Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY342267 Registered with Ofsted: 31/10/2006 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 steady and secure progress across all areas of the curriculum. Some make rapid progress, particularly in their communication and language development. They become articulate and confident talkers who enjoy conversations, ask questions and share their ideas. For example, they describe how they built a house for a snake using dough and sticks, showing both remarkable problem-solving skills and a wide and varied vocabulary. Their mathematical understanding is also very well developed. Children confidently use mathematical language relating to size, position and comparison in their play and can accurately count objects up to 10 and beyond.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop remarkable independence from an early age. For example, very young children fasten the tricky zip on their coat, learning to manage their own belongings in preparation for school. They show consistent curiosity and an eagerness to learn more. These positive attitudes prepare them extremely well for new learning, including, where appropriate, in school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides a positive environment where expectations for children's behaviour are high, clear and consistent. She takes account of each child's needs and understanding and supports them to learn right from wrong. Children respond extremely well to the calm, predictable routines and the plentiful praise that they receive. This positive approach encourages them to be kind, share with others and form respectful relationships with both the childminder and other children. Children behave very well and show increasing confidence and ability in managing their own feelings and actions. They learn to get along with others and develop meaningful friendships, playing and learning happily together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder consistently models positive behaviours and kindness, which children mirror. Her clear instructions help to ensure children know what to expect, which helps them to feel secure and settled. When minor conflicts happen, the childminder supports children sensitively. She talks to them about their emotions, which helps them to explain and understand their feelings and learn ways to manage their own behaviour. Highly effective strategies, such as slow breathing exercises, help children to manage their big feelings and develop self-control.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder encourages parents to ensure that their children attend regularly and on time. This helps children benefit from the security of familiar routines and creates positive habits that prepare families well for expectations when children start school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder knows what she wants children to learn and how. Her highly effective curriculum centres around particular books that are chosen carefully to inspire children's curiosity and develop a love of reading. She values the importance of language, alongside all areas of learning, as vital to supporting children's ability to succeed. She uses varied, well-paced language and very skilful questions that help to build children's vocabulary and confidence in speaking rapidly.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Assessments are accurate and detailed, which helps the childminder to focus sharply on what children most need to learn. Teaching is meticulously planned and builds securely on what children already know and can do. Outings add depth to children's developing understanding. For example, after reading about characters who live in the woods, they explore the woods in real life, seeking out animal homes and discovering how trees and plants look, feel and smell.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children learn about numbers in a meaningful way. For example, they use their 'counting finger' to check how many spots match the number they recognise on a stone. The childminder prioritises physical development, providing regular opportunities for movement activities and tasks that strengthen children's fine motor skills. For example, babies scoop sand, developing the skills they need to feed themselves with a spoon. There is a consistent focus on helping children to manage their feelings and get along with others. For example, the childminder teaches children what it means to have 'kind hands' through familiar songs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder's accurate and ongoing assessments help her gain an in-depth understanding of each child's needs. She maintains an excellent overview of all children's starting points, progress, experiences and circumstances and recognises how these can shape their wellbeing and readiness to learn. This helps her to swiftly identify children who may benefit from extra support and to provide this promptly. She makes highly effective adaptations and adjustments to her provision and monitors the impact these have. She knows when to seek support from other professionals so that children get the right support at the right time.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder plans activities carefully to ensure all children access the same high-quality, ambitious experiences. For example, she ensures that children who have different attendance patterns receive the same high level of support for their learning. She takes full account of children's backgrounds and includes activities such as songs and dances, which reflect what is important in their families and cultures. This helps to ensure all children feel included. She understands local disadvantage well and is committed to ensuring every child accesses their full early education entitlement. Where early years pupil premium or additional funding is available, the childminder understands how to use this purposefully to enhance opportunities for eligible children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates strong, reflective leadership and a clear commitment to providing high-quality education and care. She continually reviews her provision, assesses how well she is meeting children's needs and plans ways to build further on this. Professional development is sharply focused and has a direct impact on practice. For example, recent training has strengthened her approach to promoting physical development and inspired significant strengthening of the curriculum. She adapts her provision thoughtfully to ensure every child can access the full curriculum and make the best possible progress from their starting points.

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Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are particularly strong. The childminder shares information in varied, accessible ways so all families can be involved in their child's learning and understand how to support this at home. Links with local schools are well established. The childminder and school staff share values around school readiness and work closely together to help children transition smoothly.

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Expected standard

The childminder works closely with other childminders to share ideas and knowledge to help to continually raise the quality of the care and learning that she provides. She provides strong support for her assistants, ensuring that their wellbeing and personal development are prioritised. This contributes to a happy and positive atmosphere where adults work together very hard to ensure that children thrive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from consistent, warm and responsive care that is tailored to their individual needs. Relationships with the childminder are fun, nurturing and supportive, which helps children to relax and feel happy in her care. The childminder helps children to recognise and talk about their emotions, for example, using pictures to help them to explain how they feel. These strategies help children feel at ease. Their strong attachments with the childminder underpin their confidence and support their emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder adapts care routines to each child's stage of development, needs and preferences and reviews these to ensure she promotes children's good health and their safety. Sleeping routines and mealtimes are well organised and meet children's needs effectively. Hygiene practices are well embedded. Children wash their hands after using the bathroom and wipe their noses when reminded. Healthy meals are in line with nutritional guidance and children now enjoy a more balanced diet. The childminder places a strong emphasis on physical activity, offering plenty of opportunities for children to get out of breath and strengthen their muscles. She is aware of local obesity levels and actively works to promote healthier habits. However, opportunities to teach children the importance of these routines to maintain a healthy lifestyle are not yet fully embedded. This means children do not yet fully understand why healthy routines matter. The childminder gives children helpful

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

guidance on staying safe, such as showing them how to put their arms through bags rather than around their neck. Opportunities for children to develop a deep level of understanding about how to keep themselves safe are not yet embedded. They would benefit from more guidance to further strengthen their understanding of how to keep themselves safe in different situations.

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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 very much enjoy their time here in a welcoming, relaxed and joyful atmosphere where learning happens naturally through exciting and appealing play activities and experiences. The childminder's home is filled with fun and laughter. Children are completely at ease in her care, showing they feel safe, cared for and confident to explore. Babies and the youngest children are thoughtfully included, with activities adapted so that they can take part alongside others. Older children receive meaningful challenges that keep them

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Inspector:

Clare Wilkins motivated and engaged. This helps to ensure that all children are extremely well supported to learn at an appropriate level.

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Inspector:

Learning is woven into every part of the day, which contributes to children's remarkable progress and achievements. The childminder uses routines, outings and spontaneous moments to help children to build their knowledge and independence. Trips to, for example, parks and soft-play centres help to strengthen children's physical development. Visits to local restaurants give children opportunities to develop their social skills and learn about their role in the community.

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Inspector:

Children, including those who experience barriers to their learning, enjoy their learning and make secure progress from their starting points. The childminder's careful attention to individual needs ensures that all children are supported to fully participate and succeed.

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Inspector:

There is an evidently strong sense of belonging for children and adults alike. Children form warm and trusting relationships with the childminder and one another. They learn to play together, share and communicate their needs with confidence. Families are very important to the childminder. Parents say they are very reassured and appreciate the level of effort that goes in to everything the childminder does. They commend her focus on supporting children's good health and many note that their children now eat more healthy foods, which they had previously refused.

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Next steps

The childminder should help children to gain a deeper understanding of why healthy routines and safe choices matter and build the knowledge to make decisions about their own wellbeing and personal safety.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant, 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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

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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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