Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY474952 Registered with Ofsted: 21/02/2014 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave very well and understand the expectations of the setting. Outdoors, they listen carefully and follow rules confidently. Older children show responsibility by moving equipment safely so that everyone has space to ride bikes and take part in physical activity. The childminder sensitively supports younger children to explore. For example, they enjoy carrying and rolling a ball. Older children confidently use small vehicles to make tracks in flour on a large tray. They show high levels of concentration as they engage in their chosen activities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has very high expectations for behaviour and consistently models kindness and respect. She speaks calmly to children and praises positive behaviour, helping children to understand the importance of good manners, sharing and taking turns. As a result, children show kindness towards one another and enjoy playing together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Daily routines are well established and embedded. Children know what to expect and what will happen next. They understand the simple rules of the setting as the childminder gently reminds them. For example, children know to walk when they are indoors so that they don't fall and hurt themselves. This means children develop a sense of belonging and feel very secure in their environment.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are a clear priority in this nurturing setting. The childminder places a strong focus on children's emotional wellbeing. She builds very secure, trusting relationships with each child and provides a caring and warm environment where children feel safe and happy. Children confidently seek her out for comfort and to share their achievements. She is highly responsive to children's individual needs and changing circumstances. For example, she sensitively supports older children to understand any changes in their home life by providing opportunities to talk and explore their feelings through role play. As a result, children feel very emotionally secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder plans mealtimes very effectively, which contributes positively to children's good health. Children enjoy a nutritious and varied diet of home-cooked meals. Mealtimes are calm, sociable occasions where children sit together and enjoy conversations with the childminder. This helps children to develop positive attitudes to healthy eating and supports them to feel settled, cared for and valued.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Effective hygiene procedures support children's personal care and independence. Younger children confidently use tissues independently and know to clean their hands afterwards. These routines help children to develop highly effective self-care skills and healthy habits that support their physical health.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children achieve well from their starting points. They make sufficient progress across all areas of the early years foundation stage. Babies gain impressive physical skills. For example, they become increasingly independent at using cutlery to feed themselves at mealtimes. Older children use language to communicate their needs and wishes. For example, at lunchtime they clearly ask for cheese with their lunch. This demonstrates their increasing confidence and independence in daily routines. All children gain skills that prepare them well for their next stage of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum based around what she wants children to know and be able to do. She has high expectations for all children and ensures that the curriculum supports learning across the 7 areas of learning in the early years foundation stage. The childminder plans activities that match and support children's ages and stages of development. Overall, the childminder has highly effective interactions. However, at times, the childminder introduces too many concepts at once, which means children are not always given sufficient time to process their learning or develop their own ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder carefully considers children's current interests and sets out activities that support them to use their imaginations. For example, babies explore and press buttons on cause and effect toys. Older children engage in role play as they enthusiastically pretend to care for babies, dressing them and wrapping them in a blanket. As a result, children are motivated to learn and make steady progress over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Communication and language development is an important focus for the childminder. She acts as a positive role model as she speaks clearly and introduces children to new vocabulary, such as 'peel' and 'chop' as they skilfully use safe knives to cut their banana. They enjoy listening to stories and singing their favourite songs as part of their daily routines. This helps to support children's communication and language skills well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder continually assesses what children know and can do. She closely monitors their progress and regularly shares this with parents. For example, the childminder carries out 2-year progress reviews with parents. She understands the importance of having a good overview of children's development in order to ensure that any gaps in learning are swiftly identified and that any children with barriers to their learning have the appropriate support in place.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder designs her curriculum to ensure that all children have an opportunity to thrive and make progress from their starting points. She identifies their individual needs and ensures that she provides opportunities for children to make progress across all areas of learning. For example, the childminder supports babies well to practise their physical skills as they learn to walk and feed themselves. This means they develop their large and small muscles as they master new skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is extremely passionate about providing a caring and happy environment for all children and families. Partnerships with parents are a real strength. The childminder offers guidance on everyday routines such as toilet training and shares ideas about how to support children's learning at home. Parents are overwhelmingly happy with the care provided. They describe the childminder as caring, nurturing and attentive. They also feel very well informed of daily activities through regular feedback and value the many local outings and opportunities for children to socialise, which enhances their daily experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands the need to support all children, including those who face any barriers to their learning, to gain the skills they need for their future education.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder liaises with other childminders to share ideas and resources. She regularly reflects on what works well in the setting. The childminder keeps her mandatory training up to date with the latest guidance, ensuring that her practice is current and effective. However, a more targeted approach to ongoing professional development would further support continuous 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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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children thrive in this warm, home-from-home environment where they feel safe, valued and cared for. They form strong, trusting relationships with the nurturing childminder and with one another. Children confidently seek comfort and reassurance when they need it, showing they feel emotionally secure. For example, older children show empathy towards younger children by gently comforting them when they are upset. This helps children to develop kindness, respect for others and a strong sense of belonging.

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

Children show great confidence and independence in everyday tasks and routines. For example, children show determination as they use children's safety knives to skilfully cut fruits into pieces for their snack. They know where to find their coats and shoes in order to put them on to play outside and succeed in attempting to put them on. Children are provided with many opportunities to master their independence skills and have a 'can-do' attitude. As a result, children become confident and display high levels of self-esteem.

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

Children enjoy time outdoors in the garden, where they explore a range of equipment and enjoy plenty of fresh air. The childminder takes children on frequent trips to local parks and toddler groups. This gives them an opportunity to be sociable and develop their confidence further, as they benefit from mixing with a wider social group within the local community.

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Next steps

The childminder should focus professional development more precisely in order to strengthen and refine practice further. The childminder should sequence teaching more effectively when introducing new concepts in order to give children time to process and engage fully in their learning.

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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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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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