Childminder in Wiltshire

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's sensitive and nurturing approach helps children feel at ease in her care. Routines are centred around children's individual care needs. The childminder is swift to read children's cues, such as when they are tired or unsettled. She sensitively responds to what they need. This helps children feel secure and valued.

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The provision is good

The childminder creates a varied curriculum to match children's learning preferences. For example, she delivers much of her curriculum outdoors in her garden and local area. This helps to meet the needs of children who are physically more active. Children's play outdoors is unhurried. They are given plenty of time to explore their ideas and make connections with their previous learning. This is evident when children remain focused, use their imaginations and re-enact scenarios, such as making pretend lunch for toy ducks in the play kitchen while singing a song about ducks.

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The provision is good

Books are an important feature at this setting. The childminder fully supports children's love for stories. She reads a range of books related to seasonal themes, such as about pumpkins at autumn time. Children sit still and listen attentively at story times, showing they are aware of the childminder's expectations around acceptable behaviour. The childminder uses a gentle approach to encourage good manners and politeness. Children show a keen respect towards others, using 'please', 'thank you' and 'you are welcome' appropriately.

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need to do better?

n The knowledgeable childminder is passionate about providing a high standard of education and care. She regularly attends training to further her knowledge of child development and best educational opportunities for children. The childminder recently took part in training on how to improve children's language skills further. This has given her new teaching strategies to support children to become confident and competent talkers. n Developing children's good communication and language skills is a strong priority for the childminder. She skilfully models a wealth of language to extend children's vocabulary in context. For instance, she helps to clarify children's thinking when they say some of the blueberries they eat at snack time are 'good' and others are 'bad'. She gives them a choice of descriptive words, such as 'sweet' or 'sour'. The childminder then models 'good blueberries are sweet' for children to hear and begin to apply.

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need to do better?

n In general, the childminder's teaching supports children's learning and development well. As part of her evaluation, she has recognised that her knowledge of teaching early mathematical concepts needs further improvement.

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need to do better?

29 October 2024 At times, it is clear that she overlooks ways to help children securely remember the new knowledge, before moving on to new concepts and learning. For instance, the childminder encourages children to count and recognise numbers to 10 when some children have not fully understood the lower numbers yet. n Children freely access the childminder's well-resourced garden and practise their gross and fine motor skills in the fresh air, such as practising balancing on scooters and playing throw and catch games with balls. In addition, children focus well as they make controlled marks with chalks. They delight in telling the childminder what they are drawing, adding specific features as they go along. These skills help to prepare children for future learning. n The childminder promotes children's independence in daily routines. Children develop impressive self-care skills from an early age. The childminder has high

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need to do better?

expectations around what children can manage for themselves. Children use tissues to clean their noses and show immense perseverance to put on their boots for outdoor play. In this way, they become increasingly self-sufficient. n Children of all ages generally play in a calm and gentle way. However, when a minor disagreement occurs between children, the childminder is sometimes too quick to intervene to resolve the issue. This does not allow children an opportunity to apply any of the behavioural strategies they have been taught. In this way, children are not able to consider ways to deal with small conflicts cooperatively. n Parents are extremely complimentary about the childminder's provision. They report how enthusiastic their children are to attend each day. Parent partnership is open and effective. For example, the childminder and parents work together to successfully provide their children with a more varied diet. This helps to

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need to do better?

create a more collaborative approach to supporting children's ongoing care.

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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 review and improve the mathematics curriculum to sequence children's learning more consistently n allow children more opportunities to apply strategies they have learned to negotiate and play cooperatively by themselves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY542948 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10367455 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 8 February 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2017. She lives in Melksham, Wiltshire. The childminder works on Monday to Thursday, from 8.30am to 3.30pm, throughout the year. She is eligible to receive funding to provide early education for children aged nine months to four years. The childminder holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder spoke to the inspector about the early years curriculum she offers children. 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 and the childminder carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n Parents shared their written views about the education and care their children receive. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

29 October 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

29 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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