Childminder in Cumberland

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

The provision is good

The childminder helps children to feel welcome and safe in her home. Along with her calm, sensitive manner this promotes an environment which is conducive to children's learning. The childminder helps children to form friendships and learn to manage social interactions. For instance, she supports children to work together on craft activities. They learn to share resources and take turns to choose the accompanying music. The childminder helps children to understand how their behaviour affects others. She gently reminds them to be kind to each other and to be polite. Children learn about the childminder's expectations of them.

p.2

The provision is good

Children happily lead their own play. They choose from the resources that the childminder has selected to help promote the next steps of their learning. The childminder joins children's play and helps them to use their imaginations. For example, she asks children questions as they pretend that the furniture is a bus. Children have plenty of space to move and play. They enjoy dancing and balancing beanbags on different parts of their bodies. This supports their physical development. Children are chatty and happy. They progress well in readiness for the next stages of their education.

p.2

need to do better?

n The childminder evaluates her practice effectively. She asks for the opinions of parents and sources training to benefit the children in her care. For instance, she is completing training to further her skills in supporting children's early writing. This helps to keep her knowledge and skills fresh and to maintain a high standard of care and education for children. n The childminder gathers plenty of information from parents about activities they do at home. For example, she finds out about holidays that children have been on. She uses this knowledge and her assessments of children's progress to plan for children's learning. This helps them to make good progress in their learning. n The childminder has a good understanding of how children learn and how to build on their understanding. For instance, an outing to a railway station helps children to link their learning and deepen their understanding of trains. This

p.2

need to do better?

helps to build on their knowledge and embed key information. n The childminder promotes children's language skills well. They enjoy books and are proficient communicators. However, the childminder does not always plan activities to incorporate more complex language and sentence structures to challenge the most able learners. This hinders the potential for some children to make even more rapid progress with their language skills. n The childminder promotes children's mathematics skills well. They discuss colour, shape and number as they go about their day. Young children confidently recognise and identify numbers. This helps children to build solid foundations for

p.2

need to do better?

12 December 2023 their future learning. n The childminder helps children to develop independence and life skills. For instance, young children learn to sit together for meals and to drink from open cups. They talk about good hygiene and healthy lifestyles. Children begin to learn good habits for life. n The childminder helps children begin to understand routines of the day and the rules in her home. For instance, she helps children learn that they should tidy up before moving on to the next activity. This supports children to learn the skills they will need as they move on to pre-school and school. n The childminder helps children to learn about how they are each unique. Children discuss how they are similar to and different from others and they learn about different types of families. Children develop an early understanding of our diverse world. n The childminder has established positive relationships with parents. She gives

p.2

need to do better?

them plenty of information about their children's progress and offers ideas about how they can support this further at home. This helps to maintain consistency of care and learning for children.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder has a sound understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. She understands how to identify when a child may be at risk of harm and how to refer concerns to appropriate authorities. The childminder updates mandatory training appropriately. She maintains contact with her local authority to support her knowledge of local safeguarding issues. The childminder completes risk assessments of her premises and on outings to help her to keep children safe. She teaches children to begin to learn to keep themselves safe both online and offline.

p.3

should:

n plan more opportunities within activities to extend children's language skills even further.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY474417 Local authority Cumberland Inspection number 10304943 Type of provision Childminder

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 3 Date of previous inspection 6 February 2018

p.4

Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2014 and lives in Millom, Cumbria. She operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds a relevant early years qualification at level 3. She provides funded early education for two-, three-, and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the childminder received since the COVID- 19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises her early years provision, including the aims and rationale for her curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and children. n The childminder and inspector discussed how the curriculum had been implemented and the impact that this had on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

p.4

Inspection activities

12 December 2023 We carried out this inspection 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.

p.4

Inspection activities

12 December 2023 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

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

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6