Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY414808 Registered with Ofsted: 31/08/2010 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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 are extremely confident, and their knowledge of early reading, writing and mathematical skills means they are very well prepared for starting school. Children develop their communication and language skills exceptionally well. They engage in meaningful back-and-forth conversations with the childminder, developing confidence and fluency. Children benefit from the childminder's high-quality interactions and make strong progress across all areas of learning. They develop friendships and readily involve each other in their play. Children learn self-care skills as they wash they own hands, manage their own toileting needs and dress themselves. Children show growing independence and problem-solving skills. The youngest children are taught to ask for help when needed, and older children are confident in their skills to support peers with their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder supports children's behaviour extremely well. She is calm and consistent in her approach to behaviour, which, in turn, creates a respectful and nurturing atmosphere and relationships. The childminder has consistently elevated expectations of behaviour and skilfully shares these with children. For example, through carefully selected storybooks and conversations, children learn how to play kindly, collaboratively and respectfully with others. Children learn to understand the consequences of their behaviour and form excellent bonds with each other and with the childminder.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder skilfully adapts her approach based on each child's age and experiences, to teach children to make links between their behaviour and how they feel. This allows all children to learn about and explore their own emotions. Additionally, the childminder has a wide range of resources to further support children's learning about regulating their emotions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder monitors children's attendance patterns. Although the current cohort of children's attendance is consistently high, she understands the actions that she would take should she have any concerns about a child's attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children from an early age develop a positive understanding of healthy lifestyles. They spend time playing outside and visiting places of interest in their local community. The childminder actively encourages healthy eating. This includes her planning nutritious snacks and meals made by the childminder from fresh ingredients. Lunch is well organised and contributes effectively to children's independence. Children pour their own drinks and use forks, spoons and knives skilfully. The youngest children quickly learn to feed themselves independently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has an important level of awareness of developing strong emotional attachments with children when they first start. She uses information effectively from parents and carers when children start to ensure that each child's care routine is tailored to meet their individual needs. As a result, children settle quickly and form positive attachments with the childminder, supporting them to feel secure and safe and thrive in her care. The childminder helps children to understand the often-powerful emotions they feel. This helps children to share their emotions with her in a safe and supportive space.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder discusses weaning arrangements in advance with parents and carers and provides alternative meals when needed. The youngest children sleep in travel cots in separate rooms downstairs. Highly effective sleep routines mean that children sleep safely. The childminder's calming routine ensures that children settle to sleep quickly. She supervises self-care routines for older children, while still ensuring their independence and privacy.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder knows each child in depth and uses this deep understanding to deliver an ambitious, interest-led curriculum that consistently engages and excites children. The childminder's curriculum is inclusive and thoughtfully sequenced. She draws on her deep understanding to plan purposeful experiences that build on what each child knows and can do. The childminder expertly uses children's love of songs to support their rapid language development. Stories and songs feature frequently throughout the day. Children excitedly join in with the words and actions to familiar songs and stories. Mathematics is embedded in everything that children do. The childminder expertly promotes a love of mathematics and number. She frequently introduces new mathematical concepts to the children, such as talking about shapes, size, capacity and number.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder skilfully supports children to build positive relationships and develop early social awareness. She regularly takes them to local community activities, giving them valuable opportunities to mix with others and learn social skills in real situations. The childminder also supports children to understand the need for consistent personal hygiene routines. Children develop positive attitudes and a sense of responsibility towards their own personal care. Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. In the well- planned large garden, children develop balance and spatial awareness.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder places a strong emphasis on increasing children's self-confidence, emotional self-regulation and independence. She shares the joy of children's discoveries and learning, while giving them opportunities that enrich their emotional development. The childminder uses rigorous assessment to keep on top of children's wellbeing and continuous learning. This enables the childminder to identify any emerging gaps in children's learning and development. As a result, she implements targeted and individual support to ensure that gaps in children's development close quickly.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is passionate that all children develop a keen sense of identity, inclusion and respect for differences. She demonstrates an expert knowledge of child development. The childminder uses her understanding to design a responsive and fluid learning environment that is shaped around children's individual, unique needs and interests.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The experienced childminder recognises the importance of gathering information from parents and carers about their children's early experiences and initial starting points. She uses this information, alongside her assessments, to inform her planning and to take children on a purposeful journey with their learning. The childminder ensures that she has the most relevant and up-to-date knowledge on any barriers the children in her care may be facing. She is proactive in seeking out additional training and support, meaning children can be assisted to overcome any difficulties at the earliest possible point. She is aware of how to appropriately use any early years pupil premium funding that children may receive, to minimise the impact of any disadvantage the child may face. The use is determined by the specific child's needs to guarantee targeted support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Communication with parents is continual. The childminder shares frequent, honest and detailed information about children's experiences and progress. She accesses early support promptly, in addition to supporting parents to make a referral to the appropriate external professionals. The childminder shares her extensive knowledge and signposts parents to pertinent advice and information forums. This allows parents to better promote their children's learning at home. Additionally, it supports all children to make consistent and excellent progress across all areas of their learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder, in partnership with her co-childminder, uses self-evaluation effectively to help prioritise continuous improvement. This helps the childminder to maintain the excellent quality of their practice and provision. Together, they use their thorough and reflective self- evaluation to raise relevant targets that continually improve the outcomes for children. The childminder prioritises ongoing training. The positive impact of this continuous professional learning is evident throughout this excellent provision.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder collaborates closely with parents and carers, the local authority and other agencies. She attends meetings with the local authority to share her knowledge and share insights. The childminder also reaches out to the local authority regularly for advice and support. These strong professional relationships enable the childminder to seek timely advice and targeted support, particularly when working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Partnerships with parents are a significant strength of the setting. This ensures that parents are extremely well informed about their child's health, wellbeing and progress. The childminder sets herself elevated expectations. Her dedicated professional approach to improving the quality of her provision makes a significant positive difference to children's education and care. As a result, children are extremely well prepared at the time of

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

The childminder promotes a strong sense of belonging for children. She uses special books that feature children's activities, and family photos are used to promote children's emotional security and pride. Children eagerly share these books confidently.

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

Children recall their experiences with the childminder and their families, showing they feel valued and emotionally secure. They display a strong sense of independence and responsibility. Children confidently manage self-care routines, such as putting on their coats and shoes and attempting fasteners. The childminder embeds hygiene practices effectively, and children demonstrate a secure understanding, explaining why handwashing is important.

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

Children demonstrate impressive decision-making skills. For example, when choosing which resources to use to design their Christmas tree, children take time to consider their options carefully, showing confidence, autonomy and thoughtful reflection. This clearly reflects the childminder's success in fostering independent and capable learners. The childminder actively prepares children for a successful transition to school. She understands the skills they will need and plans purposeful activities that build a solid foundation for children's future learning.

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Inspector:

Beverley Devlin The childminder swiftly identifies when children may require additional support, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Her knowledge of local services is excellent, to enable the childminder to collaborate with various professionals quickly when needed. This supports her to tailor her teaching methods to ensure that all children achieve the best possible outcomes. The childminder promotes a culture of regular attendance, which sets the tone for positive attitudes to attendance when children move to school. This ensures that all children benefit from accessing a full and rich curriculum entitlement.

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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 disadvantaged learners, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-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: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday : 08:00 - 18:00

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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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