Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY470634 Registered with Ofsted: 07/04/2014 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

Children are achieving and making progress from their starting points. Most children are well supported in their communication and language development, and this is evident as older children are articulate and initiate conversations, such as telling visitors about the 'gigantosaurus' in a book at home. For some children, however, such as those learning additional languages at home, their progress is not as rapid as it could be, both during the settling-in process when children are new to the setting and as they start to develop their speech and language.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children achieve well in their physical skills as the childminder sources extra equipment to support them when needed. For example, to help with climbing, the childminder purchased a slide to use in her home. Children who join the childminder's setting crawling very quickly learn to walk independently. Older children continue to be encouraged by the childminder to develop other independence skills, such as putting on their own shoes and washing their hands after using the toilet without support.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder's positive and relaxed nature creates a peaceful environment where the routine is not rushed and children are able to play without interruption. The childminder is skilled at picking up on children's cues, such as when they are tired or hungry, and adapts to their needs accordingly. There is clearly a lovely relationship between the childminder and children. They readily go to her for cuddles and reassurance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is an excellent role model and teaches children the importance of kindness, care and respect. Overall, children act in positive ways. For instance, they treat toys and books with care and give each other hugs goodbye. Children are starting to show their resilience. For example, when their structures are accidentally broken, they quickly overcome their upset with the childminder's support and start building again. Some children struggle to share the childminder's attention, however, and the childminder has not yet embedded a consistent approach to dividing her time more equally.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder encourages regular attendance and helps parents to understand the value of this. This helps to support children's development as they are always present and ready to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The responsive and close relationships the childminder has with children help them to feel secure in her care. Children play happily, and the childminder gives children lots of praise and reassurance. The childminder ensures that care routines meet children's needs and are safe, such as mealtimes, toileting and rest times. Children are well supported to learn about healthy lifestyles. For example, they have easy access to drinking water, and the childminder talks to children about the importance of washing their hands before eating. The childminder is working on supporting older children to become more independent with this to help them gain skills ready for school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes good oral health. She has placed a mirror by the sink and encourages children to use this when brushing their teeth after meals to help them see where their brush is going. The childminder ensures that her home is safe, and she risk assesses when taking children on outings. She talks to children about being safe when out and about and uses outings, such as trips to a fire station, to enhance children's learning. The childminder provides children with experiences to be physically active every day, such as regular walks or visiting the park.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides an interesting and balanced curriculum based on accurate assessment of children's developmental needs. She takes children on regular outings to experience the wider world and socialise with others, such as visiting a fire station and going to toddler groups. The calm, nurturing environment in the childminder's home helps children to feel settled, which supports effective learning. The childminder plans fun, challenging activities aimed at encouraging older children's critical thinking skills. Overall, the childminder extends children's learning well. For example, when building a garage out of magnetic shapes, the childminder uses mathematical language to talk to older children about whether they are going to build it 'tall' or 'wide'. She encourages discussion about how to strengthen the structure so it will take the weight of another layer. Occasionally, however, the childminder does not make the most of opportunities to fully extend children's learning,

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

such as helping children to learn about different shapes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's individual interactions with younger children are gentle and kind. She supports their physical development well, including their fine motor skills. For example, children enjoy playing with pop-up toys with buttons, levers and push-down flaps. At times, however, the childminder allows the older, more talkative children to take over her attention. This means that younger children are not always given the same levels of attention during their play to help extend their learning even further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although the childminder is not currently caring for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or children eligible for additional funding, she attends regular training to keep her knowledge up to date. She understands the benefits of adopting a graduated approach of identifying and planning for children's individual needs and evaluating the effectiveness of what she provides. The childminder is confident to seek external support for children where necessary.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has identified that children learning additional languages at home may need extra support. However, her approach is not consistent with all the children in her care. The childminder has not worked closely with some parents to implement effective strategies, such as identifying key, familiar words that may help new children to settle quicker into her home. For other languages where the childminder feels more confident, the childminder recognises key words, which helps her to meet children's needs. However, although the childminder talks to children and narrates their play, her interactions are not always successful in supporting young children's emerging language skills, such as breaking down her sentences into shorter phrases.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has an enthusiastic approach to her role. She reflects on the care she provides and is keen to keep her knowledge up to date. For example, the childminder regularly attends webinars and evaluates the impact of the training she has received. Recent training on how to provide an unrushed, flexible teaching method can be seen in the childminder's practice, as she encourages children to take the lead, does not interrupt children's play and does not tidy away too quickly in case children show they wish to return to something they are enjoying.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shows a commitment to creating an inclusive environment. She has recognised that the support given to children who speak and/or hear other languages at home could be improved to enhance children's learning experiences even further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder welcomes parents' views, and their feedback is positive. Parents praise the calm, nurturing environment and how their children have formed a strong, trusting bond with the childminder. Parents understand the next steps the childminder is working on with their children and comment positively on how the childminder will often bring in new resources to help their children make progress. The childminder has also established positive partnerships with other settings children attend. This helps to provide consistency in children's care and learning.

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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 are supported to gain a real sense of belonging at this childminder's home. For instance, they are welcomed with their own named coat pegs by the front door and have their own named towels in the bathroom. The calm environment established by the childminder is a particular strength and is rightly celebrated by her. This helps children to feel secure and safe and enjoy their learning. The childminder successfully cares for children of differing ages, and, overall, is able to adapt her interactions and teaching according to their varying stages of development. Younger children enjoy cuddles, stories and singing. Their care needs are met well, such as having time to sleep and rest. Older children are articulate and confident. The childminder continues to work on supporting them to become independent and developing the social skills needed for the next stage in their learning and school.

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

The childminder tracks children's development closely and knows their individual needs, likes and dislikes. Although the childminder is not currently caring for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, she is able to identify other potential barriers to children's learning. She has a positive attitude towards developing her practice to further improve the support given to children who speak and/or hear other languages at home. The childminder values good partnerships with parents and promotes regular attendance at her setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should adapt teaching strategies more effectively to focus support and attention more equally among all the children.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,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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Children numbers

The childminder should continue to develop teaching skills to consistently support children's play and help extend their learning even further. The childminder should enhance the support for children who are learning more than one language in order to improve the settling-in process and build on their language skills and emerging speech.

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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 .

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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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