Hardcastle, Rachael Jennifer

Hardcastle, Rachael Jennifer

Unique reference number (URN): 2752949 Address: 7 Sandown Crescent, Northwich, CW8 2QN Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 13/10/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Hardcastle, Rachael Jennifer

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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 Expected standard

All children make steady progress through the effectively sequenced curriculum. The childminder has a secure understanding of how to adapt her curriculum to support the achievement of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged children or those facing other barriers to their learning. Children build upon what they know and can do through everyday tasks. For example, children strengthen hand muscles and develop precision in their fine motor skills as they make monster faces from dough. The sequenced curriculum supports children to accumulate the knowledge and skills they need in readiness for school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show a deep interest in exploring the learning environment. They demonstrate creativity as they make marks using trucks in the sandpit. They are curious in their learning and spend time experimenting with different materials or focusing intently on tasks such as lining up farm animals as they sing along to nursery rhymes.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are becoming confident communicators through the language-rich environment. They explain what help they need to achieve their goals and are learning to express their emotions. Children use Makaton signs to increase their confidence and ability to communicate their needs clearly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder treats children with warmth and respect. Children know they will be listened to when they speak, which increases their feelings of confidence, security and trust. The childminder has established a positive and harmonious learning environment. Children understand the rules that guide their behaviour and why they are important. Children know how to be kind, and this means children are able to learn alongside each other peacefully.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of each child's stage of development and how this contributes to their ability to meet expectations for behaviour. For example, she encourages children to develop focus for longer periods as they get older, but she understands that children naturally become distracted sometimes and need a break from learning. The childminder explicitly teaches children skills such as sharing and turn taking. She recognises the complicated feelings children have when challenges arise, encourages empathy for others and models the language they can use to collaborate with others. Children demonstrate their learning by asking their friends politely if they can use a toy next.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes regular attendance. She helps parents to understand the benefits of the curriculum she offers and helps parents to overcome any barriers to regular attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder nurtures secure, affectionate attachments with children. Personal care routines are sensitive and meet children's individual needs. For example, the childminder takes a flexible approach to toilet training in collaboration with parents. The childminder demonstrates patience as she guides children to resolve any frustrations. Children feel secure and are confident to ask for help and express their feelings. The childminder develops children's self-esteem with regular, positive messages about their strengths. She tells children how strong they are as they push their tricycles across the wet grass and how clever they are as they try hard to remember what happens next in a book.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages children to make healthy choices about hydration and exercise. She encourages children to be active, particularly during outdoor play where children run, climb and learn to use ride-on toys. Children are encouraged to eat a balanced, broad and healthy diet and gain an understanding of oral health. They talk with enthusiasm about the vegetables and fruit they have tried. The childminder shares accurate advice on children's health with parents and helps them to understand her policies on this. Children know how to keep themselves safe as they use knives and scissors for cutting. Children abide by rules that keep them safe, such as using 'kind hands', using outdoor play equipment carefully and staying seated while they eat.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed a broad curriculum that provides the knowledge and skills children need to learn, particularly in the prime areas of learning. She delivers the curriculum through a wide range of learning experiences in the setting and on outings. For example, children practise communicating with confidence at a singing class and make new friends at local play groups. They practise new physical skills and learn about nature at a local forest school. Mathematics skills, such as counting and recognising shapes, are woven into activities. As a result, children make progress in all areas of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses effective observation skills to determine children's next steps. She does not consistently support these next steps through her planned activities and daily routines. This means the childminder's teaching and support are not always precisely focused on the areas where children need them most.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder helps children to understand the world around them. She talks to them about the changing seasons and shows them where their food comes from as they plant seeds and tend to vegetables. She helps children understand the lives of others, explaining how some children are born into their families and some children find their families through adoption.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has created an inclusive culture across the setting. She ensures all children feel welcome and develop a sense of belonging. The childminder works well with other agencies to support children's individual needs. She establishes solid relationships with parents that enable information to be exchanged effectively. She reviews the effectiveness of her practice and works with other settings children attend to share effective strategies to meet children's individual needs. When specialist support is needed, she uses this expertise to personalise the support she gives children. She understands how to use any extra funding effectively to support disadvantaged children. The childminder seeks professional development opportunities to help her meet children's individual needs, for example by learning Makaton to support children's communication development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies barriers to learning effectively, taking a holistic approach. For example, when children are less confident to communicate, she considers factors such as their family and home circumstances or if they were born prematurely and adjusts her expectations accordingly. The childminder is knowledgeable about children's learning and development. This helps her accurately identify the areas where children need support most. She helps parents to understand the progress their children make and supports them to continue children's learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the strengths of her practice. The childminder furthers her own learning in areas she thinks will benefit the children in her care. For example, she has learned Makaton to support children's emerging communication skills and increase the confidence of children who face barriers to learning in this area.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents, specialists and other settings children may attend to support children's learning. This enables her to tailor her practice more precisely to children's needs and to enhance her knowledge through the expertise of others. The childminder's effective relationships with parents and other settings ensure that children's transitions are managed smoothly. Settling-in periods are flexible to the needs of children and their families, and children are well prepared for their transition to pre-school or school. The childminder seeks continual improvement of her practice and provision. She has a positive approach to seeking and acting upon feedback from parents and other agencies.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has an ambitious vision of the high-quality care and education she wants to provide and is dedicated to achieving these goals. She makes decisions in her policies, practice and procedures that put the interests of children first.

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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 feel safe, secure and valued by this nurturing childminder. Children arrive smiling and cheerfully say goodbye to their parents. The childminder prioritises children's welfare, and this ensures that children feel confident and ready to learn. She listens to children sensitively and knows how to soothe them when they need comfort. The childminder promotes positive behaviour by praising what children do well and supporting them to solve problems. For example, when children both want the same toy at the sandpit, she gives

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Address:

7 Sandown Crescent children the language they need to speak to their friends calmly and praises them as they patiently wait their turn.

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Address:

The childminder supports children's independence. Children show they feel capable and say 'I can do it' as they focus intently on putting on their shoes. Children try hard and develop resilience, which prepares them well for further learning.

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Address:

The childminder delivers her curriculum through a broad range of learning experiences. Children learn through adult-led activities, outings and learning through free play and exploration. They recall what they learn as they remember travelling on the train, the animals at the farm and the windy weather at the park. Story and singing times are engaging and embedded into everyday routines. The childminder promotes a broad vocabulary and weaves what the children learn into their play. For example, children read about friendly monsters and talk about their tentacles and slimy skin as they make dough monsters of their own. This supports children to develop speech and language skills. The childminder knows each child well and supports their individual needs. She is passionate about providing high- quality learning and care for all children and is dedicated to continual improvement.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure that planned activities are sharply focussed on supporting children to achieve the next steps in learning she has identified.

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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. Northwich CW8 2QN Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Registered person: Hardcastle, Rachael Jennifer

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00

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About this inspection

Local authority: Cheshire West and Chester

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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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