Henry, Diana Joy

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY249331 Registered with Ofsted: 09/01/2003 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

Children are achieving extremely well across all areas of their broad curriculum from their individual starting points. Children's communication and language development is excellent, as the childminder has a high focus on ensuring children develop well in this area. For example, she gives children choices throughout the day, encouraging them to tell her what they would like. She provides running commentary as they play, giving them time to think and respond if they wish, and they sing songs and read throughout the day. The childminder has very effective systems in place to precisely monitor that children are meeting their developmental goals. She links with professionals and implements their ideas to ensure that all children are making excellent progress ready for the next stages in their learning, including school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations of the children, with a culture of respect and care for each other and the environment. Children are very kind to each other and get along extremely well across the age groups. For example, at mealtimes, children get out place mats without being asked, and older children help younger children to open the paint sticks. Children happily play together, reminding each other when it is their turn in the game, with older children showing patience and care with the younger children. They pack up toys effectively before moving on to the next activity, with only a little encouragement needed from the childminder, as children understand the expectations of keeping their environment tidy. This supports the setting to have a calm, organised feel, which is reflected in the children's behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children have a well-established daily routine, which gives them a sense of belonging and comfort in the familiarity. They confidently leave their parents, knowing what to do next – take off their shoes, hang up their coats and find their names.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children arrive at a similar time each day, as the childminder speaks to them about the importance of attending regularly and being on time so their children do not miss out on learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are fortunate to spend most mornings in the woods with this forest-school-trained childminder, where they meet up with other like-minded children, creating a safe space where children get to be sociable and learn new skills. Their wellbeing is high, as they get daily exercise and fresh air and are well supported to notice, manage and express their emotions appropriately. They have opportunities to be physically challenged as they balance on logs and create paint brushes from leaves. The childminder motivates children to establish long-lasting, healthy habits as she gives them a love of the outdoors, challenging them to take risks, using real tools, and inspiring them to have a love of nature. The childminder is in tune with the children's changing needs, ensuring they have somewhere safe and warm to sleep when needed and providing healthy snacks and constant access to water.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Hygiene practices are well embedded, with children happily washing their hands before eating and counting to 20 to ensure they have removed all the germs. Children are taught to keep themselves safe when out and about. They know to stay near the buggy when out walking and by the car when they first arrive somewhere. They sing special songs about sticks and fungi, reminding them to enjoy nature and how to stay safe around it.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder designs an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs and interests of all children. She is very skilled at teaching children through their chosen play, ensuring they are engaged and interested. For example, children play together with ice. The childminder encourages them to get the paint, which they pump out themselves. They discuss the new colours they are making as they mix the different primary-coloured paint together. As the sun shines on the ice, they notice it is starting to melt and discuss why this is happening. They then get on their ride-on toys and pretend to head to the beach. They have many chances to develop their physical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children have many opportunities to develop their language and learn new words when they are with the childminder. For example, after doing yoga, the childminder reminds the children to have a drink so they 'stay hydrated and keep their brains working'. The childminder places a high emphasis on stories and reading, really instilling a love of books into the children. For example, she brings stories to life with props. Children love counting and posting the food as the caterpillar 'eats' it, keeping all children of varying ages and abilities engaged in the story.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder recognises that everyone is unique and ensures she is inclusive for all families. This begins right from when she first meets families, when she adjusts the settling- in sessions to suit the individual children and families; there is no 'one size fits all'. She ensures she gets to know children well, talking with families and discovering children's developmental starting points. She uses this information and her excellent knowledge of child development to rigorously monitor children, quickly determining if they are not developing as expected. If they are not, she rapidly puts measures in place, including working with professionals, to support these children.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder consistently makes sure the barriers children face are quickly identified and effectively addressed. Adaptations are made for disadvantaged children, using the funding to provide experiences and opportunities they otherwise would not have. For example, she takes children on train trips if they have never experienced this. She works closely with children and families to ensure she makes a sustained difference to their lives. She works with professionals to help reduce any barriers to learning children may have. She contacts schools that children will be moving on to, inviting them in and sharing how she supports individual children so that teachers are aware and ready.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is very skilled in recognising her strengths and the areas she would like to work on next. She involves families in her evaluations, asking for their opinions on her setting and any changes they may like to see. For example, she looks out for training courses relevant to children in her care and puts into practice the ideas she learns, such as how to further support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She links with other childminders, sharing professional ideas and discussions, helping her to remain up to date with current practices in early years.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for the way she would like her setting to run. She shares these with families when they first visit and outlines them in her policies so everyone is working together with the same goals. Families have high praise for the childminder, stating what a positive impact she is having on the learning and development of their children.

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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 are thriving in the care of this kind childminder. They feel a sense of belonging as they confidently put away their possessions in their designated space, find their name and quickly get involved in an activity. The childminder shows she really values the children and families, as she takes the time to listen to how the children are today and what they have been up to since they were last in. She gets down to the children's level, greeting them warmly, clearly glad to see them. The children feel known, as the childminder enquires about their families and pets by name, asking what they have been up to.

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

Children really enjoy engaging in learning, as it is designed with them in mind. For example, she knows that young children particularly love practising their throwing skills, so she sets up a bowling game, where children count how many balls they are throwing to knock down the penguin pins. Young children laugh with delight and happily set it up to play again. Children take turns throwing the balls, reminding each other when it is their turn. They are very thoughtful and kind to each other and play together across the different age groups, well.

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

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making excellent progress from their starting points. Their learning is fun and interactive and happens in a natural way as they go about their day. For example, they learn about the different birds as they watch them eating from the bird feeder outside the window. They develop their language as they talk about the different colours they can see on the birds and what they like to eat. They practise their physical skills as they cut their fruit with knives, smiling with pride when the childminder praises their achievements.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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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 those with special educational needs and/or disabilities 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 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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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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