Childminder in Lancashire

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

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The provision is good

Children develop secure relationships with the childminder who knows them well. She provides a broad and interesting range of activities indoors and outdoors which encourage children to explore, investigate and be physically active. Children move around confidently choosing what to play with and where to play. The childminder builds on what each child knows and can do as they play to help them make good progress. Children are learning to behave well. They play independently and alongside each other happily. They sit together at lunch time and learn to use good manners when eating. The childminder praises children when they are thoughtful, for example a child takes another his shoes so he can go into the garden.

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The provision is good

The childminder provides a clear curriculum that focuses on encouraging children's physical and personal development and their communication skills. She repeats words correctly that children try to say as they play. The childminder helps children to recall and talk about places they have visited, such as the zoo. Children talk to the people who work in the library, post office and supermarket and learn about their role in the community. These trips help children to grow in confidence and practise their communication skills as they interact with others.

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need to do better?

n Children help themselves to water when thirsty and talk about the health benefits of foods. They start the day with physical exercises to music, including shaking beanbags as they bend and stretch. They manoeuvre sit-and-ride toys and roll themselves over a large bouncy ball, which helps them develop balance and coordination. Children practise climbing skills on equipment at the local park. Children's physical health and wellbeing are promoted very well. n Children look at books, listen to stories and use a range of items to make marks and draw. They use tongs to move items and move their fingers through wet sand. Purposeful play experiences, such as these, help children to develop the finger strength needed for later writing. n The childminder chooses carefully which local groups she takes children to visit. This helps her to gradually build their social skills and confidence to be in larger groups. The childminder provides appropriate support and challenge as children

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need to do better?

play, which helps to keep them engaged in learning. Children concentrate well and develop positive attitudes and useful skills for later learning and life. n The childminder makes good use of information from parents to meet children's care needs. She identifies children's abilities and what they need to learn next. Parents receive photos of their children during the day and some information as they collect their child. However, information about how parents can support their child's learning at home to promote continuity in learning is less well shared.

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need to do better?

24 July 2024 n The childminder helps children to talk about different emotions. When minor disagreements occur, the childminder helps children to use their words to say how they feel. She helps children to share, take turns and play cooperatively with each other. Children develop good social skills. n Children handle and collect items, such as pinecones, acorns and leaves from a local forest. Every day, they see the childminder's cats, dog and rabbits. They look at animals, including llamas and the childminder's horse at a farm and wild animals at the zoo. A range of experiences help children to develop a good understanding of and respect for the natural world. n The childminder skilfully supports children to develop their mathematical knowledge and skills as they play. Children count plastic fish as they scoop them out of a bucket of water with a net. They place them into hoops of corresponding colour. They use mathematical language correctly as they refer to

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need to do better?

big and little fish. n Children use different voices while pretending to be animals on the farm, dolls in the dolls' house and characters from a children's television programme. As they play imaginatively, children demonstrate their growing vocabulary and their understanding of how conversations flow backwards and forwards. n The childminder reflects on her practice. She stays up to date with training, such as first aid and safeguarding. Since the last inspection, the childminder has completed training which enables her to understand the theory behind her practice. She is gradually implementing what she has learned and building on the good quality education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

should:

n exchange more detailed information with parents about their children's abilities and how to support continuity in their learning n embed recent learning from professional development to build further on the good quality education.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY235036 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10349929 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 4 Date of previous inspection 22 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2002 and lives in Cottam, Preston. She operates Tuesday to Thursday from 8am to 5.30pm, all year, except for family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3. She provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The childminder has an assistant available to work if needed.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation. n The inspector had a tour of the childminder's home to gain an understanding of how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the childminder. n The inspector spoke to some children during the inspection and took account of the views of parents provided in writing. n The inspector looked at a sample of documentation including evidence of the suitability of household members and the childminder's training.

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Inspection activities

24 July 2024 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

24 July 2024 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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