Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2833725 Registered with Ofsted: 25/04/2025 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 Expected standard

All children make progress in their learning, in particular in their communication and language skills. Some children who previously had less vocabulary when communicating are now able to use single words to identify people and objects during routines, alongside gesturing to express their needs. All children communicate well with each other as they play. Progress is also evident in their physical development as children gain confidence to practise their standing and start to take steps. Children are beginning to use cutlery successfully to feed themselves independently. Children develop skills for school, but occasional inconsistencies in teaching practice mean they do not consistently make maximum progress to enable them to develop a thorough understanding of a healthy lifestyle.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model. For example, she models how to take turns in play and ensures that children understand the boundaries and routines of the setting. Children have positive relationships with the childminder and with each other. They demonstrate this as they care for one another and support each other to tidy. Children are confident to take part in the routines of the day. For example, they wash their hands before sitting down for lunch, and they sit on the play mat ready for a messy activity. The childminder typically praises children to further promote these positive behaviours.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder knows the importance of children's attendance, especially for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has a secure understanding of what to do if there are any emerging patterns or concerns about children's attendance. The childminder places emphasis on providing support if families do struggle to attend. For example, she collects and drops off children at their homes when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children show they feel safe and secure with the childminder. The childminder constantly narrates to children what is happening now and next, such as individual sleep routines. This helps children to know what to expect. The childminder builds relationships with children as she comforts them, identifies their feelings and supports them to settle. Children are confident to explore their surroundings as she knows each child's interests well.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are confident to explore the environment physically, while the childminder explains how to keep safe. For example, as children climb, the childminder reminds them of the boundaries in place and why and where is best to climb. When children are developing their independence skills, the childminder reminds them to wait their turn while their friends cut their fruit for snack. Children respond to show understanding and patiently wait, which shows this is typical practice for the childminder. However, further discussion during mealtimes would help to further support children to develop positive healthy habits.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is clear on what she wants children to know and be able to do before they go to school. She places an importance on children feeling happy and having confidence in their self-care skills. Children are learning new words and are confident to practise using them as they share their needs and interests. The childminder reflects regularly on where children are in their development, which helps her to plan accordingly and appropriately for their age and stage. The childminder shares how she builds on children's finger muscles to support them in their future skills, such as feeding themselves and holding mark-making tools. This demonstrates the childminder is able to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the current cohort of children.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder role models how to be respectful and kind to each other. Children learn about others' privacy and body boundaries, which helps to keep them safe. The childminder weaves mathematical language into routines and children's play. For example, she encourages children to count their fruit as they cut it and explore and name colours as children break 'penguins' free from ice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles and self-care during mealtimes. For example, she encourages children to eat fruit first before savoury snacks and ensures that children wash their hands before meals. However, the childminder does not plan opportunities to provide children with further explanation around this to ensure that they know why it is important. This does not consistently prepare children more readily for the next stage in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder regularly assesses children to help her to know where they are in their development. This helps her to plan appropriate activities and arrange additional support if needed. The childminder is reflective of her own knowledge and skills and completes any training identified. This has a positive impact on the provision available to children. The childminder is aware of the funding available to support families in the community. She knows where to find further support with the local authority when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works with families from the beginning to understand children's starting points. She regularly reviews the next steps she creates for children and extends or changes them as needed. The childminder talks with parents and carers about their involvement with external professionals, such as health visitors, and agrees with them how best to move forward to support children. For example, they agree on how best to build on children's vocabulary at home. The childminder supports them in their understanding to help with their communication skills as well. However, the childminder does not consistently consider how to develop relationships with external agencies in future, alongside the appropriate quality of support she gives to children when they face gaps in their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective. At the end of each term, she reviews the provision she offers and how she can develop further either through training or making changes to policies and procedures. For example, the childminder has improved how she communicates with parents and carers regarding changes that may happen during the day depending on the weather and children's interests and needs. She researches when she needs to develop her own knowledge and skills to support children's emerging needs. Furthermore, she seeks support from the local authority when needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder communicates with parents and carers daily about their child's routine and how best to support them in their development next. Parents thank the childminder for the care she gives to their children. However, communication with professionals could be strengthened to support children's education and care further.

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

The childminder works with families to help her to know each child well. She has high expectations of what each child can understand and do. The childminder uses children's interests successfully to support them to settle and to engage in learning. She frequently explains to children what is happening as they play, and she cares for them well. This helps children to learn about the routine of the day and about each other. For example, children know where toys belong as they tidy up and help soothe their friends when they are sad. The childminder praises children for all their achievements. Children develop their independence skills, such as cutting up their own fruit and feeding themselves at mealtimes. Furthermore, the childminder reminds children how to safely sit with their friends at the table when eating. This keeps children with allergens safe.

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

Children are confident to regularly practise their speech as they share their needs and interests with the childminder. Furthermore, they attempt new words as the childminder builds their vocabulary. The childminder works closely with families to support children in their attendance and learning. When children need additional support, she agrees the best strategies and what activities can be continued at home with families. This helps to ensure consistency for children in their development, which supports the progress children make from their starting points in development.

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Next steps

The childminder should enhance children's learning when making healthy choices to help them to form a secure understanding for their own self-care and physical health.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,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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Age range of children at the time of inspection

The childminder should consider how to strengthen communication with external professionals as children's additional needs are identified to support their progress further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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