Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY330790 Registered with Ofsted: 17/02/2006 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

Overall, children achieve and develop the skills and attitudes they need for the next stage in their learning. They are curious and keen to learn, and are confident to share their thoughts and ideas with visitors to the setting. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are developing good communication and language skills. They develop a love of books as they snuggle on the sofa to read stories with the childminder. Children gain age-appropriate independence, such as feeding themselves, using the toilet and recognising when they are thirsty. They have good physical development and enjoy taking part in activities that support their fine motor skills. Children delight in matching colours, with even the youngest children able to correctly identify 'red'. Older children are starting to manage playing independent games with their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder sets clear, age-appropriate expectations for behaviour that all children understand and follow. Children have warm and trusting relationships with the childminder and each other. They share smiles and giggles and show delight as they take part in activities. However, occasionally the childminder does not fully recognise children's own fascinations during activities. This impacts on children developing highly positive attitudes to their own learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally share toys and resources well and are supported consistently by the childminder when they need extra support to achieve this. Older children help younger children without prompting. All children are keen to pass water bottles to their friends when it is time for a drink. The childminder supports children to learn to take turns through simple board games. Children are developing an understanding of how to care for toys and resources, helping to tidy things away after they have been used.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is clear about the importance of regular attendance for children and has recently shared an updated policy with the families that use her provision. She has procedures in place should a child not attend.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides a welcoming environment that meets children's individual needs. Children develop secure attachments to the childminder, who understands when they may need additional emotional support. The childminder helps children to manage their frustrations, for example when waiting their turn with a toy. Children are starting to demonstrate an understanding of how to manage their own emotional needs as they fetch comforters from their bags.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children of all ages are learning about the importance of health and wellbeing. The childminder encourages them to have a drink of water after being physically active, and children often hand out their water bottles without prompting. Children wash their hands before preparing snacks and are supported to notice where their fingers are as they use age-appropriate knives and cutters safely to prepare snacks. The childminder ensures all children's safety during meals and sleep times. She has recently updated her mealtime policy and is vigilant about correctly preparing foods that may pose a choking risk. The childminder provides children with many opportunities to be physically active through the regular use of local playgrounds and her outside environment. She supports children to consider their own safety when walking to local groups, helping them to identify safe places to cross the road.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder provides a curriculum that supports children's development. She assesses children's ongoing development and uses this knowledge to tailor her teaching to generally meet individual learning needs. The childminder has a clear focus on supporting children's communication and language. Children sing nursery rhymes with delight and enjoy talking about pictures as they share books with the childminder. She works in partnership with parents to gain an understanding of children's language development in both their home language and English. The childminder supports children to count. However, she does not always plan thoroughly enough to teach other early mathematical concepts, such as shape, space and measure. Children develop social skills as they attend local childminding groups, learning how to share and take turns, and experience being in larger groups.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides an inclusive environment and has experience of supporting children with a variety of special educational needs and/or disabilities. She regularly cares for children who speak English as an additional language and values the different cultures of children in her care. The childminder places a high importance on supporting children's language and communication skills. She regularly assesses children's development and understands the learning needs of all children in her care. She is quick to recognise when children may be at risk of developmental delay. She implements a graduated approach to support children effectively to achieve their full potential. The childminder works in partnership with families and other settings that the children attend to ensure good outcomes for all children. She understands when and how to refer to external professionals when needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands the demographics of families in her local area. She uses this knowledge, combined with age- and stage-appropriate expectations for all children in her care, to ensure children make expected progress in their learning and development. She works effectively with parents, ensuring they are well informed about their children's development. Parents value this communication and feel well informed about the progress their children are making. The childminder forms links with other settings the children attend.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder values her own professional development and regularly undertakes short courses to keep her knowledge fresh. She demonstrates an understanding of the strengths in her setting, while also recognising she can enhance her teaching skills further. She has recently attended a course to help strengthen her skills in this area and is continuing to embed her refreshed knowledge.

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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 knows the children in her care well and meets their learning needs appropriately. She builds warm, positive relationships with them and their families, which helps children feel a sense of belonging. Children's behaviour demonstrates they feel secure

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Inspector:

Julia Sudbury in the care of the childminder as they confidently move around her home. Children play independently with and alongside each other as they wrap dolls up in blankets and share 'pasta' between themselves. Children communicate happily with one another and are confident when speaking to adults.

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Inspector:

Children understand the routines of the setting well and are developing age-appropriate independence. They freely access their water bottles and know to wash their hands before snack time, calmly waiting their turn at the sink. Older children confidently use the toilet independently.

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Inspector:

Children engage in a range of experiences that, overall, support their learning well. Children learn how to fit construction pieces together as the childminder shows them how to hold the straws and connectors. Children of all ages delight in achieving this, showing pride in their accomplishment. Children of all ages make 'helicopters', and younger children show fascination as they work out how to make their structure spin. Older children extend the activity, attempting to build structures to reach the ceiling.

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Inspector:

Children enjoy activities away from the childminder's home, such as visits to local community groups, farms and parks, helping to extend their experience and confidence in new environments.

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Next steps

The childminder should provide opportunities for children to learn about further early mathematical concepts, such as shape, space and measure. The childminder should continue to develop her teaching practice so that she becomes skilled in adapting 'in the moment' to respond to children's fascinations, while allowing them opportunities to solve their own challenges.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,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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