Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2730448 Registered with Ofsted: 28/07/2023 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder rigorously reviews policies and practices that prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. She ensures that children learn to be healthy and active from an early age through well-established, consistent routines that promote responsibility and independence. She provides balanced meals and praises children who independently wash their hands and plates. Long-lasting healthy habits are embedded and children understand the effects of healthy eating on their bodies. They enjoy playing together in the welcoming environment that the childminder has created, such as the well-resourced log cabin in the garden.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Care practices are tailored effectively and consistently to meet individual needs, and warm, positive relationships promote all children's welfare, wellbeing and emotional security. Children take appropriate risks as they play and learn inside and outside. They take responsibility for tasks, such as brushing their teeth, collecting their coats and shoes, fostering independence. All children have a strong sense of belonging, including those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children independently follow the well-structured and embedded routines. For example, when tidying toys, children explain that putting them away helps to keep special resources safe. Throughout the day, children give caring advice to each other on how to exercise, be healthy and happy. Parents report that the children are equally as motivated at home and will help with the cooking and washing up.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, children achieve well from their starting points. All children gain skills that will prepare them for their move on to school. They develop their motor skills effectively, building their strength and coordination in a well-resourced outdoor environment. They practise using tools to mix dough and make marks in stimulating writing and number areas. Older children show they are developing these skills with increasing independence and control.

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Achievement Expected standard

Generally, children learn to express themselves and develop their communication and language well. Children of all ages develop their listening and attention skills effectively. They are interested and engage in the focused group activities that the childminder provides. Children develop their conversation skills, chatting with their friends and the childminder. The childminder promotes children's love of books and reading. They choose from a variety of books that reflect their interests and enjoy looking at books independently, developing their literacy skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children's behaviour with kindness and sensitivity. She teaches them to recognise emotions and links between their behaviour and feelings. She models positive behaviour and listens and responds to children with respect, setting a positive example. Children are considerate and calm. A sense of kindness permeates as the childminder has embedded a respectful culture in which children thrive.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from a range of opportunities that develop their character. For example, the childminder organises weekly visits to a local forest school and community playgroup sessions. As a result, children develop independence and a desire to focus on their learning. Children take pride in their achievements and the achievements of their childminder. They are confident to share and celebrate their talents and interests from home. Children are motivated and interested learners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have an awareness and appreciation of diversity. Inclusive resources, such as books about other cultures, enrich learning, resulting in children widening their understanding of the world around them. Consequently, children quickly develop a sense of belonging and behave well. The childminder works effectively with families to ensure that they understand the importance of regular attendance.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The well-sequenced curriculum is ambitious for all children. The design is planned to promote children's confidence and independence across all areas of learning. The childminder knows how to adapt teaching for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children's physical development is prioritised from the earliest age. The childminder understands the steps to take to help build children's physical strength and skills. She shares her enthusiasm of storytelling and books with children. She creates picture books with familiar story content, which is effective in capturing children's attention, promoting their participation and fostering a deep lasting enjoyment of stories.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder adapts activities by changing resources to meet children's individual needs. For example, when younger children struggle with threading, she provides sturdier string, so they can succeed. This helps to strengthen children's fine motor skills and builds their confidence. She supports children's mathematical development, such as recognising numbers to 10. As children set the table, they help count the cups they need, building early number skills. The childminder uses the natural environment well to teach children about habitats, materials and weather. She introduces new vocabulary and encourages meaningful conversations. Children enjoy talking about their families and are excited to share their achievements.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder makes informed decisions about how best to spend funding to support next steps and progress. Parents are involved in these decisions. The childminder carefully monitors and reviews the impact of additional funding. She ensures that policies and practices promote inclusion for all. For example, recent high-quality training by the childminder has developed sensory play across all areas of learning, and this has had a positive impact on the outcomes of all children. Parents comment on how well the childminder identifies and helps their children, should they need additional support. Parents have a good understanding of how targeted care plans help their children to progress in their development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands and has experience of supporting all children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Appropriate and timely referrals to other agencies are made, when needed. The childminder works in partnership with parents and other professionals to secure support and interventions for children as required.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children and demonstrates an understanding of how children develop. She plans trips to support their physical development and wellbeing. Children have the opportunity to meet others in the community and explore their similarities and differences between themselves and others. This helps them understand that everyone is different and develops social skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder regularly evaluates her provision and welcomes the views of parents to ensure that the setting is meeting the needs of all children. Parents report that they are very happy with the care their children receive. A new home diary has strengthened partnerships and provided ideas for home learning and activities to support children at times of transition.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The experienced childminder understands the importance of assessment. She shares termly targets with parents. The childminder is committed to supporting children's speech and language development. However, she would benefit from accessing further professional development to enhance her strategies and ensure that these are consistently applied. This will help children with possible speech and language delay to make even better progress towards their targets.

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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 thoroughly enjoy attending this safe and welcoming setting. The childminder demonstrates warmth and kindness, offering children regular praise that helps create a caring and supportive environment. She provides an inclusive, homely setting and forms strong, trusting bonds with the children. The childminder responds gently to each child's needs and offers comfort when needed, helping them feel secure and thrive. By praising children's efforts, she helps build their confidence and self-esteem.

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

The childminder shows a strong understanding of how children develop and carefully plans a wide range of activities that help build on what children already know and can do. She watches children as they play and clearly explains what they need to learn, why it is

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Inspector:

Sandra Hamilton important and how she will help them learn it. The childminder models vocabulary, promotes storytelling and provides daily opportunities for children to practise their mathematical skills. Children build new knowledge and develop a love of books.

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Inspector:

The childminder has high expectations for children's welfare and wellbeing. She is a positive role model who treats children with respect and encourages good behaviour and excellent manners. The childminder praises children for their efforts. This helps children to develop good friendships. She values positive relationships with parents and communicates well with them. The childminder regularly evaluates her provision. However, she has not yet made full use of professional development opportunities.

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Next steps

Enhance professional development opportunities to strengthen strategies to support children's speech and language development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder during the 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 : 07:30 - 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 standard 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 standard 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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