Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2735279 Registered with Ofsted: 02/08/2023 Registers: EYR

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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 Needs attention

Children do not achieve well in their personal and social development. They are not learning how to cooperate or how to resolve conflicts peaceably to support them for their next stages in learning. Children do not achieve well in mathematics. They do not engage in explicit learning, which leaves gaps in their understanding of mathematical concepts, and they do not make the best progress possible.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children gain a range of physical skills through daily physical activities. For example, babies develop hand–eye coordination skills as they place rings onto poles. Children, including those learning English as an additional language, learn new vocabulary through daily conversations and stories with the childminder to support their communication, language and literacy skills. Children with additional learning needs make some progress from their starting points. However, activities and experiences are not adapted well enough to fully support them. This means that children with additional learning needs do not make progress as expected.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

At times, the childminder does not support children to understand behavioural expectations. She does not use effective strategies to ensure a consistent approach. For example, some children do not share and take turns or follow instructions to keep themselves safe. This means that children are not developing the social skills needed for their next stages of learning. At times, children play well together. For example, they enjoy taking on different roles as they take part in pretend shop play. However, sometimes during garden play, children take things from each other without asking and find it hard to take turns. The childminder promotes some aspects of positive behaviour. For example, children learn to say 'please' and 'thank you' when they ask for or receive something. Overall, this helps to promote some good manners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder talks to the parents about the value of children attending her setting regularly and punctually. This helps to establish routines and understanding in readiness for school.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum is not comprehensive and lacks focus on personal and social development and mathematics. Children are not consistently taught about how to build friendships and cooperate and to learn to listen to others. This means that some children do not receive the educational input needed to support their personal and social development. Children do not have sufficient opportunities to learn about mathematics. Generally, teaching of mathematics is through singing number songs and rhymes to support children's counting skills. However, this area has not been fully developed to ensure that mathematics is taught explicitly, and children do not make as much progress as they could. Generally, the childminder uses assessment to match children's needs. However, her adaptations are not consistently effective to meet the needs of children who require more support to help them succeed. The childminder supports children's communication, language and literacy skills through

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

stories and songs effectively. She teaches them new words as they play, such as 'soft' to describe the texture of play dough. The childminder questions children effectively and gives them time to think and respond. She supports children who learn English as an additional language, for instance by using visual resources such as picture cards to teach them new vocabulary. The childminder supports children's independence skills. She teaches older children how to put on their coats and shoes and teaches younger ones how to use the potty. The childminder ensures that children have daily opportunities to practise a range of large physical skills, such as climbing, running and balancing by visiting the nearby park. Children learn how to use tools and materials, such as scissors and colouring pens, and this supports their small-muscle control.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not provide consistent and effective interaction to support children's individual emerging needs. However, the childminder knows when a child needs additional help and seeks appropriate support from relevant sources. She shares information with other professionals, for example, to enable consistency in supporting children known, or previously known, to social care. She has attended some training on recognising and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and this has helped to inform some practice. For example, she plans some activities matched to children's interests to increase their concentration levels. However, staff interactions do not consistently engage children, and they do not always adapt approaches to include all children. Those children learning English as an additional language receive support. For example, the childminder uses targeted resources and activities, such as dual-language books and picture cards of

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Inclusion Needs attention

objects, to teach children English words.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is in breach of several requirements relating to children's welfare and learning and development. Although the childminder reflects on her provision and has rightly identified personal and social development as a priority for improvement, she has not identified others that are in breach of requirements.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Overall, the childminder works effectively with her staff. She monitors their work and meets up with them regularly to offer support and guidance. Generally, the childminder ensures that they have regular training opportunities to update their skills and knowledge. For example, they attend regular safeguarding and first-aid training updates. Overall, the childminder maintains her professional development. For example, she attended courses on safer recruitment and supporting children learning English as an additional language. This led to improved practice and better outcomes for children learning English as an additional language. However, the professional development programme does not always address the right priorities, such as children's personal and social development.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Comments from parents obtained during the inspection demonstrate high levels of satisfaction with the care and learning provided by the childminder. Some parents describe her care as 'home-from-home'. The childminder keeps parents regularly informed about children's progress and activities. Generally, she suggests activities for parents to do with

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Urgent improvement

their children at home to support their learning. However, this is not specific to children's individual needs. This means that partnerships have not been fully developed to provide the best support for children's learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder has not considered all aspects of children's welfare, which puts children at significant risk of harm. Some activities are not assessed for risks, such as toddlers wearing long necklaces with beads that pose a choking hazard. At snack time, some children walk around with food in their mouths and, at times, babies are left unsupervised in high chairs with food. This means that children's welfare is not promoted and they are at risk. Children are not learning how to act in safe ways.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Although the childminder uses a range of strategies to help children to understand and regulate their emotions, this is not fully effective. For example, she helps children to understand their feelings through discussion using visual emotion cards. Children sometimes use a 'calming area' where they get involved in quiet activities. However, this is not implemented effectively for children to make best use of these techniques or to share them with parents. Vulnerable children are supported well to keep them safe and promote best outcomes for children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement

The childminder provides well-balanced meals and snacks that meet special dietary needs. She talks to the children about the value of eating well. This means that children are learning about healthy lifestyles. Children have warm relationships with the childminder and her assistants. The childminder and her staff smile, talk gently to children and provide comfort and reassurance when needed. This helps children to feel valued and secure.

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

The childminder is not meeting all the requirements of the early years foundation stage. The childminder does not fully ensure that all procedures and practice prioritise children's welfare, particularly in relation to risk assessments of activities and eating arrangements. For example, at times, babies are left on their own in high chairs with food. This means that the childminder is not fully promoting children's welfare. Children with additional needs are not fully supported to excel in their learning and development. For example, adaptations to activities are not always consistent and effective in meeting their needs. The curriculum is not comprehensive and does not cover personal and social development and mathematics sufficiently. This means that children do not receive the educational input required to promote best outcomes in their learning and development.

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

Children are happy and form warm relationships with the childminder and her assistants, who take time to get to know them. They are valued as individuals and they settle quickly in their care. Children learn to accept and respect people from different cultures, religions and races. Overall, children learn to do things for themselves, for example they fetch tissues to wipe their noses. They exert their independence as they freely select activities and resources of their choice. The childminder provides activities linked to children's interests, which children enjoy. Children enjoy a range of creative activities, such as modelling with play dough. They draw pictures using brightly coloured pens. This helps to promote their creative skills.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistants and children. She read written comments left by parents and considered their views 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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