Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY296871 Registered with Ofsted: 13/12/2004 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

All children are making steady progress in readiness for school. They demonstrate enthusiasm for learning. They can count to 10, name basic colours and are learning the names of shapes. Children show good skills with their hands as they mould, roll and press play dough and build with large connecting bricks.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are confident communicators and chat away with the childminder as they play together. Children tell her what they are doing, saying 'I've made a pancake,' and they direct the play saying, 'Let's make more of them!' Children make choices in their play, such as which colours to use when colouring in a worksheet. Children speak clearly in full sentences and use a good range of vocabulary.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate that they can focus on their play and generally engage well. They are confident to ask questions and seek help when needed, such as 'How do I make an arm?' when building a snowman. Children demonstrate that they recall prior learning from books they have read. For example, they know that snowmen have carrot noses.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children understand turn-taking as they regularly play simple matching and counting games with the childminder. Children show pride in their achievements, such as when building a house of bricks with the childminder, telling her, 'This is a nice house.'

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's regular attendance, and this helps establish sound routines for their future education. Parents praise the way the childminder supports children's behaviour, which is with kindness and respect, stating that their child 'knows the rules and expectations are clearly understood'. Children leave their shoes by the front door, clean their hands after playing in the garden and sit at the table to eat their snack. Relationships between the childminder, the children attending and the children's families are very warm. 'We all adore her' writes one parent.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

When children do need some direction, the childminder is calm and clear. For example, when playing a game with dice, the childminder asks children to 'keep the dice over here' and, when needed, repeats the request, explaining the dice might get lost. The childminder provides a patient, age-appropriate explanation of what is expected and gives children the time they need to follow the instruction. Children generally behave well and respond to requests promptly. When children follow instructions, they are praised for good listening.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children learn how to pay attention at the setting, for example when learning how to prise dough shapes out of cutters. Children commonly focus on activities well. They demonstrate previous learning and can retain information. For example, they recall that snowmen's noses are made from carrots as they have previously read a story about them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder is kind and affectionate and supports children's emotional wellbeing well. She treats children with respect and thoughtfulness. Children clearly feel very at home and forge close attachments to the childminder. For example, older children choose to still attend the setting rather than go home after school. The childminder clearly enjoys playing with the children and gives them her full attention as she does so.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The premises are safe. Children play in the secure back garden, which has been well- equipped with a range of resources, such as stepping stones and balls, to encourage children's physical development. Appropriate policies support the childminder's practice. For example, parents are fully informed about any minor bumps or bruises that may occur during play. Children are taught about personal safety. They sit down to eat and learn how to use cutlery safely.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder knows the families well. She talks to children during snack time about plans for the weekend and outings with family members. Snacks provided by the childminder are healthy, such as fruit and rice cakes. Parents are supported to bring healthy packed meals for the children's lunch.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's toilet training is supported well, and good hygiene is embedded across the daily routine. The childminder recognises children's cues when they are hungry. Children sleep downstairs within her sight and hearing if they need to nap.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's communication and language skills well. She models language clearly, providing a narrative to the children's play. The childminder introduces the mathematical language of shapes, size and number. She supports the learning of new skills through demonstration, such as how to roll a ball of dough between your palms.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder assesses where children are in their learning. She knows what each child in her care needs to learn in readiness for school and focuses her teaching on these areas. Children are valued as individuals. For example, those who enjoy learning outside benefit from regular visits to the park and playing in the garden. They enjoy making concoctions using a range of natural resources, such as conkers, leaves, mud and water.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has experience and an appropriate understanding of child development, but lacks confidence in her curriculum planning. This is the area that she would like to develop further. Nevertheless, children make steady progress. Teaching is sound, but not yet consistently highly effective. Repetition of some activities generally helps the childminder to ensure learning is embedded, for example, to help her know that children can name colours. Occasionally, activities are too simple or too advanced for the children though. Children initially enjoy revisiting matching games that they are familiar with but lose interest when expected to concentrate for too long.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children are treated and valued as individuals, and the childminder recognises that children develop at different rates. She adjusts her teaching so that children who need more support in an area receive individual attention, such as revisiting children's understanding of numbers and shapes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress regularly. She has identified what children need to learn next in preparation for school. For example, she supports children to allow others to join their play.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder supports children who face any potential barriers to learning, such as changes in their lives. For example, she ensured that her recent move to a new house was managed well so that there was no impact on children's wellbeing and care. Children are clearly settled in the new premises.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is very experienced. She is able to identify any persistent gaps in children's learning. She discusses conducting research, speaking to parents and seeking out training as needed to make any adaptations and help close gaps or ensure children's individual care needs are fulfilled. She has attended a range of training to help her ensure children are safe and their welfare supported, such as local authority conferences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has successfully transitioned her childminding service. The new home is safe and suitable. The childminder has established a well-planned learning environment for the children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder knows the strengths of her setting well and identifies areas of practice that she would like to develop further. She demonstrates dedication to the care and wellbeing of the children in her care and puts their interests first. The childminder has completed all the mandatory training, such as paediatric first-aid and safeguarding courses, as outlined in the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage'. She has also attended other short courses, for example, sessions to improve her knowledge of children's mathematical development. The impact of this can be seen in her teaching of early mathematics. However, the childminder lacks confidence in her planning and precision in her curriculum and wants to develop this further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has knowledge of how to support children's transition to school and ensures the children can look after their personal care needs when they enter Reception Year. Parents and children speak highly of the childminder. They praise the outings and activities the children are able to attend, such as the childminder's playgroup that she organises twice weekly. Parents value the childminder's service and report how it makes their working lives easier. Older children write, 'We are lucky to have her.'

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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

The childminder has recently moved to a new house. Children's wellbeing and happiness have been carefully considered by the childminder. She has sensitively introduced children to the new premises to ensure this change in the children's lives has no impact on their welfare and learning. Children demonstrate that this has been successfully achieved. They enjoy their time with the childminder, and they benefit from the warm, welcoming and safe environment that she provides.

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About this setting

The childminder recognises that each child is unique. She understands that children have different starting points and develop at different rates. She takes advantage of having one- to-one time with children to revisit any aspects of learning that they are less secure with. This helps all children to achieve at the setting, and they make steady progress in their learning. The childminder clearly loves to play with children, and this helps to engage them in learning. For example, during a play dough activity, she keeps children's interest by moving the conversation from shapes to cakes and snowmen.

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About this setting

Children develop the skills they need in readiness for starting school. For example, children know how to use the toilet and wash and dry their hands. They learn to use cutlery, put on their shoes and do up their coat. Children are confident to ask questions and ask for help when needed.

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About this setting

Children clearly feel a sense of belonging at the setting, with older children describing the childminder as 'a second mum'. The childminder understands the children's individual characters and their families well. Children learn and play together, for example, learning how to take turns in matching games. This helps them learn cooperation and develop friendships. Warm relationships between children, their families and the childminder support children to flourish at the setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to use available professional development opportunities to further increase her confidence in her curriculum planning. The childminder should review the planning of activities to ensure they accurately match the age and stage of each child, engaging children consistently and progressing their skills further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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. Unique reference number (URN): EY296871

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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

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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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