Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2736019 Registered with Ofsted: 25/07/2023 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 carefully and strategically structures the day. Established routines help children to know what is expected of them and promote their exceptionally cooperative behaviour. For example, the childminder uses a visual timetable to communicate to children that it is tidy-up time. Using images in this way helps all children, including babies, to understand what is expected of them. During tidy-up time, music plays in the background, which again is a familiar signal for children. All children work together to achieve their common goal. The childminder's well-established systems and routines promote harmonious and helpful behaviours.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are praised regularly. For instance, they work hard to please the childminder who rewards children with 'golden tickets'. Children enjoy plenty of celebrations and encouragement when they are helpful, follow instructions or show kindness towards their friends. Children respond well to this and are self-assured, happy and confident.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's attendance is monitored and any absences are followed up by the childminder. A focus on punctuality helps to ensure that children are present and ready to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's safety is given the upmost priority. The childminder recognises that risks in the environment exist, and she takes steps to remove or minimise these where necessary. For example, she checks the fields and garden space prior to playing outside for standing water or broken items. She talks to children about this routine to embed their understanding of personal safety. Risk assessments are extended to trips and outings to ensure that children remain consistently safe at all times.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder speaks with great fondness about the children and families who attend her setting. She invests significant time building positive relationships with children. She shows them genuine affection, contributing to their emotional welfare. Children call the childminder 'Auntie Mel', demonstrating the close family-like bonds shared and children's resultant strong sense of belonging. Children are emotionally astute. For example, they occasionally approach the childminder for a reassuring cuddle, which is immediately offered. This illustrates that children show maturity to recognise their emotions and needs. Children enjoy a wide variety of nutritious homemade meals. The childminder has recently reviewed her menu and taken steps to make it even healthier. A weaning menu is specifically designed to cater for the needs of babies and younger children. Children enjoy their food and develop a positive attitude towards healthy eating, which contributes to their

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Inclusion Strong standard

This is a highly inclusive setting. The childminder skilfully differentiates her teaching, environment and programme of play to meet children's unique needs. For instance, older children are offered booster seats at the table, while younger children are safely seated in age-appropriate high-chairs. A low-level slide in the garden offers younger children challenge to climb safely, while more adept climbers are provided with much larger equipment. Everyone is supported to flourish regardless of abilities and age. The childminder carefully monitors children's progress and uses her detailed knowledge to ensure that her teaching is highly inclusive and effective.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder teaches children about the diverse world in which they live. They mix with a range of people from different backgrounds in the local community. Furthermore, children learn about different people, cultures and disabilities through a range of toys and activities within the childminder's home.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works with pace and dedication when children experience challenges and barriers to their learning. For example, the childminder learns words in different languages to fully support children and families who speak English as an additional language.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is a qualified early years teacher. Her knowledge of teaching and early childhood development is excellent. This helps her to maintain a high-quality service.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works closely with a number of wider professionals, including the local primary school, and has close links with the local authority early years team. The childminder attends regular network meetings, where opportunities to discuss good practice arise. This helps the childminder to reflect and develop her provision even further.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents are excellent. The childminder pro-actively seeks parental comments and acts swiftly on their ideas and suggestions to improve.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder strives to continually extend her knowledge through an impressive range of ongoing training. This impacts positively on the childminder's already high-quality provision. Importantly, training is relevant to meet the needs of those children who attend. For instance, some children communicate using sign language and the childminder plans to attend training to support this need.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including school and beyond. They confidently share their views and join in conversations with ease and enthusiasm, demonstrating excellent language skills. They develop good independence as they choose toys and games during self-led play. Children are social, happy and making expected progress in all areas of their learning. Children are curious and eager to learn. This is because the programme of play is exciting and varied. Children move from one activity to another with strong purpose and demonstrate a wonderfully positive attitude towards their learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy undertaking small responsibilities, such as tidying up their toys after playing. They take great pride in this and are cooperative and helpful. Children concentrate deeply when listening to stories. They often independently select books and choose to sit quietly with their favourite stories, developing their love of reading from an early age.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder closely observes children and knows them extremely well. Her detailed and continual observations help the childminder to develop an accurate understanding of children's ever-changing abilities and needs. The childminder uses this rigorous assessment to target her teaching with precision.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children benefit from a well-stocked 'lending library'. They borrow books to take home and enjoy reading with family members. Children's love of reading is successfully fostered both in the childminder's home and beyond. Children hear lots of words because the childminder continually talks and skilfully listens. She asks questions and engages in discussions with curious and inquisitive children. The childminder makes time for quieter children to participate, ensuring that everyone thrives in their communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans activities with clear learning intent and focuses her planning and teaching on gaps in children's learning. The curriculum is broad and balanced to support children's progress across all areas of learning, including mathematical development, which is typically well supported. The childminder ensures that children are given plenty of opportunity to solve problems and develop their critical-thinking skills. She teaches children about volume as they measure 'more' and 'less' ingredients to make play dough. The childminder teaches children to compare different sizes of objects, using different-sized dough cutters. However, the implementation of the curriculum does not support children to develop their knowledge of numbers and counting beyond what they already know.

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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

Learning outside and in nature is a key aspect of the childminder's service. This unique setting is located on a farm. Children help to take care of a range of different animals and enjoy a rich array of hands-on learning experiences. For instance, children collect freshly laid eggs from the chicken coop and look after sheep and ponies in the nearby fields. The curriculum and children's learning are greatly enhanced by the special and stimulating environment this setting is located within. In turn, children have a tremendous appreciation and awareness of nature and the world around them. Furthermore, the childminder teaches children how to keep themselves safe, as opportunities arise. For instance, she encourages rigorous handwashing after playing in nature to promote children's health and safety.

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Inspector:

Michelle Jacques Children make large-scale marks with chunky chalks on the garden path. They draw a cross and explain that this is a 'stop sign'. Children enjoy drawing and giving meaning to their marks, developing their early writing skills in a fun and engaging way. Younger children climb on and off small mobile toys. They master their balance and physical coordination during this difficult task. The childminder encourages from nearby. She purposefully provides children space and time to repeatedly try until they succeed.

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Inspector:

Trips and outings in the local community enrich children's experiences. For example, children recently enjoyed a visit to a nearby airport. Linking activities to children's interests helps to enthuse and inspire children. The curriculum, both in the childminder's home and beyond, is incredibly rich and varied. Children make progress from their starting points largely because they are well supported by extensive experiences and high-quality teaching.

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Inspector:

Children flourish in their emotional wellbeing. They share lovely, positive relationships with the childminder and their peers. Children seek out friends during play, regularly giggle together and evidently enjoy each other's company. This is a happy, nurturing and caring setting where every unique and individual child is cherished and valued.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen planning and teaching to further support aspects of children's mathematical development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant 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,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30

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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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