Dow, Claire

Dow, Claire

Unique reference number (URN): EY431181 Address: 11 Garton End, Crays Pond, Reading, RG8 7QH Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 14/07/2011 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Dow, Claire

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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 Strong standard

All children make excellent progress as the childminder provides them with a vast range of learning opportunities across all areas of learning. Children of a very young age show excellent perseverance and problem-solving skills. For instance, when they struggle to work out how to get on the rocking horse, they push it closer to the childminder so that she can help. Although the children are merely babbling, they are very successful at making their needs known. When they cannot quite swing their legs round to climb on, they adjust their bodies and keep trying. When children do eventually achieve this task, they receive great praise from the childminder.

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Achievement Strong standard

The childminder actively seeks the views of children and skilfully uses age-appropriate methods to capture their voice. For example, she provides menus at a low level so that children can choose what they would like to eat. Older children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning and development, for instance as they help to prepare their own sandwiches for lunch.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has created a calm, harmonious and respectful environment where children thrive emotionally and socially. Even from a young age, children are kind and caring towards each other. They happily share their toys, and when they go to get their drink, they will often return to collect their friend's drink for them too.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder places a high priority on supporting children's self-esteem, knowing that they will learn and thrive best when they feel safe and secure. The childminder never flusters when children become unsettled, but she acknowledges their feelings and gives them the comfort they need.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers to support children's good attendance. She provides a well-structured daily routine, which underpins children's learning and sense of security. She sets clear expectations for children and is consistent in her approach. The instructions the childminder provides are gentle and clear. Everything is accessible to children at their level and the childminder focuses on following the children's lead, which supports them to achieve their personal goals.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder builds warm, trusting relationships with each child and responds very sensitively to their individual needs. This is helped by the wealth of information she gains about the children before they start, as the childminder believes that the more she knows before they come, the better she can care for them. The childminder's care and concern towards children who face possible barriers to their learning is exemplary. She is kind and comforting and provides a consistently stable environment where children feel safe and valued. Older children talk openly to the childminder about significant events with their families, which means she is able to support them very well when they are undergoing changes in their home lives. The childminder is skilled at reading when younger children are tired or hungry and places their needs first.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children have ample opportunities to be physically active, as the childminder provides plenty of space indoors, whatever the weather. The childminder also enables children to play outdoors and explore the natural environment. She promotes healthy eating with children and parents, explaining the benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables over processed food. The childminder also accompanies children to dentist appointments, which enables them to understand what happens during such visits and learn about the importance of good oral health.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has created a precisely sequenced curriculum that considers children's interests and their next steps in learning. The next steps she has identified are accurate and seamlessly woven into her planned activities and interactions with children. For example, children learning to walk have lots of opportunities to pull themselves to standing and use a variety of push-along toys. Their physical development is very well supported as they have lots of space in the hall to clamber over soft-play blocks and learn how to coordinate their legs to climb onto the rocking horse. Children developing their pincer grip are provided with items to explore in a tray. They use tweezers to try and pick them up and use their senses to explore feathers and nests. The childminder expertly weaves in the theme of a national birdwatching survey, where children have made bird feeders and have delighted in watching

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder successfully supports children's developing language skills. She constantly talks to children in her gentle manner, enabling children to hear new words. She weaves in simple mathematical language for their age, such as 'lots' and 'more', as well as simple counting. The support for children struggling with separation is excellent, with the childminder constantly reassuring children that they are safe and distracting them with interesting activities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder constantly strives to help all children feel valued and thrive during their time with her. She considers any possible barriers to learning, including how the environment in the hall she uses might affect young children's play. She provides all young children with warm, snuggly playsuits and grip socks, so that children who spend most of their time on the floor stay warm and can move safely. This promotes equality for all families who attend. The childminder supports children who find separation a challenge extremely well. Her constant kind and gentle reassurance of 'I'm right here' and 'I'm right by you' means that younger children are starting to find the confidence to explore their environment and play, knowing the childminder is close by. Everything set out in the hall is accessible to children and set out at their level, which promotes their independent play.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has highly effective systems in place to monitor the individual needs of all children in her care. While she does not currently have any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities on roll, she attends regular training to keep her knowledge up to date. She understands the benefits of adopting a graduated approach of identifying and planning for children's individual needs and evaluating the effectiveness of what she has provided. The childminder fully understands her role to engage parents and support them to make timely referrals to health visitors or other professionals, where necessary. She is proactive in swiftly planning opportunities to provide the required support to children who need it.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is passionate about her work with children, including those who face possible barriers to their learning. She is very motivated and has completed a wide range of training to continually extend her skills. Recent training has been very much focused on the children currently in her care and known issues nationally, such as oral health, safe sleeping and healthy eating. This is used very effectively to enrich the childminder's already strong practice.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly reflective and confidently evaluates her strengths and identifies ways in which she can enhance her provision. She regularly networks with other local childminders to share ideas and practice that are working well. The childminder has built strong partnerships with other settings children attend and keeps parents well informed about their children's progress. The childminder is committed to knowing the children as best she can and works in close collaboration with families. Parents appreciate the excellent communication and comment very positively on how the childminder provides a warm, calm and nurturing environment. They notice the childminder's attention to detail and recognise the thought, effort and dedication that goes into the activities and experiences she provides.

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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

The childminder places a high priority on supporting children's self-esteem and sense of belonging. Children form very close relationships with the childminder, who they eagerly go to for a cuddle and show affection to throughout the day. Although the childminder is not currently caring for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, she has done so in the past and is able to accurately identify other potential barriers to children's learning. She does this by finding out detailed information about children when they first start and by continuously monitoring their progress to ensure children are hitting their developmental milestones and thriving. Through her excellent relationships with children and parents, the childminder is able to quickly identify the best ways in which she would support them. The childminder has high quality interactions with children and they are all flourishing in her care.

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

The childminder is committed to creating a safe, nurturing environment for children where they feel safe and secure. She effectively teaches children about risks and how to keep themselves safe, such as by explaining not to crawl too close to the rocking horse because they could hurt their fingers. The childminder works with parents to establish regular attendance, which promotes children's safety and helps children to feel settled and ready to learn. Children play alongside each other harmoniously from a young age.

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

The childminder supports children very well to become independent and make their own choices. For instance, children can choose what they would like to eat from the menu and older children get involved in preparing their meals. Children experience the awe and wonder of the wider world as they visit museums, temples and local farms, where they can feed the animals.

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Address:

11 Garton End Crays Pond Reading RG8 7QH

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:15

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children.

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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. 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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