Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 306707 Registered with Ofsted: 29/01/1993 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 delightful. They are exceptionally kind and empathetic towards others. Children are emotionally considerate, highly respectful and extremely tolerant. For instance, they show great pride when tidying up their toys, carefully putting toys away after use and checking everything is 'done and dusted' before moving on. This remarkably mature behaviour is wholly due to the childminder's skilful teaching. She carefully role models kindness through all her interactions and children learn how to treat others first-hand. This exemplary, cooperative behaviour is conducive to continuously uninterrupted learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children refer to the childminder as their 'best friend' and often shout the childminder's name to invite her into their games. The affectionate and warm relationships are clearly evident and impact on children's immense sense of belonging and positive self-esteem.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

All children, including younger children, older children and those who face barriers to their learning, learn to manage their emotions. The childminder invests significant time and effort teaching children about their feelings. This successfully helps everyone to display excellent behaviours. Children use manners without prompting and are incredibly polite. They say please and thank you consistently throughout their interactions. This creates an atmosphere of deep respect and shows first-rate courtesy.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder champions good attendance and stresses the importance of prompt and regular attendance with parents. Children are seldom absent, but when this does occur, the childminder quickly follows up with parents to find out the reasons for absence. The childminder reports that overall attendance is high, meaning children do not experience interruptions in their learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children explore with excitement and intrigue. They play with purpose and show deep concentration. This positive attitude is a secure foundation and key to supporting children's successful learning journey.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are physically active. They balance on bicycles and move with impressive pace around a chalk-drawn track. Children stop and start, navigating the space with assured confidence. They repeatedly jump in puddles, showing great coordination. Children enjoy craft activities. They stick and glue small items, developing their intricate dexterity. Children show steady progress in both their fine and gross motor development.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their ideas through imaginative play. They enjoy pretending to be a gingerbread man, bringing familiar books and stories to life. Children make recognisable marks, developing skills in readiness for early writing. For instance, children write the first initial from their name and they are, quite rightly, proud of this achievement. Their literacy skills are developing very well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children make expected progress in their learning through a broad range of fun and diverse activities. However, refining assessment systems to offer more clarity about what children need to learn next will promote more rapid progress and achievement.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

High levels of emotional support and reassurance help children when they are new to the setting. For instance, the childminder carefully manages gradual and lengthy settling-in procedures to ensure that she establishes positive relationships from the outset. As such, all children who attend are happy and settled.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder is warm, affectionate and kind towards children. These positive interactions help to foster children's true sense of belonging. The childminder celebrates children's achievements with immense enthusiasm and genuine pride, helping to build children's positive self-esteem and emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's health is well promoted. The childminder checks that all children are registered at a local dentist and talks to both children and parents about the importance of oral care. She requests that parents provide children with balanced and nutritious packed lunches. Children enjoy eating fresh fruit and have a very positive attitude towards healthy eating.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is an extremely experienced teacher. She astutely adapts her interactions and provision to meet children's different needs. For example, the childminder supports older children to complete more complex card games to challenge them and extend their learning. She offers simple variations of the same card game to younger children to remain inclusive to all. The childminder supports all children well through this ambitious and tailored teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children talk and communicate with increasing levels of fluency. The childminder offers plenty of narration and continually describes what she sees as children play. This technique exposes children to a wealth of new language. She repeats single words slowly and clearly to develop children's accurate pronunciation. New descriptive words, such as 'pom-poms' and 'gems', are used to extend vocabulary during craft activities. The childminder encourages older children to answer questions and engage in two-way, complex discussions. All children make progress in their speech through this enabling and supportive teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder offers children opportunities to visit different places of interest in the local area. Trips include toddler groups and nature walks in the community. This helps to bring learning to life and successfully promotes children's enthusiasm and thirst to learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder thinks carefully about what children like to play with, and her programme of play is carefully tailored to children's preferences and ever changing interests. For example, children show delight as they play with their favourite dolls and toy babies. Children benefit from a vibrant range of activities and toys offered in the childminder's bright and stimulating home.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder continually observes children and records her professional assessments in children's 'daily diary' records. Through her detailed observations, she establishes an accurate summary of children's abilities and skills. However, although she identifies broadly where children would benefit from additional support, she does not include exactly what children need to learn next to focus her teaching with exact precision and, in turn, help children to make more rapid progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder offers an inclusive setting. She celebrates and nurtures each child's unique background and talents. Every child is encouraged to express themselves, and their different interests are woven into the curriculum. For instance, children are interested in make-believe play and enjoy plenty of games and activities where they can be imaginative. Following interests in this way helps children to shape their learning and captures their curiosity and enthusiasm.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder invests time in getting to know children and their families. She quickly identifies possible barriers to children's learning and adapts what she does to meet these needs. This is an inclusive provision where children are supported to flourish, regardless of their background, need or ability.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder fosters excellent links with the local primary school and works closely with teachers to help children make a smooth transition to school. However, despite intending to do so, the childminder has not yet developed links with nursery staff to fully support those children who attend more than one early years setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder routinely reflects on her practice. With scrutiny and clear insight, the childminder identifies what she is doing well and areas to develop. She evaluates her teaching and also monitors children's progress to assure herself that children are learning key skills in readiness for school. She takes pride in her work and strives to offer the families she supports the best possible standards of care. Her attitude, commitment and dedication towards offering families high-quality care is a notable strength to celebrate.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder fosters wonderful partnerships with parents. Parents are reassured by her regular updates and detailed communication. They value the childminder's home-from-home provision and accredit their children's emotional wellbeing to her nurturing and kind approach.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is conscientious and completes online training to enhance her good knowledge even further. However, more focused training, particularly relating to assessment and planning, will help to extend the childminder's confidence and impact positively on children's experiences.

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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 creates a calm, ordered and purposeful learning environment. She provides children with nurturing care as she skilfully supports their learning and development. This balance of affection and emotional support, coupled with developmental challenge, ensures all children make steady progress from their starting points. Children thrive because the childminder offers carefully adapted routines and play opportunities to all children, whatever their backgrounds and needs.

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About this setting

Type: Childminder Children show that they feel safe and explore the childminder's home independently and assertively. At times, children choose what they would like to play with. This self-directed play is complemented with a programme of adult-led structured activities. The curriculum enables children to practise what they know and also develop new skills and knowledge. Children are clearly reassured by the childminder's familiar routines and friendly approach. They are often heard laughing and play with confidence. They enjoy regularly attending this stimulating, caring and fun setting.

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About this setting

The childminder makes the safety of children her number one priority. She often checks her home and takes sensible steps to minimise possible risks and hazards. For instance, on a very wet day, children wear appropriate boots to minimise trip hazards. The childminder promotes children's safety and welfare well.

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Next steps

The childminder should build relationships more quickly with other professionals involved in children's care to help children benefit from a consistent approach to care and learning. The childminder should extend assessment procedures to include more information about children's gaps in learning and use this knowledge when planning adult-led activities to focus teaching with greater precision. The childminder should access further training to develop her already good skills and knowledge even more, particularly relating to assessment and planning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents 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. Registration date: 29/01/1993

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:45 - 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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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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