Childminder 317132

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 November 2016 30 August 2013

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The childminder's inclusive evaluations of practice highlight what is working well and what needs to be improved. Her energetic approach to continued improvement focuses on helping to raise the quality of care and learning and outcomes for children.  The childminder values children as part of her extended family. She welcomes children with open arms and is highly responsive to their personal and care needs. On rare occasions when children are upset on arrival, the childminder uses effective distraction methods, such as observing Shaun the goldfish, to help them settle.  The well-qualified childminder uses her good knowledge of child development to plan meaningful learning experiences, helping to motivate children to play and learn. Her flexible approach to play environments provides opportunities for children to extend their own play, such as when creating a den.  The childminder actively encourages children to develop a sense of community spirit.

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This provision is good

She engages children in a variety of activities in and around the local area that helps them to celebrate different yearly festivals, such as harvest and Christmas.  Partnerships with parents are strong. The childminder engages parents in contributing towards children's starting points. She shares information about children's ongoing learning and progress. She often initiates ideas to extend children's learning at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The childminder does not always respond to children's interests in familiar stories swiftly or precisely enough during play to extend their early reading skills.  The childminder has not yet explored a wide range of continuous professional development opportunities to raise the quality of teaching to the very highest level.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 respond more swiftly and precisely to the interest in familiar stories that children initiate during play and extend their early reading skills to the optimum level  explore a wider range of continuous professional development opportunities and enhance teaching practice to the very highest level.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the areas used for childminding.  The inspector observed children during their freely chosen and routine activities.  The inspector held discussions with the childminder and children throughout the inspection.  The inspector discussed self-evaluation and examined a range of documents. This included evidence of suitability, policies and procedures, health and safety documents, a record of the childminder's qualifications and training and the systems used to observe and assess children's progress.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder during a planned activity.  The inspector took account of the views of parents from comments noted on recent reference letters.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The childminder has a thorough understanding of the procedures to follow to protect a child's welfare. Risk assessments are comprehensive. The childminder considers all aspects of children's safety in her everyday practice. For example, she promotes good hygiene routines and cuts up fruit to ensure it is manageable for young children to eat. Effective tracking is used well to swiftly close any gaps in learning. She liaises with other childminders to share good practice ideas. Parents are very complimentary. They report that, 'Children adore and respect the childminder' and that, 'Children are smart, happy and very confident as a result of the childminder's hard work and commitment'.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Observations and assessments of children's learning are accurate and precise. The childminder uses the information from these to plan activities that build on what children already know. Children enjoy exploring the wide range of natural materials that they bring back to the setting following their walks in the local countryside. They observe how these change over time and attempt to reassemble parts of materials that fit together, such as an acorn and cup. Children are keen to develop their imagination skills. They imitate what has been seen before when playing with resources, such as dolls. The childminder values the diversity of each child. She works together with parents to offer significant experiences that support any additional languages they may speak at home. For example, the childminder asks children to recall simple words, such as hello in Spanish. She provides print in a variety of languages to aid their increasing breadth of vocabulary.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children enjoy completing small tasks, such as peeling fruit and finding their own shoes, to develop independence. The childminder's friendly, encouraging and caring nature helps to instil children with the confidence to ask for help. Good links with local schools contribute towards ensuring that children become familiar with the environment that they will move on to. The childminder provides a broad range of experiences to promote children's good health. For example, children enjoy their visits to the local farm and garden centre. They are confident to share information about healthy fruits and vegetables they grow at home. The childminder encourages children to be polite, respectful and well mannered. Effective methods, such as the continued revision of visual rules, help to strengthen children's understanding of the expectations for behaviour.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress and are developing the skills to support them in their move on to nursery and school. Children express that they are happy and clearly enjoy the activities on offer. They are confident to initiate their own preferences and persevere when developing new skills, such as walking across stepping stones. Children respond well to the questions that the childminder asks. They actively reflect on and share their own experiences and demonstrate the ability to form good friendships with other children. This prepares children well for what they need to learn next.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 317132 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 1064057 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 4

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Name of registered person

Date of previous inspection 30 August 2013

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1986 and lives in Houghton. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3.

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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Telephone number

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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Telephone number

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Telephone number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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