Childminder in Durham

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 prides herself on the close bonds she builds with children and the relationships she establishes with families. She provides a caring environment where children are encouraged to play and explore at their own pace. A key feature of this setting is the time children spend at local playgroups, which the childminder helps to run. At playgroup, the childminder supports children to develop their skills across all areas of learning and develop important social skills and confidence.

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The provision is good

The childminder has a secure understanding of children's needs. She is passionate in providing support to help children to make progress. The childminder has a clear understanding of the aims of her aspirational curriculum. She works with parents and carers to ensure that children receive a consistent approach to support their ongoing development. As a result, children make good progress in this setting.

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The provision is good

The childminder is patient and calm in her interactions with children. Children benefit from this modelled behaviour. As a result, the setting is calm and children are deeply engaged in their play. The childminder has a dog. She follows risk assessment procedures, including always supervising children when they come into contact with the dog, to help ensure their safety.

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need to do better?

n The childminder has a key focus on supporting children's vocabulary and communication skills. She provides a wealth of stories, songs and rhymes to support this. Through play, the childminder models key words to babies, encouraging them to copy and repeat new words. Babies develop confidence as they receive praise when they practise their communication skills. n The childminder uses close observations and assessments of children's interests and levels of development to plan activities that will support them in achieving their next steps. For instance, when she identifies children who need support to develop skills in concentration, she provides activities they enjoy, such as using balance beams. This is successful in developing children's sustained attention and positive attitudes to learning, as well as supporting their physical development. n The childminder is active in running several playgroups throughout the week,

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need to do better?

alongside other local childminders. She uses the additional space and resources in these settings to provide a wide range of learning opportunities which support children's development. n Although the childminder plans for children's learning at the playgroups, she does not apply the same level of detail to her planning during times when children are in her home. She provides some activities and experiences with less detailed planning and purpose. This means that children do not make the best

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need to do better?

4 June 2025 progress as they could while in the home environment. n There is a particular focus on supporting children's independence skills. For instance, the childminder encourages children to develop skills in self-care, such as dressing and toileting before they go to school. The childminder gives babies praise when they manage to independently eat their lunch, including using a spoon to eat yoghurt. This encouragement supports their self-confidence and motivates them to keep trying. n The childminder makes good use of local amenities to support children's wider development. For example, she uses trips to local parks, farms and the seaside to expand children's knowledge and understanding of the world and provide further opportunities to develop their language skills. n The childminder supports children to access the outdoors in all weathers when attending playgroup. However, she has not evaluated how she can support this

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need to do better?

to a greater extent in her home provision. As such, children are not always able to benefit from fresh air and exercise outdoors as they do not have appropriate clothing to do this comfortably. n The childminder ensures ongoing communication with other settings which children attend. This ensures that there is a joined-up approach to supporting children's development and that key information is passed on to parents. Furthermore, she ensures that children are supported when they transition to other settings, such as nursery and school. This helps these new settings to continue to support children's needs from the point of transition.

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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 focus the planning of the curriculum with greater precision when in the home environment, so that children make even better progress in their learning n strengthen the evaluation of practice to identify areas for improvement when in the home environment, in order to promote the best possible outcomes for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY551178 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10403066 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 14 May 2021

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2017 and lives in South Hetton, County Durham. She operates all year round, from 7:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder provides government funded childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector around the premises and discussed how she ensures that 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 curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and children. n The inspector and childminder carried out a joint evaluation of their observations of the afternoon session. 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

4 June 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

4 June 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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