Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2719426 Registered with Ofsted: 14/08/2023 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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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates an inclusive culture where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face disadvantage, thrive. She identifies children's individual needs as soon as they start and uses this information to shape the support they receive. Effective monitoring of children's progress ensures that the childminder identifies and plans for any gaps in children's learning. The childminder values parents' and carers' knowledge. She works closely with them to build a clear understanding of each child's development. This enables her to plan tailored interventions that reduce barriers and help children to make meaningful progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

All children receive timely and effective support from the moment they start. The childminder gathers detailed information from parents and carers and previous providers. This helps her to understand each child's starting points and plan for their progress. The childminder uses additional funding effectively. She attends training and brings in external professionals who offer specialist guidance. The childminder implements their strategies with precision, so children benefit from consistent and targeted support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder understands the needs of the community she serves and uses this knowledge to shape children's daily experiences. She provides all meals, giving children a varied and nutritious diet that supports their health and wellbeing. By talking with parents about the foods children enjoy at home, the childminder plans meals that are both familiar and balanced. The childminder also uses funding to broaden children's experiences. She plans purposeful enrichment activities, such as visits to the local theatre and play-and-stay sessions at a nearby pre-school. The childminder uses these experiences to help children to build confidence, develop social skills and strengthen their physical development.

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Achievement Expected standard

Over time, children typically gain a solid foundation for the next stage of their education. They make positive progress in their personal, social and emotional development, as well as in their physical skills. Children learn to listen carefully, follow instructions and express their needs clearly. For example, children confidently ask for help to pull up the zip on their coats. With consistent guidance, they are becoming more independent and self-assured. Children show positive attitudes to learning and are mostly willing to try new tasks. They build confidence through warm interactions, and they learn to persevere and take pride in their achievements. Most children develop secure early communication and language skills that help them access the curriculum. However, to strengthen children's thinking further, the childminder needs to extend questioning. This will help all children to problem-solve and

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Achievement Expected standard

express their ideas with greater clarity.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children spend their day in a calm and welcoming environment where routines help them to feel secure. The childminder sets clear expectations during routines, and children understand what to do. For example, when it is time for snack, they tidy away toys promptly and line up to wash their hands. These routines help children to feel confident and ready to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have created secure bonds with the childminder. They demonstrate they feel safe and secure through their growing independence and perseverance. Children willingly try new tasks and keep going when things are tricky. When building an igloo from snow, the childminder demonstrates how to shape it and encourages children to continue. Her warm praise helps children to feel proud of their achievements and builds their resilience.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and are kind to one another. They generally play cooperatively and use polite language, such as saying 'You are welcome' when sharing toys. When children find situations more challenging, such as sharing a jigsaw, the childminder offers support. However, on some occasions, the childminder does not fully explain why sharing is important. This means that children do not have consistent opportunities to deepen their understanding of the expectations for their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works closely with families to promote good attendance from the start. Parents and carers understand the importance of children attending every session. As a result, children arrive on time and benefit from routines that support their learning and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are central to the childminder's practice. She takes time to get to know each child and their family, building trusting relationships from the start. The childminder shapes settling-in sessions around children's needs, helping them to feel safe and secure at their own pace. By learning about home routines and previous experiences, the childminder tailors care practices, such as toilet training, healthy eating and sleep routines, so that children experience consistency.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children feel listened to and valued. The childminder involves them in simple decisions, such as choosing snacks, selecting activities or helping to organise the environment. This builds their confidence and sense of responsibility. The childminder supports children to recognise and express their feelings. She offers children regular chances to talk about their emotions and practise naming them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes healthy habits throughout the day. Children enjoy daily physical activity, running, climbing and balancing with growing control. The childminder uses mealtimes to build children's independence and awareness of healthy choices. Children prepare their own wraps, use tools safely and talk about why vegetables help their bodies. At snack time, they pour their own milk and explain how it helps their teeth and bones. The childminder also teaches children how to keep themselves safe. They discuss road safety and confidently explain what traffic lights mean when crossing with an adult.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans a curriculum that reflects children's individual needs and interests. Children's views shape the learning environment, as the childminder regularly asks what activities they would like to explore. She then adapts and extends these activities to build on what children already know. For example, when children choose to play with ice, the childminder introduces resources such as salt so they can investigate different ways to make it melt. The childminder monitors children's progress closely, which helps her to identify gaps in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder supports children's communication and language development well. She models clear vocabulary and simple sentences, helping children to grow in confidence when speaking. Children respond positively to questions during shared stories and when exploring in the mud kitchen. At times, however, the childminder steps in too quickly, which limits opportunities for children to solve problems independently. For instance, she tells the children to add more water to the fake snow so they can mould with it, rather than allowing children to test their own ideas to achieve the right consistency.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematical learning is embedded effectively throughout routines and play. Children make shapes with their fingers, count the days of the week and compare the weights of different objects. During their active play outdoors, they apply their knowledge by counting steps on the slide and noticing that the wheels on the tricycle share the same shape as a plate. The childminder supports children's personal, social and emotional development through calm and thoughtful interactions. Children show developing physical skills as they pour liquids into different-sized bottles, a skill that helps them pour their own milk at snack time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects often on her practice and provision. She uses this to target training that strengthens her knowledge and skills so she can meet the needs of all children. For example, she has completed training to support children with speech delay and uses this learning in her daily interactions and planned interventions. The childminder reviews the activities she provides and adapts them when needed so children stay motivated and engaged.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has built close partnerships with parents and carers. Parents describe her as supportive and approachable, and they value the regular communication she provides. They share what their children are learning at home and speak positively about the progress their children make in her care. The childminder gives parents a wide range of policies and procedures. However, she does not ensure that all parents know who to contact if they have concerns or how to make a complaint.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is proactive in securing support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to learning. She works with local health visitors and the speech and language team to arrange visits and assessments. The childminder also works closely with other settings that children attend to ensure continuity in their learning and care.

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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 arrive to a warm and welcoming environment, where they feel valued from the moment they walk through the door. The childminder greets children with reassuring cuddles, helping them to settle and supporting their emotional development. Children show that they feel safe and secure in her care. The childminder understands the needs of each child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Her deep knowledge and skills allow her to provide immediate support while waiting for external professionals. As a result, children make steady progress and grow in confidence.

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Inspector:

Annette Franklin Children confidently explore the range of activities that the childminder plans. They invite friends to join in games, such as counting how many penguins they can find. Children enjoy sensory play in the mud kitchen, experimenting with spices and talking about how the cinnamon makes their noses tingle. They recall their previous learning as they sing the days of the week and use their fingers to show how many spots they can see.

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Inspector:

The childminder's high expectations are clear in the children's positive behaviour. They play well together, talk to each other kindly and show respect. The childminder models good manners, and children copy this by saying 'please' and 'thank you' as they choose their snacks.

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Inspector:

Children make independent choices throughout the day because toys and equipment are easy to reach. They move confidently around the setting and manage their own care routines. Children use the toilet independently, wash their hands before eating and put on their coats and shoes when getting ready to play outside. These routines help children to feel capable, secure and ready for their next steps in learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to strengthen questioning to allow all children to have consistent opportunities to be able to problem-solve and use their communication and language skills to express their ideas. The childminder should explain the reasons behind the expectations for their behaviour, to more consistently support children's understanding and regulation of their emotions. The childminder should further strengthen her communication with parents and carers to ensure that they understand what they need to do if they have concerns or need to make a complaint.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and parents and carers 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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