Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 202165 Registered with Ofsted: 20/07/1999 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 sets high expectations for children's behaviour and actively supports them to develop kindness and respect for others. She divides her time and attention very effectively, ensuring that all children receive high levels of direct support and attention in their play. This helps the childminder to monitor children's behaviour particularly well. She intuitively recognises early signs that indicate when children may need a change of focus. The childminder responds promptly, preventing situations from escalating.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides support for behaviour that is well matched to children's stages of development and emotional needs. She offers children choices so they can take ownership of their actions. The childminder remains calm and is highly consistent in her approach. As a result, children work cooperatively to share resources and play along the same theme. The childminder uses praise very effectively, offering it at timely and meaningful moments to reinforce positive behaviour. As a result, children develop an excellent understanding of right and wrong and show pride in their achievements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder monitors children's attendance closely and works flexibly with families to accommodate their changing needs. This ensures that children continue to benefit from consistent routines, which very effectively supports their emotional security and overall wellbeing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, older children develop the skills and knowledge they need for later learning and their eventual move to school. They show increasing ability to sustain concentration and stay focused when tasks become more challenging. For example, children persevere as they work out how to turn the key to open a toy with a lock. They benefit from time to explore, test ideas and work things out for themselves, such as how to stack blocks or fit shapes into containers. Through these experiences, children grow in confidence as independent thinkers who can tackle problems successfully.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children communicate confidently, sharing their ideas and demonstrating what they know and can do. Toddlers use their early vocabulary to engage with visitors to the setting, showing developing social confidence. These skills prepare children well for the next stage in their learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder offers advice to parents and carers to help them to support their child's health and wellbeing at home. She establishes secure and trusting relationships with children. The childminder offers children reassuring cuddles when they are feeling tired or unsettled.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder ensures that children understand the importance of hygiene routines, such as handwashing, as an integral part of their daily care. She talks to children about removing germs, helping them to understand why hygiene is important. Children demonstrate pride in washing their hands. The childminder ensures that suitable facilities and routines are in place during outings. This helps children to continue to maintain good hygiene practices away from the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

When changing nappies, the childminder promotes children's privacy and talks to them throughout, helping them to feel at ease. She works closely with parents when children show readiness for toilet training, providing advice and developing consistent routines. Typically, children progress well through this stage.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has effective oversight of children's medical needs. This includes careful management and planning to ensure that children's individual dietary requirements, including food allergies and intolerances, are met consistently and safely. The childminder plans daily outdoor activities to help encourage movement and the development of children's physical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans and delivers a broad range of learning opportunities that overall build effectively on what children already know and can do. She generally observes children closely and uses assessment to understand their progress, identify next steps in learning and adapt activities to meet their individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is clear about the learning intentions for the activities she plans, including a focus on developing children's communication and language skills. She interacts with children in ways that encourage careful listening and thoughtful responses. The childminder allows children time to consider their answers when she asks them questions. Children are keen to discuss their activities, both with the childminder and in small-group interactions. Younger children benefit from regular rhymes and singing activities at the local library. These activities provide opportunities for children to practise listening and develop early rhythm and language patterns in a fun and interactive way.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children have access to a wide range of resources that support their physical development, including natural materials such as pine cones, and manipulative toys including wooden cogs, locks and keys. The childminder encourages children to develop their fine motor skills, hand–eye coordination and problem-solving abilities while exploring and experimenting with these in different ways.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder promotes an inclusive environment in which all children are welcomed and valued as individuals. She takes time to understand each child's background, needs and interests. The childminder uses this knowledge to plan experiences that are accessible and engaging for everyone. Through her language and behaviour, the childminder models inclusive attitudes. This helps children to develop positive relationships and a growing awareness of others.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers to gather relevant information. This ensures that children who may need additional support receive timely help. For example, the childminder assists parents and carers in accessing external assessments and securing funding to meet children's specific needs. The childminder makes sure her practice reflects current guidance for identifying and responding to children's additional learning and developmental needs and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is currently strengthening her links with other professionals and early years providers to gain a fuller understanding of children's experiences and any interventions they receive outside her setting. She plans to use this information to provide greater continuity in children's learning opportunities and support, helping to enhance their overall development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is an experienced early years practitioner who demonstrates a secure understanding of her role. She reflects on her practice and values parents' and carers' views as part of her self-evaluation. The childminder is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment. She maintains positive relationships with families, communicating effectively about children's progress and daily experiences. Parents speak highly of the childminder and the progress their children make, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has established links with other childminders in the local area to share good practice. These professional networks offer useful opportunities for her to create further social opportunities for children and benefit the childminder's own wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder recognises that she could make better use of available guidance, to deepen her self-evaluation and inform her priorities for professional development. However, the childminder does not yet use her self-evaluation to identify professional development opportunities that would benefit her practice most. As a result, the training she undertakes does not always lead to the most meaningful improvements or maximise the impact on outcomes for 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 generally settle well as the childminder offers praise and reassurance and responds to their changing needs. This helps children to feel safe and secure. They take part in a range of learning experiences that support their development and begin to prepare them for the next stage of learning. For instance, toddlers practise walking, climbing and jumping, which helps them to build their strength and balance. Children are keen to spend time with the childminder, who works flexibly to ensure that they can attend to suit their family's needs.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 202165 Children spend much of their time exploring the local and wider community with the childminder. They visit organised groups and meet other children and adults. Children grow in confidence as they make independent choices about their play in different environments. During visits to a local care home, children form wider social connections and enjoy friendly conversations and activities with the residents. These experiences support their communication and language development and help them to understand similarities and differences between people and places.

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About this setting

Children enjoy new experiences, such as travelling on a train for the first time or investigating ice on a frosty day. They recall these moments with enthusiasm, remembering what they observed and who they met. Through their play, children explore mathematical ideas and begin to apply what they have learned about numbers and shapes. For example, they count dots on a toy and recognise that the total matches their age. Children benefit from skilful support that helps them learn to behave well. They listen carefully to instructions and follow the childminder's gentle and respectful guidance. They show impressive cooperation for their young age. For example, they kindly share new bricks so that everyone can take part in a building activity.

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Next steps

The childminder should focus professional development more precisely to reflect the current priorities of the provision and further enhance teaching and learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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 inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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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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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