Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 958826 Registered with Ofsted: 02/08/2001 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress steadily through the childminder's curriculum from their starting points. They build their communication effectively, learning new words as they copy the childminder's speech. They enjoy singing sessions and story time, which builds their skills with rhythm and rhyme. Older children engage in conversation with the childminder and successfully listen, take turns and answer and ask questions.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their coordination and strength well. They explore play dough, with older children concentrating for considerable periods of time as they add arms and facial features to their dough snowman. They persevere to use tools and show positive attitudes when they achieve their self-chosen goals. Typically, younger children and babies also do well and enjoy the activity as they try out new skills. Children are prepared for their next stage of learning. They develop their confidence, independence and age-appropriate skills that equip them for the next stage of their education and their eventual move on to school.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder offers flexible support for families, with varied hours and arrangements to help with their attendance at her provision. This makes sure children benefit from consistent routines. The childminder has established a positive, welcoming environment where expectations for behaviour are clear, and children understand that their opinion is respected and listened to. She is a positive role model, treating children with kindness, care and respect. She encourages children to learn to collaborate, share and get along with others.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder thinks through her routines and makes sure that these are suitable to support children's care needs. She has a good balance between activities that she introduces and those that children choose themselves. She develops warm, trusting relationships with children, which supports their confidence and sense of belonging. They show confidence in her provision and a willingness to explore. Babies toddle around selecting toys that interest them, investigating these and bringing items to show the childminder. Generally, the childminder takes time in her routines to encourage children to develop their skills. She offers children the chance to cut up their banana at snack time. Older children do so effectively and confidently, enjoying the challenge. However, at times, the childminder does not adapt her support to encourage children to persevere with other tasks, such as tidying up the toys and resources and developing their sense of responsibility

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder always considers what is in the best interests of all children. She forms close relationships with them and supports new children sensitively, helping them settle into her provision. She gives them plenty of reassurance and is caring and kind to all children. She helps maintain their emotional wellbeing, and they are happy and confident in her provision. She is mindful of young children's care needs, making sure they eat, drink and rest regularly to keep them recharged and to maintain their physical health and wellbeing. The childminder encourages children's healthy lifestyles. She builds children's physical skills and encourages them to be active in the fresh air through a wide variety of trips out into the local and wider community. They visit local parks, beaches, countryside parks and other places of interest to experience the different seasons and learn about the natural world

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

around them. The childminder gives them prompt reminders on safety practices, both in her home and when out, and helps them gain some independence skills. This helps children learn how to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder creates a varied curriculum and considers each child's interests, current skills and areas to make further progress. She makes decisions about their development from her regular observations and assessments and clearly outlines next steps in each child's learning. She plans activities and carefully considers the support she will provide to help them achieve these.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder encourages children to listen, talk and extend their vocabulary in everyday routines and activities. This helps children to become confident communicators and supports their wider achievement across other aspects of their development. The childminder encourages children's love of books. She takes time to help babies enjoy books, setting them out so they can look at them independently and teaching them to turn the chunky pages. She reads well-known stories to children and challenges older children's skills as she encourages them to use the pictures to 'read' the story later.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's mathematical development because she embeds support for this through her activities. For example, as older children explore the play dough, she encourages them to take time to count items, recognise shapes and talk about size and quantity. However, at times, the childminder does not adapt the activities and her teaching to ensure babies engage and develop their skills in activities as much as possible.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gets to know children and families well right from the start. She liaises closely with parents about their children's individual needs and family circumstances. This means that she can support them effectively in her provision and meet their individual and unique needs. The childminder is mindful to provide an inclusive provision and facilitate all children's access to activities, setting these out so it is easy for older babies and children to investigate independently. Generally, she knows to adapt her approach so that all children are included in learning. Occasionally, during some activities, she does not always flexibly support younger children to fully engage in activities and develop their skills.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder outlines how she would support children that may face barriers to their learning, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She outlines how she would make sure she seeks support and advice from other professionals and external agencies to enable her to support any persistent gaps in children's development. She explains how additional funding would be used to provide targeted resources and additional experiences. This includes further trips out into the local area and wider world to expand children's experiences, knowledge and skills.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a great deal of experience. She shows dedication to her provision and what she can provide for children and families that attend. She seeks out professional learning opportunities and aims to strengthen her knowledge. This helps her to keep up with changes to guidance and legislation. She reflects on her provision and continues to make changes to help extend the outcomes for all children who attend. She recognises there are some areas for improvement around promoting independence and engaging children fully in their learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder supplements her curriculum at her home with interesting trips and visits into the local community. For example, she takes children to visit the local care home for music sessions with the older residents. This helps to build their confidence in different situations and develop their social skills. They also attend play-based groups every week. The childminder links with other local childminders through these groups, helping her to usefully network with other practitioners and gain new ideas for her provision.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents. She establishes a two-way flow of information with them to help them all support children in a concerted way, at home and in the childminder's provision. Parents offer positive comments about the work the childminder does for their children. They say that the childminder creates a warm and nurturing environment and fun varied activities.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.4

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.4

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children enjoy being with the childminder. She shows genuine care for children and that she enjoys their company as much as they enjoy hers. She gets to know them well, liaising with parents to gain lots of information. The childminder finds out about children's interests, and what makes them unique, to help support and care for them effectively. As a result, children are happy, relaxed and show a sense of belonging to the childminder's provision. Children start to build relationships with other children, learning to play alongside them and share toys and resources. Children learn to be mindful around the younger babies, beginning to understand their different needs.

p.5

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

Children of all ages show confidence in selecting resources independently. Babies find a book and snuggle with the childminder as they look at this together. Older children follow their interests as they imaginatively play. They select toy kitchen and food items to set out a tea party, learning phrases such as 'tablecloth' as the childminder offers them ideas to extend their play. Children enjoy experimenting with play dough. Older children concentrate for considerable time as they add features to their figure. They confidently talk about their plans and develop their hand strength and coordination well. Children build towers with blocks and connect pieces to form shapes and structures. They are careful and smile as the childminder praises them for their effective work.

p.5

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

Children generally show positive attitudes to learning and doing things for themselves. They are developing their independence in some areas. They are generally engaged well in the interesting play opportunities on offer. Their development progresses steadily, and they gain key skills that they need for their future and their eventual move on to school.

p.5

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 17:00

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should more readily adapt her plans and teaching to ensure children of all ages and abilities consistently engage in activities and progress their skills. The childminder should consistently support children to develop their independence skills and sense of responsibility.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

p.6

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.

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.7

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.

p.7

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

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 .

p.7

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8