Childminder in Sheffield

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 Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and settled in the care of the childminder and her assistants. The childminder's daily routines help children to know what to expect. Children listen well to instructions from the childminder. The childminder explains how she uses praise to promote children's positive behaviour. She knows children's interests and provides resources that they enjoy engaging with. As a result, children play well when making choices about their play. They show that they are developing their imaginary play skills. For example, children pretend to stomp with toy dinosaurs or serve food in the toy kitchen.

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The provision requires improvement

On occasion, the childminder joins in with children's play and talks to them about what they are doing. During these times, she positively supports and extends children's play and learning. However, these interactions with children are limited and variable. The planned programme of activities and experiences does not consistently meet children's individual development needs. The childminder does not consistently plan next steps in children's learning that are best suited to their stage of development. This does not ensure that children make the best possible progress in their learning. That said, the childminder is working with support from early years advisers to develop her practice. She is accessing further training to improve her knowledge of how children develop and learn.

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need to do better?

n The childminder does not consistently use her methods of assessing children's progress to identify what they need to learn next. For instance, she focuses on teaching pre-school-aged children how to read words. The childminder does not consider the other literacy skills that children should develop before learning this new skill. This does not help her to plan a well-thought-out curriculum that supports children to build on their skills for their future learning. n The childminder describes some of the skills and knowledge that she aims for children to learn. However, she plans activities and experiences that are not suitably challenging to support children to develop their skills. At times, the childminder and her assistants do too much for children during focused activities. They do not encourage children to explore their own ideas or learn and practise new skills. This does not fully promote children's confidence in their

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need to do better?

own abilities in readiness for the next stage in their education. n The childminder identifies when children may have a learning need or gaps in their development. She understands the processes to follow if a referral to other professionals is necessary. However, the childminder does not actively seek guidance on how to provide more targeted support for children with delays in their learning. This does not ensure that children receive the best support for their development while waiting for a referral to other agencies or professionals.

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need to do better?

17 April 2025 n On occasion, the childminder does not consider how to organise routines and daily tasks to ensure the best use of her own and her assistants' time. This means that sometimes, children do not benefit from high-quality interactions from the most experienced and qualified adults in the setting. Additionally, this does not fully support less-experienced assistants to observe and learn from the childminder's practice to further improve their own skills. n The childminder holds supervision sessions with her assistants. She is supporting them to access further training and early years qualifications. This is helping the assistants to grow their knowledge of their roles and responsibilities. The childminder is working with early years advisers to continue to evaluate her setting. This supports her to identify future areas for development and improvement. n The childminder supports children to be healthy, active and develop their self-

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need to do better?

care skills. For example, children use the toilet and wash their hands with growing independence. They enjoy healthy and home-cooked meals and learn how to use cutlery to feed themselves. The childminder takes children on outings to the soft-play centre. She provides yoga sessions for them. The childminder uses these opportunities to support children to develop their physical skills. n The childminder uses a daily diary to inform parents and carers about their children's routines. Parents say that they feel well informed about their children's experiences. They value the care that the childminder takes to get to know their children's individual needs to help them to feel secure and settled.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

improve the methods for finding out what children already know and can do, to consider children's next steps in learning that are best matched to their ages and stages of development 23/05/2025

p.3

Due date

17 April 2025 ensure that the curriculum is suitably challenging, ambitious and sequenced in a way that supports children to practise and develop the skills that they need for the next stage in their education 23/05/2025

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Due date

seek further guidance on how to provide targeted support for children to close any gaps in their development. 23/05/2025

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should:

n improve the organisation of daily routines and activities to ensure that children receive the highest-quality learning experiences, and to support assistants to be able to observe and learn from good practice to improve their skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 300647 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10396762 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 14 Number of children on roll 20 Date of previous inspection 16 March 2020

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2000 and lives in Waterthorpe, Sheffield. She operates all year round, from 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds a recognised childcare qualification at level 3 and has several assistants who work with her. She offers government funded childcare for children aged between nine months and four years.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the childminder. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about her intentions for the children's learning. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on the children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder, her assistants and the children. n The inspector talked to the childminder's assistants at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector and the childminder carried out a joint observation of an expressive arts and design activity. n The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistants about their safeguarding knowledge and responsibilities. n The inspector spoke with the childminder about the leadership and management of the setting. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documents on

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Inspection activities

request, including documentation to demonstrate the suitability of assistants. n Parents shared their views on the childminder's setting with the inspector.

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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

17 April 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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