Childminder 2691879

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

The childminder plans rich and expansive educational programmes, particularly for those over two. She enriches children's experiences through exciting outings and visitors that help them to learn about their community, the natural world and people who help us. For example, children interact with farmers, who arrive on tractors, and police officers, and they also visit animal parks. This helps children to excel and develop a love of learning, in readiness for going to school. Children engage well, for example, as they develop literacy, mathematical and imagination skills while playing harmoniously in the role-play shop. However, the childminder does not plan well enough for children under two years. As part of this, she does not deploy adults, or use space and resources well enough, to fully promote their care, learning and developmental needs.

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The provision requires improvement

Children receive a warm and friendly greeting, which helps them to enter happily and settle quickly, including new children. Children develop independence as they scoop cereal, pour milk, chop up fruit and serve their healthy vegetable pasta lunch. Children are at ease with those who care for them, which helps to foster aspects of their emotional well-being. Children manoeuvre wheeled toys, place circular cereal onto dried spaghetti and excitedly move to music while singing and using tapping sticks. Such activities help to develop their language, creative and physical skills. Children learn respectful and kind behaviours and other important social skills, such as sharing and building friendships. They enjoy the highly sociable registration time, activities and songs.

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need to do better?

n The childminder often bases her curriculum around interesting monthly themes. She provides a wealth of linked activities and resources that promote children's all-round learning. However, she does not take full account of children under two's stage of development and interests. Consequently, they do not engage well enough and daily routines are not always effectively planned and organised to meet their needs. n The organisation of the key-person system does not fully meet the needs of children under two. For example, they do not receive good enough support and interactions, to prevent them from wandering around, and to fully promote their welfare, confidence and motivation to learn. n Although there are weaknesses in the provision for children under two, they engage incidentally with particular activities and resources set out for everyone. For example, babies develop small-muscle strength as they shake instruments

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need to do better?

and feel the texture of the sand. Young children fill and empty containers during sand and water play in the garden, and pat and squeeze dough. n The childminder reads stories enthusiastically and provides a lively narrative as

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need to do better?

6 February 2025 children engage in activities. This helps to build on children's early language skills. Babies hear ample language while being fed, which helps them learn to link words to actions. Young children babble away while listening to a simple story. They learn new words while feeling the different textures in the tactile book. All children delight in joining in with the 'good morning' train song. n The childminder works in close consultation with parents as children settle. She encourages parents to share photographs for topics, such as 'All about me', where children create family trees and learn about everyone's uniqueness. n The childminder's qualification, self-evaluation and continued professional development has a positive impact on certain aspects of her practice. A key area of improvement has been the creation of a richly resourced outdoor playroom. This provides older children with more adult-led challenging activities, in

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need to do better?

readiness for going to school. However, the childminder does not always make the best use of this additional space when numbers are high to support younger children's play. n The childminder holds regular supervision meetings with her assistants. However, her mentoring, coaching and training is not good enough, especially given that they hold the role of key person. The childminder has recently introduced an online training system to develop her own and her assistant's knowledge and practice. Advanced safeguarding training, attended by all, has a positive impact on keeping children protected from abuse. n Overall, the childminder instils children's understanding of practices that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. For example, children learn to wash their hands before eating. They learn about good oral health through the childminder's creative homemade activities. However, older children are not learning to

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need to do better?

recognise when they need to wipe their runny noses, as part of their own self 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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Due date

6 February 2025 improve the curriculum for children under two by fully considering their individual needs, interests, and development when planning care routines, activities and the learning environment 06/03/2025

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Due date

improve the key-person system to ensure that babies' and younger children's care and learning is fully tailored to meet their individual needs, including by ensuring they receive better levels of support and attention 06/03/2025

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Due date

provide more effective and targeted support, coaching and training for assistants, in order to improve their personal effectiveness. 06/03/2025

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should:

n increase older children's understanding of hygiene practices that contribute to their own self care.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2691879 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 10368616 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 12 Number of children on roll 18 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2022 and she lives in Castleford. The childminder usually works with another childminder and an assistant. However, she is currently working with two assistants. The childminder is open Monday to Thursday, from 8am to 5.30pm, and on Fridays, from 8am to 5pm. She operates all year round, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds early years professional status and her assistants hold early years qualifications at level 3. The childminder offers government funded childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the suitability and safety of the childminder's premises. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about how she organises her early years provision and implements the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during indoor and outdoor activities and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The childminder and the inspector regularly discussed the activities and care routines taking place, and the interactions between children and the childminder's assistants. n The inspector spoke to children and the childminder's assistants during the inspection. She also gained parents' views face-to-face and via emails. n The childminder shared a sample of relevant documents, including photographic evidence of children's 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

6 February 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

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