Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY412637 Registered with Ofsted: 28/07/2010 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 Strong standard

Children receive the foundations to support them in their next stage of learning. The sharp focus on supporting children's wellbeing ensures that they are well prepared for their transition to school. Children take part in action songs and games to develop their large- muscle strength. They experience a wide range of trips and visits to widen their knowledge about the world around them.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop age- and/or stage-appropriate knowledge and skills across the seven areas of learning. They are well prepared for their next stage in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder sets very high and age-appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. Consequently, children behave extremely well and know what is expected of them. For example, they remove their shoes when they come into the home and help to tidy way their toys when asked to do so by the childminder. Children are motivated to learn. They independently select toys and resources and show great respect for their learning environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They have a warm relationship with the childminder. Children enjoy hugs and cuddles and respond to the childminder's interactions with smiles as they lean in to read a book together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder sensitively responds to children's feelings and emotions. She encourages children to express their feelings through words such as 'sad' and 'upset'. This helps children to understand and distinguish between different emotions and develop their skills in regulating their feelings. The childminder promotes the importance of attendance and punctuality with families. Through building strong relationships with parents and carers, they understand the childminder's procedures for reporting any absences. This supports children and families to build very positive habits for their futures.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are supported very well by the childminder. The childminder provides a safe and stimulating environment where children thrive. Furthermore, she recognises that in supporting children's emotional wellbeing, this builds on their confidence and independence skills. Children enjoy home-cooked, healthy meals and snacks that the childminder provides. Furthermore, children learn where their food comes from as they pick their own fruit and herbs that have grown in the garden.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children practise their own self-care routines. For example, they instinctively cough into a tissue and know when to wash their hands. Additionally, the childminder works with external agencies to help children to learn about keeping themselves safe. The childminder skilfully uses daily routines, such as mealtimes and physical care routines, as opportunities for teaching and learning. For example, she supports children to develop their fine motor skills through cutting up their fruit and spreading butter on their toast. The childminder teaches children about germs and why they need to wash their hands. These routines and experiences help children to develop long-lasting healthy habits and provides a strong foundation for self-care and staying safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder constructs a highly ambitious curriculum that is well planned and sequenced to meet children's individual age and stages of development. She builds her curriculum around children's interests, weaving in themes, such as seasons and cultural festivals.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children develop a love of language, stories and books. Their day is full of conversation and narration. The childminder weaves core stories throughout the learning environment, which fosters children's imagination and creativity. For example, when reading the story 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea', the childminder further extends the story through role play as they pretend to eat the cake in the story. She seamlessly provides back-and-forth commentary to extend children's language and vocabulary. The childminder uses what she knows about the children to weave mathematical concepts into the daily activities and routines of the setting. For example, when discussing a family pet, the childminder introduces concepts such as size, colour, and, during lunchtime, children compare shape and size of fruits.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides children with many opportunities to be physically active in their play through action songs and games and outside play in the garden. This helps to develop their large-muscle strength. Furthermore, the childminder provides children with many opportunities to be physically active in their play.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder also leads a local playgroup where she arranges other professionals, such as the police and the fire brigade, to talk to children about their roles. This helps children to learn about those that help them in the community. Additionally, the childminder recognises that attending such groups helps children to further develop their social skills and build relationships with other children. The childminder uses these experiences to help children to make sense of the world around them and be very well prepared for their future learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder welcomes all children at this nurturing home. She uses information from parents and carers, along with her own assessments to identify children's developmental needs. The childminder adopts a graduated approach through monitoring and reviewing children's progress regularly. This helps to identify and reduce any barriers to learning that children may face. She recognises when children find it difficult dealing with changes to their routines and expertly adapts her teaching to help children understand why things have changed. Furthermore, she has a secure understanding on how the use of additional funding can be applied to help children to develop. This means that all children are well supported to overcome any possible barriers to their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents and professionals to share resources and strategies to provide a consistent approach in supporting children's learning. Parents comment on how such an approach has had a significant impact on their child's ability to fully engage and participate in all areas of their learning and development. The childminder provides children with many opportunities to be part of their community. This helps children to develop positive attitudes to diversity and inclusion. The childminder recently accessed training to help her should she care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in the future. She recognises that the impact of such training has helped to broaden her skills and knowledge to ensure that all children are well prepared for their next steps in life.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder strives to continuously improve her practice. Through self-reflection and analysis of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement, she has a consistent focus on improving outcomes for children. The childminder has undertaken a wide range of professional development to ensure that her skills and knowledge are current. Furthermore, she works with a group of childminders to share best practice, which has helped her to further improve her own practice.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works effectively with parents and carers, who report that they value her warm and approachable manner. They appreciate the progress their children make. Parents feel that communication is excellent, with daily updates, progress reports and the use of a parents' app that help build consistency between their home and the childminder's home. Parents also highlight the childminder's loving approach to promoting positive behaviour, cooperation and social skills, such as sharing and including younger siblings in play. The childminder works in close partnership with local schools and local authorities to promote continuity of care and to support children's ongoing learning and wellbeing. Parents comment on how the advice and guidance they have received from the childminder has helped their children transition into their next stage in learning with confidence.

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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 are placed at the heart of this exciting, loving and homely learning environment. The childminder ensures that she builds strong relationships with children and their families before they start. This helps her to understand children's routines, needs and interests. The childminder builds on this information to learn about what children know and can do. Consequently, children are happy, safe and demonstrate that they feel secure in the home. The childminder has an impressive knowledge of children's individual capabilities, learning styles and what makes them individual. All children make excellent progress in their learning and development.

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Inspector:

Anita Dunn The childminder supports children to develop a love of language and literacy. Their day is full of conversation and narration. Children snuggle in with the childminder to read their chosen story book. The childminder extends children's vocabulary and knowledge as she introduces new words such as 'tartan', 'kilt' and 'Scotland'. Spontaneous songs and rhymes are heard frequently throughout the day. Consequently, children are confident communicators.

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Inspector:

The childminder places a strong focus on supporting children's health and wellbeing. She provides home-cooked and healthy meals, introducing children to foods from around the world. The childminder invites children to choose and prepare their snacks, which helps to develop their independence skills. Additionally, she has carefully organised her home to provide children with quiet spaces where they can relax. Children know the routines well and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in this setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, the children and the parents and carers 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: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00

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About this setting

Local authority: Cheshire West and Chester

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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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