Potter Sarah Jane

Potter Sarah Jane

Unique reference number (URN): 219565 Address: 176 Shefford Road, Clifton, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5QS Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 01/09/1992 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Potter, Sarah Jane

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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

All children are highly confident and demonstrate a zest for learning. They embrace all the activities that the childminder offers and become engrossed in meaningful play and well- considered routines that mirror those they may experience at nursery.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children communicate their thoughts and ideas confidently. They express their needs and preferences well to adults and their peers. This skill in turn reduces frustration and supports harmonious and respectful relationships amongst children.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children perfect the skills they will require in their next stage of learning. Older children are independent, managing hygiene routines with minimal support. Young children develop these skills in age-appropriate ways, such as tidying away after play, wiping their hands and faces, and putting on their own shoes. All children are able to focus for appropriate periods of time and understand the need to listen to others during group activities and discussions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder places a very sharp focus on providing children with the social skills that they will require for their future learning and beyond. A wealth of group activities support children to take turns and cooperate to achieve a common goal. For example, after story time, the childminder encourages children to recreate the 'The Three Little Pigs' by taking turns to place props on a storyboard.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children play an integral role in establishing the harmonious ethos of the setting. Children of all ages work together to establish written boundaries that are based on positive behaviours that make the environment safe and happy for everyone. The childminder skilfully links these expectations to the early years foundation stage learning outcomes, placing value on ideals such as democracy and mutual respect. Issues around attendance are swiftly addressed because the childminder has close and respectful relationships with families with a common goal to promote the best possible outcomes for children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate close bonds with the childminder who has an exceptional understanding of their unique personalities and emotional dispositions. This enables her to anticipate children's changing moods and provide swift and appropriate emotional support.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder diligently explores local issues and reflects on children's changing routines to support their ongoing safety and wellbeing. For example, she identifies local issues, such as upcoming changes to the village road system. Alongside children and parents, she considers how this can impact trips out and routes that older children take to school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places sharp focus on supporting children to recognise and regulate their emotions and resulting behaviours. She establishes very close and nurturing relationships with children where they feel safe to explore their emotions through sensitive discussions. The childminder is particularly mindful of how children's limited language skills can impact their ability to express their feelings. For these children, she uses role play, stories and small-world activities to explore the emotions that characters may be feeling.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children enjoy nutritious meals they bring from home in a safe and social environment. The childminder recognises her role to promote children's understanding of healthy eating in her setting. For example, young children prepare delicious snacks every day for their older friends. They explore the benefits of refuelling their bodies with nutritious proteins and fruits after a long day at school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses her robust methods of assessment to ensure her teaching consistently promotes the development of all children in her care. Activities are based on children's interests as she understands this is how children learn best. For example, the childminder embraces children's observations of the different houses they see on their walk to school. Older children develop mathematical and early literacy skills as they identify the numbers on doors and write letters to one another by learning their addresses. The childminder skilfully adapts this for younger children who recreate their homes out of boxes and paint in a sensory activity.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Developing children's communication and language skills is a strong focus in her curriculum. The childminder creates a language rich environment that is full of songs, nursery rhymes and enthusiastic discussions. She adapts the language she uses superbly for individual children during play. For example, in a construction activity, older more articulate children learn words such as 'excavator'. Young children are encouraged to use more simple alternatives such as 'digger'.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides a wealth of teaching within the community to further promote children's development. Children enjoy regular trips out to play groups and libraries, as well as music and dance sessions where children perfect their physical skills. Children learn about ways of life beyond their own during visits to the local care home, where they sing songs and enjoy stories with their elderly friends.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder develops highly effective methods of monitoring children's progress. This allows her to gain a robust understanding of children's individual and ever-changing needs, including any barriers to learning. She uses this knowledge to form the basis of her planning and teaching. This information is shared well with parents alongside fun and exciting child- focused activities for parents to complete at home, such as scavenger hunts.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder develops highly professional and open relationships with parents where information is shared regularly, providing a collaborative approach to supporting children's needs. For example, the childminder shares behaviour management strategies and works with parents to identify possible triggers for children's unwanted behaviour. Any additional funding is allocated with integrity to promote the specific needs of the children it is intended for. The childminder explains how spending is monitored to ensure it provides children with experiences that enrich their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has developed a strong network of support that she can draw on to and signpost parents to for advice. Alongside a wealth of additional training, she demonstrates the knowledge and skills that promote the learning and development of all children. For example, the childminder uses Makaton to promote the communication skills of children. She understands that this reduces frustration and promotes positive behaviours in the children she cares for.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder actively seeks feedback regarding her practice from parents, children and other professionals that are involved in children's development. This allows her to gain a robust understanding of the setting's strengths and implement insightful strategies that support the ongoing progress of all children. For example, the childminder has established local group sessions to enhance children's social interactions and develop a deeper understanding of their local community. These sessions also act as a means of mentoring colleagues providing support and practical knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Developing professional partnerships is key to the childminder's practice. Her vast experience means that she has swift access to a wealth of additional knowledge and skills. She draws on this when she identifies that children may need additional support for their physical, emotional or developmental needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is committed to enhancing her own knowledge and skills through a multitude of additional training programmes and by seeking out advice from other professionals. Furthermore, she shares appropriate information with parents around issues, such as online safety and safe use of technology, understanding how these can be key concerns for families.

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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

All children, regardless of their starting points and abilities, flourish and make strong progress in the childminder's care. The nurturing relationships they build with the childminder provides them with the confidence and emotional wellbeing that will support them to thrive in their new environments. The childminder plans these transitions incredibly well with individual visits to their new settings to meet staff and familiarise themselves with the environment. Together, they create photograph books to explore alongside their friends and families. These highly effective strategies enable children to develop a very positive attitude to their future learning.

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

Parent partnerships are of a very high standard. All parents speak highly of the individual care and teaching that the childminder provides. These respectful relationships allow the childminder to effectively communicate the impact that absence and late arrival can have on the learning and experiences of all children. Children become deeply absorbed in play that is based on their individual interests and needs. Children play a key role in planning their learning by creating regular reflection posters where they recall past learning and experiences in age-appropriate ways. For example, older children may choose to write key words and draw pictures. Those who have not yet perfected these skills can select photographs and create collages. The childminder uses this information to ascertain future teaching opportunities based on what children know, enjoy and the skills they need to develop further.

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

Children are highly confident and engage well with their peers and adults. They cooperate well in play and show kindness and empathy towards others by sharing equipment and recognising when their friends wish to join in their games, welcoming them warmly. These

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Address:

176 Shefford Road Clifton Shefford Bedfordshire SG17 5QS

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00 positive behaviours and attitudes all contribute to creating a highly respectful, joyful and harmonious learning environment.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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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. Local authority: Central Bedfordshire

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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

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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