Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY100143 Registered with Ofsted: 24/05/2002 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

Typically, all children achieve well from their starting points. The childminder monitors the children's progress and identifies any areas that children need support with. Children develop the key skills they will need for school. They develop their physical skills outdoors, including balance and coordination. They have lots of opportunities to strengthen their hand muscles, such as through drawing, cutting, and filling and pouring using various containers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children express themselves well and engage in conversations about their families and their activities. They enjoy listening to stories and asking questions about what they can see in the pictures. Children use equipment to draw and hold the pens with a secure grip. These activities support their communication and language and their early literacy skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is sensitive in how she supports children to manage their feelings and emotions. When children become frustrated with their friends, she explains to them that they need to wait or that their friend does not want to do something at that moment. She helps them learn to respect others. The childminder ensures the children have plenty of opportunities to play games that help them learn the importance of waiting and taking their turns. This helps children gain some key social skills in readiness for starting school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder offers the children lots of praise and encouragement. When they put the puzzle away, she tells them, 'Well done.' When an older child shows a younger child how to put the puzzle piece in the tub, the childminder notices this act of kindness and thanks them for being kind. This reinforces the behaviour expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show that they have a positive attitude towards their learning. They practise their developing skills, such as cutting with scissors, and persevere until they succeed. They talk about what they are doing with confidence. The childminder encourages parents to understand the importance of regular attendance. This helps children to become ready for the routines and expectations of starting school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages the children's independence. Children put on their own boots and coats prior to going out to the park. When at local groups, the children pour their own drinks and drink from open cups to support their growing independence. This helps them learn some important skills for starting school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder helps children learn about the importance of road safety on outings. She asks the older children what they need to do when out. Children know they need to 'look and listen' for the cars and to hold onto the buggy. They show they follow instructions to keep themselves safe. The childminder encourages the children to learn about good hygiene routines. When she asks them, children know they need to wash their hands before having snack to get rid of the 'dirt' and 'germs'. Children sing a song together as they wash their hands, with the childminder supporting the younger children, which supports their language development further.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages the children to make healthy choices about eating. Although the children bring their own snacks and lunches to the setting, she talks to them about which foods are healthier. She offers the children help when needed, such as to peel their satsuma.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

However, the childminder does not share the guidance around safer sleeping with parents. This means that children often sleep in their buggies, which does not provide consistent routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder offers children plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills, indoors and outdoors. Children regularly visit local parks and soft-play centres where they climb, jump and balance, developing their core strength. Younger children have space to practise their walking skills, such as when they cruise around the furniture.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder introduces some mathematics into the children's play, and children find the correct numbers to fit in the corresponding tiles. She challenges the older children, asking them which number comes next, and children confidently name the numbers in order, developing their early mathematical skills. Children have opportunities to explore shape, space and volume, such as when exploring sand and water.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's communication and language well. She introduces new language with the children, such as 'smooth' and 'rough' to describe the textures of the different sides of the tiles, and, when looking at books, explains that a pagoda is the name of a house in China. Older children are confident speakers. They talk about the pictures they are drawing, the colours in the rainbow and how they need to cut the picture to make a lantern.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Occasionally, the childminder does not fully include the younger children in small-group activities, such as music and singing. She has not ensured these experiences are adapted so that all children can fully take part.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress carefully through observing them and noting what they can already do and where they may need any extra support. She knows that if she identifies emerging gaps in children's development, she will work in partnerships with parents and outside agencies to seek additional support. The childminder knows how to put in place additional support for children so that she can adapt the curriculum to help all children make steady progress, including applying for and using additional funding. The childminder works closely with staff at the pre-school the children attend. Together, they discuss the children's progress and agree next steps that they will work on together for consistency in supporting children's development. These next steps are shared with parents, showing that all adults working with the children work in collaboration to help them make steady progress in their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has completed all mandatory training, as required. She has watched some webinars to refresh her knowledge about safeguarding, for example. The childminder has subscribed to a website that has given her new ideas to implement into her practice. For example, she has introduced a 'diversity planning calendar' into her setting. This enables her to give the children a greater range of celebrations to learn about, such as Emergency Services Day and International Left Handers Day.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents report they are very pleased with the progress their children have made with the childminder. They know what their children are learning and what their next steps are. Parents report communication is effective and that the childminder supports them well in how to continue supporting their children's next steps at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and identifies areas she wishes to develop further. For example, she intends to improve the opportunities in her garden so that children have more experiences to grow and harvest fresh vegetables. She has reflected on how she could improve the use of the internet with the children to extend their learning further. However, the childminder has not fully considered how she can improve sleeping routines for the children or how she can adapt her activities to fully include all children.

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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 show that they are extremely happy and settled in the childminder's care, including those who are new to the setting. They are confident to choose the activities they wish to play with and confidently talk about what they are doing. Younger children show they have formed secure attachments with the childminder, snuggling in for a cuddle when they become upset. Older children engage in role play based on firsthand experiences as they explain they are playing schools and that they are the teacher and their friend is the child. They are forming friendships with the other children and mostly play together cooperatively.

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

Children show they are engaged in their activities and concentrate well for long periods. Older children make pictures and cut the edges to make lanterns, talking about the rainbow they are drawing. Younger children put pans in a basket and take them out again, developing their hand–eye coordination. They are content as they persevere during their activities.

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

The childminder offers the children a range of real-life experiences. They enjoy outings to local groups, where they learn to socialise with other children and adults, as part of their developing social skills. Children also visit nature wetlands to find out about the birds and their natural habitats. This helps them develop their understanding of the world.

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

The childminder implements a well-balanced curriculum overall. She knows the children very well, their interests and needs. She checks the progress children are making and identifies any areas they need support with. Children make steady progress in their development and are gaining the key skills they need for starting school.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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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Next steps

The childminder should adapt the activities so that the younger children are included in the full range of experiences. The childminder should share safer sleeping guidance with parents so that sleeping arrangements for children are more suitable.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and parents 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

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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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