Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY411405 Registered with Ofsted: 13/07/2010 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 Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make steady progress from their starting points. They develop the knowledge and skills needed for further learning. Children make acceptable progress in their communication and language and develop skills in literacy. They listen to others and confidently share their thoughts. For example, while listening to familiar stories, they anticipate what will happen next. Children confidently share their ideas for play, such as creating scenarios and narratives for dragon puppets.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy opportunities to explore and understand their feelings. They listen to stories such as 'The Colour Monster' to identify emotions through colours, discuss how they feel, and use mirrors to observe facial expressions. These activities help them identify, name and begin to manage their emotions. However, some children still struggle to regulate their feelings and behaviours consistently.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate they are prepared for their next stage of learning and school readiness. They follow familiar routines, such as washing and drying their hands and collecting their lunch boxes. These opportunities help children develop their independence skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides a harmonious environment for children. Overall, children behave well and understand boundaries. Well-embedded routines help them understand what is expected. For example, children are encouraged to tidy away toys during transitions. On occasion, there are minor disagreements regarding toys. At times, children struggle with taking turns, waiting, and following boundaries. Despite these challenges, the childminder's gentle approach generally helps them respond appropriately. Additionally, consistent routines around attendance support children in understanding expectations in relation to regular attendance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a good role model for children. She has formed positive relationships with the children and encourages them to form secure relationships with each other. She facilitates this by encouraging a collaborative approach to play and learning. The childminder provides regular guidance to steer children's actions, taking account of their ages and stages of development and any barriers to their learning. For example, she encourages children to find additional toys to play with together, such as telephones. As a result, children work together and share ideas for play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from opportunities to develop empathy and concern for living creatures. They demonstrate care during imaginative play, such as looking after dragons, and express sympathy when learning that birds eat spiders.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's wellbeing and welfare well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children's needs are met through consistent care practices. The childminder knows children and their families well. She consistently follows routines that support their individual care practices, such as toileting and dietary needs, ensuring children's privacy and promoting their personal safety. This supports children to feel secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has formed positive and trusted relationships with children. When needed, children seek comfort and reassurance, such as cuddles. This demonstrates they feel safe and cared for. Children benefit from the childminder's emotional support. She uses their interests, such as 'The Colour Monster' story, to help them express and discuss their feelings. When learning about boundaries, some children still struggle to regulate their emotions. Despite these challenges, the childminder provides thoughtful responses. This helps children understand that their feelings are valued.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have rich opportunities in respect of their physical health and safety. They benefit from experiences that support physical play. They develop gross motor skills and muscle strength. Although the children do not have access to an outdoor space at the setting, they have a wealth of opportunities to access fresh air, such as visiting National Trust gardens and local parks. Furthermore, they learn where healthy food comes from. For instance, they grow fresh produce, such as carrots, from seed at the childminder's allotment and consume them during mealtimes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum that meets the learning and development requirements for children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to their learning. She carefully gathers detailed information from parents when children first start. She combines this information with her observations to understand what children know and can do. Activities are focused on children's individual needs. The childminder adapts her teaching for children with SEND, including making referrals to other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, and incorporates their guidance into activities. There is a focus on communication and language. The childminder incorporates their interest in books, such as 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea', to introduce new words and phrases. For example, she uses repetitive, rhythmic text and age-appropriate questioning to help children

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

remember language structures and confidently share ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematics is well embedded in activities. The childminder uses opportunities to support children's understanding of mathematical concepts related to counting in sequence. For example, while learning about Chinese culture, children are encouraged to count how rice crackers are needed for everyone. The curriculum includes activities that support personal, social and emotional development. Through stories, discussion and exploring facial expressions, children learn to recognise, name and manage their emotions. However, some children still struggle to regulate their feelings and behaviour consistently. Children have rich opportunities for physical development. The childminder incorporates children's interests in music into activities designed to help them develop their gross motor movement, muscle strength and coordination. For example, children show enthusiasm as they twirl, spin, jump and wave scarves while dancing to their favourite songs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides an inclusive environment for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She gathers detailed information about children's starting points and has meetings with parents. She combines this wealth of information with her own detailed observations to help her plan for children's next steps in learning. She is developing her use of the graduated approach to identify needs, put support in place and review its impact. However, self-evaluation is not yet sharply focused on identifying relevant training and development opportunities to further strengthen teaching practice. The childminder consistently reflects on children's progress and makes adaptations where needed, such as providing food-tasting activities to introduce children to new flavours and nutritious foods. She has undertaken training to strengthen her knowledge and understanding of healthy eating.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works well in partnership with parents. She swiftly signposts them to additional support if required, such as health visitors, and provides resources to support care routines, including toileting, at home. Parents provide positive feedback about the support received. The childminder has worked with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to provide support for children with communication and language delays. Furthermore, she incorporates specialist advice into her setting, such as making eye contact when speaking. Although the childminder does not have any children in receipt of additional funding, she has secure knowledge and understanding of how to support children through experiences and targeted support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her mandatory training up to date and evaluates her practice to identify areas for improvement. For instance, following healthy eating training, she introduced structured food-tasting activities to encourage children to try new foods. However, she has not yet fully considered ways to strengthen her skills or access relevant training, particularly to enhance support for children's emotional development and further improve the overall quality of her provision. Despite this, the childminder works in collaboration with other local childminders to share ideas to further strengthen her practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has developed positive relationships with parents. She ensures that they receive regular updates about children's progress and daily experiences. This provides consistency between the setting and home. Furthermore, she signposts parents to relevant professionals to secure specialist support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works collaboratively with teachers during school transitions. For example, she shares detailed information about children's care requirements, progress and any gaps in their learning. This coordinated approach helps ensure that children receive tailored support for their individual needs and provides continuity of care.

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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

The childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment where children feel happy and confident and settle quickly. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, engage positively with the childminder and their peers. For instance, they chat about family members and recall key memories. These secure relationships have a positive impact on their emotional wellbeing. The childminder creates an environment where children feel confident sharing their interests and achievements. For example, they

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About this setting

confidently perform for their friends, singing familiar songs and creating simple dance routines.

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About this setting

Children enjoy their learning. They independently explore the rich variety of resources. They follow their interests, such as wildlife. For example, they choose books about birds and confidently share their knowledge during discussions. Children build on what they already know and can do, helping them make progress from their starting points and develop the skills needed for the next stage of their learning.

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About this setting

Overall, children behave well and generally follow expectations, showing respect for others. However, at times, they need further support to follow boundaries, particularly around sharing, taking turns, and regulating their emotions. Children are encouraged to attend regularly and arrive ready to take part, which helps them engage in activities and develop positive attitudes to learning.

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About this setting

Children benefit from rich opportunities to enhance their physical development. For instance, children develop muscle strength and hand–eye coordination while using scissors to cut noodles. Furthermore, the childminder is very considerate of their ages and stages of development. Children have opportunities to develop skills in independence, such as using child-friendly knives to cut fruit during snack routines. These opportunities help children feel valued and develop crucial life skills.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen support for children's emotional development so that all children can develop the skills to express and manage their feelings effectively.

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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. Unique reference number (URN): EY411405

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday : 07:45 - 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

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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