children's progress is meticulously recorded in learning journeys. These assessment summaries, showing children's overall development, are completed regularly and shared with parents and other professionals as appropriate. This means that any

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who attend

concerns regarding children's development are identified swiftly, with early intervention helping to reduce any gaps in their learning. Parents contribute to children's records and diary records about their learning at home. They also have daily opportunities to discuss issues with the childminder at arrival and collection times. As a result, the childminder is highly successful in supporting parents to engage with their children's learning.

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who attend

The childminder knows the children she cares for extremely well and uses this in-depth knowledge to provide a varied and highly stimulating range of activities and outings each week. These are carefully chosen to extend children's learning further and they are fun- filled and enjoyable. Careful monitoring of the children's activities means that the childminder can skilfully introduce new ideas or additional resources, which enhance their play. For example, the childminder introduces coloured rice in individual trays for children to explore and investigate. They use different sized scoops and spoons to fill pots and cups, skilfully counting how many spoonfuls it takes to fill each container. Children also use the rice tray to practise letter formation and their name.

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who attend

The childminder is very aware of the number of different ways in which children learn and provides an excellent balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities. For example, children complete a t-shirt printing activity. They create their own design on the front of a white shirt using special pens and the childminder irons their finished product to secure their completed picture. Children talk constantly with the childminder, who supports and extends their learning in everything they do. They compare the size of the pens they are using and the crayons on the table, deciding which is the biggest and smallest. They say what numbers they can see on the packaging and name the colours of the pens they are using. As a result, children are fully engaged and they are concentrating, communicating confidently, learning simple mathematical concepts and developing manipulative skills. This excellently prepares them for the next stage in their learning as they move on to

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who attend

Children are confident and fluent communicators. They competently join in lengthy conversations, ask questions and express their thoughts and ideas. They talk freely to each other and the childminder during their play. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They choose particular favourites from the book basket, snuggle up to the childminder and listen intently as she reads to them. Children join in as the childminder asks them questions about what they can see, which prompts discussions about health and hygiene, going to school and keeping themselves safe. Story time is enjoyable and supports children in developing skills in communication and language and reading and writing. Children competently finish phrases and repeat words and sounds. They sing favourite songs using puppets and the song bag. Each child in turn choosing what they would like to sing. Literacy skills are further supported in the playroom that is

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who attend

rich in print with pictures, posters, labels and signs.

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who attend

Children freely access the garden play area for physical play and exercise. They choose when they would like to play with outdoors from a very wide range of resources, which encourage their physical development. They enjoy numerous sensory and scientific activities. For example, they watch the large blocks of ice melt in the trays in the sun and play in sand and water trays. They use their imagination extremely well, recalling what they see their parents do. For example, the childminder has made a child-sized washing line and the children peg out their washing 'just like mummy does'. In addition, resources are attached to the fence to investigate, such as, shiny discs, metal pan sound lines, filled plastic milk containers and pieces of fabric. Children have excellent opportunities to explore the natural environment. They dig in the soil and hunt for bugs and build with wooden bricks and cones on the paved areas.

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

Children are exceptionally happy, relaxed and very contented. They thrive in the childminder's company and feel extremely safe and secure with her and her family. The childminder is very attentive and gives her undivided attention to provide excellent care and support. As a result, children develop a strong attachment with her and display very high levels of self-confidence and self-esteem. Children's sense of belonging is nurtured and maintained through a gradual settling-in process. The childminder works very closely with parents. The flexible settling-in sessions, guided by the children and parents' needs, help the children to become familiar with the environment, the childminder and her family. A wealth of information is gathered from parents about children's routines, needs and abilities, so that their care is tailored to meet each child's individual needs. This means that the transition between home and the childminder's setting is as smooth as possible

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

and a highly positive experience, so that children settle quickly.

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

The childminder provides highly effective support that helps all children to become independent in their social and self-help skills. Children register on arrival and remove their shoes and place them close to the open door ready to put them on when they go outside. They help tidy away toys and at mealtimes, help the childminder to prepare and clear the table. The childminder helps to prepare children for a smooth transition into nursery. She constantly talks to them about their move, what they will do and who will pick them up. They have been on visits and the childminder has invited the teaching staff to meet the children in her home. As a result of these steps, children are excellently prepared for school or a move to other settings.

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

Children are supported extremely well in keeping themselves safe. The childminder helps children to learn about farm, train and road safety and they regularly practise the fire evacuation plan together. Children are developing an excellent understanding of how to manage risks and challenges because the childminder acknowledges their developing independence and exploratory impulses. For example, children confidently climb to the top of the climbing frame and manoeuvre themselves down the slide. They go for walks in the countryside to the river and the woods close to the farm. Children learn to use tools safely. The childminder provides 'safe' knives, especially made for them to use, therefore, ensuring their safety and promoting their independence very successfully.

