Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 126522 Registered with Ofsted: 02/02/1999 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 Strong standard

All children achieve extremely well from their starting points. Any gaps in their learning are identified and addressed swiftly, including for those who speak English as an additional language, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Achievement Strong standard

All children gain the confidence and knowledge they need to prepare for their future move on to school. Older children become highly articulate, engaging in complex and fascinating conversations. They develop superb social skills and wonderful imaginations. Younger children become absorbed in their play and develop very impressive levels of concentration. They also rapidly gain language.

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Achievement Strong standard

Through focused activities, the use of equipment in the childminder's garden and frequent visits in the community, all children hone their physical development. They gain the skills to control the muscles in their hands and the coordination and energy to engage in active play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's behaviour is exceptional. They are confident, polite, kind and respectful. All children form warm, trusting bonds with the childminder and thrive in the warm, positive environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides high levels of support, helping children develop superb social skills. Their emotional wellbeing is promoted incredibly well, including activities aimed at helping them to understand and manage their different feelings. Children of different ages and abilities play alongside each other harmoniously. They engage positively and form real friendships. This is evident at their excitement on greeting each other and in their interactions throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Routines within the childminder's home are established but appropriately flexible. This gives children a strong sense of security, as they generally know what is going to happen next. At times when the routine is adapted, the children trust that the childminder has something interesting planned. The childminder recognises the importance of promoting regular and punctual attendance to provide consistency and to enable children to benefit fully from the learning opportunities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's physical safety is promoted extremely well. The childminder ensures that her premises are secure and monitors children as they play, sleep and eat. She gives children the knowledge and skills they need to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, older children are aware of the importance of tidying away resources between activities to keep the playroom free from clutter that could cause someone to trip. The childminder reinforces safety during children's role play, for example advising them to consider what might happen to a plastic lid if they placed it in the oven.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is very sensitive to each child's needs as she supports them in their feeding, toileting and self-care. Older children gain important habits for a healthy lifestyle. They become very independent. For example, they automatically wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The very secure relationships and attachments the childminder establishes with all children significantly enhance their emotional wellbeing. She provides activities that focus on helping children to recognise, understand and manage different emotions. As a result of her support and positive interactions, children are calm, settled and demonstrate a strong sense of security in the childminder's care.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has created and implements an exciting curriculum that covers all areas of learning. She uses her comprehensive knowledge of each child's unique learning needs to precisely target her teaching. The childminder is particularly skilled at creating resources that capture children's imagination and at making learning fun. For example, babies and toddlers concentrate intently as they pull ribbons through the lid of a clear jar. This supports them to develop control of their hand muscles while they observe with fascination and delight as the ribbons leave the jar and emerge through the top. The childminder creates equally engaging activities to teach older children skills, such as cutting with scissors. Children's mobility is supported through regular use of the equipment in the childminder's garden and frequent outings in the community.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder focuses very effectively on supporting children to develop their mathematical understanding. She also very effectively promotes their emotional wellbeing and social skills. The environment is rich with language, with many interesting and charming conversations taking place as children play. The childminder builds on children's interests to introduce new ideas and vocabulary. She recognises the importance of supporting children's imaginations and creativity. The childminder provides an extensive range of art and craft opportunities. In addition, when children describe her dogs as being 'magic' and able to fly, she seamlessly runs with this idea, extending children's thinking to consider how the dogs would land.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder gains a comprehensive knowledge of each child's unique personality and learning needs. She achieves this through highly effective communication with parents, ongoing observation and meticulous assessment. This enables her to monitor children's progress and to identify any gaps in learning and development at the earliest opportunity. The childminder is aware of the relevant support agencies available locally. She works with parents to ensure that children receive any additional, targeted support they need.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder thoughtfully organises her provision around the needs and attendance patterns of the children. For example, when caring for children of different ages, she precisely considers how best to plan the timetable each week to ensure they all receive the time and focus they need. In addition, the childminder has excellent arrangements to support children who speak English as an additional language. She provides resources and opportunities for them to see and hear words in the languages that are spoken in their home. This helps to promote children's sense of identity as well as their communication skills.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly motivated and goes to great lengths to keep her knowledge and skills up to date. She has a fully secure understanding of the recent changes to the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage' and has adapted aspects of her practice to reflect these. The childminder constantly seeks new and interesting ways to promote children's learning, often creating her own resources. This supports her in providing an exciting and precisely targeted curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder places the individual needs of the children at the heart of her provision. This includes working with parents and other relevant professionals to support children to overcome any potential barriers to their learning. She very successfully organises her time, space and resources to provide a safe environment that is comfortable yet stimulating.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Effective partnership working with parents has a very positive impact on the outcomes for children. The childminder communicates regularly with parents to ensure that she is aware of what is going on in children's lives. She also provides regular feedback and, when appropriate, advice so that children benefit from care and teaching that is coordinated and consistent.

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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

All children have a wonderful time with the warm, caring childminder. They are extremely settled and secure, readily approaching her when they want specific attention or just for a cuddle. The childminder successfully creates a very positive learning environment where children thrive. They benefit significantly from the very close attention given to identifying their individual starting points, preferences and learning styles. All children, including those who face potential barriers to their learning, such as special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the individualised support they need to reach their full potential.

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

The childminder skilfully supports children to become highly motivated and independent learners. Older children take an active role in planning for their own learning. Alongside the

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Inspector:

Liz Caluori childminder, they decide what activities they want to take part in throughout the week and are confident to express their views. For example, while they are generally engrossed in their play, they politely tell her when they have finished and are ready to move on to something else. Babies and toddlers happily explore the exciting resources the childminder has set out. Spurred on by her genuine interest and encouragement, they concentrate intently on mastering new skills, such as precisely posting small items into decorated bottles.

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Inspector:

Children develop impressive social skills and form secure friendships. With the expert support of the childminder, they learn to share, to wait their turn and consider the needs of others. These skills and attributes combined, prepare children extremely well for moving on in their education and to face life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of those who may face barriers to their learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children.

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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 : 07:00 - 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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