Kerr, Miss Genna

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/06/2014 02/11/2009

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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

 The childminder has a good understanding of each child's stage of development and plans a range of activities which engage and motivate children. Her competent teaching skills extend children's learning so that they make good progress towards the early learning goals.  The arrangements for safeguarding children are well established, and detailed policies and procedures are consistently implemented to ensure children's safety.  Children are happy, content and self-assured because the childminder provides a caring, calm and homely environment. Consequently, children settle well and form strong and secure attachments with her.  The partnership with parents and carers is strong. The childminder effectively communicates with them in a variety of ways, contributing to shared learning opportunities.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to consider and extend the already good range of resources in the outdoor area and the main indoor play area, so that a wider range of independent activities and opportunities are on offer which cover all areas of learning.

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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 had a tour of the premises where children play.  The inspector observed and talked with children as they played.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability of the childminder and other adults living on the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a range of documentation, including the childminder's self- evaluation form, relevant policies and procedures and a sample of children's files containing observations and assessments.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed aspects of policy and practice with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2009 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and child aged two years in Moresby, Whitehaven. The whole ground floor of the house, apart from the dining room, and the large enclosed garden are used for childminding. The family has a pet cat, a dog and two frogs. The childminder attends a toddler group, childminding groups and activities in the local area. She visits the shops, park and beach on a regular basis and collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. There are currently seven children on roll, four of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and two weeks at Christmas. She 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:

 enhance play and learning opportunities in the outdoor and the indoor main play area even further, so that all areas of learning are fully accessible for all children.

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who attend

The childminder has a very good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, activities and experiences are wide and varied, stimulating and challenging. The childminder assesses children once they are settled, to discover their starting points. Subsequent observations are frequently assessed for all children, which helps her to plan further activities and learning opportunities that meet children's individual interests. The assessments include the progress check for children aged between two and three years. Consequently, children's development is tracked effectively so that any gaps in learning are easily identified. The childminder has a good knowledge of child development and how children learn. As a result, she successfully extends learning opportunities to suit individual children's needs and interests so that they make good progress. The quality of teaching is good as the

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who attend

childminder provides an effective balance of child-initiated and adult-focused learning opportunities inside and outdoors.

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who attend

Children have a lovely time with the childminder. The spacious environment gives young children opportunities to crawl and cruise around the furniture. The childminder effectively supports young children as they learn to walk. She provides toys and equipment which enable them to confidently pull themselves up and push, to aid their walking. As a result, they quickly gain confidence as they develop their physical skills. Older children take great delight in kicking a very large ball across the room, and later outside on the large expanse of grass. The chuckle with delight as the ball moves easily away from them so that they can chase it further. Consequently, they develop an understanding of how things move while also developing their physical skills. The childminder fosters children's sensory and exploratory impulses by providing paint and glue to make sunflowers. Babies and young children happily take part, feeling the paint on their hands and watching the marks and

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who attend

patterns that they make on the paper plate. Babies show their excitement by bouncing up and down as they wait for more paint and another plate. Slightly older children take great delight in pouring on the sunflower seeds and sticking on pieces of tissue. They are fascinated when the childminder shows them how they have stuck, imitating her actions of holding the plate upside down. The childminder gives them time to complete the activity, explore and investigate in their own way. As a result, children are able to express themselves freely, be creative and develop hand-and-eye coordination skills. Furthermore, the childminder promotes lots of communication and language opportunities as she introduces new vocabulary, such as 'stamp', 'sticky' and 'pat'. There is effective mirroring of communication throughout the activity. For example, children babble and chat, which the childminder responds to by repeating words and phrases. This means that children

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who attend

develop social skills alongside development of their language.

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who attend

Children are taught to be independent as the childminder encourages them to dress and undress themselves, such as putting on shoes and coats. Babies and younger children love to help as they collect their own nappies in preparation for being changed. Children learn to recognise their name on their own coat hooks and are encouraged to independently hang them up. Furthermore, resources and boxes in the playroom are clearly labelled with pictures and words, promoting independence further, alongside early literacy skills. As a result, children learn the necessary skills needed in preparation for nursery or school. The environment is bright, clean and well resourced, particularly in the designated playroom. However, when children are sleeping, this room is not accessible for other children to use. Furthermore, the childminder is still developing the outside area so that more learning opportunities are available. Consequently, there is scope to extend the range of resources

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who attend

in the outdoor area and consider the use of indoor resources so that children have continual access to all areas of learning. Although the outdoor area still needs to be developed further, children still benefit from a wide variety of experiences. For example, they enjoy planting seeds and watching them grow, developing an understanding of growth and development. They develop their mathematical skills as they use the scales to weigh natural objects, such as pine cones. Furthermore, the childminder is very supportive and encourages perseverance as young children carefully place their feet to ascend the climbing frame. They take great delight in using the spray containers to shoot water from the top of the frame. Consequently, they gain lots of confidence, have fun and develop their larger leg muscles and smaller finger muscles.

