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 stimulating and welcoming home-from-home setting, where children are happy and settle with ease. She gains detailed information from parents when children start. This helps the childminder to fully understand and meet children's emotional well-being and care needs. Children feel safe and form warm bonds with the nurturing childminder. They readily approach her for reassuring hugs, when feeling tired or a little overwhelmed. Children develop an understanding of the childminder's consistent routines and boundaries, and show confidence when exploring their surroundings. This aids their good behaviour.

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The provision is good

The childminder gets to know children's unique personalities and interests. This knowledge helps the childminder to design a curriculum that appeals to all children. For example, those who are active learners benefit greatly from the trips to the local parks and woods. This is evident when children stand poised in their running positions, say 'ready, steady, go', and run in the open spaces with great power and determination.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from many opportunities to develop their independence skills. For instance, the childminder encourages them to manage their personal care, such as taking off and putting on their shoes, and washing their hands before sitting down to eat. Children show immense pride when doing things for themselves. They take on roles of responsibility with commitment, such as recognising which water bottles belong to each child and handing them out in preparation for lunch. These skills that children learn help to successfully prepare them for their next stage in education.

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need to do better?

n The highly knowledgeable and experienced childminder continually strives to provide a high quality of care and education. She is firmly committed to her own professional development to help improve her practice, which has a positive impact on children's development. To drive further developments, the childminder reflects and adapts her provision regularly and seeks feedback from parents and other professionals, such as the local authority early years advisers. Their views help to make successful improvements to the service she offers. n The childminder skilfully develops children's communication and early literacy skills. Older children readily speak to the childminder, their friends and new visitors. The youngest children hear key words and repeat them with growing confidence. The childminder provides children with several opportunities to develop their mark-making skills. Older children hold a pencil correctly and begin

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need to do better?

to draw in a controlled way. They take great pleasure in sharing their creations with the childminder and want to take them home to show their family.

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need to do better?

24 September 2024 n Children develop a true love for books. The childminder provides a selection of information and story books based on themes, such as autumn. She adds props to bring children's stories to life. For example, children learn about owls as the childminder reads to them. They listen attentively, acquire new words and try to use them, such as when they hold a toy owl and say their eyes are 'big' and 'round'. In this way, children show a good recall of words they learn. n The childminder follows a theme-based curriculum, which provides activities and experiences across all areas of learning. For instance, on outings to the park the childminder draws children's attention to the changing colours of leaves, which happens in autumn. The childminder regularly observes children at play and makes ongoing assessments of what they know and can do. Although children enjoy the activities the childminder provides, on occasions she does not

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need to do better?

consistently build on individual children's existing knowledge and skills to extend their learning even further, helping them to achieve their full potential. n When children move on to other settings, including schools, the childminder shares relevant information about each child's ability and learning style. The childminder fosters strong relationships with the local providers in order to prepare children for what to expect. This includes when the children's class teachers visit them in the childminder's home to get to know them before starting. This supports children's continuous development and helps them settle quickly at their new setting. n Partnerships with parents are a key strength. The childminder is proactive in giving parents information packs about the topics she will be following next. She provides parents with words related to the theme. This enables them to practise these at home. The childminder offers an inclusive service and involves parents

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need to do better?

in this to support children who speak English as an additional language. For example, she gathers key words in children's home languages, which she uses alongside the English equivalent, to help familiarise themselves with the words. The combined efforts of the childminder and parents successfully support children's all-round development.

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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 strengthen the planning and delivery of activities to build on children's existing knowledge and skills more sharply.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 116920 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10362724 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 9 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 1993 and lives in Reading, Berkshire. She operates Monday to Thursday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round. The childminder is eligible to receive funding to provide free early education for children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises their early years provision, including what they want children to learn. 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 carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the childminder. n Parents shared their written views of the setting with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

24 September 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 September 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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