Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 319704 Registered with Ofsted: 01/01/1988 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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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder offers a very inclusive environment and promotes consistent continuity of care. She takes account of children's individual needs, their different learning styles and any medical needs. She works extremely closely with parents to implement individual targets and strategies through her assessment processes. The childminder sensitively adapts her planned activities, outings and experiences to fully support children's emotional wellbeing and individual next steps in learning. For example, she adapts her interactions with children to their age and stage of physical and speech development. For children with emerging or special educational needs and/or disabilities, the childminder uses strategies from her inclusion training to support children with speech delay. The childminder is a regular user of communication programmes such as Makaton and British Sign Language.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder attends regular training to further build her knowledge of what can affect children's learning and wellbeing. She has recently gained an inclusion award and has carried out specific concussion training for young children.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is very clear in her responsibility to make timely referrals to other professionals where necessary. She understands that working together and gaining additional funding is key to supporting the needs of identified children. She understands how additional funding should be used to support disadvantaged children.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children have regular opportunities to experience the 7 areas of learning through well- planned activities and outings. They achieve well in the setting. Children make independent choices in their play and use their language skills well to voice their ideas. For example, during a craft activity, they choose their favourite paint and marvel as the colours mix into new ones. They delight in finding things out for themselves. Children learn to follow simple instructions, persevere and take pride in their finished models of ice creams.

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Achievement Expected standard

Older children become confident communicators and enjoy problem-solving in their play. For instance, they work out how to match the top and bottom of figures and complete tricky shape sorters. They develop their self-care and physical skills and access the fresh air in the garden or on regular outings to parks.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are included in all aspects of the childminder's practice. Children are making progress from their starting points that is typical of their age and stage of development. They are well prepared for their next stage in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm, safe environment for children and their families. She sets clear expectations and boundaries along with well-structured routines and activities. This gives children emotional security. The childminder is a positive role model for all children, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who have other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. The childminder reminds children of the importance of good manners and sharing. She is calm and fun and constantly role-models respect and kindness. As a result, children are polite and use good manners throughout activities and routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder sensitively helps children to recognise and self-regulate their feelings. She helps them to understand what to do when they are feeling frustrated and how to recognise when they are starting to feel tired. She supports children through consistent strategies. This helps children resolve disagreements quickly and independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder ensures she communicates with all parents and carers to promote the importance of children's regular attendance. This helps support continuity of learning. If children do not attend when expected, she finds out the reasons why and explains the benefits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from the childminder's nurturing relationship. They show secure attachments to her and move around her home with curiosity and confidence. Settling-in procedures are thorough. The childminder gathers essential information about children's daily routines, allergies and any specific medical needs. The childminder builds positive links with parents, which helps children to feel safe and secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides children with a warm, safe environment. She prepares indoor and outdoor spaces carefully to support children's growing physical skills, as well as many local outings in the fresh air. The childminder helps children to understand road safety and how to take managed risks while using equipment at the park. Overall, she typically ensures that she supports children to understand the benefits of a healthy diet. However, she recognises that she could provide younger children with more consistent messages about making healthy choices throughout activities, play and routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's independence and helps them to develop their self-care skills. Children learn to understand oral health and show pride as they begin to use the toilet independently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder helps children to develop good personal, social and emotional skills. Children develop good levels of self-esteem. Their behaviour is positive, and the childminder focuses on helping them to regulate their emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is a clear curriculum in place to help children build secure foundations for the future, in particular for children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. The childminder focuses her teaching on helping children learn the skills they need to help them start school or nursery. For instance, she shares a document with parents called 'Getting ready for school nursery'. This explains how her curriculum plans help foster children's independence in dressing, toileting and eating, with the benefit of routines. Parents are encouraged to be involved for continuity of learning, and they state that the childminder 'is amazing'.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder maintains this effective partnership working with parents and other professionals who may be involved with children's care and learning. She uses assessments to identify potential gaps in children's learning and experiences. This helps her plan to close the gaps and make necessary referrals to other professionals when needed, such as speech and language therapists.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum for supporting children's communication is beneficial to all children, including those who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and is effective. Overall, the childminder consistently promotes children's language, listening and understanding skills. For example, as children play, she provides a clear narrative, often weaving in early mathematical language. She regularly asks open questions and encourages children to share their ideas and use their imaginations. She models new words to extend their vocabulary and explain what she means, for example when discussing stripy and plain patterns. She is skilled at sign language when required.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder recognises the need to reflect on her work to make improvements. For instance, she has extended children's opportunities to develop their natural curiosity and creativity and deepen children's learning in play. The childminder has gained an inclusion award for the second time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands the need to continue to complete further training and extend her professional development opportunities to help sustain her quality teaching skills. To this end, she researches online learning and keeps up to date with new guidance and trends through the local authority and discussions with other childminders.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder's strength in her partnerships with parents helps keep them up to date with their children's progress. Her expertise in identifying gaps in children's learning ensures parents are consistently involved in decisions, especially for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with any other barriers to learning and wellbeing. Parents contribute information about children's achievements and interests at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works extremely well with other professionals involved in children's learning to provide consistent care and goals. She shares progress reports where necessary to support children as they move to and from her care.

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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 happy in this experienced childminder's care. They build close relationships with her and this helps them feel safe, settled and secure. The childminder regularly checks on how children are feeling and is very intuitive to their needs.

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

Children behave well. They regularly follow instructions, such as to help tidy up and prepare the table for snack. Children routinely try to do things for themselves and show success in

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Inspector:

their self-care. For instance, they go to the toilet independently and wash their hands thoroughly. Children demonstrate a willingness to undertake daily tasks, such as using safety knives to chop strawberries for snack.

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Inspector:

Children have opportunities to develop their physical skills. They regularly access fresh air in the childminder's garden or on local walks. The childminder takes children to local parks to meet other childminder groups within the local community. This enables them to mix with other children and help develop their language and social skills. Additionally, the childminder encourages children to reflect on their differences to help build an awareness of other people and the wider world. The childminder successfully helps children gain valuable skills for their eventual move to school or nursery.

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Inspector:

The childminder uses her strong knowledge of child development and years of experience to provide a full curriculum for children. Overall, she provides a wide range of interesting and exciting resources that are easily accessible to children. However, the childminder recognises that children do not consistently have easy access to mark-making tools. For instance, some children need to ask to use the wide variety of mark-making tools available on the high table.

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Inspector:

The childminder knows the children well. She understands their individual personalities and learning styles and makes sure her curriculum always meets the individual needs of the children. Her regular observations keep track of children's development. This helps her swiftly identify any gaps in learning and target any necessary funding or professional support successfully. All children make progress from their initial starting points.

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Next steps

The childminder should provide younger children with consistent messages about making healthy choices, including how to have a healthy diet. The childminder should ensure there are sufficient mark-making resources easily accessible for children to help promote children's learning and development in this area.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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 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. Jan Harvey

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 06:30 - 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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