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who attend

The childminder has developed secure relationships with parents and carers. She engages and communicates with them effectively from the outset. She gathers information from them when children first start at the setting, creating a detailed booklet named 'My unique child'. Parents provide lots of information about their family, their childen's care needs and stages of development. As a result, the childminder is able to become familiar with and respond to children's needs quickly and efficiently. Parents are informed of their children's progress on a daily basis through verbal discussion and a home-to-setting diary. In addition, the childminder uses a secure online computer programme to input information, activities and observations. This effectively enables parents to keep up to date with what their children are doing and contribute their own comments and observations from home. Consequently, parents feel fully involved in their children's learning.

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

The childminder provides a very warm and welcoming environment, which is clean, safe and spacious. As a result, children and families feel immediately comfortable, enabling strong and secure relationships to be established. The childminder successfully liaises with parents to determine effective settling-in procedures. As a result, children's emotional well-being is securely fostered as attachments are successfully formed. The childminder knows the children very well and is responsive to their care needs. For example, she listens astutely to their requests, observes their body language and emotions and adapts routines to meet their individual needs. For example, when children ask for food earlier than usual, she immediately prepares and provides snack. In addition, she recognises that sleep and rest are important, and works closely with parents to ensure these routines are followed and consistent with home. However, she carefully observes and responds to

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

children's ever-changing routines so that their sleep routine is adapted to meet their needs. As a result, children develop a genuine bond, knowing they can trust and rely on her as their key person. The childminder is a good positive role model for children. She is calm and controlled at all times. She teaches children good behaviour management as she explains to them about taking turns, sharing and not climbing on the sofa. Children listen and are immediately responsive as they learn the difference between right and wrong while keeping safe. The childminder uses constant praise and encouragement, which develops the children's self-esteem and makes them feel valued.

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

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles as she provides nourishing snacks throughout the day. One child confidently asks for a banana, and another thoroughly enjoys eating a kiwi fruit. The childminder's healthy eating policy helps to ensure parents pack a nutritiously balanced lunch for the children. Children are taught to wash their hands before eating, and posters on display above the bathroom sink reinforce the message. As a result, children learn about cross-contamination and how to prevent it. Opportunities for children to be physically active are in abundance. The spacious indoor environment enables children to play with balls and ride on small bikes. However, the childminder understands the importance of outdoor play and encourages this for major parts of the day. Children can run, balance, climb and play ball in all weathers because they have all- weather suits and boots to wear. Alternatively, the childminder has a parasol so that

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

children can stay safe in the sun. Children also benefit from going out to local parks and to the beach, where they learn new skills and gain from new experiences. The childminder provides good levels of challenge appropriate to their age and stage of development. For example, babies and younger children are taught to manage the steps outside by coming down backwards. Older children are given encouragement and support to climb up the ladder on the climbing frame. In addition, children are taught road safety when taken on walks into the community. As a result, all children learn about hazards in their environment and how to take manageable risks. Children are emotionally prepared for any moves into other childcare settings or on to school. This is because the childminder understands the importance of making transitions as smooth as possible. She helps prepare children by reading stories, talking to them

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

about their teachers and looking at their new uniforms. She liaises with parents in good time to establish which school or nursery children are going to be attending. This means she can discover who their new teachers are, helping children gain a sense of familiarity. Furthermore, through discussion, stories and role play, children develop a sense of what is expected of them so that they more easily settle and are ready to learn.

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provision

The childminder has a thorough knowledge of how to safeguard and protect children in her care. She has completed child protection training and demonstrates her understanding of the procedures to take should she have any concerns about a child's welfare. Her safeguarding policy is clear and robust. It contains all relevant contact numbers and other pertinent information, which contributes to the safety and well-being of children. Other policies are comprehensive, easy to read and shared with parents and carers. This helps to ensure that all adults connected to the setting are fully aware and adhere to procedures. Consequently, this contributes to the safe and efficient management of her setting. The childminder's current paediatric first-aid training means she has the knowledge and skills to respond appropriately in the event of an accident or emergency. The childminder ensures the environment is safe and secure, both in the home and on

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provision

outings. She does this by completing detailed risk assessments which she reviews regularly. She is vigilant and deploys herself within the setting to ensure children are suitably supervised at all times.

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provision

The childminder consistently monitors the programme of activities that she plans for children. She does this by observing them closely and therefore identifies any enhancements to support their learning further. As a result, children make good progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder monitors children's development by regularly tracking their progress. She uses a secure online computer program, which parents can access. In addition, she completes paper records and children's learning journals so that parents can access them using both methods. This means that accurate information about children's achievements is precisely monitored and shows where intervention is required as necessary. The childminder is committed to continually improving her practice. She constantly reflects on how she can improve and is committed to advancing her own professional development. She has started evaluating any training

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provision

that she attends so that it has the biggest impact on the outcomes for children. As a result, children benefit through good quality care and education.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are well established. The childminder understands the benefits of working closely together and demonstrates how she values and respects their input. She provides a good range of information, which keeps them well informed. Furthermore, she encourages shared learning opportunities so that children get continuity between home and her setting. The childminder maintains professional relationships with local authority advisers and has close links with other childminders in the area. As a result, she continually keeps up to date with contemporary issues within childcare and education, and benefits from mutual sharing of ideas. Partnerships with local schools are good, meaning that children benefit from a coordinated approach to their care and development. As a result, all children make good overall progress. Children feel happy and safe in the childminder's care and participate in a good range of interesting activities they enjoy.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY390960 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 859311 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 7

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘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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