Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY277912 Registered with Ofsted: 16/02/2004 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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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points. Children have ample opportunities to develop their independence and resilience skills. For example, before going outside, young and older children put on their own wellington boots and outdoor coats themselves. They show perseverance as they try and try again before completing the task. Children progress in their personal, social and emotional development, are independent, achieve well and are keen to learn. Children respond with glee when the childminder praises their efforts and achievements. Older and younger children develop their communication skills as they sing songs and listen to stories that are very familiar to them. They develop secure relationships with each other and learn to play alongside one another, waiting patiently as they learn to take turns and share. Although children learn skills that will prepare them for their move on

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Achievement Expected standard

to school, this could be improved if they were given the opportunity to learn the benefits of healthy eating and effective oral health.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy a wide range of experiences to help them learn more about the wider world and develop their physical skills as they visit parks and local woods. They have lots of opportunities to develop their social skills. For example, the childminder regularly meets with other childminders and their children as they attend outings together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm and welcoming environment where expectations for behaviour and conduct are clear and consistently reinforced. She has positive relationships with children, who show genuine affection towards her. The childminder models respect and calmness in her interactions. In turn, children are kind and helpful to their friends. Children feel safe and secure. They show positive attitudes to learning as they listen to instructions given to them by the childminder. She helps them to understand boundaries and develop confidence in managing their own behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder models positive interactions and encourages sharing, turn-taking and cooperative play, supporting children's personal, social and emotional development. She demonstrates polite manners and guides children to use polite words as they play and interact with each other. Children know what is expected of them while they are in the childminder's care. For instance, all children know they need to work together to clear the table ready for snack. Older children are encouraged to help move the table in position, and younger children use cloths and liquid to clean the table. Children learn respect for each other and form close bonds. For example, older children know not to jump off a balance block when another child is close by and comfort each other if they accidently bump into each other during their play. The childminder works diligently with schools that the children will attend in the future. However, despite contacting settings that the children currently

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

attend in addition to hers, she has not yet established links. This impacts on the continuity of care children receive.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes the importance of punctuality and attendance effectively. She has a clear process in place if children do not attend as expected. She communicates this with families and shares how regular attendance and arriving on time support children's wellbeing and learning. The childminder adapts provision to suit children's and families' differing needs, where possible.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder creates a safe and nurturing environment in which all children feel emotionally safe and secure. She cares for a wide diverse range of children. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or barriers to their learning thrive in her care. She works alongside external agencies and adopts strategies suggested by them, in collaboration with parents, to enable all children to progress. Children confidently explore the activities and resources available. The childminder works closely with parents and carers from the start. She gathers detailed information about children's routines, preferences and home experiences. The settling-in process is tailored to the needs of each individual child and helps them settle at their own pace. This approach helps children feel understood before they begin attending. The childminder uses books and stories to help children understand and express their feelings and develop their early emotional awareness.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

For example, they all read together, exploring the feelings of the characters and understanding the emotions described.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have secure relationships with the childminder and readily go to her to seek comfort if needed. The childminder promotes the advised nutritional guidance to parents and encourages them to provide healthy lunches for their children. Snack times and lunchtimes are sociable occasions. The childminder sits and talks with children and uses the opportunity to support their language development. She typically promotes children's good health. For example, she provides opportunities for regular physical activity and reminds children to wash their hands before eating. However, the childminder does not always help children to understand more about healthy food choices and oral hygiene. During play, the childminder guides children to take turns and use kind words and praises them as they develop their understanding of her expectations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates understanding of how young children develop and how to sequence learning. She meets children's needs, and teaching has a positive impact on their learning. She knows children's interests well and designs the curriculum to focus on what children need to learn. She uses regular observations and assessments, shared routinely with parents and carers, and adapts her plans as needed. For example, the childminder uses strategies shared by external agencies to amend her curriculum so that all children, including those with barriers to their learning, benefit. She tunes into children well and promotes their personal, social and emotional development. For example, she knows which children are anxious and ensures she explains in advance when visitors are expected and introduces them when they arrive. Children respond positively to this and show they are relaxed and calm. The childminder talks to the children at snack time, encouraging children

