Elliot, Wendy Ann

Elliot, Wendy Ann

Unique reference number (URN): EY400867 Address: 22 Stephens Road, Mortimer Common, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 3TU Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 23/11/2009 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Elliot, Wendy Ann

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has developed excellent relationships with the children she cares for. She establishes clear expectations for behaviour and consistently reinforces them through sensitive guidance and highly effective positive role modelling. Children demonstrate remarkable self-control, cooperation and respect for one another.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

When challenges occur, the childminder responds calmly and sensitively, guiding children to manage their emotions effectively. For instance, when a younger child accidentally knocks over a friend's tower, she immediately encourages the children to discuss their feelings and use words to describe their emotions. She listens attentively, thoughtfully adjusts the environment, and creates additional space alongside them. Children of different age groups continue their play alongside one another and sustain positive relationships.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder knows each child extremely well and tailors routines to meet their individual needs. She recognises when younger children need opportunities to release energy, and she proactively introduces singing and dancing to support physical and emotional expression. This helps children regulate their feelings and behaviour in positive and constructive ways.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of predictable routines for children and families. She promotes attendance and punctuality through regular communication with parents. This has a positive impact on children's wellbeing, and they show they feel secure and supported in her care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides an extremely calm and nurturing environment in which children feel deeply secure and valued. She remains consistently attentive to children's emotional and physical wellbeing and demonstrates an exceptional ability to recognise and respond to subtle changes in their mood and behaviours. For example, when children show signs of tiredness, she promptly offers quiet, comfortable spaces where they can rest and relax.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder implements highly effective routines that are firmly embedded and thoughtfully adjusted to meet children's individual preferences, ages and stages of development. Mealtimes and personal care routines run smoothly, promoting children's sense of security and emotional stability. Children demonstrate that they feel settled, confident and fully supported throughout the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children's personal care needs with great sensitivity. She promotes healthy lifestyles remarkably well and introduces engaging songs and activities about nutrition. As children eat their meals, she explains how foods that contain calcium help to strengthen bones, for example. These experiences deepen children's understanding of how to care for their bodies.

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Expected standard

The childminder maintains a safe, clean and well-organised environment. She actively encourages children to explore a wide range of physical movements through well-planned active play. She reinforces this learning and discusses how exercise benefits their heart and lungs. This helps children to develop an awareness of the importance of staying active and healthy.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make secure and sustained progress from their individual starting points. They develop the skills and confidence they need for their next stage of learning. Children show growing independence in their daily routines. They independently wipe their noses and put their tissues in the bin. They understand the importance of washing their hands to stay safe and healthy.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children of different ages communicate with their friends and happily join in activities together. They interact with others as they play and are keen to try new experiences. For example, they have a go at following pictorial instructions and build constructions of interest. Children confidently ask for help when they need it. They work together to solve problems and are proud of what they achieve. Overall, children develop the foundational skills they need for future learning. However, while progress is secure, children do not consistently experience rich teaching interactions that fully extend their learning and promote even greater progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum supports all areas of learning. The childminder uses ongoing assessments accurately and understands what children know and can do. For example, she encourages younger children to count and think about shapes while using resources and tools during play dough activities. However, the childminder does not refine planning precisely enough to help ensure activities and interactions are consistently adapted to build on and extend older children's learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder sits alongside children, offering reassurance and simple commentary to support early understanding and attention. She provides a narrative as children play, which helps younger children to understand instructions, and they respond with confidence. For example, children display high levels of determination and practise using tools during messy play. This helps to strengthen their hand and finger muscles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder helps children learn how to manage their own personal safety, such as using a wider range of equipment at the park and learning to use tools safely at her allotment. She provides sensitive guidance at an appropriate level of understanding to ensure that children can manage risks independently. For example, she explains to children why they need to tidy away toys to help minimise hazards in the play environment.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers detailed information about each child when they first join the setting. She uses this information to ease children's transition into the setting. The childminder makes appropriate adjustments to ensure that all children feel safe, valued and included. Daily care routines, such as sleeping routines, are adapted to reflect familiar practices from home. This helps children to feel settled and secure.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder tracks children's progress through ongoing observation and regular discussions with parents. When concerns arise, she works closely with families and seeks guidance from relevant professionals where necessary. However, the childminder does not consistently reflect on ways she can enhance strategies for supporting children's speech and language development even further to help ensure that all children make the best possible progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder actively incorporates children's cultures and family festivals into daily activities. She introduces words from children's home languages and encourages their use in play and conversation. This helps children feel valued and included. She involves children in cooking activities and provides opportunities for them to prepare and taste foods from different cultures. This supports their understanding of similarities and differences in the wider world and strengthens their sense of belonging in the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder can confidently explain how she would use additional funding to support the individual needs of children in her care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides consistent and effective care for children. She works closely with parents to support each child's individual care and learning needs. For example, she encourages families to continue their child's learning at home and provides resources, such as story sacks, to support them. Parents value her guidance and encouragement and speak positively about the range of experiences she offers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a positive commitment to reflecting on her strengths and identifying areas for development. For example, recent training has strengthened her practice and had a beneficial impact on how she helps children regulate their emotions. The childminder engages in regular professional development. However, this is not yet sharply focused on consistently raising the quality of teaching to the highest level to further improve outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds positive partnerships with staff at other settings children attend. This promotes consistency and continuity in each child's care and development.

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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 thrive in a caring and supportive environment where they feel respected and content. The childminder fosters an engaging and friendly atmosphere, building secure, trusting bonds with the children. Children settle quickly and explore activities with curiosity and confidence.

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

Children enjoy a broad curriculum that builds on their interests. Younger children show they feel confident about exploring and experimenting. They beam with pride as they stack and knock down construction towers. All children enjoy music activities and join in with familiar

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Inspector:

songs. Older children listen attentively and learn how to move their bodies to the rhythm of the music.

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Inspector:

The childminder builds on children's understanding of the wider world highly effectively. Children delight in planting, growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables at the childminder's allotment. This helps them learn about life cycles and where food comes from. Visits to local country parks provide opportunities for children to stroke and feed animals and learn about nature. Children learn the importance of washing their hands after these experiences, which supports their understanding of personal safety. Children practise other self-care routines with guidance and are encouraged to manage personal care independently.

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Inspector:

The childminder helps children understand what is expected of them. She reinforces basic rules, praises children's efforts and models good manners. Older children show kindness to their younger peers and involve them in their play. They make tunnels with their bodies, and their younger peers delight in crawling through. If they notice another child is upset, they show compassion and empathy and support them in their play. Children show budding friendships and develop the social skills they need to support their future life skills.

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Inspector:

The childminder communicates clearly her expectations for children's attendance. She works closely with parents to support children's learning, wellbeing and consistent participation.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen strategies to support children's speech and language development even further to ensure that all children make the best possible progress. The childminder should strengthen planning and interactions even further to consistently build on and extend older children's learning. The childminder should continue to engage in professional development to further enhance the quality of teaching and outcomes for children.

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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. Jane Franks

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Address:

22 Stephens Road Mortimer Common Reading Berkshire RG7 3TU

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Address:

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

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