Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY227388 Registered with Ofsted: 06/02/2003 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established a very positive environment for children, where excellent behaviour is a priority. She provides clear and consistent expectations for children's behaviour. As a result, children develop a clear understanding. Well-embedded routines support children to feel calm, secure and ready to start their day. These consistent routines help children to behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. The childminder supports children to feel valued through regular positive reinforcement. This helps children to build self-esteem and feel valued.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established warm and respectful relationships with children. She is an excellent role model for children. She models positive behaviour and provides consistent, clear and gentle guidance to support children's understanding of behavioural expectations, tailored to their ages and stages of development. Children are supported to interact in a positive way with others, such as taking turns and playing cooperatively. For instance, children wait patiently for their turn to rotate discs on a spinning tower. This clear and consistent guidance contributes to children's understanding of boundaries. Furthermore, these experiences help children to develop skills in social interaction.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance. She has clear policies on attendance. Consistent communication with parents and carers helps children to establish and sustain consistent routines. This supports children's sense of belonging and continuity in learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places a high emphasis on children's wellbeing. She designs care practices to meet children's needs, including those who face barriers to their learning. For example, at mealtimes, children use a cushion to sit upright, supporting stability and independent sitting. The childminder aligns routines between home and setting closely. For example, she follows parents and carers' instructions around times and procedures for sleep. The childminder ensures that parents are quickly informed of any changes to routines. This helps to build continuity of care for children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has developed secure relationships with children and their families. For example, parents borrow story sacks to continue reading at home and share home-learning with the childminder. This helps to provide continuity of care for children. Additionally, she provides opportunities for children to build connections with members of the local community, such as school crossing patrol officers. These opportunities help children to broaden their knowledge of people in the community and understanding of road safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children to recognise and manage their emotions through regular routines, positive engagement and reassurance. These experiences create a nurturing environment that helps children to thrive socially and emotionally.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from regular opportunities to access fresh air and exercise. For example, children develop muscle strength and stamina during daily walks to the local school and while using apparatus at the park. The childminder consistently maintains hygiene routines, which promote children's health and safety.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder provides a highly inclusive environment, where she supports children very well to participate fully. She knows children extremely well. The childminder gathers detailed information about children's individual needs effectively from parents and carers and her own thorough assessments. This includes a clear focus on children who may face barriers to their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder takes appropriate action to reduce barriers to learning and inclusion. She provides strategic support, makes reasonable adjustments and incorporates inclusive practices to help children access learning alongside their peers. For example, she supports children who speak English as an additional language to learn English alongside their own language. For instance, the childminder uses keywords such as 'ola' alongside 'hello' and dual language resources. The childminder monitors children's progress and reflects on the effectiveness of support provided. She uses this information effectively to plan for next steps in their learning. This helps ensure that support is tailored to their individual needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder's inclusive practice is strengthened through a collaborative approach. She consistently shares information about children's learning and provides guidance to promote their learning at home. For example, the childminder encourages parents to share videos of children's progress at home. Where appropriate, she works with other professionals to help children make progress in their learning and development. Furthermore, training such as on pedagogy supports her to identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and provide targeted support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a commitment to providing high-quality care for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning. She reflects on her provision well and has a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development and takes purposeful action to address priorities. The childminder manages changes in the setting's context effectively, where relevant, to minimise disruption to children's learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly committed to her professional development. She proactively seeks out and identifies relevant training to support continuous improvement. For example, she consistently attends weekly webinars, completes regular safeguarding refresher courses and has recently completed training to strengthen her understanding of safer sleeping, training which she shares with parents. Furthermore, the childminder completes additional training to strengthen her knowledge and understanding of how to recognise and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works collaboratively with other childminders, such as sharing information of good practice and arranging trips to support children's learning. This helps to raise the standard of care children receive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works extremely well in collaboration with parents and carers and other professionals. For example, she invites parents into the setting to talk about their

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Expected standard

professions, such as police officers. She completes detailed documents to support children's smooth transitions to school. This means that information about children's individual needs and progress is shared effectively. These effective partnerships help children to transition smoothly on to their next stage of learning and provides continuity of care.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children make expected progress from their starting points across the 7 areas of learning. Children's progress in their personal, social and emotional development is evident. They build secure and positive relationships with the childminder. Children demonstrate they are confident, calm and happy individuals. They have unlimited opportunities to lead their own play. This supports children to be engaged and motivated in activities that reflect their interests.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress in communication and language. Older children confidently narrate their play and use expressive voices to portray characters. Younger children listen, use gestures and experiment with vocal sounds.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make typical progress in their physical development from their starting points. Younger children develop muscle strength and coordination as they experiment with pulling themselves up to stand and crawling. These experiences support them to gain confidence. Older children develop gross motor movement while crawling through hoops. They learn to negotiate space and move their bodies with growing assurance.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure knowledge of child development. She has a clear understanding of each child's learning needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder has designed a curriculum that incorporates children's interests, ages and stages of development. For example, she rolls balls backwards and forwards to children to help them develop hand–eye coordination and extend their mobility. The childminder consistently incorporates observations and assessment into her practice. This helps her to plan for children's next steps in learning and helps to identify areas that may require further support.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Communication and language are well embedded throughout the curriculum. The childminder models vocabulary and provides opportunities for children to engage in communication during their play. For example, when children are playing with small-world toys, the childminder uses techniques such as narrating their play. This helps to spark conversation. However, the childminder does not consistently make the best possible use of teaching opportunities that arise as children play to extend their learning further, such as in mathematics.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum places an emphasis on helping children's physical and personal, social and emotional development. The childminder is committed to supporting children's school readiness. For example, she incorporates dressing-up activities to help children build confidence and enable them to dress themselves.

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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 benefit from a welcoming and safe environment. They arrive with confidence and settle quickly into routines. The childminder supports this smooth transition through warm greetings and reassurance when required. Overall, children participate in activities that

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Inspector:

Loretta Murphy promote their curiosity. For example, younger children learn about rotation while using resources that spin, such as wheels. Children develop an understanding of routines through consistent guidance. This helps children to feel secure and understand what is expected of them.

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Inspector:

Overall, children achieve well from their individual starting points. The childminder provides opportunities for them to explore and investigate the rich variety of resources, such as mark- making materials, small-world toys and spinning objects. Children who face barriers to learning receive support to participate. For instance, the childminder uses obstacles to help children who are less mobile to build muscle strength for walking. The childminder observes and assesses children's progress. She adapts activities to their ages and stages of development.

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Inspector:

Children develop a sense of belonging. They build positive relationships with the childminder and their peers. They learn to play harmoniously alongside each other. The childminder works collaboratively with parents and carers, who are kept well informed. Their input is highly valued. For example, parents recommend favourite stories, which the childminder incorporates into her setting. These positive partnerships help children to feel emotionally secure.

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Inspector:

Children benefit from a supportive and caring environment, which helps them to feel confident and safe. The childminder supports their regular attendance through consistent routines and secure attachments. Additionally, children look forward to events, such as picnics and trips to the park. Furthermore, the childminder values each child's individuality. This further supports their good attendance and helps them to feel valued.

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Next steps

The childminder should make the most of all teaching opportunities that arise as children play, such as in mathematics, to deepen and expand their understanding.

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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 section 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 : 07:30 - 17:00

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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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