Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY474718 Registered with Ofsted: 28/03/2014 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

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, are making progress from their starting points. Children develop skills that help to prepare them for their next stage of learning, including the move on to school or nursery, and experience a smooth transition.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children learn in a calm and stimulating environment and feel settled and valued. They remember what they have learned, make links to previous learning and use language to express their ideas. For example, they excitedly call out that the sun is a circle. Young children practise counting, such as when they count water bottles on the shelf. Children explore numbers through songs and play, speculating and breaking into song as they practise counting together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder and her assistants establish a positive and nurturing learning environment. They are affectionate and respond to the needs of children. They establish clear routines and support children to develop independence and do things for themselves. They recognise children's individual achievements and give them specific praise so that they understand exactly what they are being praised for. Children have a sense of belonging, feel valued and are eager to participate in daily routines. Children enjoy being given responsibilities. For example, they put their shoes in the basket and help to wipe up spilled milk.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has clear expectations. Children are confident, make choices and ask for help. The childminder promotes inclusion. Children are supported to play together, share resources and take turns. They develop warm relationships with adults, and children and are kind, helpful and curious learners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder and her assistants are constantly available for children. They sit among children as they play and learn. The childminder focuses on emotions and supports children to recognise and name feelings, such as 'happy' and 'sad'. Children explore facial expressions and decide how characters in books are feeling. Children make links in their learning and make 'happy' and 'sad' faces with play dough.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's curriculum focuses on developing the skills children need to be ready for the next stage, school or nursery. She gives appropriate importance to promoting social skills, inclusion and communication and language. The childminder and her assistants promote language and communication in all activities. They sit among children so that they are always available. They speak clearly, ask questions, listen and respond to individual children. The childminder interprets and repeats young children's emerging words clearly so that children feel valued and know that they are heard.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder makes clear plans for activities so that all staff understand the intended learning. She is reflective and responds to feedback, which helps her to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of all children. She adjusts activities so that even the very youngest children can be fully involved. For example, she suggests that younger children bring the play dough onto the floor so that they can reach.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children enjoy group sessions of song and dance. Staff use these sessions to model turn taking and introduce new vocabulary. When using music from a digital source, the childminder recognises that this makes it more difficult for children to hear and follow actions. The childminder quickly adapts the activity so children engage and enjoy the action song about sleeping bunnies.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works effectively to promote inclusion and to ensure that every child is valued and supported to reach their potential. She observes children to recognise their individual needs and to identify areas of focus. She collaborates with other professionals and settings so that she can learn more and support children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She puts individual learning plans in place and shares strategies with her assistants so that they offer consistent support for children, for example when helping children to self-regulate.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder and her assistants skilfully support children as they develop the prime areas of learning. They recognise children's interests, learning styles and developmental age and adapt their interactions and activities so that all children are included and motivated to learn.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is a reflective practitioner. She monitors children's progress and makes changes to further improve her practice. Examples include extending the observation process to learn even more about individual children. She evaluates children's needs and spends additional funding wisely, for example on books about feelings and sensory resources to support children's emotional wellbeing. As a result, children are settled, feel valued, have a sense of belonging and are making progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works with 2 assistants. They work as a team and offer consistent support to children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning. The childminder has appropriate expectations for children. She is sensitive, knowledgeable and works closely with other professionals and settings to support children's wellbeing and transitions. Staff promote inclusion and develop close bonds with families. As a result, children feel they belong and make progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder prioritises the wellbeing of staff and supports them in daily discussions with training opportunities and supervision meetings. Staff say that they enjoy their work and feel supported.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective and identifies strengths and areas for development. For example, she is extending the way children are observed and monitored so that it is more purposeful for children and staff.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds close partnerships with parents, who speak positively about their experiences of the setting. She shares information with parents through daily conversations and an online communication platform. Parents say that their children are confident, happy and making progress. They particularly appreciate the family environment and the healthy lifestyle that the childminder promotes.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder provides family meals that are healthy and nutritious. She shares ideas and information with parents to promote healthy choices at home. At snack time, children share healthy foods and choose between milk and water. The childminder differentiates her expectations and encourages children to develop independence, for example by using an open cup. However, babies and young children are not always provided with suitable seating, such as a chair or high chair, when eating. This means that welfare arrangements are not consistently effective and require improvement. The childminder supervises children closely, and they remain within her sight and hearing, which helps to reduce risk.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder has clear policies to support children's welfare and wellbeing. She shares information with parents in daily conversations and through an online communication platform. Parents speak positively about the childminder and say that their children enjoy healthy lifestyles, sociable nutritious meals, outdoor play and regular visits to the park, where they enjoy sports.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder recognises and respects the individual needs of children. She adapts her practice to support children with comfort and reassurance. She recognises the importance of children's belongings and comfort toys and helps them to keep these close and safe.

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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 happy and well cared for in this warm family setting. The childminder greets children as they arrive, and they happily say goodbye to parents. Children know what is expected, and they have a clear routine so that they feel safe. The childminder and her assistants nurture positive relationships with children and their families. They develop close bonds with children so that children have a sense of ownership and belonging. As a result, children feel valued and are confident. Children are happy and included. They follow instructions and become playful learners. Children demonstrate social skills and are polite. They learn to share and take turns as they sing familiar songs and dance.

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

Children choose from stimulating resources and use language well. For example, they ask for help to find a book about dinosaurs. Children develop a love of books and reading, and the childminder shares stories throughout the day, both in groups and with individual children. Books are used to help children learn about emotions. They recognise, name and talk about their feelings.

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

The childminder and her assistants sit low so that they are available for children and promote language and communication. They speak clearly and listen to children so that they can interpret children's emerging language and repeat words back so that children feel valued and can hear the correct pronunciation of words and sounds. Consequently, children are happy, engaged and making progress from their starting points.

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

However, some aspects of day-to-day arrangements are not yet consistently secure and require improvement to ensure that children's welfare and wellbeing are fully supported.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistants and parents 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 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

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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