Tolan, Lauren Louise

Tolan, Lauren Louise

Unique reference number (URN): 2735641 Address: 57 Granton Avenue, Upminster, RM14 2RT Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 20/07/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Tolan, Lauren Louise

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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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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The well-considered curriculum covers all areas of learning and development. The childminder carries out careful checks to ensure she has an in-depth understanding of what individual children know and can do. She designs the curriculum expertly to build upon children's interests and next steps in their learning and carefully plans fun and exciting experiences for them. The childminder often reflects on the quality of her teaching and curriculum. She actively seeks ideas and knowledge to improve her teaching. For example, she is planning to introduce 'loose parts' into the environment.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children have opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. The childminder provides daily opportunities for children to sing and listen to stories to further enhance their language skills. The childminder introduces new vocabulary, such as magnifying glass and amphibians. The childminder plans interesting small-group sessions to support their overall learning. Children are eager to take part in these sessions and enjoy spending the focused time with their friends and the childminder.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder promotes children's physical skills through everyday routines. They enjoy plenty of time outside and regularly visit local amenities, such as parks and play centres. Time spent in the local community, where they interact with other children and adults, also helps children's growing confidence and social skills. The childminder actively promotes children's mathematical skills. They count confidently, exploring shape and space as they build with construction toys. Lively story times encourage children to develop a love for stories. For instance, children predict what will happen next, developing their imaginations and strengthening their early reading skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. They display high levels of confidence and self-esteem and are willing to try new things, with the childminder on hand to offer support. Children develop a 'can-do' attitude and the confidence to embrace new challenges. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make appropriate progress from their starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are curious and concentrate well. They benefit from being given time to think, recall information and respond to the childminder's questions. Children's communication and language skills and vocabularies are developing well as a result. Children relish the praise the childminder gives them and develop pride in their achievements. They persevere in tasks they find challenging. For example, they carefully pour water into small holes. Children build on what they already know and develop essential skills needed for their future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has created a nurturing environment, where children are treated with respect and care. She sets clear expectations for behaviour, tailored to each child's age and stage of development. Children who need extra support to regulate their emotions are helped in a calm, patient and sensitive way. Adaptations to the environment ensure all children have the space and time they need to manage their own behaviour and emotions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children know what is happening next. This helps them to move easily between activities and generally maintain positive attitudes to learning. Mealtimes are sociable occasions around the dinner table. These routines help children understand expectations and how to behave well. Children get along with each other and are kind and thoughtful. For example, they help each other to find and put on their outdoor clothes.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works closely with families to ensure that children attend regularly and arrive on time. This helps children to gain the maximum benefit from the setting and make steady progress in their learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's welfare and wellbeing. She builds kind, consistent relationships from the very start that help children feel emotionally secure. This means even the youngest children separate confidently and settle quickly. The childminder responds sensitively to children, offering reassurance, praise and calm guidance. This supports their growing confidence, emotional regulation and sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages children to adopt healthy habits, such as washing their hands after playing outdoors and before eating. She offers a variety of nutritious foods and helps children understand the importance of maintaining a balanced diet. Children have lots of opportunities for regular exercise and fresh air, while also learning about road safety and safe practices during outings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has effective care practices in place and is sensitive when dealing with children's intimate care needs. Children develop key skills through consistent everyday routines and experiences. For example, children learn to independently put on their coats and shoes. This helps children to develop independence and resilience as they keep trying to put them on successfully.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has secure processes in place to support children with a range of backgrounds and special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She prioritises finding out about individual children's unique circumstances to help understand how to best support children. The childminder makes use of additional funding to structure any intervention and adaptations needed. For example, she considers if children need further one-to-one support or if there are resources that would be more appropriate. The childminder seeks out opportunities to extend her knowledge, such as through training. She readily shares her knowledge with parents. This supports children's learning at home and contributes to the progress children make from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children and ensures she gets to know them well from the very start. Children with SEND are supported to make appropriate progress. The childminder adapts her teaching to their individual needs. She has effective systems in place to monitor children's progress. The childminder works with parents to secure timely referrals if needed and to implement agreed strategies of support. For example, she uses the same signs and gestures as parents to support children's emerging language skills. However, at times, she does not seek support from other professionals in a timely manner to help her to tailor her teaching more effectively for individual children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has clear aims and ambitions for all children who attend. The individual needs of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are carefully considered when making decisions about the provision and when devising plans for continuous improvement. The childminder prioritises early intervention, such as adapting routines based on her deep knowledge of individual children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is qualified and experienced. She recognises the value of building on her own professional development and that of others who work with her, to support and develop practice and the high-quality teaching children receive. The childminder maintains her knowledge of keeping children safe through safeguarding training. The childminder effectively manages the wellbeing and workload of others who work with her.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has an accurate understanding of her strengths and areas for development and takes appropriate action to improve practice. She now needs to ensure these improvements are fully embedded so that consistently high-quality practice is sustained across the setting. For example, plans to introduce even more open-ended natural experiences to further support children's learning and development have not yet been implemented.

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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 with the childminder. They arrive happy and quickly settle to start their day. The childminder gets to know each individual child from the very start. Parents and carers share information and children have a slow and steady introduction into the childminder's home. Children are happy and get along with each other and the adults who care for them. The curriculum ensures children are confident and engaged in their learning. Older children are keen to participate in adult-led experiences and join in enthusiastically. For example, they delight as they guess the hidden mini beast from the clues the childminder gives them. Younger children enjoy action songs and pop-up books. The childminder makes adaptations to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to help them make the most of their learning, such as using visual prompts to support children to know what is coming next. All children, including those with

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

SEND, make appropriate progress in their learning.

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

Children are confident and inquisitive and enjoy playing in the garden. For example, when using different containers to pour water through various ramps and slides, children quickly work out how to manage this successfully. They are becoming increasingly independent. Regular trips within the local community help children to learn about the world around them. These experiences prepare children well for school and the next stage of their learning.

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

Parents are positive about the childminder. They value the guidance and reassurance she offers. Parents say their children benefit from the wealth of experiences when attending.

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Address:

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:00

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen partnerships with other professionals to address gaps in children's learning and promptly close these. The childminder should continue to embed plans to further support children's learning and curiosity through natural open-ended experiences.

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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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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. 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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