Childminder in St Helens

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children appear happy, safe and settled. They develop close, caring relationships with the childminder and are offered continual reassurance. Children are confident and their emotional needs are supported well. Children of all ages eagerly explore the well-resourced environment, inside and outside. Through close monitoring and assessing of children's development the childminder identifies any gaps or areas that need additional focus. She plans activities with a clear learning intention in mind that meets all children's individual needs. For example, children explore with sand. Younger children touch, feel and enjoy the sensory experience. Older children show great determination and self-control as they learn to operate tongs to find and retrieve hidden coins. This helps strengthen children's physical skills. Other children discover colourful gems and gain a greater awareness of colour recognition.

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The provision is good

The childminder has high expectations of children. Children's behaviour is good. For example, children listen to the childminder and follow instruction's well and younger children say 'please' without prompting. Children display good manners. The childminder provided stability and consistency to children and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. She felt it was very important to maintain contact and would take regular trips to their homes, keeping a safe distance she would wave to children from the gate. This consistent connection supported children's social and emotional needs and they returned to her home confidently.

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need to do better?

n The childminder is dedicated to her role. She regularly reviews her practice to ensure that she provides the best learning opportunities to children. For example, she has identified training she will be attending in the near future. This will help children as her knowledge about teaching and learning will be further developed. n Children are encouraged to count in sequence and are provided with continuous mathematical language as they play. The childminder asks children questions about different amounts; If they have more or less, they confidently reply, 'I now have a whole piece'. Children's mathematical skills are supported well. n Overall, children's communication and language skills are developing well. Children are highly engaged as they join in with familiar rhymes and songs. The childminder reads stories and includes props to help bring the story alive. Children relish this as they sit with a patch over their eye and a hat on, as they

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need to do better?

act out being a pirate. The childminder provides lots of conversation and introduces great descriptive words, such as 'delicious'. However, she does not always model the correct pronunciation of words, which children then often repeat. Therefore, children's vocabulary and emerging language is not supported

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need to do better?

22 July 2022 to the highest level. n The childminder provides a sequenced curriculum that builds on children's existing skills. She uses observations, assessments and children's interests to help her to plan challenging activities. As a result, children are making good progress. n Children are active and have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. For instance, children run around in the outdoors and with great concentration and support, they walk along balance beams. Generally, children are learning the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They positively talk about what food is healthy for them and what their preferred fruit is. However, the childminder is not always consistent with teaching children the importance of washing their hands before eating food. This does not consistently promote children's understanding of good hygiene practices. n The childminder gathers information from parents when children first start.

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need to do better?

Information is shared about children's likes, dislikes and their development. This helps the childminder build and tailor her care and learning to children right from the beginning, and prepares them well for their future learning. n Children enjoy a range of trips and outings. For example, they visit farms, local parks and attend 'playdates' with other children. This provides children with a greater understanding of the world around them, the community in which they live and further supports their social skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder has a secure understanding and knowledge of her role and responsibilities for safeguarding children in her care. She carries out regular checks in her home and the places that she visits to identify any potential hazards that could be a risk to children's safety. The childminder has policies and procedures in place to follow in the event that she has any concerns about children's welfare. She carries out safeguarding training, and has a sound understanding of 'radicalisation'. The childminder holds a valid paediatric first-aid certificate. This provides her with the skills she may need to treat children appropriately if any accidents occur.

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should:

n strengthen the consistency of good hygiene practices, to further promote children's understanding of the importance of keeping themselves healthy n strengthen teaching, by modelling the correct pronunciation of words, so that children can hear them correctly, to further support their vocabulary and emerging language.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2558069 Local authority St Helens Inspection number 10232106 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 Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2019 and lives in Billinge, Wigan. She operates all year round Monday to Friday from 7am until 6pm.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the childminder received since the pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the childminder. n The childminder and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the childminder's intention for children's learning. n The inspector spoke to the childminder at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and children. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request. n The inspector gathered the views of parents and their comments on the setting.

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Inspection activities

22 July 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.

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Inspection activities

22 July 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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