Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY315694 Registered with Ofsted: 26/10/2005 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 Strong standard

All children make incredible progress from their starting points. They are confident and articulate. Children focus intently on their play, building towers with small circles of wood. Their imagination skills are excellent. Children concentrate as they paint their plant pots, showing perseverance to complete their individual creations. They proudly show their finished containers to the childminder, who praises them on their achievements.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate great problem-solving skills. For example, when they make a house for their 'dinosaurs', they realise that they cannot get into the house, so they build steps to allow the creatures to enter. The childminder praises them on their ability to find solutions. Children are extremely well prepared for their transition to school. They consistently follow simple instructions. Children develop the independence skills they need and can communicate very effectively to make their needs known.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates an extremely nurturing environment where children feel safe and secure. She has very high expectations for behaviour, and children behave incredibly well. Children show great respect for the toys and happily join in at tidy-up time. They show an awareness of the routine and knowledge of where everything goes. The childminder has excellent relationships with the children in her care, and this is evident in their interactions. She offers cuddles and reassurances to younger children and sensitively manages any minor disagreements when they struggle to share. She expertly uses distraction, and children immediately engage in alternative activities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established an inviting space that very effectively fosters children's collaboration skills. Children play very well together and demonstrate secure friendships. They are confident to ask each other questions. Older children share how they make their models, such as 'roundabouts' and 'dark woods'. Sharing this knowledge helps to further develop their confidence but also encourages the younger children to follow simple instructions. The childminder works extremely closely with parents to promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality so that all children begin to learn about the importance of routines in readiness for school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The inspiring childminder develops secure attachments with the children in her care. She motivates children to understand the importance of healthy lifestyles through regular access to the outdoors at forest school and frequent visits to the allotment. Children are learning how to grow their own fruit and vegetables, which they then use to make delicious soups, such as spicy carrot and parsnip and cauliflower. This innovative activity encourages children to try vegetables and fruit, which they have not done before.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The knowledgeable childminder constantly reminds children about personal safety to ensure their wellbeing. She recognises the importance of proactively promoting oral health and has recently introduced toothbrushing for the children. This followed a recent visit to the dentist and her infinite knowledge of dental health in the area. Children confidently wash their hands before snack and after using the toilet. They recognise their individual coloured towels to dry their hands, which helps to prevent cross-infection.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The experienced childminder meets children's individual needs extremely well. She has built strong relationships with them over time and recognises any changes in their behaviour, such as tiredness and hunger. She responds accordingly, which helps to ensure children's extremely secure sense of wellbeing and belonging.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder plans an ambitious curriculum, providing many opportunities for children to excel in her care. Each day is planned with precise focus to increase children's knowledge and understanding in all areas. The childminder places a strong emphasis on promoting children's communication and language skills. She introduces new vocabulary and expertly weaves this into the daily activities. This enables even the youngest children to speak incredibly well, using sentences. For example, while looking at a book together, children demonstrate their growing language skills, saying, 'We found the blue snail, that's not supposed to be there.' They laugh as they share their observations.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder prioritises children's physical skills. They regularly visit the allotment to cultivate their fruit and vegetables. Children take part in forest school activities, learning new skills at the weekly sessions. There are also many opportunities for children to develop their fine motor skills through drawing and constructing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's personal, social and emotional development is nurtured extremely well. The childminder is highly reflective and has created a homely environment where children demonstrate they feel safe and secure. The childminder is an excellent role model and encourages the children's learning at every opportunity. For example, she ensures that children have their own personalised coloured towels and matching cups, which supports their emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder knows the children in her care extremely well. She finds out what they know and can do when they first start and uses this information to extensively build on their knowledge and skills. The childminder monitors children's progress through regular robust assessments. Accurate progress checks for children aged 2 clearly detail children's achievements and next steps. These are appropriately shared with parents to enable them to include any information they would like to contribute. The childminder understands her responsibilities to liaise with other professionals at the earliest opportunity to ensure that children have their needs met in a timely manner. She has experience of completing education, health and care plans to ensure that children continue to get their needs met as they transition to school. The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of the importance of using any additional funding to ensure that every child can achieve their

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is extremely enthusiastic and passionate about her role. She has taken on an allotment since the last inspection, and this is a weekly activity for the children. The benefits of this additional resource have been endless. Children grow their own fruit and vegetables, which has had an enormous impact on their health and wellbeing, as well as their learning and development. The childminder understands her strengths and continues to build on her own professional development through further training and reading. The childminder is currently learning Hindi alongside the children to enable them to fully engage themselves in the culture. The childminder has the children at the heart of everything she does. She plans a fun-filled week with experiences that enhance and build on what children know and can do. Children are confident and thriving in her care.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of working with other professionals. She has established highly effective links with the local schools and pre-school, which ensures smooth transitions and joined-up shared care. She understands the process to follow if she identifies children who need additional support and is confident in her approach to ensure they receive the support they need through timely interventions.

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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 consistently places children at the heart of what she does. All children demonstrate their happiness and security in her care. The highly reflective childminder adapts the delivery of her curriculum to ensure that even the youngest children have the best opportunities and thrive in their development.

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

The childminder's sharp focus on communication and language development has a very positive impact on children's learning. She expertly introduces new vocabulary, such as 'germination', into discussions. Children's communication skills and vocabulary are impressive. Children describe sunflowers as 'massive', and they have learned the names of many of the vegetables they grow. Children confidently talk about the vegetables, including 'mangelwurzel', 'dragon egg cucumbers' and 'watermelon pumpkins'. They show their delight as they share the pictures of the vegetables.

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

The childminder expertly weaves mathematical knowledge into everyday activities. Children develop a secure command of early mathematical language. All children have a good understanding of colours. They are beginning to look at blending to create new colours. Children excitedly share their learning with the childminder as they realise that when they put 2 coloured shapes together and hold them up to the light, they create a new colour.

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

The childminder uses every opportunity to increase children's understanding of the world around them. For example, when a transporter arrives outside, she encourages the children to watch and predict how many cars the driver will be able to get onto the vehicle. Children have fun as together they talk about how many can go on the top and how many on the bottom.

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

The childminder has a clear understanding of what she wants children to know and do before they go to school. She fosters independence incredibly well. For example, children confidently cut their fruit at snack time, and she encourages them to use a knife and fork at

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 19:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

mealtimes. The childminder offers reassurance and support to younger children as necessary, but encourages a 'can-do' attitude, and children rise to this expectation. Children are confident and independent. They are well prepared for their transition to school.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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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. 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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