Childminder in Lincolnshire

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely happy and settled. The childminder is highly responsive, skilfully adapting children's play activities to ensure each child's individual learning needs are met. Children are highly motivated and eager to take part in the well- considered activities. They are full of wonder as they investigate the natural resources for their autumnal activity. Children relish feeling 'prickly' pine cones, comparing different-sized conkers and smelling cinnamon and dried orange slices. Consequently, children remain deeply engaged in their play. The childminder uses excellent questioning skills to prompt children's thinking. Children have learned this technique and readily use it with the childminder and each other. For example, children encourage the childminder to listen to a rainmaker to see if it sounds like the heavy rain outside.

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The provision is outstanding

Children behave exceptionally well. The childminder is an excellent role model and interacts with kindness, care and respect. In turn, when children hear their friends cough, they ask if they would like a drink of water to help. The childminder takes time to show children new skills. For example, children learn to screw wooden screws into a toy workbench. The childminder knows exactly when to interact with children to build on what they already know and can do and when to allow them to explore. The childminder encourages children to look underneath the workbench. Children are thrilled to see their screws on the other side. This helps children learn cause and effect.

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need to do better?

n The childminder provides an abundance of activities to help develop children's small-muscle skills. This supports their readiness for early writing. Children enthusiastically chop fruit for snack. The childminder models how to use knives safely, which children readily copy. Children exclaim they are using their arm muscles to cut their bananas and grapes. In addition, children use stencils to create drawings of autumn leaves. They remember to hold their stencil still and use their pencil to make an outline of the leaf. The childminder helps younger children position their pencils correctly, enabling them to fully join in with the activity. n Children demonstrate a deep love of books. They negotiate with their friends to choose a book for story time. Children are enthralled as they listen to a story about a tiger who came to tea. The childminder reads with enthusiasm. She encourages children to talk about what they can see in the pictures and predict

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need to do better?

what may happen next. Children remain fully engaged, confidently asking questions and sharing their own ideas. n The childminder embeds early mathematical concepts in everything that children do. Children learn about space, size, colour, number and positional language.

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need to do better?

1 October 2024 The childminder builds on children's interest in shapes as she provides a woodland poster, challenging children to find matching items. Children busily work to find leaves and animals, carefully comparing them to the poster. The childminder extends the children's learning as she encourages them to find things that look similar to the shapes on the poster. n The childminder is highly qualified and values her continuing professional development. She has taken proactive steps, based on recent changes to the early years foundation stage, to undertake safer sleep training. The childminder gathers feedback from others to help her to enhance her practice. For example, she recently sought support from the local authority to help her reflect on and develop her provision. n Children's speech and language skills are extremely well supported. They benefit from being immersed in a language-rich environment, and even the youngest

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need to do better?

children are becoming confident communicators who are developing excellent speech and language skills. The childminder uses effective strategies, such as repeating words clearly, to reinforce children's language skills, and she uses new words during children's play. In addition, the childminder ensures clear mouth movements when speaking to children to promote and model word formation. n The childminder organises activities that help children develop their independence skills. Children freely tidy away when change occurs within the daily routine. They help each other set up activities they have chosen and identify what additional resources they need for their play. The childminder encourages children to do as much for themselves as possible, including expressing their needs and noticing when their friends need help.

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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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Setting details

Unique reference number EY449404 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10366823 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 24 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder lives in Grantham, Lincolnshire. She registered in 2012. The childminder operates all year round, from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds a childcare qualification at level 3. She provides funded 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 they ensure they are safe and suitable. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about their intentions for children's learning. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at the childminders. 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 observed the interactions between the childminder and the children. n The childminder and inspector discussed how the curriculum had been implemented and the impact that this had on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the childminder with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

1 October 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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