Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY417165 Registered with Ofsted: 18/11/2010 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, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, make progress from their starting points. Children are curious and actively choose their own play. They learn to concentrate and engage well in their independent choices. Children demonstrate growing communication and social skills. They show an increasing ability to sing songs and rhymes. Children listen to lots of stories and learn new ideas and vocabulary.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are confident and demonstrate their skills and prior learning. For example, children persevere as they put on their own coats, pull on their wellington boots and feed themselves. They learn to use the potty and toilet train in readiness for their move to school or nursery. However, children who are ready and able, are not consistently given knives to use or open cups to drink from. This does not fully support children to achieve their maximum potential.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides a welcoming and secure home environment where children feel safe. She has clear expectations and rules for behaviour in her home, which children respect. The childminder is attentive to each child and considers children's age, stage of development and individual needs when supporting them to follow expectations. Children are well behaved and caring. The childminder reminds children to take turns as they play. Older children are very caring to younger peers. For example, they notice when a child is sitting alone and ask if they want to join in their games or offer to read them a story. The childminder ensures that all children feel included and able to follow the routines with their friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder ensures that all children attend regularly and benefit from playing and learning alongside other children. She talks to children about how they are feeling and uses language that helps children to understand and express their emotions. This supports all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that face barriers to their learning or wellbeing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder teaches the children to follow health and safety instructions carefully. For instance, when getting ready to go on their daily walk around the farm, all children wait patiently to get their coats and boots on. They wait in line, chatting about the animals they hope to see. Likewise, when they return, they line up to wash their hands thoroughly. They know they might have germs on their hands that could hurt them. The childminder praises children for good listening. She recognises all children's efforts and achievements.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children form warm, secure and trusting relationships with the childminder and her family. She listens well to their ideas and responds positively to their interests, offering reassurance when needed. The childminder works closely with parents to find out information about children's care needs and what children can do at the outset. She makes sure she understands children's emotional and personal care needs, including how and when they prefer to sleep or rest and allergy information. The childminder ensures that children's routines are followed so that they feel safe and secure. Generally, new children settle in quickly due to the detailed discussions the childminder has with parents and carers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children show they feel safe and secure in the setting. They laugh with the childminder and her assistants as they share funny memories of recent outings. The childminder ensures children learn how to keep themselves and their friends safe on the many outings they enjoy. Children have lots of opportunities to play in the fresh air and develop their physical skills. They are supported to take an active part in their own self-care. Overall, the childminder promotes children's understanding of health and hygiene practices throughout the day. She works well with parents to give helpful guidance on supporting healthy lifestyles at home and the importance of regular visits to the dentist.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, the childminder has high expectations for children and provides a curriculum that meets all the development areas. Children's physical, personal and emotional development are prioritised. Typically, the childminder introduces literacy and mathematics into conversations and routines with children. She ensures children develop a love of books. They learn to count objects and enjoy number rhymes, often using props to do this.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows the children in her care well. She observes children when they play to assess their stage of development and identify any gaps in learning. The childminder shares this information with parents through photos and ongoing discussions. She shares children's next steps in learning so parents can support their children's learning at home to help close any gaps. She works with other settings that children attend and any professionals as required. This helps children to be confident and emotionally ready for their next stage of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder adapts her curriculum and teaching to enable children to gain from planned activities, routines and local outings. This includes those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and any other barriers to learning. However, although she is clear what it is she wants children to learn, she does not consistently maximise children's learning in discussions, particularly during group activities and routines, such as mealtimes. For example, some younger children lose interest during an exciting sensory activity. During mealtimes, the most able children's learning is not extended. The childminder does not fully build on or extend children's ideas and problem-solving skills by posing different questions to keep them fully engaged.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder welcomes all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works closely with parents to understand what their children are interested in. This helps her adapt and plan for individual activities and experiences she knows will interest children and support their learning. The childminder ensures the environment can be accessed safely by all children, which motivates them to learn. She researches and accesses training to enhance her knowledge and expertise to help her reduce any barriers to children's learning or emotional wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The experienced childminder assesses children effectively. Through observations and discussions with parents, she identifies any gaps in children's learning and tailors activities. When needed, the childminder works with parents to access additional funding and works with other professionals to improve outcomes for children. She shares progress reports where necessary to support children as they move to and from her care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder often takes children on outings to learn about their wider world. For example, they regularly enjoy local groups where children socialise and become aware of different people in their community. This supports children's growing understanding of inclusion and diversity.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder organises her service well and makes the most of the unique learning opportunities for children. The childminder and her assistants work with staff on the working farm to ensure the children are safe and secure as they routinely explore the land and learn how to respect and care for living things.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder offers a fully inclusive service and takes account of each child's care, safety and learning needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She ensures all children who attend have the same opportunities to enjoy the farm experience, arranging individual risk assessments when needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder and assistants reflect on their practice routinely. For example, they review planned outings in the local community to extend children's prior learning. The childminder provides guidance, coaching and training to her assistants to strengthen their teaching and practice and is conscious of their workload. They share the same vision and drive for maintaining a quality service. The childminder understands she needs to keep abreast of changing regulations and keeps updated with local and national groups. She and her assistants are currently reflecting on the strength of their curriculum to support children going on to local school nurseries. This is to ensure children are confident communicators and develop the independence skills they will need for starting school.

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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 settle happily into this unique setting where the childminder makes sure their care needs are met in a warm, calm and positive atmosphere. Overall, children are confident, independent and eager to participate in activities, especially walks around the family farm to see the animals. Children's emotional and physical wellbeing is a key focus for the childminder.

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

The childminder helps children to develop a good understanding of the behaviour and routines expected. For instance, she gives children a verbal and picture warning that their

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About this setting

playtime is going to end so they are ready to take a full and active part in tidying up or organising what is needed next. Older children enjoy being helpful, such as when they are asked to put the books away after story time. This helps children to feel that they are a valued member of the setting and supports their self-esteem.

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About this setting

Children are well behaved. Overall, the childminder takes opportunities to praise children's positive behaviour. She helps children learn to share, take turns and help others. For example, older children remind younger ones to hold hands in their pairs as they walk around the farmyard. On their return, they help them wash their hands, copying the good messages used by the childminder and assistants.

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About this setting

Parents are very positive about the setting and describe the supportive contact they receive as 'always so caring'. They say the childminder 'consistently goes above and beyond to follow children's interests'. The childminder values children's uniqueness, which develops their sense of belonging. She supports families to understand the importance of regular attendance and routines to support consistency in children's learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to learning fully participate in the learning experience as she effectively adapts activities to reduce any barriers to learning. Children make progress from their starting points.

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Next steps

The childminder should review the organisation of larger group activities to ensure their teaching supports all children to remain fully engaged and interested in their learning. The childminder should strengthen her skills to help make the most of all opportunities, including routines and mealtimes, to extend children's learning even further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-minder and their assistants 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 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): EY417165

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Friday : 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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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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