Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY491850 Registered with Ofsted: 24/09/2015 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children typically make progress in all areas of their learning and development and are well prepared for their next stage of learning. They develop key skills through everyday routines and experiences. For example, children learn to independently put on their coats and shoes, which helps them to develop independence and resilience as they keep trying to put them on successfully.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children display high levels of confidence and self-esteem. They are willing to try new things, with the childminder on hand to offer support. Children develop a 'can-do' attitude and the confidence to embrace new challenges. Children make some progress in their mathematical development. For example, they confidently recognise and identify shapes in books.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

There is a culture of kindness, care and respect in the setting. The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour and acts as a positive role model. She teaches essential social skills, such as taking turns and being respectful to one another. The childminder models using manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Strategies such as the 'tidy-up song' are effective in developing children's sense of responsibility for looking after their own space. The childminder plans meaningful, real-life experiences that broaden children's understanding of their community and the wider world. For example, children attend public events, such as the 'Summer of Play' in parks, and take part in the activities on offer. However, the childminder is not always proactive in promptly working with other professionals to fully understand individual children's needs and how she can expertly support these.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children arrive punctually in the morning, ready for the school run. The childminder is quick and decisive in following up on any absences, ensuring the wellbeing of children and their families. Children are familiar with daily routines, and transitions are calm and well managed. Children know what is happening next, which helps them to move easily between activities and generally maintain positive attitudes to learning. Mealtimes are sociable occasions around the dinner table. These routines help children understand expectations and behave well.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Babies and children are nurtured and cared for. They form warm, secure bonds with the childminder, and their emotional needs are met. Children approach the childminder for reassurance, and she provides cuddles and a gentle voice. The atmosphere is calm, and the children demonstrate that they feel safe and content. All children and families are welcomed. Parents report that their children are happy and excited to arrive each morning. Children are settled in familiar routines, including sleeping, mealtimes and trips into the local community.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Children enjoy their learning. They regularly attend a music class, enjoying singing and dancing with other children. At mealtimes, self-care skills are promoted using a handwashing song. Children learn about oral health and practise toothbrushing. The childminder generally talks with children about making healthy choices. She encourages them to drink water instead of juice. The childminder also works with parents to encourage healthy choices at home. The childminder provides warm, nutritious meals, which are adapted for allergies or intolerances, so that all children can enjoy them together. Parents comment on how well their children eat and try new foods at the setting. However, the childminder does not always focus her own professional development sharply on how she can best support the varying needs and changing circumstances of individual children and their families.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum covers all areas of learning and development. The childminder has a clear understanding of what the children know and can do. She assesses children's knowledge through purposeful interactions and plans for any gaps in learning. The childminder works with parents to understand each child's needs. The childminder is generally able to identify gaps in children's learning, but is not yet consistent in drawing on specialist advice to ensure that these gaps are closed quickly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children's physical skills are developed through everyday routines. The childminder has high expectations for children based on their ages and stages of development. Babies explore finger foods to develop fine motor skills and practise using spoons. Older children are encouraged to use cutlery independently at mealtimes. Mathematics is taught explicitly through the activities planned, and the childminder uses words such as 'tall' and 'bigger' during tower building. Parents report that their children make secure progress in counting and recognising shapes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses skilful interactions to extend learning. She models vocabulary clearly, repeats key words and phrases and gives children time to respond. Children enjoy stories and nursery rhymes together. They have regular visits to the local library to develop their love for reading.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows the children well and typically has a secure understanding of their individual needs. In the main, this helps her to recognise where there may be emerging gaps in children's learning and development. The childminder uses her links with her local childminder network when she feels she needs guidance. The childminder has a secure knowledge of how to support children who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder is considering using funding for communication and language assessment programmes to help support her in identifying children's needs promptly and addressing any gaps in children's language development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder maintains strong relationships with parents. She regularly shares information with parents and contributes to any assessments completed by external agencies. The childminder knows who to contact in her local authority to seek support for children who may need additional help with their learning and development. However, at times, she does not seek support from other professionals in a timely manner to help her to tailor her teaching for individual children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has attended training on planning and delivering an effective curriculum. This has strengthened her understanding of what children know and need to achieve next. Generally, her teaching reflects these intentions. The childminder intends for her planning to build on individual children's needs and follows their interests. Background distractions are minimal, allowing children to maintain high levels of focus. Interactions are effective in developing children's communication and language skills. The childminder evaluates and adapts activities throughout the day to ensure that activities support children's stage of development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder considers the individual needs of children and typically acknowledges them in her practice. However, she does not consistently reflect on her knowledge and practice or how she can strengthen her approach to working with parents and other professionals. This restricts her ability to quickly address gaps in children's learning and development to meet their individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are happy with the care their children receive. The childminder often welcomes returning siblings and families. She has clear procedures for recording accidents and medications and communicates daily messages with parents using a communication app. Parents feel well informed and praise the childminder's 'consistent and helpful' care and advice.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children feel safe and happy at this setting. The childminder is nurturing, warm and gentle. She has developed caring and respectful relationships with the children. Children enjoy the inviting activities on offer. They giggle as the childminder performs the actions to 'Baby Shark' while they play with the small-world sea creatures. The childminder gets down on children's level, joining in and modelling play. Overall, children achieve well and make steady and typical progress from their starting points. The childminder uses lots of praise and encourages children to keep trying. For example, she patiently watches as babies stack cups together and celebrates when they achieve their goal. As a result, children display high levels of engagement and are confident to 'have a go' and solve problems.

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Inspector:

Kathryn Walsh The childminder knows the children well. She works with parents and takes time to settle children into her setting. As a result, children feel safe and secure in her care. The childminder has built open communication with parents. She follows up on any absences and encourages parents to return their children to the setting as soon as possible, helping to maintain consistent routines.

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Inspector:

Children develop secure communication and language skills. The childminder recognises and responds to each child's unique ways of communicating, such as using facial expressions, nodding and pointing. This supports children in being confident to express their needs. Children benefit from the childminder's thoughtful use of funding, which pays for memberships to the zoo and other places of interest. Children enjoy visits to parks and open spaces and have opportunities to be physically active outdoors. The childminder uses these experiences to introduce new vocabulary, such as the names of flowers and trees. Children have recently taken an interest in the new young elephant at the zoo. Observing and talking about the animals helps them develop a deeper understanding and care of living things and the world around them.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen partnerships with parents and other professionals to address gaps in children's learning and promptly close these. The childminder should focus her own professional development more sharply on how she can best support children's individual needs.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder during the inspection.

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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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About this inspection

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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standards expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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