Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 302091 Registered with Ofsted: 01/01/1981 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a highly nurturing and welcoming space for children. She has formed warm and trusting relationships with children. The childminder works closely with parents to understand children's routines, providing extra emotional support to those struggling with sleep at home.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

She regularly takes children on outings within the local community. For example, she takes children to a community fridge, where they can collect food that might otherwise be wasted. They take this food to the childminder's home and cook with it. This helps children to develop an early understanding of sustainability and food waste. The childminder provides children with a range of healthy foods. She explains to children why certain foods are good for them. For example, she teaches children about different foods, explaining the importance of fibre in our diets and which vegetable skins we eat and which we do not.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are becoming increasingly independent in their self-care and independence skills. They pour their own drinks and drink from open cups. Mealtimes are sociable occasions, during which children sit and eat together with the childminder. The childminder supports children to use good manners and uses mealtimes as opportunities to teach them about safety. For example, she explains that the knife she uses to cut grapes is sharp.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents and practitioners at other settings that the children attend to complete regular assessments. This helps to identify where any additional support may be necessary. The childminder has a good understanding of the processes in place to access additional support when children may require this from external agencies. The childminder works particularly well with other schools and settings that the children attend. She holds regular meetings with others from these settings to ensure learning is consistent across both settings and to help identify any concerns or gaps in children's learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the children and their families. This enables her to put tailored support strategies in place when children face barriers to learning and require additional support with their emotional wellbeing. The childminder is aware of a range of resources available to her to support children with specific needs. For example, she understands the value of visual timetables in supporting some children. The childminder has a thorough understanding of how additional funding can be used to support individual children. For example, by providing more outdoor resources to develop physical skills for children who have limited access to outdoor environments at home.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make good progress across all areas of learning. They develop a wide range of vocabulary and are able to clearly communicate their needs. Children are confident and are developing their listening and attention skills. For example, children remain focused on a board game with the support of the childminder.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are becoming increasingly confident in managing their own self-care and developing independence skills. Older children confidently use the bathroom, ensuring they wash their hands afterwards. At snack time, children pour their own drinks and have a go at peeling bananas themselves.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning, such as school or pre- school. Parents comment on how smooth the transition is between the childminder's setting and pre-school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates an environment in which children are taught to treat each other with care and respect. She teaches children how to take turns through games and during play. For example, the childminder ensures that all children have a chance to talk to her and are encouraged not to talk over one another. Any incidents where children find sharing difficult, or when they are not displaying kind behaviour to each other, are dealt with calmly and consistently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder teaches children about personal boundaries and what is appropriate. For example, when children try to brush each other's hair, she offers to be a model for them as other children may not wish to have their hair brushed. The childminder acts as a positive role model and ensures she treats children with kindness. The childminder has created routines so that children know what is happening next and at different points throughout the day. For example, children know they need to find their names before they sit down for snack.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are becoming increasingly able to focus on activities, and the childminder supports them to complete a task before they move on. She plans activities that help to keep children focused and engaged.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of child development and plans a curriculum to support children's learning. The childminder supports children's learning of early mathematics particularly well through games and activities. She teaches children about the different sizes of the penguins in the tray and uses language such as 'small', 'medium' and 'large' to describe them. She plays games with children that help them learn to take turns. For example, they take turns to count out the spikes for the hedgehogs on the board. She supports children to count and identifies those who may require further support. The childminder supports children's learning through imaginative play and daily routines. During role play, she supports children's understanding of number and money by asking how much items might cost. Children enjoy using a giant calculator to find the numbers, which also helps them to develop an understanding of technology.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically uses a rich range of language with the children. She teaches them new words during their play. However, there are times when the childminder uses baby language, so children do not hear all words pronounced correctly. That said, the childminder does teach children the correct pronunciation of commonly mispronounced words, such as 'banana'.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder completes a range of mandatory training to ensure her knowledge remains up to date. She ensures she attends training to enable her to support individual needs. For example, she has previously attended training to support children with specific medical needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a broad overview of her setting and has ample experience to draw on. However, the childminder does not currently carry out detailed self-reflection to help her identify areas for further improvement to raise standards to a higher level and seek out more focused professional development opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the families and the community she serves. This helps her to get to know families and the challenges they face locally. The childminder has formed strong working partnerships with parents and other professionals, such as those at local pre-schools. She shares information and assessments to ensure consistency in learning. The childminder works closely with other childminders, which helps her share ideas of practice.

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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, safe and settled. The childminder is calm and caring and creates a positive learning environment. Children seek her out for support and comfort. She strives to create a home-from-home experience for the children. Parents say their children settle quickly. The childminder plans a range of activities that the children enjoy. They become engaged and are enthusiastic about their learning. Children enjoy taking part in imaginative play. For example, they enjoy making the childminder a cup of tea in the home corner. The childminder uses books to support activities and guide discussions, such as why it is important to wear hats and gloves when playing outside in winter.

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

Children develop secure relationships with the childminder and with one another. She supports children to develop their confidence in social situations, particularly those who find this challenging or during times of uncertainty. The childminder takes children on outings with other childminders, allowing children to mix with a larger group of children and develop their social skills further. The childminder proactively manages any incidents between children and encourages them to be kind to one another.

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

The childminder is passionate about her role and shows a genuine interest in children's achievements. For example, she shows great interest in what children wish to tell her about the hedgehog pictures they have created. She ensures that children take turns to speak and that each child's voice is heard. This gives them a sense of achievement, and they enjoy talking about their pictures. The childminder works closely with parents and staff at other settings that the children attend. Children are well prepared for their next stages of learning, such as school or pre-school.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 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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Next steps

The childminder should develop her practice to ensure words are pronounced consistently and baby language is avoided. The childminder should reflect on strengths in practice and further evaluate areas for potential improvement.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children 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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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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