Childminder in Southend on Sea

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children become highly confident, independent learners in the childminder's exceptionally welcoming home. The childminder shows genuine warmth and affection for the children, and they show that they feel extremely safe and happy with her. Children's behaviour is exemplary. The childminder is an exceptional role model. She encourages the concepts of kindness, courtesy and respect for others. For example, children thoroughly enjoy taking flowers and gifts to the local home for elderly people. During the COVID-19 pandemic national lockdowns, the residents were able to watch through the windows as the children sang and danced for them. Children often left gifts on their doorstep, including a recording of them singing their favourite songs.

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The provision is outstanding

Children enthusiastically explore the wonderful resources and eagerly participate in a wealth of planned activities. They listen attentively and concentrate extremely well for their age and stage of development. For example, they explore ways of sticking tubes together to make a run for their marbles. Children work brilliantly well together to cut and stick the tubes. They excitedly watch their marbles tumble down. Children have great fun at the childminder's allotment, where they can be physically active and learn about nature. They take picnics and spend the day digging, exploring and investigating. All these wonderful experiences provide children with an abundance of skills that will support them in their future learning and when they start school.

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need to do better?

n Children's progress and achievements are outstanding. The childminder gives an enormous amount of thought to planning rich, innovative and highly challenging activities and experiences. She has an exceptional understanding of how children learn and how to build on their knowledge and experiences. n The childminder uses detailed observations and assessments to help her to identify children's next steps in learning. She regularly shares this information with parents, which provides excellent consistency of care and positively enhances children's learning and development. n The childminder understands each child's individual needs exceptionally well. She takes time to get to know the children and their families from the start. The childminder offers to visit children and their parents at home as part of the settling-in process. She uses this time to observe the children and establish their starting points with the parents.

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need to do better?

n During the national lockdowns, the childminder kept in close contact with the children and their families. For example, she read stories to children online and organised play sessions on her drive. The childminder set up exciting activities, such as water play, which enabled the children to play safely outside. This

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need to do better?

7 June 2022 helped children to maintain their excellent relationships with the childminder and happily and confidently return to her care. n Partnerships with parents are exceptionally strong. The childminder keeps them very well informed about their children's learning through photos and regular assessments. Parents particularly appreciate the children's trips in the community and the childminder's excellent advice and support. They describe the childminder as 'wonderful'. n Children benefit from exceptional levels of individual attention and interaction with the childminder. During activities, they learn new words, such as 'history' and 'geography'. Children learn about local history when they are on visits in the community. For example, they visit a local historical centre where they learn about schools in Victorian times. The childminder encourages children to talk to their grandparents about what it was like when they were young. They

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need to do better?

thoroughly enjoy making maps of the local area and excitedly point to the roads on their maps to get to the cliffs. n The childminder promotes children's early literacy skills extremely well. Children have extensive opportunities for developing their mark making with the wide range of early writing resources provided. They quickly gain an appreciation of books and thoroughly enjoy listening to stories. The childminder cleverly brings the stories to life by using superb story props. Older children link letters and sounds and learn to write their names. n The childminder skilfully uses her allotment to extend children's knowledge of the world. Children have fun picking herbs and weeds to make 'potions' in the mud kitchen. They measure the rainfall and temperature in the superbly resourced 'weather station'. Children eagerly look at the weather vane to see which way the wind is blowing. They develop an exceptionally good

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need to do better?

understanding of the natural world and growth and development. For example, they plant strawberries and potatoes, water them and watch them grow. When they are ready, children harvest them and enjoy eating them for their lunch. n The childminder demonstrates a genuine enthusiasm for her work. She provides an exceptional childminding service, in which every child is highly valued. She regularly reflects on the quality of her provision to ensure she maintains excellent outcomes for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder provides children with an extremely safe environment in which to play and develop. She has undertaken a considerable amount of training that is focused on safeguarding children to develop her knowledge. The childminder has an excellent knowledge of the possible signs that could indicate that children are at risk. She is very aware of the procedures to follow if she has concerns about a child's welfare. The childminder's extensive safeguarding policies and procedures help to underpin her excellent practice. She has been particularly vigilant in providing a safe environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY321311 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10137549 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6 Date of previous inspection 21 June 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2005 and lives in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. She operates her childminding service from Tuesday to Thursday, 7am until 6pm, during term time only. The childminder provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 her evaluation of the setting. n The childminder showed the inspector the areas of her home that children access. They discussed how the childminder organises her setting and plans the curriculum and experiences for children. n The inspector observed children and the childminder taking part in activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. The inspector and the childminder reflected on a learning experience for children. n The childminder shared a sample of documents with the inspector. This included evidence about training and the suitability of those living on the premises. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing at the childminder's house. n The inspector took account of the views of parents from written feedback

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Inspection activities

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.

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Inspection activities

7 June 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.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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