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

Children have many opportunities to learn how to stay healthy and be active. The childminder provides healthy nutritious meals in accordance with parents' wishes. She caters for children's likes and preferences and monitors the menu to ensure dietary needs are noted and anything they may be allergic to are avoided. Mealtimes are social occasions, when children learn self-help skills and independence. They help to prepare for their snack and midday meal and help themselves to the plates of food on the table. Children particularly enjoy using their special knife to cut up their sliced apple and cucumber and pouring their own drink of milk or water. Excellent personal hygiene practices are reinforced through everyday routines. For example, children learn to wipe their nose using tissues and wash and dry their hands before eating, after outdoor play and toileting themselves.

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

The indoor and outdoor environment is exceptionally well organised and child-orientated. Children move freely between the playroom, kitchen and living room and outdoors. They are provided with highly stimulating, exciting and interesting activities that are well organised to enable them to make independent choices about what they want to do. Children make many free choices from the extensive range of resources and play materials that are accessible to them. The resources, activities and play opportunities also help to promote children's awareness of and understanding of diversity, with toys and stories displaying a very wide range of different backgrounds, culture and disability. The childminder has made a start at logging all the excellent resources she has, so that children can use this photographic book to choose additional resources not readily available to them all the time. She organises her time and home carefully to ensure she

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

can dedicate herself to meeting children's care routines and to continue to provide high standards of support and supervision.

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

Children access plenty of fresh air and exercise to keep themselves fit and develop their physical skills and abilities. The outdoor play area is safe and secure and is fantastically laid out to support children's development and learning. Children use their senses, explore and investigate the natural environment and play with a full and extensive range of home- made and manufactured resources. They laugh and giggle as they play harmoniously together having developed strong friendships with each other. The childminder acts as a very good role model. She supports children exceptionally well in learning to share and take turns, act kindly towards one another and to be considerate of others. Children are respected and their contributions are highly valued. The childminder constantly talks with them and asks for their views and opinions. As a result, children are very well behaved. Again, the children's ability to interact and communicate well with each other and the

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

childminder and to behave so well, means that they are extremely well prepared for their move on to school.

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provision

The childminder is an experienced practitioner, who has recently obtained an early years qualification. Using the knowledge and skills she has recently obtained and her excellent understanding of how children learn, she very effectively provides a well-organised, interesting and stimulating learning environment. The childminder has an excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She ensures that children receive very high quality learning experiences and play opportunities that meet their needs and interests well. The childminder sets extremely high standards for the quality of care that she offers and this is clearly seen in her practice. Consequently, children's progress towards the early learning goals is significantly enhanced. Systems for tracking children's progress and the monitoring of educational programmes, individual planning and assessments are very robust. Therefore, children receive a rich and varied learning

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provision

experience based on their individual needs.

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provision

The childminder is an active member of her local childminding group and regularly networks with other childminders, sharing ideas and good practice. Children's care and learning is greatly enriched by the childminder's enthusiasm and commitment to her work. She completes very detailed, reflective self-evaluation systems to continue to constantly develop the care that she provides. Continuous professional development takes high priority and she constantly updates her knowledge by seeking and completing a vast range of training. As a result, the childminder can demonstrate an exceptional drive for improvement and continued excellence.

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provision

The arrangements for safeguarding children are highly robust and well embedded. The childminder has an excellent understanding of how to safeguard children's welfare and she has attended relevant training to ensure that her knowledge of the procedures is kept is up to date. Children's safety is given high priority and the childminder uses very effective measures to ensure that the premises are safe and secure.

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provision

All the documentation, policies and procedures, as required by the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, are meticulously maintained. Excellent partnerships with parents significantly contribute to children's well-being. The childminder shares a wealth of information with parents. These include her extensive range of policies, information about children's care, learning and development and the progress check at age two. Parents are kept fully informed and involved in the day-to-day care of their children. They value the methods of communication open to them by the childminder. The childminder speaks to parents daily and completes entries in individual diaries to share information with them. Parents are pro-active in adding comments and updating information regularly about their children's interests and development at home. They are extremely complimentary about the childminder and value the service she provides.

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provision

Parents comment that 'the childminder is exceptional and a very special lady to our whole family' and how she provides a 'caring and stimulating environment' and is 'flexible and accommodating'.

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provision

The childminder works highly effectively in partnership with others, understanding the importance of working with other professionals to provide support for all children when the need arises. She has developed very effective links with other settings, such as the local schools, so they can share what they know about the child, in order to ensure consistency in their learning.

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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 317070 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 865113 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 13

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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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