Childminder in Staffordshire

Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at the childminder's home-from-home setting. The childminder is extremely experienced. She provides a warm and welcoming environment, where children flourish in her care. The focus on developing children's well-being is a strength of the childminder's practice. The childminder is attentive towards children and responds when they show signs of needing support, such as when they are tired or feeling unwell. Children seek the childminder out for hugs and cuddles. The childminder is clear about what she intends children to learn. She is genuinely kind and gentle in her interactions with children. Children behave well and are polite to each other. They understand the expectations. They follow instructions well and care for each other and look after their environment with pride. Children learn to use their manners and say please and thank you. The childminder provides positive praise for their helpful efforts and achievements,

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The provision is good

contributing to their good sense of self-worth.

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The provision is good

The childminder has a good knowledge of child development. She uses this to carefully observe and assess children's learning before planning appropriately challenging activities to support their next steps in learning. Children benefit from meaningful interactions with the childminder, who gets down to children's level and follows their interests. The childminder works in partnership with parents to build positive relationships with them and their children. For example, she gathers information about children, such as their likes, dislikes and routines. This helps to ensure that children are happy and that they feel safe in her care. Parents comment they like the outings that the childminder takes their children on, which builds the children's sense of belonging as they build new friendships and social skills.

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need to do better?

n The childminder knows what she wants children to learn and shares this learning with parents. Children demonstrate that prior learning is embedded, such as when they anticipate phrases in familiar stories and re-tell them in a variety of ways. n Children are becoming confident talkers. The childminder notices what children do, and talks to them about it. She follows their interests and naturally introduces new words that support their understanding and helps them to build a wide vocabulary. The childminder repeats words to model to children the correct pronunciation and explains how it is used. n Children enjoy playing and speaking with the childminder. They share their ideas during games and enthusiastically join in building a tower of blocks. The children excitedly build it higher and higher, repeating the colour pattern until it wobbles and falls over.

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need to do better?

20 January 2025 n The childminder poses interesting questions as children learn, but she does not always use these effectively to challenge children's thinking. Children enjoy answering questions. However, they are not always given enough thinking time to process questions and share their thoughts and ideas clearly. n Children demonstrate their enjoyment of books. They look through these on their own, carefully examining the illustrations, and also enjoy snuggling up with the childminder to listen to a favourite story. The childminder skilfully maintains their attention. For example, she encourages younger children to explore the illustrations and older ones to predict what happens next. n Children have many opportunities to count and develop good mathematical skills. They practise categorising colours and making patterns, contributing to their good critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Children make good all-

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need to do better?

round progress and prepare well for their eventual move to school. n Hygiene systems are diligently observed and very well embedded into everyday practice. For example, as children cough they put their hand over their mouth and say, 'we catch our coughs'. Practice around food preparation is strong to help to promote children's good health. Children learn about the benefits of healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. n Children enjoy a range of activities that help them develop knowledge of the world around them. They go on regular outings to parks, playgroups, farms, woodlands and animal forests. They relish being physically active. n The childminder is committed to her professional development. She attends relevant training sessions to keep her skills and knowledge up to date. This enables her to reflect on her setting and make changes to consistently develop the service on offer to children. n Parents provide positive feedback and speak very highly of the care provided by

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need to do better?

the childminder. They describe the setting as home-from-home and praise the continued dedication to her provision. Records are shared with parents to keep them informed of their child's progress.

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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 provide children with more time to process their thoughts and respond to questions to enhance their thinking skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297348 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10353591 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 5 Date of previous inspection 16 April 2024

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2004 and is located in Newcastle, Staffordshire. She operates from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday, all year round, except for family and bank holidays. The childminder provides funded early education places for all eligible 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 and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises their early years provision, including the aims and rationale for their early years foundation stage curriculum. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about children's learning and development with a particular focus on communication and language. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and children. n Parents shared their 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

20 January 2025 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

20 January 2025 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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