Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 313696 Registered with Ofsted: 03/11/1992 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has very high expectations for children's behaviour. She constantly models kindness, respect and manners to children. The childminder gives children very specific praise. This helps children to gain a meaningful understanding of what they have done well, such as being 'kind' for passing their friends a toy to share. Children behave very well and engage in warm interactions with each other. They spontaneously cuddle the childminder, demonstrating their close attachments. This contributes to the extremely calm, respectful and purposeful atmosphere in the setting. Children are very keen to join in activities, demonstrating high levels of motivation and attention.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children follow predictable routines well. They listen and understand the childminder's clear instructions, which she adapts for individual children. The childminder teaches children how to complete age-appropriate tasks. For example, at tidy-up time, younger children are familiar with where resources are stored. Older children are keen to help vacuum up the rice after playing in the kitchen. This helps children to learn to respect their environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has a very deep understanding of all families and children's needs. She promotes the importance of regular attendance with families and children. This helps to ensure children do not miss out on any valuable learning opportunities. Children cooperate well with each other as they play. For example, they play with dolls together, showing care and consideration by covering them and pushing them in a toy pram. Children extend this kindness and care to each other, leading to them forming lovely friendships and attachments with the childminder.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a very safe and welcoming environment. She places children's well-being at the centre of everything she does. The childminder reads children stories that help them to understand how to keep themselves safe online. She sends home leaflets to families to help them to continue this message at home.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places a very strong emphasis on children learning about the importance of healthy lifestyles. Children learn to make very positive choices. The childminder provides lots of fresh fruit and vegetables for snack. Children talk about foods that are good for their

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Expected standard

teeth. The childminder works with families to ensure that children bring nutritious and balanced packed lunches. She adheres to all children's allergies and dietary requirements in a sensitive and inclusive way, such as by adapting menus.

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Expected standard

Children play, learn and are active outdoors in the fresh air. The childminder uses the local community to complement her curriculum and develop children's physical skills. She plans trips to parks and soft-play centres for older children who are learning to climb and balance. The childminder teaches children how to understand what they are feeling, such as when they are hungry. Even very young children show high levels of resilience as they play. For example, they show perseverance and determination as they prepare their snack.

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Expected standard

The childminder carefully reviews and adapts her well-established routines to support children's individual needs. For example, children have their own beds, blankets and comforters at nap times. The childminder encourages children to communicate their needs at every opportunity. Children do this very confidently, and the childminder responds in a very calm, nurturing and understanding way.

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Achievement Expected standard

Over time, children achieve well across the curriculum. Children are ready for school and the next stage of their learning. They develop into confident and independent learners in this setting. Children are effective communicators. They are willing to have a go and try new experiences. Children recall previous information and knowledge, making links to their own experiences. For example, when playing in the role-play cafe, children talk about previous baking activities and the process they followed.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their personal and social skills. They share and take turns during their play. Consequently, children play harmoniously together. Children gain an awareness of diversity in an age-appropriate way. They learn about the world around them, for example, through planned visits in the community and through resources and books that reflect differences in people. This helps to prepare children for later life.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses her assessments to plan a curriculum around what individual children need to learn next. She thinks carefully about the vocabulary she teaches children. For instance, children confidently use new words relating to the season of autumn. The childminder plans regular story times and uses props to engage children in books to develop their early literacy skills. She teaches children to understand how they are feeling. This helps children to have the vocabulary to express their emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is aware of the order that children need to develop skills, such as developing their fine motor skills. For instance, she encourages younger children to make marks in coloured rice and empty and fill containers. The childminder models to older children how to make marks in the rice. She teaches older children important self-care skills so they are ready for school, such as using the toilet and washing their hands.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder weaves mathematics through children's activities and play. She encourages children to count how many pieces of pepper they chop up and talk about 'halves'. The childminder supports children to learn about capacity when filling containers. However, at times, she provides more focus on older children during her teaching in planned activities. This means that she does not consistently adapt her interactions to extend younger children's next steps in learning. At these times, younger children are not as deeply engaged in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder welcomes all children and makes sure that she meets all their needs. This helps all children to thrive in her setting. The childminder uses her observations to monitor children's progress and identify any gaps in their development. She works closely with other professionals when children need further support. For instance, she attends children's progress checks at age 2 at home with parents, carers and health visitors, whenever possible. This helps everyone involved with children to have an accurate picture of children's development and put plans in place to support them further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder makes parents aware of the additional funding their children are entitled to. She targets any additional funding to meet children's needs. For instance, the childminder has used funding to buy small sleeping beds for younger children to increase their comfort and quality of sleep. The childminder has experience of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Although she has no children with SEND on roll, she keeps her knowledge up to date of how to help children with SEND in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children with health needs benefit from targeted care plans. The childminder works closely with health professionals to support children's needs. She recognises when families need further support and signposts them to agencies that can help them further, such as early help. The childminder monitors children's attendance patterns to ensure that all children have the same access to activities and outings as part of her curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are very effective. The childminder shares lots of information with parents about their children's learning. She provides daily updates, either verbally or through a messaging app, and progress reports. This helps parents to understand what their children are learning and how they can support them at home. Parents very much appreciate the childminder's input into their children's lives. They comment that their children benefit from the childminder's advice, guidance and support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder networks with other childminders. This helps her to support all children's needs. The childminder has established links with other professionals when she identifies that children need further support. This helps children to close any gaps in their development and flourish in this setting. The childminder has an accurate overview of the strengths in her setting. She takes part in local initiatives to extend children's learning further. For example, the childminder and children worked with a local museum on a project about extending children's vocabulary. However, the childminder does not consistently use her evaluations to plan focused areas for development. This does not help the childminder to focus professional development on extending her practice further.

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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 very happy and settled in the care of this warm and caring childminder. They demonstrate their growing imaginations. Children engage in role play, such as pretending to make ice creams and discussing their favourite flavours. The childminder knows children and their families very well. Children know that the childminder listens to their views and opinions. They choose what they would like to play with from a range of resources the childminder provides around their interests. Children have frequent opportunities to make choices throughout their day. For example, the childminder encourages them to choose either a plate or a dish and what they would like to eat for their snack. This helps children to know they have a voice and their views are valued.

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

Children are extremely engaged in their play. The childminder plans motivating activities that interest all children and help them to make progress. All children are very excited to take part in activities. For instance, they show deep concentration as they explore and investigate coloured rice. Younger children try very hard to fill and empty different containers. Older children persevere to use tweezers to pick up pom-poms. Children show positive attitudes to their learning and develop the skills and knowledge to be ready for the next stage of their education.

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

The childminder adapts her approach carefully to meet all children's care needs. For instance, she makes sure that children with allergies or dietary needs are included by providing nutritious snacks that all children can eat. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their self-care skills. They competently use safety knives to cut up vegetables. The childminder teaches children how to use the knives safely and reminds them to take care.

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Next steps

The childminder should focus her interactions and teaching more precisely on what younger children need to learn next during planned activities. The childminder should use her evaluations to identify specific areas for development to plan more focused professional development opportunities.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 17:00

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder and children during the inspection. She looked at parents' written comments provided for the purpose of 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 inspection

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

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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

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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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