Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY365321 Registered with Ofsted: 04/01/2008 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 communicate confidently. They express and share their ideas clearly. For example, children make decisions about what they would like to play with. Children demonstrate their knowledge as they play. For instance, they talk about the animals they observed on a visit to a local nature reserve. Children excitedly sing 'Old MacDonald Had a Farm', recalling and naming the animals confidently. Older children follow instructions and listen to requests. As a result, they behave well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show excitement and motivation during activities. For instance, they engage for sustained periods making marks in the sand with the wheels of toy vehicles and different tools. However, at times, some children do not have consistent opportunities to practise all of their next steps in learning, such as some independence skills. Overall, children typically leave this setting well prepared for the next stage of their learning or school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model. She supports children with consistent positive praise and encouragement. Children show self-esteem and pride in their achievements. For example, they excitedly place their pictures in the hallway next to their coats to take home to show their parents and carers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder knows children well. She focuses on building secure relationships. Children show affection for the childminder. For instance, they cuddle into her in a cosy reading area under a blanket to listen to a story. The childminder gives children time and attention as they play. This ensures that all children receive appropriate support.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides children with support that is well matched to their ages and stages of development. She adjusts her expectations to take account of individual children's needs. For example, the childminder gives younger children short and clear instructions to help their understanding. Children learn to collaborate and get along with others. They learn to share and take turns and are very respectful to the childminder and each other.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance with families. This helps children not miss valuable learning opportunities. The childminder liaises with other settings and schools that children attend when they are absent.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, the childminder teaches children how to use child-sized knives safely. Children receive important messages about safer eating practice, such as cutting their fruit into small pieces before eating. The childminder closely supervises children when they eat and drink. Children understand the importance of hygiene routines, such as handwashing, and how these keep them healthy. The childminder provides a stool so children can easily access the sink and talks to them about removing germs. Children have their own individual towels to prevent cross-infection. The interactions and relationships between the childminder and children are warm and caring. Children have opportunities for physical activity and being active outdoors in the fresh air each day. They play in the childminder's garden and visit the park and local woodland. The childminder teaches children ways to help identify and manage their feelings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

She labels their emotions and reads books about different feelings with children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder recognises priorities in the local area, such as supporting children's oral health. She has attended training to support children to learn about good dental hygiene. Children practise brushing teeth on a large model using a timer. Overall, children have opportunities to develop some independence skills. They help to set the table and confidently cut their fruit. However, there are instances when the childminder does not consistently promote self-care skills they will need for school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder observes children so she can plan her curriculum around their interests and stages of development and the areas of learning. She focuses her teaching on what children already know and can do to move their learning forward. For example, she plans an activity to encourage older children to count the number of spots on frogs and recognise numerals.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

However, despite notable improvements in the curriculum, at times, the childminder does not focus her teaching more precisely on individual children's next steps in learning. For example, she gives older children cups with lids and a spout rather than encouraging them to drink from an open cup.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder teaches children social skills, such as using manners. Children learn how to look after themselves and generally develop their self-care skills. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to adapt her approaches to toilet training. She supports children to develop their communication skills from a young age. There is a constant stream of conversations, which children engage in with enthusiasm. For example, they happily and confidently talk about their recent holidays.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder introduces new vocabulary as children play. For example, she encourages children to weigh containers full of sand and introduces the words 'heavy' and 'light'. The childminder adapts her approach and activities to meet children's stage of development. For example, she encourages children to empty and fill containers with sand and manipulate dough, and she supports older children to make marks on a large chalkboard. This helps to develop children's small physical skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder welcomes all children into her setting. She uses her assessments to identify children who need extra support to help them to close any gaps in their development. The childminder monitors children's progress through her observations. She works with other professionals, including the local authority and parents and carers, to implement their advice. For instance, when children have accessed speech and language therapy, the childminder has adapted her practice to incorporate the strategies they have suggested. Although the childminder is not currently caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), she understands her role in supporting children with SEND. She has recently accessed training around supporting children with autism. This has helped her to further develop her knowledge to support children's individual needs. The childminder recognises that she now needs to seek more professional development around supporting

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Inclusion Expected standard

children with SEND further through the assess, plan, do and review process, should the need arise.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is aware of additional funding that she can apply for to support children with barriers to their learning or wellbeing. She is mindful of children's prior experiences and places a high priority on broadening their horizons. For example, she takes children on the train to museums and the library to choose books to take home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has worked diligently to meet the actions raised at the last inspection. She has rightly focused her professional development on developing her knowledge of the requirements to keep children safe, especially when eating and following hygiene routines. She is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for children. The childminder is mindful of her own wellbeing and makes sure that her workload is manageable.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has engaged well with the local authority when planning for improvements. She evaluates her setting and openly welcomes suggestions to enhance her practice further. However, the childminder recognises the need to extend her professional development to enhance her knowledge of the curriculum and teaching further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands the needs of the local community, her setting and their families. She maintains very positive relationships with parents and carers. The childminder communicates effectively about children's progress and daily experiences. Parents speak highly of the childminder and the progress their children make in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shares information with other settings children attend about their care needs and general topics they are learning about. However, she does not consistently share precise information about individual children's learning and their next steps in development. This does not consistently support continuity in children's 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 make a positive start to their early education in this setting. The childminder gathers lots of information about children's routines, interests, likes and dislikes when they first start. She uses this knowledge to help children to settle into her setting successfully.

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

Children are happy and very much enjoy their learning. They are constantly engaged and motivated during their play. For instance, children spend a long time exploring and investigating a large tray on the floor full of sand and resources. Children show they are happy and settled. They form friendships with other children, showing care and

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Inspector:

Melanie Vincent consideration. For example, younger children enquire about their friends who are poorly and absent.

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Inspector:

The childminder places a huge focus on children learning outdoors or in their community. She plans a wealth of engaging and interesting visits for children, such as to local nature reserves, forests, museums and local playgroups. The childminder uses these experiences to help children to learn about different people and the world around them and develop positive social skills. Children enjoy learning about nature. They are currently exploring frogs and tadpoles, after observing them on a visit. The childminder plans activities to follow on from this interest. For instance, children enjoy reading stories about tadpoles, sing number songs about frogs and decorate pictures of them.

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Inspector:

Children learn positive hygiene practices in this setting. They recognise when they need to wipe their noses, and they find the tissues to do this independently. The childminder ensures that children wash their hands straight after wiping their noses and before eating. Children learn the childminder's expectations from the start. For example, they understand not to stand or climb on their chairs when eating to prevent accidents. The childminder also teaches children about road safety and not to approach unfamiliar people on visits.

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Next steps

The childminder should focus her teaching more precisely on what individual children need to learn next during their play and planned activities. The childminder should focus professional development opportunities on enhancing her knowledge of the curriculum and teaching further. The childminder should extend partnerships with other settings that children attend to share more precise information about their learning and development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder and children during the inspection and viewed written comments from parents.

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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 setting

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

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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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