Childminder in Cumberland

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 March 2017 17 May 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 is an experienced practitioner and the quality of her teaching is good. She has firm knowledge of how children learn through high-quality interactions and planned experiences. She uses her skills well overall, to support children to make good progress.  Children settle in very well owing to the effective procedures in place and the good partnership working with parents. The childminder makes home visits ahead of the children starting, allowing her to gain valuable information from parents about children's care and development needs. She then uses this information to inform her early assessments.  Children quickly develop secure attachments with the childminder, promoting their emotional well-being and confidence to explore. They develop a strong exploratory impulse from a young age and are supported well to follow their own ideas.  Children enjoy a wealth of opportunities to learn safe behaviours though real-life

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This provision is good

experiences and risk-taking activities. They talk about potential dangers they must look and listen out for when visiting the childminder's on-site farm and discuss ways to stay safe.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, the childminder does not maximise opportunities to help further promote children's emerging speaking skills.  Self-evaluation is not highly effective in supporting the childminder to build upon her already strong practice and help identify areas she can raise the quality of practice to the next level.  There is capacity to obtain even more detailed information about children's learning from other settings that they attend to extend continuous support even further.

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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

 focus more precisely on supporting children's speaking skills and help them to make the best possible progress in this aspect of their learning  use self-evaluation more effectively to help build upon strong practice and identify priorities for improvement to raise the quality of practice to exceptional levels  explore ways to build further links with other settings children attend to provide further continuity in children's learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed teaching and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke to the childminder and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector viewed children's records, planning documentation and a range of other documentation, including policies, procedures and self-evaluation tools.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection and letter left for the inspector.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the childminder and took account of her evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The childminder is clear about her role in safeguarding children and has a firm understanding of all child protection matters. She has attended training and got a detailed safeguarding policy which further underpins her good practice. The environment is safe and secure and subject to regular risk assessment. The childminder monitors children's progress regularly. This helps her to identify any emerging gaps in children's development and provide additional support where necessary. The childminder works well with parents. There is a good two-way flow of communication and information, supporting children's needs well.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The childminder makes accurate assessments of children's learning based on regular observations of children's play. She uses this information well to help inform children's next steps in learning. These are well planned for through effective interactions and planned activities and experiences. The childminder supports children's learning well and joins in sensitively with their play ideas. They enjoy farm and animal puzzle activities. The childminder encourages the younger children to try and fit the pieces in, showing her high expectations of them. She maximises learning well, making the animal noises and helping children draw upon their experiences from home. For example, she asks what colour their tractors are at home and other questions about their home life. Children enjoy baking activities and use their small-muscle movements and hand-to-eye coordination to pick up the small decorative items and carefully place them on their cakes.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy and enjoy their time with the childminder. They eagerly explore the range of resources available which is carefully presented and stored well to enable children to self-select independently. Children demonstrate positive behaviour and show they feel safe. They are confident and new and social situations, enjoying new visitors to the childminder's home and inviting them to join in with their play. They use excellent manners and show good listening skills. The childminder uses positive reinforcement and provides lots of praise for children's achievements. The childminder is responsive to children's needs and supports their health, welfare and physical well-being. She promotes children's good health, providing plenty of opportunities for children to be outdoors and to practise good hygiene routines.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress, and better than good in some areas. They enjoy learning and show an eagerness to participate. Children are confident to explore the environment, follow their ideas and lead their own play. Children show an interest in books and develop favourite stories from a young age. They handle books with care and develop good emerging literacy skills. Children demonstrate good mathematical thinking. They complete shape-sorting puzzles and use good problem-solving skills. Children develop skills that prepare them well for their next stage in learning, including starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 317298 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 1064067 Type of provision Childminder Day care type Childminder Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 3 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3

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Telephone number

The childminder was registered in 1998 and lives in Hethersgill, Cumbria. She operates all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays.

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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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