Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY260648 Registered with Ofsted: 05/09/2003 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder fosters very warm and secure relationships with children. She takes the time to get to know their individual characters and consistently engages very purposefully in children's play. She offers genuine interest, encouragement and positive reinforcement. This nurturing approach helps children feel emotionally safe, valued and confident in their own abilities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is committed to identifying and supporting children's individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works closely with parents and carers from the very start, gathering detailed information about children's routines, such as sleep and any dietary requirements. This enables her to be highly responsive to their varying needs and provide continuity of care. This helps all children settle quickly and develop a sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children to understand how to keep themselves healthy. She teaches hygiene practices, such as washing hands before mealtimes, and encourages children to take increasing responsibility for their own care. This helps children to consistently develop healthy habits for the future. Children also learn how to stay safe in the community. For example, the childminder shows them how to wait for the 'green man' before crossing the road. The childminder is passionate about outdoor learning. She plans daily opportunities for children to develop their physical skills through a wealth of planned outings. Children are increasingly able to regulate their emotions, supported by the childminder's calm, sensitive and consistent interactions.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder places inclusion at the heart of her practice. She has high expectations of all children's abilities, including those with more complex medical needs. The childminder has robust systems in place to monitor children's learning and development. She completes regular observations and assessments, enabling her to identify children's emerging needs swiftly and put tailored support in place.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of how and when to work with other professionals and external agencies. For example, she engages seamlessly with speech and language therapists and physiotherapists. The childminder knowledgeably follows the professionals' advice closely to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive rapid and targeted support. Furthermore, she has undertaken training to help introduction Makaton to further support children's communication skills.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Where additional funding is available, the childminder allocates it very purposefully to access specific training or resources that can reduce barriers to children's learning. The childminder skilfully adapts her home to meet the needs of all children, including those with SEND. She makes thoughtful adjustments to the environment so that it is inclusive so all

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Expected standard

children can participate fully and make the best possible progress in their learning and development.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop a deep love of books and stories and independently access a wide range of age-appropriate texts. They listen attentively during story sessions and confidently join in with familiar words and phrases. Children sings songs in their play and develop their language and literacy skills. However, sometimes, planned activities do not always build on what children already know and can do. Children gain confidence in managing their own needs and develop important skills for independence. For instance, children learn to take their jumpers off if they are too warm, and they wash their hands and use the toilet independently.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from exceptional support. They make consistent progress from their starting points. Children develop their muscles. For instance, they transfer water as ice melts using various containers and have daily exercises. All children are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children form deep and trusting relationships with the childminder, who is attentive to children's needs. The childminder models positive behaviour. She supports children's behaviour with kindness and sensitivity. The childminder encourages children to share, take turns and work together. Through gentle guidance, children learn how their actions affect others and how to be kind and respectful. These skills typically help to prepare children for future learning and help them to develop friendships.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder offers children lots of praise and encouragement. This helps children to develop their self-esteem. Children show good manners and say 'please' and 'thank you' when offered their snacks and meals. However, at other times during the day, the childminder does not support children to listen and follow instructions effectively. For example, when she asks children to help her tidy away toys, they continue to play. This is because the childminder tends to tidy away for the children. This means that children do not consistently learn the expectations of the childminder's routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has established secure relationships with parents and carers. She shares with parents the importance of their children attending her setting regularly. This helps to ensure that children learn and helps to prepare them for school and later life.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's curriculum is typically well planned to help children to develop their knowledge and skills. For example, she focuses precisely on helping children to develop their communication and language. The childminder introduces children to new vocabulary as they share books together. She supports children's early mathematical development effectively through engaging play, such as with creating large train tracks and stacking boxes. The childminder introduces mathematical language, such as 'big' and 'tall', and counting. This enables children to explore these concepts in meaningful ways.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

However, the childminder does not consistently implement some aspects of the curriculum for children during planned activities as successfully. This means that, sometimes, she does not adapt her high-quality interactions to help children build on what they already know and can do. This occasionally impacts on children's concentration. The childminder plans regular visits, within the local area, for the children to mix with larger groups of children. This helps them to develop and practise their social skills. The childminder is skilful at supporting children's physical development, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She reflects on her provision to make adaptations to meet the needs of the varying stages of children's development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate and committed to her role. She understands the importance of continually enhancing her professional development. The childminder regularly receives updates from professional organisations and training providers, which helps her stay informed about emerging trends in barriers to children's learning, such as communication and language. The childminder has completed specific training, such as Makaton training, and provides an environment to help bridge any gaps in children's development. However, she has not precisely reflected on how to strengthen her planned activities within her curriculum to further children's learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has established partnerships with professionals and other settings that the children attend. This has helped her reflect on her provision and seek precise training to deepen her knowledge and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures that she can provide targeted strategies and approaches tailored to each child's individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has established trusting relationships with parents and carers. They are tremendously happy with the care that is provided. The childminder keeps parents up to date with their children's progress. This helps to ensure there is a consistent approach to children's care and learning. Parents' comments include that the childminder is 'highly inclusive' and that she is 'the cornerstone' of their children's development.

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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 provides a welcoming and homely setting. She demonstrates warmth and kindness, offering children regular praise that helps to create a caring and supportive environment. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, thrive in their learning and development. The childminder has systems in place to recognise any gaps in children's learning or development swiftly. This means that she seeks timely support from other professionals, furthering children's progress.

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About this setting

Children are confident communicators. For example, they excitedly recall the different materials that houses are made of, such as bricks and straw, in their favourites stories. Children sing songs as they pretend to create zoo enclosures with the small-world resources. The childminder is skilful and places children's emotional wellbeing at the centre of her practice. Children learn to share and take turns as the childminder encourages them to count how many toy giraffes they have. These opportunities help children to understand the meaning of quantity in early mathematics. Children are curious as they develop their hand muscles chipping away ice to find the hidden items. The childminder teaches children how ice melts as they have warm water and tip this over the ice. Children are fascinated as they scoop the melted water into small pots. This helps children to develop their understanding of the world around them.

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About this setting

The childminder plans activities linked to children's recent experiences. For example, she shows children how to use toothbrushes to brush pretend teeth after a trip to the dentist. This helps children to deepen their understanding of oral hygiene. The childminder works with parents and carers to support children's self-care skills, such as toilet training. Parents say that the two-way approach really supports their children's progress in developmental milestones.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to strengthen planned activities to support children's engagement more effectively. The childminder should strengthen routines to give children time before moving on so that they can understand and complete tasks.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with parents, 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. Unique reference number (URN): EY260648

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 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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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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