Childminder in Durham

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Since the last inspection, the childminder has taken appropriate action to address the suitability and cleanliness of the premises. The environment is organised effectively to ensure developmentally appropriate resources can be accessed by younger children. The childminder and her assistant ensure any perceived risks are removed to ensure a safe environment for children's play.

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The provision requires improvement

Young children are reassured and cuddled, for example when they have just woken up. They develop a warm and trusting bond with the childminder and reach out their arms to be picked up. Children settle well into the childminder's care. They are able to move around the provision and choose their own play. Children are encouraged and praised as they explore their surroundings. The childminder shows them how to connect the large blocks and claps as they succeed.

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The provision requires improvement

Children learn about their community and the wider world through outings to the library, museums and nature walks. They learn about festivals, other cultures and diversity through the resources provided. Children learn basic words from other languages to welcome those whose home language is not English.

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need to do better?

n The childminder focuses her curriculum on children's interests. She plans activities which will expand children's learning and extend their vocabulary. The childminder identifies children's starting points through discussions with parents and undertakes assessments to inform her development plans for children. n The childminder supports children's communication and language development as she provides a narrative of their play. She talks to them using appropriate speech and warm interactions. The childminder uses signing to support all children with their communication. However, she does not always react quickly to remove dummies from children to ensure they are able to babble freely and develop their language skills further. n Although the childminder promotes a curriculum which encourages children to ask questions and promotes their thinking, she does not always pitch activities at the appropriate level for younger children. For example, stories for younger

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need to do better?

children are sometimes beyond their understanding and the books do not always engage them in the way textured or smaller board books may. Children often lose interest in activities, as the childminder does not consistently keep them engaged. This makes the quality of education variable. n The childminder enables children to develop their physical skills through ball play and outdoor play. They shake the musical instruments and clap their hands. Babies crawl and pull themselves to standing, strengthening the muscles in their legs. The childminder supports them as they begin to cruise around the furniture

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need to do better?

12 August 2024 and stand. She understands the next steps in the children's development and how to build on what they can already do. n The childminder meets children's care needs. She knows when they feel tired and puts them to sleep. The childminder provides children with healthy snacks to help promote good health. She ensures children's hands are clean before snacks or baking activities. The childminder checks children's nappies frequently to ensure they remain comfortable. n The childminder has supervision arrangements in place to monitor and support the professional development of any assistants. However, she does not act quickly enough to implement plans to act on all training needs and improve the quality of their work in a timely manner. n The childminder seeks all relevant information from parents prior to children attending her service. She ensures any support required to meet children's individual and additional needs is researched and provided to enable all children

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need to do better?

to progress. n The childminder shares information with parents by providing regular reports on the progress children are making and the next steps in their learning journey. She makes enquiries about what children do at home to enable her to plan activities which expose children to a range of experiences when in her care, for example taking them to the beach.

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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.

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should:

n improve support for children to develop their speech and language by monitoring the use of dummies n build on skills to engage babies more fully and pitch activities appropriate to their level of understanding n support any assistants to acquire knowledge to provide higher levels of teaching and interactions during routine activities and further extend children's learning experiences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2655755 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10340068 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 10 Date of previous inspection 1 March 2024

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2021 and lives in the Belmont area of Durham. She operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder closes for two weeks at Christmas. The childminder holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6. She works with an assistant.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the childminder. n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure that they are safe and suitable. 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 inspector observed the interactions between the childminder, her assistant and children. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

12 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

12 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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