Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 322209 Registered with Ofsted: 14/05/1995 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Strong standard

All children make excellent progress from their individual starting points. Children's achievements are carefully monitored. Any barriers to achievement are swiftly identified and addressed so that children are able to make sustained progress and achieve what they are capable of.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children are incredibly articulate and communicate their needs well. They develop an impressive understanding of language, using new vocabulary in context to explain their thoughts and feelings. Children confidently enter into conversations and ask questions to deepen their own knowledge and understanding.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children are incredibly independent. They make choices about what they would like to play with and manage their own care needs. Children are incredibly well prepared for the next stage in their learning. The childminder completes detailed transition reports when children move on to school. This ensures a smooth transition for children as they progress to the next stage of their learning journey.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides a nurturing environment in which children are encouraged to thrive. Children are aware of the childminder's high expectations for their behaviour and behave incredibly well for their age. Clear rules and boundaries are consistently communicated in a way that children of different ages can understand. The childminder talks to children about their emotions and teaches them to respond positively to each other. Children learn to play cooperatively. Older children are mindful of the needs of their younger friends and offer to share resources as they play. For example, when building with blocks, older children help young children to select blocks that fit together. The childminder is a positive role model. Older children look to her example and imitate when interacting with younger children.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are eager to join in with the opportunities provided. They demonstrate wonderfully positive attitudes to their learning. Children are curious and show great determination when solving simple problems. They are resilient learners who enthusiastically have a go when faced with new tasks.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is eager for each child to make the most of the experiences she provides. On occasions when parents find it challenging to ensure prompt attendance, the childminder offers to collect children from their home. This helps to ensure that children benefit most from the planned learning.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of everything she does. She reviews any changes to children's individual routines with parents so that she can adapt her practice accordingly. The childminder knows each child incredibly well and is highly responsive to their individual needs. Routines at the setting are familiar and well structured. Children know what is expected of them and what will happen next. This helps children to feel safe and secure in the childminder's care.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a wide range of outdoor opportunities both at her home and while out in the local community. Children recall going on 'wellness walks' looking at the different trees and identifying birds. They remember that they must hold hands and walk sensibly on the footpath. Children are taught to manage aspects of their own personal safety. For example, older children remember how to hold scissors properly when cutting. The strong bonds they develop with the childminder mean they feel confident in asking for help should they need it.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a range of healthy meals and snacks. Children discuss foods that are healthy for their bodies and those that should be eaten in moderation. Children are taught to recognise their own emotions and those of others. They develop a strong sense of empathy, showing concern and understanding when someone is upset. Children develop a confident sense of their own wellbeing and that of those around them.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has an excellent understanding of how children learn and develop. She has consistently high expectations for children across all areas of the early years foundation stage curriculum. The childminder provides an ambitious curriculum that is skilfully adapted to meet the needs of the children she cares for. She prioritises the development of children's physical, personal, social and communication skills. The childminder provides a secure foundation of knowledge and skills upon which each child builds over time. She is skilled in identifying the learning potential in children's play. The childminder makes every moment an opportunity to practise, refine and learn new skills. She skilfully adapts activities and experiences to respond to potential barriers to children's learning.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children are immersed in a wealth of stories, songs and rhymes. They see story times as a special experience, snuggling up to the childminder as she enthusiastically reads. Children are encouraged to talk about what they think will happen next and join in with familiar parts of the story. This contributes to children's impressive communication skills.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses her accurate assessments effectively to prioritise what children need to learn next. She tailors her teaching to help ensure that children's emerging needs are met. The childminder uses children's interests to engage and entice them into learning. For example, when children are reluctant to make marks, she uses their interest in vehicles creatively. The childminder provides a variety of toy vehicles as children play with dough. Children eagerly join in, squealing with delight as they notice the different tracks the cars make in the dough.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder carefully monitors the progress that children make. This enables her to identify any emerging gaps in children's learning and development swiftly. The experienced childminder uses the knowledge she has acquired as a result of her commitment to professional development effectively. She frequently undertakes additional training in support of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This keeps her up to date with specialist knowledge and helps her to prepare her provision to support children with additional needs when required.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

Carefully implemented intervention strategies, particularly those for communication and language, are highly successful in helping to reduce any barriers to learning. This often means that further support from outside agencies, as a result of early referral, is no longer required. All children acquire a range of language skills, gain the confidence to talk and make excellent progress.

p.4

Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses any additional funding that children may be in receipt of creatively to enhance children's experiences and outcomes. She carefully plans how funding is used to have the greatest impact on children's individual care and learning needs. This includes providing targeted resources, specialist support and training to enhance children's outcomes.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is committed to providing high-quality early years experiences for all children. She strives to adapt and change her provision in response to the needs of the children and families who attend. The childminder recognises the many strengths of her provision. She precisely identifies emerging areas for further development in her quest to ensure that her provision remains responsive to individual needs.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder recognises the important role she plays in facilitating children's excellent learning and development. She recently undertook a review and reduced the documentation she maintains. This has helped to ensure that the time she spends supporting children is maximised. The childminder has attended a wealth of training in the past. She carefully targets her ongoing professional development in areas that she feels will benefit children most. For example, she has identified how completing enhanced training in special educational needs will further extend her impressive knowledge and understanding.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder's engagement with parents is thoughtful and highly supportive. Parents value her advice and guidance. The wealth of ideas and information shared helps parents to contribute to their child's learning and development in a consistent manner.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children demonstrate that they feel happy, safe and secure in the nurturing environment provided by the childminder. They thrive under the childminder's attentive care. The childminder models sensitive interactions and encourages children to engage in a positive manner. Children know that their ideas and suggestions are valued by the childminder. Daily routines, including handwashing, healthy snacks and outdoor play, promote children's physical health and wellbeing.

p.5

About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 322209 Children develop close and trusting relationships with the childminder. The childminder ensures that parents understand that good attendance is crucial in securing these nurturing bonds. Children eagerly explore and try new experiences as they know that the childminder is close by, offering reassurance and support when needed. The childminder helps to reduce any barriers to children's learning. She encourages children to persevere when they find things difficult. The childminder reassures children that they can succeed and offers an abundance of praise when they try. Children find this incredibly motivating.

p.6

About this setting

The childminder ensures that all children participate fully and are valued as unique individuals. She supports children's understanding of diversity through learning about festivals such as Christmas and Chinese New Year, helping children to feel included and valued. Learning opportunities and experiences are skilfully matched to each child's current stage of development. The childminder carefully adapts her teaching in response to children's different levels of understanding. This attention to detail in every aspect of provision helps to ensure that all children feel included and develop a sense of belonging at the childminder's setting. Children explore and learn enthusiastically through a wide range of activities. For example, they describe the texture of dough as they manipulate it into shapes. They use words such as 'semi-circle' and 'sphere' to describe the shapes they have made. Children confidently transfer their knowledge to a range of new situations.

p.6

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 children who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

p.6

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 foundations stage. Type: Childminder

p.6

About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 17:00

p.7

About this inspection

Local authority: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

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 .

p.8

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8