Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY437487 Registered with Ofsted: 19/01/2012 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

All children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, make typical progress through the well-considered curriculum. Children demonstrate a willingness to learn and are inquisitive. They seek to find out more by exploring and investigating. Children develop their fascinations through thoughtful interactions and activities. This helps them to build on their skills and develop independence, which typically prepares them well for their eventual move to school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children learn valuable communication skills through listening to stories, singing and engaging in meaningful conversations. They have access to a range of books and develop a love of reading from an early age. Children have opportunities to build their social skills, such as by attending regular group sessions where they spend time with others. They develop confidence as they learn to read social cues, such as body language and facial expressions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is calm and caring and has created a peaceful environment for children. Children build secure attachments with the childminder and establish caring friendships with each other. The childminder supports children well as they learn to share and take turns. For example, when children express a desire to play with the same resources, she gently encourages them to wait their turn. As children wait patiently, the childminder recognises and values their feelings. This helps them to build self-control, regulate their emotions and develop respectful relationships with one another.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The expectation for children's behaviour is generally applied routinely. However, there are times when the childminder does not consistently reinforce the positive behaviours and manners she has introduced. For instance, she does not always encourage children to ask for what they want in a polite manner and, at times, they carry on with a behaviour they have been discouraged from. These inconsistencies can lead to confusion for children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is flexible and works well with parents to overcome any potential barriers to children's attendance. She is committed to ensuring that children receive their full entitlement to help establish solid foundations in their development. As a result, children learn routines, which supports their emotional security.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder fully understands her role as a key person. The trusting relationships she has developed with children and their families help them to feel safe, secure and relaxed. The childminder successfully meets children's individual personal care and follows routines as closely as possible to those at home. This provides consistency in care and supports children's emotional wellbeing. The childminder helps children to manage their emotions by offering comfort and care as they need it. For instance, she recognises when children are showing signs of being tired and helps them regulate their emotions by gently comforting them. The childminder lets them know it is okay to feel tired and reinforces the benefits of sleep. Additionally, children learn healthy eating habits through discussions at mealtimes and through activities such as role play. For example, children become engrossed when they pretend to be shopkeepers

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

that buy and sell fruit, vegetables, cakes and treats. The childminder and children engage in open discussions about foods that are good for them and give them energy.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder talks to children about being safe as she removes the small coins from the till and explains the danger these pose for the youngest children choking. She gives children a pretend credit card to use as an alternative. Consequently, children enjoy make-believe play, learning how to make healthy choices and being safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has created a curriculum that is fluid and builds on children's existing knowledge. She explores possible barriers to children's learning and reflects on how she can meet the needs of all children, including those who may face disadvantage. The childminder skilfully adapts her teaching in accordance with the ages of children and supports their learning in all areas of development. For instance, children learn new vocabulary and develop their fine motor skills as they manipulate play dough. They mimic the childminder as she uses descriptive words such as 'thick', 'thin', 'twist' and 'squidgy'. The youngest children observe back-and-forth conversations and join in with enthusiastic babbles. Children pinch, pat and roll the dough into what they describe as 'wriggly worms'. The explicit praise children receive supports their emotional wellbeing. They enjoy being social and sharing their creations with each other.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Effective assessment helps the childminder to understand what children know and can do. She monitors children's progress closely and carefully plans activities around their interests with a desired outcome for their learning. For example, older children demonstrate their fascination with the marble run. The childminder asks children to help her construct this while the youngest children sleep. Children are happy to help and when complete, they enthusiastically place their marbles on top of the multi-tiered structure. They apply their early mathematical concepts as they learn to predict, compare and eagerly observe which marble reaches the bottom first. Children begin to understand cause and effect and that their actions determine outcomes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has effective assessments in place that help her promptly identify any emerging gaps in children's learning and understand the progress they make from when they started. She recognises the benefit of identifying areas of need early to determine the best support for children and their families. The childminder knows that making timely referrals to appropriate professionals enables early intervention, which leads to improved outcomes for children. She carefully evaluates her practice and learning environment, and she seeks further training to enhance her skills. This helps the childminder to consider necessary adaptations to ensure that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, participate fully and succeed. The childminder knows all children well. She describes how any additional funding can be directed towards targeted support that positively impacts on children's progress, care and overall wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children are cherished as they play and learn in an environment that is inclusive. The childminder helps children to recognise and celebrate each other's cultures and ethnicities through fun and age-appropriate activities and experiences. For instance, children make lanterns and learn about Lunar New Year. The childminder embraces and values children who speak English as an additional language and children's individual characters. This supports children's self-confidence and helps them to feel included with a sense of belonging.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to ensuring that she maintains high standards of care for all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning. She fully recognises that improving her own skills benefits children's learning. The childminder does this by reading, researching and attending further training, such as supporting children's early mathematical understanding. As a result, children's learning experiences are enriched and they develop positive attitudes towards mathematics.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder recognises the value of working in partnership with parents and carers and other professionals. Parents comment positively on the fresh air and outdoor experiences their children receive. However, the childminder does not consistently communicate children's next steps in learning to help parents continue focused learning at home. Furthermore, the childminder has not actively made links to other settings children attend. This limits the opportunities to coordinate and support children's development in a consistent way.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder successfully evaluates the service she offers and reflects on any priorities for improvement. For example, she has recognised that she would like to introduce even more opportunities for sensory play throughout the winter months. The childminder plans occasions where she can incorporate this into the children's day. These successful reflections enhance outcomes for children and support continual improvement.

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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 settled, happy and well cared for in the friendly environment that the childminder has created. The well-organised childminder has established robust routines that help children to feel safe and secure. Children are comfortable in her home. They move around freely but always remain in sight or hearing of the childminder. The childminder actively promotes positive attendance for all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning and development. She recognises the benefit that reliable routines and daily structure have on children's learning and personal wellbeing.

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About this setting

The childminder takes children on regular trips and outings, which broadens their experiences and strengthens their understanding of the world they live in. She supports older children's communication and language skills by asking them to recall, retell and describe past experiences. For instance, the childminder initiates conversation with children and encourages them to remember a recent trip to the farm. Children's faces light up as they make connections between their thought processes. They excitedly share that they saw a donkey and a reindeer that day. Children are enthusiastic and demonstrate their delight by the use of facial expressions. As children relive this experience, they remember additional information, such as that they could not go on the tractor that day as it was snowing. This strengthens children's muscle memory and confidence to communicate effectively.

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About this setting

The childminder values all children's unique characters and personalities, including those who may face barriers to their learning or are disadvantaged. She collates information to help her understand children's different starting points. The childminder uses this information to plan and prepare children for their next stage of development. Children are enthusiastic to learn and enjoy the company of the childminder and each other. They have established positive and trusting relationships with their friends that they see consistently. This helps them to build on their confidence and social skills, as they foster a sense of belonging being around those familiar to them.

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Next steps

The childminder should reinforce children's positive behaviour further, such as by promoting the consistent use of good manners and rules. The childminder should strengthen the links with parents and carers and other settings to fully support children's learning, interests and wellbeing.

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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. Unique reference number (URN): EY437487

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:15

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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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