Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 139698 Registered with Ofsted: 21/11/1996 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's behaviour is exceptional because the childminder has high expectations for them, alongside her gentle, caring approach. There are well-established routines followed by all children, including during meal and rest times. Children need very few behaviour reminders and play collaboratively together. The childminder uses emotion stones and stories to help children express themselves. Older children can use a scale to explain which emotional zone they are feeling, further supporting their regulation. All children display extremely kind and caring behaviour towards each other. They take turns and share toys without prompts. Children have built a warm, attentive relationship with the nurturing childminder, who consistently praises and encourages them. This further supports their self-esteem and positive attitude toward learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established a collaborative approach to encourage children's regular attendance and punctuality. She builds trust with families and shares her expectations, alongside advice to support with any barriers in accessing the curriculum.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder knows the children in her care exceptionally well and adapts her practice to support their changing needs. She offers a home-from-home environment, where children feel relaxed, safe and emotionally secure. Children are encouraged to discuss how they are feeling using stories and emotion cards to help them communicate. Children have established firm personal care habits. For instance, they independently wash their hands before eating and using the bathroom and know how to wipe their own noses.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder explores complex topics with children, such as consent and keeping themselves safe when using the internet. She promotes even the youngest children's autonomy by asking for permission before nappy changes. The childminder is mindful of the use of technology. She teaches children how to use the internet positively. Together, they look up animals from their snowy sensory tray, and she closely monitors the use of a music speaker.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are encouraged to explore tastes and textures as they make healthy choices at mealtimes. The childminder uses the most up-to-date advice to ensure children receive well- balanced, nutritious meals every day. Children can navigate safely around the childminder's home independently. They use the outdoor space freely for regular fresh air throughout the day. This further supports their sense of security and emotional wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has a strong commitment to inclusion. She continuously expands her knowledge to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through extensive training. This means she can swiftly identify inconsistent progress and share any areas of concern with parents. The childminder has excellent relationships with professionals in the local authority, who can offer advice and support. The childminder is

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Expected standard

passionate and persistent in ensuring children receive swift referrals, support plans and additional funding to support them in readiness for school. She works closely with professionals from other settings her children attend to ensure consistency and smooth transitions.

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Expected standard

The childminder meticulously reflects on the environment to ensure it meets the needs of the children who attend. She has created safe, quiet spaces for children to regulate, where they can help themselves to ear defenders. She uses children's home languages consistently during play, which helps them feel valued. The childminder demonstrates how she has previously used additional funding to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This included purchasing additional school uniforms for children attending school to remove any barriers to learning and promote their self-esteem.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder shows a passion for continuously improving her provision and is highly reflective of her practice. She has an accurate understanding of her strengths and continues to build on her priorities. The childminder shows an impressive commitment to her own professional development. She has completed a recognised level 3 special educational needs coordinator course, enabling her to support children and their families further. She actively seeks out meaningful training and keeps up to date with any changes in legislation so that she can apply them to her practice.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has established excellent working relationships with professionals. She communicates well with school and nursery teachers to ensure smooth transitions and continuity of learning. She maintains strong links with the local authority, enabling swift support for children with any emerging needs. The childminder has fantastic relationships with parents and has implemented multiple communication methods. They speak extremely highly of her and how their children are flourishing in her care.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children benefit from a wealth of opportunities that help them prepare for the next stage of their learning, including school. They are becoming increasingly independent in self-care and hygiene. They communicate well and are able to ask questions confidently. Children who speak English as an additional language are speaking with confidence in English and progressing well. Older children show high engagement in activities and show wonderful imagination as they play. However, younger children could be more consistently engaged in activities. Children across all age groups are beginning to solve simple mathematics problems. For instance, they fill and measure containers as they discuss language around quantity and capacity.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children can practise their physical skills every day as they walk and run through the park. They are highly independent, as they dress for outdoor activities and feed themselves at mealtimes. The childminder tracks children's progress carefully to narrow any gaps in knowledge. This approach ensures that all children, including those with emerging needs, make good progress overall.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children build consistent knowledge across all areas of learning from their starting points. They develop their language as they name different snowy animals, and explain that a magnifying glass 'makes things bigger'. The childminder repeats key words to younger children, such as 'crunch' during snack time, and narrates their play. Children are developing strong fine motor skills as they use tweezers, manipulate play dough and confidently use mark-making tools. This helps equip them with core strength for emerging writing. The childminder ensures children receive consistent praise and encouragement as they persevere. She consistently supports their emotional wellbeing and social skills. This helps children's personal, social and emotional development, where children feel confident and ready to continue learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder carefully constructs an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of individual children. She continuously adapts the environment to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, providing quiet spaces for regulation and using visual timetables to aid understanding. Older children show high engagement as they use puppets to tell stories and role play with small-world toys. However, the childminder recognises that there are occasions when younger children are not as involved in their learning as they could be. Mathematical language is woven through play; children comment on size and shape and use positional language as they build towers. The childminder has notable knowledge of children's interests. She enhances teaching to incorporate what children are learning in other settings to support their overall progress.

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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 in the childminder's home. Daily routines are well established; children confidently join the playroom and independently choose activities. Children have forged positive friendships with one another. For instance, they play collaboratively as they use their imagination with animals in the winter sensory tray. Older children show care towards younger children and involve them in their play. The childminder is an excellent role model. Her calm, nurturing interactions help children display respectful, kind behaviour towards one another.

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

Children enjoy rich physical experiences each day. They walk through the local park, noticing nature, and use climbing equipment in the garden. The childminder encourages children's growing independence exceptionally well. For example, children of all ages use finger guards and knives safely as they cut their own healthy snacks. They scoop hummus from a pot and pour drinks successfully into open cups. The childminder prompts children to recall their knowledge, and children use impressive vocabulary. They discuss how dinosaurs are 'extinct' and use mathematical language during play.

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

All children are welcomed and celebrated by the childminder. She has established positive relationships with children and has gathered vital information about their family backgrounds. This enables her to reduce any barriers to learning. She is extremely proactive in supporting children who speak English as an additional language by ensuring they feel included. The childminder has superb knowledge of how to help children with any emerging needs and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has put targeted support in place to ensure they exceed any expectations and flourish alongside their peers.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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 refine the planning of activities for younger children, so that they are more engaged in their continuous learning.

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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 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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