Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 118352 Registered with Ofsted: 18/10/1996 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 achieve well from their starting points. Gaps in all children's learning are closing consistently and they are developing an extensive range of skills and knowledge across the curriculum. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well prepared for school.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are extremely confident with their communication and language. Children retell stories using excellent story language such as, 'She set off through the woods.' They use the word 'visor' as they dress up as fire fighters after the childminder names it and explains what it is used for. Children show well-developed physical skills. They use different tools and equipment with increasing skill and dexterity. For instance, children use their small-hand muscles to squeeze play dough through a syringe. They put on their wet weather suits on independently, chop their own fruit and manage their personal care independently.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are caring and kind to each other and play collaboratively. They find jewellery for each other and share birthday candles without support. Children recognise how many candles they have without counting them. They add more and say, 'Ooh, now there are 4'.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's behaviour is excellent. They say 'please' and 'thank you' when the childminder offers toys and respond positively to her requests and instructions. They help set the table for snack and happily tidy up when asked. The childminder skilfully uses a range of positive behaviour strategies and adapts them for younger children and those who need additional support. She sets high expectations and uses consistent praise and encouragement. This helps children understand what is expected of them. She creates a caring, positive environment where children feel happy, confident and eager to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder builds extremely warm, secure relationships with children. They seek her out for help, invite her into their play and cuddle up as she reads. New children quickly show that they feel safe and settled as she supports them with personal care. Children stay deeply engaged in the meaningful activities she provides. The childminder is skilled at extending children's play through her carefully timed interactions. Children concentrate for long periods as they complete puzzles, sort shapes, and pretend to be shopkeepers. They choose books independently and enjoy retelling stories using props and puppets.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides consistent and sensitive support to help children manage their feelings and emotions. She respects children's choices, validates their feelings and successfully helps younger children work through minor frustrations. She gives children the time and space to regulate their emotions. Children repeat the simple phrases she teaches as they take turns and share. The childminder promotes regular attendance through her well-established relationships with parents.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder understands and consistently follows robust procedures to keep children safe and consistently prioritises their welfare. She teaches children how to stay safe as they use knives to chop their own fruit and reminds them that soap washes away germs. She provides individual support for younger children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help them manage their self-care independently. Children use the displayed picture prompts to follow routines, such as undressing, washing and drying their hands.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder always responds attentively to each child's individual needs. She carries out care practices thoughtfully and sensitively, tailoring them to every child. She works closely with parents to meet children's sleeping, eating, and medical needs and adapts care as those needs change. She prioritises healthy eating as she explains how different foods support children's bodies. The childminder shares regular newsletters with parents, including ideas for balanced, nutritious lunch boxes. Parents say this guidance helps them encourage healthy eating at home.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's emotional wellbeing is consistently embedded in the childminder's daily practice. She talks with children about their feelings, how she can support them and how they can care for one another. She provides daily opportunities for physical activity and attends a local childminder group each week, where children use larger equipment to develop their balance, climbing skills and spatial awareness.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children flourish through the childminder's purposeful and carefully sequenced curriculum. She expertly uses children's interests and her detailed assessments to plan an extensive range of meaningful experiences for children. The childminder successfully adapts her teaching, routines and resources as children's needs change. She widens children's understanding of the world through rich opportunities, including regular visits to the library for song-and-rhyme sessions. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those facing barriers to learning, achieve well and develop the skills and knowledge they need for school and future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder immerses children in language and prioritises their communication skills. She uses thoughtful questioning, models the correct pronunciation and provides clear explanations when children ask questions. She skilfully weaves mathematical language into children's play. Children accurately use words such as 'biggest,' 'tiny' and 'heavy' as they play. She matches teaching to children's developmental stages. For instance, she guides children to complete jigsaw puzzles at the right level and uses props and expressive storytelling to sustain younger children's interests.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Support for children's personal, social and emotional development is consistently embedded. The childminder always values children's unique ideas and thoughts. She continuously uses positive language, and praise and encouragement to help children share and play collaboratively with each other. The childminder develops children's physical skills effectively. For instance, she teaches children to use tools safely, shows them how to pump water to fill containers and supports them to use ride-on toys independently.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder consistently assesses and monitors children's progress. She uses accurate, detailed assessments to swiftly identify gaps in children's learning. She skilfully adapts her teaching, routines and resources to remove barriers for children. For example, she uses sign language and photos to support children with language difficulties. This approach helps children feel included and gives them the confidence and tools to express their needs, wants, likes and dislikes.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Her highly positive and inclusive practice enables children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to make rapid progress from their starting points. She sets ambitious and personalised next steps and works closely with parents and professionals to help children achieve their goals. She seeks professional advice promptly and secures additional funding when needed. She targets funding and training effectively to meet children's individual needs. She keeps her SEND knowledge up to date to secure the best outcomes for children.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder builds strong relationships with professionals and has a clear understanding of local procedures. This enables her to obtain timely support. While awaiting advice, she implements activities to sustain progress. For example, she uses wooden claves to help children tap out the sounds and syllables in their names and those of friends and family. She shares these strategies with parents and reviews their impact regularly to make sure it is having the biggest impact on children's learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of children and families and her local area. She uses this knowledge to ensure children get the care, support and high-quality education they need for future success. She swiftly identifies children's needs and acts promptly to put successful strategies in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and for those facing barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Relationships with parents, other providers and childminders and local professionals are very well established. These positive relationships help the childminder seek additional support and funding when it is needed. Her extensive knowledge and experience of how young children learn and develop means she uses additional funding effectively to help all children receive the best start they need.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations of herself and is dedicated and committed to continually improving her practice. She regularly attends conferences and training and targets her professional development to ensure it has the biggest impact on individual children and/or groups of children. Recent training on early brain development has further enhanced her knowledge of how children learn. She uses this to skilfully adapt her teaching to meet each child's preferred style of learning. The childminder is continually reflective and seeks regular feedback from parents on how she can improve her provision. She successfully manages her workload and wellbeing to ensure she can consistently improve outcomes for the children she cares for.

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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 from the childminder's expertly implemented broad and ambitious curriculum. She provides children with a thoroughly inclusive and motivating environment. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, make excellent progress from their starting points.

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

Children immerse themselves in the extensive range of motivating learning opportunities the childminder provides. For example, they love completing puzzles and sing to themselves as they concentrate and create play dough birthday cakes. Children independently choose books and share them with the childminder on the sofa. Children excitedly say, 'Wow, look how shiny that is!' as they investigate different jewellery that the childminder has thoughtfully presented in a 'treasure chest.' These opportunities, alongside the childminder's high-quality and consistently positive interactions, help build children's skills and knowledge across all areas of the curriculum ready for school.

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

The childminder's nurturing, calm, and sensitive manner helps children quickly form secure bonds with her. They show they feel safe and secure as they confidently explore and investigate the exciting choices on offer. Children say, 'I love you' and 'Can I have a cuddle?' The childminder always responds with positivity and shows children she values their uniqueness. She understands the importance of children's special toys and thoughtfully involves these toys in the games she plays with the children.

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

Children happily follow the childminder's routines and boundaries. They behave incredibly well and show care and respect for the childminder and each other. For instance, they find the childminder's boots and give them to her as they get ready to play outside.

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

Partnerships with parents are positive. Information is collected and used effectively to ensure children's care routines are tailored to meet their individual needs. The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance and promotes this with parents.

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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 disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, 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, children, and parents 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 : 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.

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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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