Childminder in Somerset

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

p.1

The provision is outstanding

Children are highly confident. They have extremely warm interactions with the childminder and one another. Children are incredibly happy and settled. They flourish in the exceptionally warm and welcoming environment. Children engage highly successfully in exciting and challenging activities indoors and outdoors. For example, they explore flowers with a magnifying glass and use an excellent range of vocabulary as they identify what they observe, such as seeds and leaves.

p.2

The provision is outstanding

The childminder has high expectations for all children. She meticulously plans a highly challenging and exciting curriculum that targets children's next steps and interests effectively. This supports every child successfully to make the best possible progress. As a result, children excel in all areas of learning. Children respond positively to the consistent praise and reassurance they receive. They appreciate and value the similarities and differences between themselves and others. Children are kind and respectful to one another and share resources and experiences together. They very successfully work out small disagreements for themselves.

p.2

The provision is outstanding

The childminder works exceptionally well with parents so that she understands children's individual interests and needs. She recognises the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children and liaises closely with parents to support children's emotional needs going forward.

p.2

need to do better?

n The childminder provides children with an abundance of opportunities to develop their speech and language. She skilfully builds on what children already know and can do and uses their interests superbly to extend their vocabulary extremely effectively. For example, when children want to 'perform' singing songs and telling stories to each other, using animal masks, the childminder introduces words such as 'audience' and explains the meaning. n Children participate in enjoyable activities. For example, they do yoga, tell their own stories and put on a 'show'. This contributes highly to their excellent physical skills and posture, exceptional concentration and high levels of creativity. n Children benefit from a wealth of meaningful learning opportunities to explore and develop a deeper understanding of the world. Each week, the childminder plans trips with children's interests in mind. She gives children exciting hands-on

p.2

need to do better?

experiences to learn about nature. For instance, children visit a local nature reserve, go for walks in the woods and explore the environment. They build their confidence excellently. They hunt for bugs and excitedly tell the inspector about their experiences of centipedes and worms racing.

p.2

need to do better?

5 May 2022 n Children have excellent attention and listening skills. They follow instructions very well and take on board suggestions to help them succeed. For example, outside, they try out their idea of using rope to experiment with pulling different vehicles. The childminder is a highly dedicated practitioner and a superb role model. She uses excellent questioning techniques to encourage children to think and solve problems. As a result, children's self-confidence is superb. They confidently talk in a group, show a can-do attitude and try out their ideas. n Partnerships with parents are excellent. The childminder works extremely closely with parents to ensure that their children receive consistency in their care and learning. She shares ideas with parents to support their children's learning further at home. The childminder develops her own programme of activities, in discussion with parents, to support those children who need further help with

p.2

need to do better?

their speech and language. This means that she has been able to target her teaching closely on children's individual needs and ensure that all children excel in their communication skills. n Children follow thorough hygiene routines and understand the reason for these. Children are extremely independent. They dress themselves for outside play, with minimal support. They help each other to put away the resources at tidy-up time. Children cut cucumber into pieces to feed the African land snails, which helps them to learn how to handle knives safely. n The childminder is exceptionally enthusiastic about evaluating her service and developing her practice. She has completed an abundance of training, much of which she has organised for her local childminding group as the lead childminder. Training has beneficially been targeted on the gaps in children's emotional development. The excellent focus and subsequent implementation are

p.3

need to do better?

evident in children's self-awareness and recognition of their own feelings and the way that they manage these exceptionally successfully.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The childminder has an excellent knowledge of child protection issues and safeguarding procedures. She keeps her safeguarding training up to date. The childminder understands wider safeguarding issues, including extreme views and behaviours, and knows how to report concerns. She shares information with parents so that they understand her responsibilities too. The childminder carries out thorough risk assessments of her home and for the outings she organises for the children. She takes effective action to provide a safe environment for the children to play.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY253951 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10125529 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 16 Date of previous inspection 22 January 2015

p.4

Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2003 and lives in Ilminster, Somerset. She operates for most of the year on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

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 of the setting. n The childminder and the inspector discussed the childminder's curriculum and her intentions for children's learning. n The inspector and the childminder observed the children engaging in activities and had a follow-up discussion about children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting by completing the childminder's questionnaires. n The inspector spoke with the childminder at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector sampled a range of documentation.

p.4

Inspection activities

5 May 2022 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

5 May 2022 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