Childminder in Kent

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 experienced childminder provides a warm, caring and homely environment for children. She strives to support all children to feel settled, safe and ready to become confident and happy learners.

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The provision is good

The childminder is very good at supporting the emotional well-being of all children. She has a calm manner and speaks to children about how they feel. The childminder regularly offers cuddles and hand-holding for reassurance. This supports new children to settle quickly and to begin to feel like they belong.

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The provision is good

The childminder listens to parents and talks with them about what their children enjoy. She then ensures that she includes this feedback in the activities she provides. She gives children lots of choice in the resources they would like, including which stories and songs are their favourite. Children engage and focus for long periods of time with puzzles, and they smile as they follow the actions to familiar nursery rhymes.

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The provision is good

Children make good progress from their starting points. The childminder regularly observes the children and uses parents' feedback to provide appropriately challenging activities. She has clear and focused next steps that support the children to build on the knowledge they already have. For example, children enjoy reading a story about birds and listening to the different sounds they make. Later in the day, they go out for a walk to see if they can hear and identify those birds. The childminder is focused on ensuring that children leave her ready to go on to their next step with confidence and a love of learning.

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need to do better?

n The childminder uses effective assessment and planning to provide an ambitious curriculum. She has a good knowledge of all the children and the different ways in which they learn. This supports her to identify appropriate next steps and which activities best target those areas for each individual child. n The childminder promotes a love of reading, and children regularly ask her to read to them. She provides a variety of stories, including song and action books, which the children enjoy. Children hear lots of language during the day, and older children engage well in conversations. However, at times, the childminder is less consistent when supporting younger children to develop their communication and language skills. For example, sometimes she does not check the children's understanding of new vocabulary. n The childminder builds close and trusting relationships with the children and their families. She provides regular updates on how the children are and what

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need to do better?

they are learning. She sends ideas for home learning, so parents can support

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need to do better?

26 September 2024 and further extend their children's learning at home. n Children mirror the childminder's gentle and caring nature. They often listen and comment when their friends are sad or happy. The childminder uses words of encouragement to support children to share resources and understand how their friends are feeling. She uses lots of positive praise for kind behaviour. Children like to offer each other toys and sit close together as they play. n The childminder ensures that children have plenty of opportunities to socialise with larger groups of children of different ages. She often takes them out to local groups, the play park and the beach, and spends time with other childminders. Older children join the setting after school and enjoy interacting and playing with the younger children. n The childminder is successful at supporting children to become independent. For example, she teaches them where resources belong. Children are good at

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need to do better?

helping to tidy away toys, telling the childminder where they go. They enjoy washing their own hands with the childminder's supervision and praise. All children are encouraged to independently feed themselves, and the childminder is always close by to offer help and reassurance if it is needed. n The childminder has implemented and embedded rules and routines that the children are very familiar with. This supports children to feel settled and safe as they know and understand the routine of the day. The childminder talks with children about safety and why certain rules are needed, such as sitting properly on the sofa. Children are beginning to learn about road safety on their daily walks out and about. n The childminder is good at reflecting on and evaluating her own practice. She is keen to try new resources and ways of teaching, and she adapts these to provide the best outcomes for children. For example, she recently introduced

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need to do better?

story props to extend the attention span and involvement of the younger children. The childminder is proactive at seeking out new information, guidelines and relevant training to continually improve her knowledge and teaching skills.

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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 teaching strategies to consistently support younger children to develop their language and communication skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY539843 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10364243 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 31 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2016 and lives in Deal, Kent. She provides care from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday, for most of the year. She holds a relevant childcare qualification at level 3. The childminder provides funded care and early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how she ensures that they are safe and suitable. n The childminder and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the childminder's intentions for children's learning. n The childminder and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and the children, and considered the impact on learning.

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Inspection activities

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

26 September 2024 26 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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