Childminder in Oxfordshire

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

The childminder provides an exceptional standard of care and education for children. She creates a warm, inclusive and stimulating provision where all children flourish. Well-qualified and experienced adults deliver the curriculum with expertise. They expertly help children make strong connections between new learning and what they already know. Adults tailor teaching precisely. They ensure an abundance of creative and engaging activities that help children develop essential skills through hands-on exploration and play.

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The provision is outstanding

The childminder skilfully uses local woodlands and outdoor spaces to inspire children's awe and wonder for the natural world. Children display high levels of enthusiasm and confidence in their own abilities as they become immersed in following their own ideas. For example, a young child devises a plan to build a platform to reach the top of a tall tree. They enlist the help of other children, who readily join in, articulately contributing their ideas on how to enhance the building project. Children show excellent levels of concentration and great determination to complete their project, despite some setbacks.

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The provision is outstanding

Adults promote positive behaviour and attitudes in all children, creating and nurturing a respectful environment. They model respectful interactions and sensitively teach children about empathy, kindness and cooperation. Children behave exceptionally well. They show high levels of respect for each other and their environment. Children share resources willingly, take turns and show a keenness to resolve problems for themselves. The childminder celebrates children's achievements, fostering a strong sense of pride and self-worth in each child. Her dedication, skill and passion for her role ensures that children are well prepared for future success.

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need to do better?

n The childminder has expertly crafted a curriculum that identifies the precise knowledge and skills children need to learn, and the order in which they should learn them. Her enthusiasm for learning is contagious, and adults make excellent use of planned activities and spontaneous moments to introduce children to new ideas. Adults offer individualised commentary, which ensures that information is presented to each child in a way that is meaningful to them. Well-placed questions ensure that any misconceptions are quickly corrected. Young children make rapid progress in relation to their starting points. n Children make excellent progress in their communication and language skills. Adults immerse children in a language-rich environment that exposes children to a rich and diverse vocabulary. Children eagerly participate in regular song and rhyme times. They become mesmerised by the childminder's imaginative

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need to do better?

7 November 2024 storytelling, which serves to ignite their love for literature. The childminder fosters children's creativity as she encourages them to make predictions about what might happen next in the story. Children rise to the challenge readily, volunteering their ideas and showing their impressive knowledge of nature and great empathy for the characters in the story. n The childminder provides a wealth of opportunities for mathematics to be woven through the areas of provision. Children enjoy opportunities to solve problems. For example, at snack time, they work out how many slices of banana they need to serve the group. They show great precision as they estimate and cut each slice equally to make sure everyone has a fair share. n The childminder's commitment to fostering children's personal development is exemplary. She provides an exceptionally calm environment and follows a predictable routine that creates a safe space for children to quickly grow in

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need to do better?

confidence. A strength of the provision is the attention the childminder places on listening to children and acting on their views. Children are actively encouraged to contribute to all decisions about their day. They work as a harmonious team, eagerly responding to calls for tidy-up time and taking responsibility for putting the resources away. They excel in confidence and quickly become self-assured learners who are keen to learn and engage in the activities that are on offer. n The childminder fosters children's connection with nature very successfully. Children eat the produce they have grown in the garden from the seeds they have sown and nurtured. They learn about personal safety in an age-appropriate way, demonstrating an excellent knowledge of staying safe when on outings. Children take manageable risks on their weekly nature-based outings. They show an uncompromising determination to persevere at tasks, demonstrating

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need to do better?

high levels of resilience. n Parents are supported to play an active part in their child's learning journey. The childminder supplies them with a wealth of information about their child's progress, including information on how to support children's learning further at home. Parents are complimentary about the excellent service provided. Partnerships with other agencies are established to promote children's safety. n The childminder is resolutely focused on providing an outstanding start to children's learning. She ensures that any assistants she works with attend relevant training. Her diligence and commitment to ongoing personal development is evident in the exceptional quality afforded to children. For example, the childminder has embedded training on utilising local outdoor spaces to excellent effect. The introduction of well-planned, weekly nature-based themed activities ensures that children benefit from practical experiences outside

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need to do better?

in the fresh air that support their critical thinking skills very successfully.

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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 2766453 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10349719 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 7 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder re-registered in 2023. She lives in a residential area of Didcot, Oxfordshire. She operates from 7.15am to 4.30pm, Monday to Thursday, term time only. The childminder holds qualified teacher status. She works with an assistant. She provides funded early years education for children aged nine months to four years.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises her early years provision, including the aims and rationale for her early years foundation stage curriculum. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about the children's learning and development. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on the children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder, the assistant and the children. n The inspector spoke to the children to find out about their time at the provision. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request. n The inspector took account of the written views of parents.

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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

7 November 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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