Joanne Mullaney

Mullaney, Joanne

Unique reference number (URN): EY559614 Address: 35 Newhouse Road, Esh Winning, Durham, DH7 9JU Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 17/05/2018 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Mullaney, Joanne

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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 promotes positive behaviour with clarity and consistency. She is an excellent role model, showing children how to be considerate of each other and how to be helpful and polite. She sensitively supports children who may sometimes struggle to play alongside their peers in a way that is highly appropriate to their ages and stages of development. This includes offering alternatives where children want to play with the same resource or explaining to older children why they must wait for their turn. She provides opportunities for children to expend some of their energy when she identifies they may be struggling to focus on a quieter activity. This approach helps children to thrive as daily routines are highly reflective of children's individual needs. Regular trips to local playgroups provide opportunities for children to socialise with larger groups of children in preparation for going to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children develop very positive attitudes to learning. The childminder provides lots of support and encouragement for them to try new things, as well as praise and encouragement when children concentrate and persevere. The childminder recognises the importance of supporting parents and carers to establish effective routines, including regular attendance and punctuality. She has clear procedures in place to follow up on any unexplained absences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is passionate about promoting children's health. She supports healthy eating and provides carefully planned food choices to encourage children to try new things. Children learn about oral hygiene through discussions about sugary foods. The childminder reminds children to stay hydrated and provides plenty of opportunities for physical development. She also ensures there are quiet times during the day as she recognises that children can become over-stimulated. She supports parents and carers to establish sleep routines at home, explaining the importance of screen-free time before bed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is highly knowledgeable about ways to support children's emotional wellbeing. She skilfully uses stories to help children understand different feelings and the impact their actions may have on others. She gathers a wealth of information about children and their families when they start and ensures she keeps up to date with any changes of circumstances. This enables her to be responsive to all children's needs. The secure bonds she builds with all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning and development, are exemplary and are at the heart of supporting children to feel safe, valued and respected. She adapts her daily routines skilfully so they are matched effectively to the needs of the children attending.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is highly inclusive in her practice. She is extremely skilled at identifying children who may need additional support to overcome barriers to their learning and

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Expected standard

development. Once any additional needs are identified, she communicates effectively with parents and carers and discusses any support that may be required. This is ongoing as children's needs change over time. Parents and carers greatly value her advice, and they describe how the childminder goes above and beyond what they would expect her to do to support their children to make rapid progress. The childminder welcomes and seeks out input from other professionals to help her support individual children's needs as effectively as possible.

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Expected standard

She adapts her curriculum for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she identifies different learning environments that will be safe and suitable for outings and will build on children's interests and learning goals. The childminder carries out thorough and regular research, developing her professional understanding. This equips her with the knowledge and skills required to enhance learning opportunities for children who may need additional support. She makes consistently effective use of any additional funding available, which is used thoughtfully and in children's best interests.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally make secure progress from their starting points. They develop new skills and enjoy their play. For example, they enjoy mark-making activities in advance of early writing. They practise newly-acquired skills in different contexts, such as using scissors to snip herbs in the garden. Children consolidate their understanding of mathematics when answering questions about a book they have enjoyed. Most children use new vocabulary as they play and are starting to become more confident in their communication. However, children's progress in communication and language is not as secure as in other areas of learning, as opportunities do not always build on what children need to focus on next. Children develop many important skills to prepare them for moving on to school. This includes managing their own clothing and self-care skills, such as using the toilet and washing their hands independently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is clear about what she wants children to learn during their time with her. This is based on a secure understanding of child development and has also been informed by her research into developing children's resilience. There is a focused emphasis on outdoor learning, both in the garden and on trips to places of interest, such as botanical gardens and the beach. The childminder identifies all children's needs and provides activities to meet these goals and to support their progress. The activities she provides are centred around promoting children's personal, social and emotional development. She adapts her teaching effectively to reduce learning barriers to meet the individual needs of children. For example, she recognises that a gardening activity is not capturing all children's interest, so she provides other opportunities for children to develop their motor skills. She incorporates mathematics into children's learning seamlessly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's communication and language development as they play. Children are developing a love of books, and these are used to help children start to repeat familiar words and phrases. However, at times, the childminder does not identify when children may need to work on some speech sounds or encourage them to respond to questions using familiar language. This does not consistently support children's speech and language development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is highly reflective. She regularly reviews her practice and welcomes support and advice from others, including from her local authority. She attends a wealth of training opportunities and considers how these can impact children's learning and development. She recognises that she would benefit from further training to support children's communication and language skills even more.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent. Parents recognise the special role the childminder plays in their children's lives. Communication with parents is highly effective. They welcome the support she provides, for example, around toilet training and transitions to school. They use ideas provided by the childminder to support their children's learning at home. The childminder supports families of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. For example, she offers support when meeting with other professionals and on visits to schools.

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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 the care of this highly dedicated childminder. The childminder has created a setting where children feel settled and secure. This is highly evident when they arrive in the morning, welcoming cuddles from the childminder as they quickly settle. The atmosphere is full of purpose and fun as children learn and play together. The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, is arranged to promote children's independence and allow them to choose what interests them. Children are fascinated as the childminder explains that the shapes they are building with are connected by magnetic force. They giggle as they join in with favourite songs and actions. Outside, children learn about how carrots grow so they understand how best to plant their seeds. The childminder is highly skilled at following children's interests as they play and developing their learning through well-chosen questions or suggestions about what they might do next. For example, when a

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

piece of chalk snaps into 2 pieces, the childminder uses this as an opportunity to introduce mathematical vocabulary. This learning is reinforced as children explore what happens when they snap more chalk.

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

Children develop close relationships with others who attend and welcome their friends with a hug when they arrive. Parents and carers feel welcome and valued, and they recognise that their children receive wonderful care and are developing a love of learning. The childminder's interactions with children are warm and nurturing, and she knows all children incredibly well. She identifies starting points and any barriers children may face in their learning and development, and assessments help her to recognise and support each child's uniqueness. The childminder treats children with the utmost kindness and respect, which gives them a real sense of belonging.

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Address:

35 Newhouse Road Esh Winning Durham DH7 9JU

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:00,Friday : 08:00 - 15:00

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen the curriculum for communication and language to ensure that learning opportunities are consistently planned for and sequenced to support children's progress even further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children, parents and carers 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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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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