Childminder in Reading

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

The childminder provides a welcoming environment where children can play and learn in safety. Children are happy and enjoy their time with the childminder. They demonstrate the strong bonds they have with her as they include her in their play and seek cuddles and reassurance from her. The childminder knows children well and is responsive to their needs. She provides activities that meet their interests and different developmental needs. For example, for older children, she plays memory games where they have to try to pair two matching pictures. For younger children, who like to draw, she attaches paper to the table so they can freely colour and make marks with chunky crayons.

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The provision is good

The childminder uses children's interests and their freely chosen play to extend on their learning. She also plans activities that she knows children will enjoy and that provide some challenge. For example, she takes children to toddler sessions to enable them to socialise with other children. She takes them to different parks and woodlands to help them learn about the natural world and to build on their physical skills as they use different play equipment to climb up, manoeuvre over or climb through. Children are making good progress in their learning and development.

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The provision is good

Children have opportunities to help care for the childminder's tortoise. They explain how he is awake now, and when he needs to hibernate, he has a bath. Children laugh as they talk about how he then goes to bed in a cupboard in a box of straw. This helps them to understand the importance of caring for living creatures.

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need to do better?

n Children develop a love of books. They enjoy sharing their favourite books and identifying the characters and what happens next. The childminder provides opportunities for children, from an early age, to develop their awareness of mathematical language, including simple counting, naming colours and language, such as 'more than' and 'less than' as they weigh ingredients during cooking. n The childminder places a strong focus on ensuring children's emotional well- being. She gets to know the children as they settle and gathers information from parents about their children's interests and individual children's needs. The childminder implements flexible routines that enable her to meet children's personalised care routines, particularly those of younger children. n The childminder enjoys caring for children and is very enthusiastic in her interaction with them. She talks with them and encourages them to repeat

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need to do better?

words to extend their communication and language skills. At times, in her exuberance, the childminder asks lots of questions in quick succession, which does not always allow children sufficient time to think things through and

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need to do better?

14 August 2024 respond. n The childminder provides a varied curriculum and uses children's interests to engage them. She observes what children can do and then identifies their next steps in learning. However, the childminder does not focus on promptly incorporating these next steps into activities or her interactions with children, to enable her to swiftly build on children's current learning needs. n The childminder assists children to learn to respect each other and understand what boundaries and expectations she expects. She acts as a positive role model, and even the youngest children share and take turns well. The childminder helps children to express how they are feeling and supports them in learning how to manage these feelings. n Partnerships with parents are a strength of the setting. The childminder shares information daily with the parents about what their children have done, any achievements and the next steps she has identified to support their ongoing

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need to do better?

progress. Parental feedback states they value the childminder's experience, enthusiasm and the support she gives to their children and themselves. Parents speak highly of the progress their children are making and for sharing ideas of how they can extend their children's learning at home. n The childminder encourages children to eat healthily and regularly be out in the fresh air to be physically active and play. Children demonstrate their confidence in washing their hands before eating. They bring packed lunches, and the childminder supplements these with health snacks of strawberries and blueberries and toast.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n review and develop the use of questioning skills to allow children time to think for themselves and respond n focus more precisely on implementing next steps of learning once identified to enable children to continually build on their current skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 116912 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10355436 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 9 Date of previous inspection 29 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 1993 and lives in Caversham, Reading. She operates Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm, for most weeks of the year. The setting receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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 their evaluation of the childminder. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises their early years provision, including the aims and rationale for their early years foundation stage curriculum. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about children's learning and development, with a particular focus on communication and language and their social and emotional skills. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

14 August 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

14 August 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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