Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY398863 Registered with Ofsted: 30/09/2009 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

Children play harmoniously together and their behaviour is exceptional. They are incredibly kind and empathetic towards their peers, helping each other without prompting. For instance, when children drop toy bricks, their friends immediately offer help to find them. This cooperation and helpfulness is strikingly impressive. Children are emotionally mature, behave well and their friendships flourish. The childminder reinforces these behaviours through her highly impactful teaching. For instance, consistent routines and relentless praise help children to thrive. She is mindful of children's ages and individual needs, when setting boundaries. The childminder explains rules and routines very clearly to help younger children to understand.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers to promote children's regular attendance. She checks on children's welfare if they are unexpectedly absent and emphasises the importance of punctuality. Children's attendance is positive and, in turn, their learning is consistent and uninterrupted.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children enjoy extremely warm and affectionate relationships with the caring and attentive childminder. This creates an incredibly stable foundation, which children find reassuring. For instance, children regularly seek the childminder out and invite her into their games, demonstrating their immense enjoyment and deep contentedness in her company.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder understands every families' unique circumstances and personal backgrounds. She invests significant time getting to know everyone and uses this expert knowledge to offer a tailored and individualised experience. For example, when new babies are welcomed into growing families, the astute childminder offers extensive emotional support to help children in her care adapt to their new family role. She uses excellent clarity in her communication and interactions to ensure that those children who speak English as an additional language are fully included. This is a highly inclusive provision, where all children receive exemplary support to belong and thrive.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children benefit from lengthy and successful settling-in procedures. Parents and their children are welcomed into the childminder's home. This helps them to get to know each other and gain confidence in the new environment. This worthwhile investment of time during admission procedures helps the childminder to rapidly identify and assess children's needs right from the start. In turn, she adapts her interactions to meet children's needs through her inclusive practice and children benefit from strategic support right from the very beginning of their placement. The childminder accesses training, which is specifically targeted to meet the needs of children in her care. For example, she has recently attended courses to develop her knowledge of health needs, such as asthma and diabetes. This strategic training helps the childminder to improve her skills, where children will benefit from this most.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder recognises the value and importance of working closely with a range of wider professionals, to improve her practice and meet children's unique and individual

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Expected standard

needs. She has developed excellent links with a wealth of other professionals. For instance, the childminder has fostered good relationships with local primary school headteachers and leaders of nearby toddler groups, who offer her professional advise and support when needed. The childminder shares information about children's progress with other settings they attend to help establish a joined-up approach to care and learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children make steady progress and engage in a range of activities and games, which are age and developmentally appropriate. They develop their communication and language skills very well. Children ask questions, engage in two-way discussions with adults and their friends. They become increasingly confident communicators.

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Achievement Expected standard

Older children enjoy holding books and flicking pages. They skilfully use the illustrations and print to develop their knowledge of stories and extending their literacy skills. Younger children enjoy listening to books read aloud, hearing plenty of new words to develop their emerging vocabulary.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy being physically active. They dance to music, jump and coordinate their movements with intent. Children complete jigsaws and move incorrectly placed pieces to solve the puzzle. They show good levels of concentration and focus. Children develop key skills to help them succeed when they move on to the next stage in their learning, and eventually school. However, due to how some assessments are used, children do not consistently work towards their next steps in learning to bolster their further achievements.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy a balanced and very nutritious menu. The childminder personally enjoys cooking and prides herself on providing children with a range of healthy and homemade meals. Children grow food in the childminder's garden and enjoy grocery shopping to develop a secure appreciation of where their food comes from. The childminder caters well for those children who have additional dietary requirements to ensure that everyone's needs are met. Children enjoy trying new foods and demonstrate a positive attitude to healthy eating.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children learn about oral hygiene from a very early age. They brush their teeth daily and talk about the importance of keeping their teeth clean. Children learn to independently manage this personal care routine from an early age, promoting their good health.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Routines are flexible. For instance, when children become tired or hungry, the attentive childminder quickly responds to their changing needs. She understands the importance of meeting children's care needs, including those who face barriers to their learning. She is extremely attentive and children are responsive to her warm and affectionate interactions. As such, children are happy and ready to learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans activities based on children's interests. For example, children are captivated by recent snowfall and the childminder skilfully incorporates this interest into planned activities. The childminder links children's learning to their interests, which helps to enthuse them, captivates their curiosity and ignites their desire to learn. The childminder engages children in discussion during their play. She astutely listens to children, responds to their comments and asks wider questions to extend conversations. All children are well supported to develop their language skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder offers children a broad curriculum, in her home and out in the local community. She uses trips to the park, farm, toddler groups and shops to enrich children's learning experiences. For instance, children develop social confidence when they make new friends at toddler groups and master physical coordination when climbing on large park equipment. The curriculum is varied and supports children's all-round learning. However, sometimes, particularly during adult-led activities, the childminder's advanced preparation prevents children from completing tasks for themselves. For instance, she does not support children to practise using scissors and extend their fine motor skills because she completes the cutting in advance.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder continually observes children and tracks their progress. She notes children's special achievements, which helps the childminder to create an accurate understanding of children's individual learning journey and preferences. The childminder uses this knowledge of children's different starting points to inform her teaching. She uses some assessments, such as the progress check when children are aged between 2 and 3 years, to celebrate their achievements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate about her work with young children and her dedication and commitment is commendable. She strives to offer children the very best start in their life, fostering their emotional wellbeing through her nurturing and caring approach.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are secure. Parents offer glowing feedback about the quality of the childminder's service, particularly praising her dedication, commitment and caring practice. The childminder discusses children's development milestones with parents regularly. This frequent and detailed handover of information helps to ensure that everyone involved in children's care and learning are well informed. Collectively, they achieve a truly joined-up approach and children benefit from complementary care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder completes training courses that are worthwhile and relevant to the children who attend her setting. She makes improvements and changes to her service when she learns new skills. Overall, professional development impacts positively on the quality and standards in this setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder's regular self-reflection and professional evaluation successfully helps her to identify what she does well and areas to improve. The childminder intends to further develop her garden area to extend this high-quality provision for outdoor learning even more.

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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

The childminder treats children as part of her extended family. There is a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere in the setting, created by the friendly and organised childminder. Children enjoy their time spent in this setting. They are excited to explore and eager to play

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About this setting

Type: Childminder with their friends. They often spontaneously give the childminder affectionate hugs, when needed. Children are reassured by the warm and positive relationships the childminder fosters. Children are clearly happy and settled. Strong emotional attachments with the caring childminder help children to feel a sense of belonging. The childminder comments 'happy and safe children learn best' and this ethos is the cornerstone of her practice. Children benefit from an extensive range of experiences, coupled with high-quality teaching. They enjoy their learning and are often heard laughing and giggling with friends. Every child is supported to progress from their starting points.

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About this setting

Children behave exceptionally well. They understand how to share and often wait patiently for their turn, if needed. The know how to negotiate and explore differing views and opinions with each other courteously and respectfully. The childminder takes time to explain to children what is happening now and next and regularly revisits this to remind children when routines are changing. This technique helps children to understand what is expected of them. Consequently, they respond well and their behaviour is exemplary. Furthermore, the childminder lavishes children with an abundance of praise and encouragement to build their deep sense of self-worth.

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Next steps

The childminder should extend opportunities for children to have a go at completing tasks for themselves, particularly during adult-led activities.

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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. Registration date: 30/09/2009

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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About this inspection

Local authority: Cheshire West and Chester

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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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