Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2736114 Registered with Ofsted: 12/09/2023 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 knows the children and their families extremely well. She accurately identifies children's needs, gaps in their development and any barriers they may face. The childminder is committed to ensuring the learning environment is accessible for all children. She seeks support and advice from other professionals swiftly and consistently implements any advised strategies to support children. She develops robust and precise plans and targets by working extremely closely with parents and other professionals. The childminder closely monitors children's development to ensure any gaps are closing swiftly. The childminder confidently challenges other professionals if she feels children require more support. This ensures that children receive the early help and specialist intervention they require.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has extensive knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She continues to attend a range of training and completes her own research. This helps to further enhance her knowledge, skills and confidence in supporting children with SEND. The childminder uses her meticulous knowledge of the children to help identify where any additional funding should be used. She carefully monitors the impact this funding is having on outcomes for children with SEND. The childminder works successfully with other settings children may attend. This ensures that children receive the consistency of care and education they require to flourish.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children flourish across all areas of their development. They are typically well prepared for the next stage of their learning, including school. Children learn about their similarities and differences as they look at photos of themselves, their families and their peers. They ask questions to find out more about each other. Children develop the muscles in their body as they attempt to squeeze water into pipettes and fill and empty containers. They learn about their bodies. For example, they know how the blood pumps through their bodies after physical exercise. Children develop new skills, such as how to use the zip on their shoes and how to use a knife safely to cut up their fruit, but there is scope to further develop their independence skills. They learn how to play socially with their peers, such as how to share and take turns. Children are becoming confident communicators. Babies communicate using

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Achievement Expected standard

gestures and sounds to make their wishes known. Older children speak in sentences as they engage in the learning experiences on offer to them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model to children. She praises them for what they do well. The childminder reminds children of the rules. She uses distraction well, talking gently to children when they make undesired choices. This supports children to know what is expected of them and to understand how their actions impact on others. Children follow the instructions of the childminder. They behave well. The childminder supports children's attendance by working closely with parents.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have secure bonds with the childminder. They seek her out when required. The childminder is very responsive to children during this time. Children play collaboratively with her and their peers. For instance, they eagerly call their friends over to play with them. The childminder teaches children how to take turns. Children know their routine well. They eagerly help find their own lunch boxes and set up the table for lunchtime. Throughout free play, children show a willingness to get involved and join in. They remain focused and enthused to learn for considerable periods of time. However, the organisation of group-time experiences does not help younger children to focus their attention effectively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children wash their hands throughout the day, including after they finish playing outside and before meals. The childminder supports children to learn about the importance of washing their hands to remove germs. Children have lots of opportunities to play outside in the fresh air, which they thoroughly enjoy. The childminder provides other opportunities for children to get physical inside. Children stretch, jump and bend their knees as they follow actions to physical rhymes. The childminder supports parents to provide healthy and balanced meals in their children's packed lunches.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder is very nurturing towards children. She showers them with lots of care and attention. This supports children to form strong bonds with her. Children are happy and settled. They show they feel safe with the childminder as they seek her out. The childminder responds to children's individual needs quickly, for example when they show signs of tiredness or hunger. She checks on children regularly when they are sleeping. Children have access to balanced and healthy meals and they help themselves to water. The childminder supervises the children closely while they are eating and when they play. This ensures children are kept safe throughout the day. However, at times, the childminder completes tasks for the children, such as opening their lunch boxes, rather than supporting children to learn the skills they require to complete tasks for themselves in readiness for school. This does not fully promote their independence skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is sequenced well and covers all areas of learning. The childminder takes steps to ensure children can access all areas of the learning environment. She uses a range of assessments to help monitor children's development. This helps her to have a clear understanding of what children already know and to set next steps for them to achieve. The childminder uses this information well, alongside children's interests, to provide a range of learning experiences for them. Children thoroughly enjoy sensory experiences, such as water play. The childminder promotes children's language development as they play. For younger children, she speaks in single words, such as 'splash', 'bubbles' and 'pop', as they explore the soapy water. The childminder asks older children open-ended questions as she helps them understand how the water is travelling down the ramp. The childminder reflects on her teaching practice to identify areas of strength and where

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

improvements could be made. She supports children to learn about shapes and space as they explore using various construction materials. Younger children smile as they attempt to fit different objects into the right hole. Older children construct with purpose as they build towers. Children's physical development is promoted well. For instance, they learn to move in a variety of ways, such as crawling, jumping and how to pull themselves up. Children play well alongside and with each other. However, the organisation of group-time experiences is not differentiated well. For instance, group times can be quite lengthy, and consequently, younger children lose focus and become disengaged.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate and reflective. She has a clear understanding of her setting's context, including the families and children who attend. The childminder also has a clear overview of the overall quality of the setting. She has identified strengths and acknowledges that there are areas that could be improved further. The childminder is keen to continue to develop her own skills, confidence and knowledge, such as learning more about the brain development of babies and younger children. The childminder actively prioritises her own professional development and accesses regular training. She completes her own research in order to help meet the individual needs of children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is very mindful of her own workload. She knows where she can seek support and help from if required. Partnership working with others is a key strength of this setting. The childminder works well alongside parents, other professionals and other settings. She ensures parents know how they can support their child's development at home. This helps to ensure children receive the help and consistency they require. Parents comment extremely positively about the guidance they receive from the childminder.

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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 thoroughly enjoy their time at the childminder's setting. They seek out the childminder for support. The childminder is very responsive to children during this time. She quickly responds to children's individual needs, for instance by making sure children can access equipment they require. The childminder provides children with the care, reassurance and support they need. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children play cooperatively with their peers and with the childminder. They confidently invite each other into their play. Children learn about balancing as they stack different blocks on top of each other. They smile and laugh as they watch these fall back to the floor.

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

Children are flourishing in their development. They have access to a wealth of learning experiences, both inside and outside. The childminder ensures these experiences are focused on children's interests and next steps. Children confidently access their learning environment. They choose where they want to play. The childminder is very skilled at following children's ideas and play. Children show lots of excitement and a willingness to get involved. They remain enthused to learn for prolonged periods of time. The childminder reads stories with lots of expression and enthusiasm. Children excitedly talk about the story and join in repeated phrases. Children enjoy mark-marking experiences as they use a range of media to draw. They start to ascribe meanings to the marks they make.

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

The childminder knows the children extremely well. She finds out about children's individual needs and their development quickly. The childminder monitors children's progress extremely closely. She works closely with parents and other professionals. This helps to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the consistency of care and specialist help they require swiftly.

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About this setting

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

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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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Next steps

The childminder should organise group-time experiences better to ensure all children, particularly the youngest children, are able to fully benefit from them. The childminder should support older children to learn the skills they require to complete tasks for themselves, in order to build on their independence further.

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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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