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

to describe what they are eating and the colours of the food. However, she does not use this opportunity to share messages about healthy eating and oral health with the children. Using her secure knowledge of what children need to know next, the childminder plans activities and makes resources available to children. She provides lots of fun activities. She uses children's love of nursery rhymes and their secure attachments with her to support mathematical skills and aids their communication and language development. Children show joy as they happily join in singing songs that are clearly familiar to them. For example, they line up ducks and jump up and down as they sing '5 Little Ducks'. They continue to sing the song when the childminder pauses, showing their confidence. In addition, when children access the outdoor activity area, the childminder encourages them to describe what they are creating and uses words such as 'sludge' and 'gloop' to describe the potions they are

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder actively involves herself in children's play. She supports their understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, as children play, the childminder encourages them to think about the size, shape and position of resources. Children have daily opportunities to enjoy outdoor and physical play on outings. The childminder uses every opportunity to count with children as they balance on beams, lay the table for food and access resources, for example.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for what all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve. Before children start in her care, she collects a wide range of information from parents and carers to help her understand each child's abilities and experiences. She uses this information to work with parents and to provide a supportive settling-in process. The childminder's knowledge of child development helps her to observe children and assess their progress confidently. She shares this information regularly with parents, creating individual learning plans for each child to promote consistent support in their development at home. In addition, if she has any emerging concerns about a child's progress, she contacts external specialist professionals for further advice and help. This helps all children, including those with SEND, make progress from their starting points. The childminder is confident in using additional funding to

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Inclusion Expected standard

benefit children and aid their progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides a nurturing environment where children, including those with SEND, can develop their confidence and resilience. To support her understanding of child development, the childminder completes a wide range of training through the local authority and external agencies. She has used information gained from these courses to adapt her setting and practice. The childminder has experience of supporting children who are known to social care. She works collaboratively with neighbouring local authorities and parents to create a calming environment for children to flourish. The childminder liaises with some settings that provide joint care and shares information well. This benefits children who have continuity of care and approaches to their learning. However, this is not in place for all children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder gathers pertinent information from parents and carers at the outset to help her understand children's backgrounds and circumstances. This includes gathering information to support children who face barriers to learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The childminder is reflective of her practice and identifies her strengths and some areas for development. She continues to update her skills and knowledge, especially in relation to children with SEND, by attending training in a variety of formats. She uses the knowledge gained to amend her practice if needed. For example, after completing a child-centred educational course she rearranged her environment to reduce the number of resources available and moved them to a lower level to increase accessibility. The childminder understands that children benefit by increasing their confidence, independence and social skills and uses these as a focus for their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works diligently to engage with parents and gives them information about what their children are doing during their day. She has developed links with local schools. For example, the children join in with regular forest school sessions. However, the childminder does not have well-developed links with some of the settings that provide joint care for children to promote further consistency for children. The childminder liaises with wider support services and willingly seeks advice and guidance from other early years professionals, such as those who work in the local authority.

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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 settle quickly in this nurturing environment. The childminder provides them with calm and sensitive support. They enjoy being in her care and show they feel safe and comfortable in her home and exploring the activities available. For example, they confidently access an obstacle course and jump into the childminder's arms. Children understand the childminder's expectations and reflect them confidently, demonstrating positive behaviour. For example, they willingly help the childminder to clear and clean the table and gather chairs for mealtimes. Children learn to play together and are keen to invite their friends and the childminder to join in the games. For example, they happily enjoy a matching game, excitedly praising each other as they match their cards correctly.

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

Children have opportunities to develop their independence in lots of ways. For example, they use a board to register their attendance, which is promoted well. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning, experience an inclusive and welcoming environment. Children benefit from a variety of learning experiences on outings in the community and on visits with other childminders and their friends. These stable routines help children to feel safe and secure, while strengthening their confidence and supporting their overall development.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop opportunities to enhance sharing of messages about healthy eating and oral hygiene with children. The childminder should continue to implement more effective strategies to develop links with all settings that children attend.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder, parents and carers 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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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