Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 134735 Registered with Ofsted: 27/10/1999 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

Children develop well into confident communicators. They are able to express their needs to the childminder and to enter into back-and-forth conversations with each other. Children learn to use resources with purpose, such as by making pretend meals for each other. They develop secure hand–eye coordination and enjoy an active lifestyle. For example, children are keen to spend time outside, playing energetically. They learn to recognise numbers and to begin to solve simple mathematical problems, such as to sequence numbers in the correct order. Children learn to do things for themselves, in preparation for starting school. They become increasingly independent in meeting their own personal care needs, including with their toileting. All children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities typically make suitable progress from their starting points.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has created a happy and positive environment. Children show they feel very much 'at home', calling the childminder by name and responding to her cuddles and reassuring words when needed. The childminder instinctively, and consistently, helps children learn about acceptable behaviour. She thanks children for their help, gives gentle reminders about the need to share and, when needed, shows children what this means. Through their play, children have lots of opportunities to consider each other's needs and put what they have learned about sharing into practice. For example, the childminder encourages children to ask each other for tools as they play with the dough. The childminder encourages prompt and regular attendance and understands the need to follow up promptly if this is not the case.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The warm and secure attachments between the childminder and the children are very evident. Children see the childminder as someone they can trust. For example, when young children are a little unsure about a situation, they instinctively seek out the childminder's comfort and reassurance. They receive gently reassuring words and lots of cuddles and soon feel confident to rejoin their friends to play and learn. Children show they are learning well to express their emotions in age-appropriate ways. The childminder diligently meets children's care needs. She teaches children how to wash their hands and manage their own toileting. She organises her day so that children get the rest, sleep and active play they need, adapting what she does so that individual needs are met. She helps children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, she teaches children how to climb equipment safely. She encourages healthy habits at mealtimes, for example, by

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

sitting with children, enjoying the same snack and talking positively about the different fruits children are trying. This helps children build healthy habits for the future.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder builds an accurate overall picture of what children know and can do. However, she does not consistently use what she knows about children to plan experiences that specifically match their current learning needs. This means that, at times, although children enjoy what they do, they are not fully supported in their learning. Overall, due to the quality of her teaching and her effective use of spontaneous learning opportunities, children's learning needs are generally well met. She ensures that learning experiences are well matched to children's developmental stage, adapting what she does when needed, to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She focuses very well on children's emotional development. She builds very warm relationships with children and models kindness and consideration towards others in all that she does. She is equally as effective in supporting children's language development. She consistently talks

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

with children in thoughtful ways, giving a narrative to their play, asking questions that children enjoy answering and planning daily opportunities for children to listen to stories. She also ensures that children have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills, such as through dough play, where she focuses well on encouraging children to push, stretch and manipulate the dough. The childminder plans activities to teach children about numbers, shapes and other mathematical concepts.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of how to identify children who may need extra support to reach their full potential. She has suitable arrangements for monitoring all children's progress to enable her to identify gaps in learning. When a child has recognised special educational needs and/or disabilities, the childminder works with staff at other settings children attend to help ensure that children receive a consistent approach to meeting their needs. When planning for such children, she focuses her attention on what they will most benefit from learning next. For example, the childminder concentrates on key words that help children communicate their needs and models simple play skills to help children interact with other children. She liaises effectively with parents to ensure that she has a clear understanding of the support they are receiving from other professionals, so she can take this into account in her planning for children's individual needs. The childminder is

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Inclusion Expected standard

clear that any additional funding must be used to support the specific needs of each child who is in receipt of this.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has accurately identified that she is meeting children's care and learning needs effectively. She understands the value of working closely with parents to ensure that children's needs are met. She regularly shares information about children's learning and wellbeing. The childminder puts children's best interests at the heart of her decision-making. For example, when deciding on outings to take them on, she considers carefully what they will enjoy, what they might learn and how comfortable they might feel in different situations. She is especially mindful of the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities when planning the day. The childminder uses professional development opportunities effectively to enhance what she offers children. For example, she has used training about oral hygiene to support children to follow healthy eating habits and to support families to ensure that children get regular dental check-ups. However, she has not yet

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

made the very best use of self-evaluation and professional development opportunities, so she is able to help children to be even better prepared for the move to school when the time comes.

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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 enjoy their learning. This is because the childminder plans learning experiences she knows they will enjoy, as well as ensuring that they are age-appropriate and helping children gain important skills and knowledge. The childminder is especially effective at supporting children's emotional and language development. She consistently interacts with children in ways that encourages them to listen, think and verbalise their own thoughts. Children thrive in the happy, 'home-from-home' environment the childminder creates. They learn to be helpful and to include others in their play. When needed, the childminder provides extra support to enable children to join in and learn alongside each other. With the childminder's encouragement and guidance, children become increasingly independent in doing things for themselves. The childminder uses daily routines to support this, such as by encouraging children to help her get ready for snack time. The childminder teaches children

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

the early literacy and mathematical skills that further prepare them for the next stage in their learning. Children learn to enjoy books and to recognise and use numbers in their play. They gain a secure set of skills and knowledge, ready for the next stage of their learning.

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

From the start, the childminder builds warm partnerships with parents. She helps ensure that there is continuity between children's routines at home and when with her. This familiarity to their days helps ensure that children settle well and feel safe and secure. The childminder makes all children feel valued. She remembers the things they like to do at home and talks to them about their families. This all adds to children's growing sense of themselves as capable and interesting young people.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Next steps

The childminder should focus her curriculum and teaching more closely on children's next steps in their learning and development, so they are supported to make the best possible progress. The childminder should review the quality of the curriculum and her teaching more thoroughly to ensure that aspects that would benefit from improvement are swiftly identified and addressed.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 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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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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