Clancy, Carol

Clancy, Carol

Unique reference number (URN): EY373921 Address: 3 Helmsley Court, Middleton, Leeds, LS10 4UF Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 19/05/2008 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Clancy, Carol

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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 typically progress well in their learning and development, in readiness for their future transitions. Babies show great perseverance and focus as they learn new skills, such as stacking different resources and shaking instruments. They demonstrate their ever- developing understanding of language. For example, babies delight in learning to find a voice as they make sounds, use gestures and attempt to copy single words. The childminder effectively supports babies' developing communication skills. She shares tactile books and clearly models words and simple language. The childminder provides a running commentary as babies play and during care routines, helping them to link words to actions. However, the childminder does not fully consider how she can more effectively support children who speak other languages to make increased rates of progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make sound progress during their time with the

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a calm environment and weaves a positive approach throughout her practice. For example, she explains to babies what is happening next to support a seamless transition for them between times of play and daily care routines. The childminder has an overall secure understanding of how to support key developmental milestones. This includes, for instance, supporting younger children who are learning important social skills, such as sharing, and developing strong emotions. The new 'sensory' area includes resources such as a mirror and pictures depicting people with varying expressions on their faces that can be used as a point of discussion and reassurance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides effective role modelling for babies through her endearing and positive social interactions that strengthen the emotional attachments babies have with her. She shares ample smiles, a positive sing-song voice and other positive gestures, such as clapping at babies' achievements and telling them how clever they are. This is reflected in how happy and content babies are, and in them imitating such positive responses. The childminder's stimulating learning environment keeps babies fully engaged and involved in first-hand learning, which prevents them from becoming frustrated. The childminder promotes consistent attendance so that children benefit from routines that will prepare them for moving on to school and later learning beyond this.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder typically gathers a wide range of important information from parents to settle new children and provide consistent care. However, she does not always gain a clear enough picture of each child's more unique home circumstances in order to work to the highest level with everyone involved in a child's life. The childminder purposefully plans settling-in visits in a graduated way so that children have time to become familiar with her and a new environment. This helps to develop their sense of security. The childminder provides simple explanations about germs to reinforce early messages to babies that help them to learn about physical health and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Successful settling-in programmes are clearly evident. For example, babies play confidently and blissfully and demonstrate secure attachments to the childminder. This helps them to develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. They readily approach her for cuddles and giggle as she tickles them. Mealtimes are used as a further opportunity to build on babies' early communication skills and small-muscle strength. Babies eat finger foods and hold a toddler beaker with two hands. The childminder uses pictures and mirrors to help children to recognise, express and manage their emotions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works very closely with parents to instil healthy eating habits from an early age. This includes discussing the types of food babies are introduced to as they move through the weaning phase safely and in line with their stage of development. The childminder maintains a clutter-free environment so that babies have a clear and safe pathway when mastering their growing physical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder generally plans a broad curriculum, in line with the sequence in which children learn. She typically reviews and adapts her provision to effectively support children's learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, some aspects of her curriculum for children's communication and language are not fully explored to optimise all children's learning, especially those who may face particular barriers to their learning. Changes implemented by the childminder arise, for instance, from her observations of how children play given their stage of development, their changing interests and her ongoing assessments of what children know, can do and need to learn next. For example, the childminder has recently adapted the environment by removing a resource unit to reduce the unnecessary amount of toys. A sensory area is now set up in its place. The childminder explains how this has created a more calm and orderly environment,

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

which she recognises is important for children's focus and concentration.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Changes can be seen working very successfully in practice. For example, babies delight in peering at themselves in the wall-mounted mirror and investigating intriguing tactile objects. They remove objects from the wicker basket created by the childminder around babies' fascination in rolling things. The childminder's intuitive teaching and interactions optimise babies' development of vocabulary and communication within all areas. The childminder spontaneously weaves in mathematical language, such as introducing simple counting. The childminder creates a safe and open space for babies to practise their physical skills. She takes children on outings within the local community, where they have opportunities to learn about the world around them and mix with other children. This includes, for example, a trip to the park or the farm.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder establishes excellent partnerships, in particular, with parents and other professionals to plan and provide highly consistent support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, she has been instrumental in helping children to achieve targeted outcomes set within comprehensive reviews and support plans. The childminder makes effective use of continued professional development and many sources of information to strengthen her knowledge and practice for children with SEND. She adapts her provision to ensure inclusive practice for these children. This includes, for example, using pictorial aids where communication barriers exist. The childminder understands her responsibilities to use additional funding and assess the impact of this on disadvantaged children, should she have future children in receipt of this.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder typically obtains wide-ranging information about each child on entry and, thereafter, to assess and identify children's individual needs, starting points for learning and their next steps. However, this is, sometimes, not detailed enough to consistently meet the needs of all children, such as those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. The childminder carefully reviews her environment to ensure that this is inclusive to all children and promotes their stage of development and next steps in learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder generally identifies continued professional development opportunities and areas for development that will have the most impact. There has been a particular focus by the childminder on expanding on her knowledge in relation to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes using various resources, such as webinars. The childminder's observations of the children also inform her plans for the future. For example, after noticing babies and children engaging in repeatable patterns of behaviour, known as schemas, the childminder accessed further training on this particular subject. These targeted improvements can be seen working effectively in practice and having a positive impact on children's learning and development. The childminder limits paperwork to reduce any pressures and ensure that her time is spent directly with the children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are typically continuously informed about children's ongoing care and progress and what they need to learn next. The childminder does this verbally, through written daily diaries and by sharing children's learning journals. She discusses how parents can support aspects of children's development at home. For example, the childminder suggests they read stories and sing songs to support children's communication and language skills. Partnership working with Reception class staff is highly effective in continuing to meet the needs of children with SEND and support their transition as they move between settings. However, information-sharing with other providers where there is shared care is not as well embedded.

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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

Babies show how confident and settled they are in this calm, homely and inviting environment that reflects their interests and sustains their engagement. They babble and smile in response to the positive and nurturing relationships they have developed with the childminder in such a short space of time. The secure attachments they have to the childminder help them to thrive, feel safe and develop important early social skills and emotional wellbeing.

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

Babies enjoy learning. They confidently practise their newly developed physical skills, such as walking, while happily exploring and investigating with the skilful and motivating support, and modelling, from the childminder. They excitedly anticipate familiar daily routines. These mirror those that babies are used to at home, which parents share information about. For example, babies know when it is breakfast time as they engage in handwashing before sitting in a high chair. Babies hear fun songs that build on their developing early language skills during such daily routines. They learn to develop early independence through new skills, such as starting to hold a spoon, and trying an array of healthy foods, such as mashed blueberries with oatmeal.

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

Children, typically, achieve well in relation to their stage of development on entry, through the childminder's generally consistent partnership working with parents and others. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make particularly great strides in their progress. The childminder understands the important role that working in partnership with parents has in promoting children's regular attendance. Babies grasp new actions quickly. For example, they have ample opportunities and time to practise skills, such as their hand– eye coordination and small-muscle strength. They repeatedly send small toy cars down the 'click-clack' track, roll the ball and tap wooden instruments. Babies delight in the praise and encouragement they receive that builds on their self-esteem and confidence.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen partnership working and information-sharing with all adults in a child's life, to promote a higher level of continuity in children's care and learning. The childminder should develop her knowledge of how to more rigorously assess and support children who may hear and use more than one language.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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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Address:

3 Helmsley Court Middleton Leeds LS10 4UF

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Address:

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

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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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