Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2799411 Registered with Ofsted: 21/01/2025 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

Children generally achieve well from their individual starting points. They meet age-related expectations and are prepared well for their next stage in learning. For example, in readiness for starting to use the toilet, children start to express that they are wet or soiled. Children are eager to help with these routines, such as having nappies changed in a standing position. They are developing their independence skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are developing their curiosity and imagination. They enjoy playing with figures, making up their own narrative and using role play to make cups of tea for visitors. Children demonstrate growing confidence around others. They express their preferences and happily lead their play. They help themselves to resources and toys to support their ideas.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop age-appropriate communication and language skills. They articulate themselves well, using language such as 'delicious' to describe the foods that they eat. Children join in with familiar songs and with stories, such as 'The Gruffalo'. They anticipate what is coming next and use tones to change their voices like the characters in the story.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides a welcoming and calm environment where children feel safe, secure and at ease. Children benefit from close relationships with the childminder, other familiar adults and other children. They enjoy cuddles and sharing stories throughout the day. Even very new children settle quickly into the nurturing and homely environment. Older children show kindness towards babies. They enjoy helping the childminder with tasks such as gathering items for nappy changing. Children play together well and get along throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is flexible in her approach to children's routines. She understands the importance of ensuring that children follow their routine from home. Where set routines are required, children follow these well. For example, older children help to tidy away resources to familiar music and sit with friends to eat lunch. The childminder shares her weekly plans with parents. This helps to promote children's punctuality and attendance. In addition, it contributes to the smooth running of the day and prepares children for their eventual move to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children's behaviour is appropriate in relation to their age. They are taught to express their emotions through words from early on. The childminder is a positive role model who consistently shows children respect and kindness. For example, she politely asks children if they would like help to wipe their nose, allowing children to make their own decisions. The childminder sets age-appropriate expectations that children happily follow. She offers specific praise to children. They smile when they are praised, and they enjoy receiving stickers as a reward.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides children with healthy and well-balanced meals and snacks that they enjoy. She supervises children as they eat and safely prepares formula feeds. The childminder takes children on various outings, such as to local parks and playgroups. She encourages children to walk when they are ready to do so, and she ensures that all children get plenty of fresh air. This helps to keep children healthy. That said, there are occasions when the childminder does not consistently encourage children to follow positive hygiene procedures. For example, she does not always remind children to wash their hands before eating.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children arrive happy and settle quickly into the care of the nurturing childminder. The childminder is aware of children's individual preferences, for example, their comforters and sleep routines. This helps her to support children's care needs effectively. The childminder monitors children as they sleep, and this helps to keep them safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents from the start. She gathers information that is pertinent to children and families, and this helps to ensure that she is aware of any potential barriers to their wellbeing. For example, she finds out about different family circumstances and children's home lives. This helps her to offer tailored support if needed throughout the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder's positive relationships with children help her to guide children to express their emotions freely. She also provides support through stories that use the language of feelings. This helps children to gain a greater awareness of how to express their emotions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has policies in place to help to keep children safe. For instance, she ensures she implements her pet policy to minimise any potential risks to children. Children respond well to the simple rules around handling of pets, and this helps to keep them safe and well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is aware of children's stages of development and next steps. She uses this knowledge to weave in tailored learning opportunities during play. For example, in order to help children to develop language skills, she provides a commentary as children play. The childminder shares simple picture books with age-appropriate language with children. This encourages children to repeat the language that they hear. The childminder recognises the need to strengthen her curriculum and teaching of mathematics to enable children to fully develop their early mathematical skills. She would welcome training in order to strengthen this area of the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder invites an external provider to deliver song and rhyme sessions. She joins in with children as they listen to familiar stories and explore puppets and props to bring the story to life. The childminder sings familiar songs with children. She models language well and speaks clearly to children at all times. The childminder encourages children to become active as they join in using scarves as they dance to the music to help them to develop confidence and physical skills. The childminder helps children to develop their fine motor skills. For example, she provides messy-play activities for children and offers opportunities for mark-making, where they have the opportunity to use their hand muscles. The childminder prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development. For example, she chooses outings that help children to become confident in new social situations and develop friendships with others. The

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

childminder also encourages children to express themselves during group music sessions. She praises children as they dance and sing in front of the group. This helps to build on children's confidence and self-esteem.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder teaches children about differences and similarities between themselves and others. For example, she provides books, role-play equipment and plans themed activities. She also plans outings to places to introduce children to the local community. This helps children to gain an understanding of the world around them.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers information about children's learning from parents from the start. This helps her to form accurate assessments in order to identify any gaps in learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has experience of working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has a good understanding of how she would support children if learning needs were to be identified. For example, the childminder describes how working in partnership with parents and other professionals, such as the health visitor, would help to support children to make high rates of progress. The childminder has a positive attitude to inclusion. She welcomes all children and families into her setting and describes how she would make adaptations if required.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder does not receive additional funding for children. She recognises how funding should be spent should she receive it in the future.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a good understanding of her strengths and areas to develop. She has a clear vision for future improvements and high expectations for the quality of her provision. For example, she is currently having a dedicated area built within her home to childmind from. This will allow children to access all areas safely and it will provide them with direct access to the outdoors to enable them to play outdoors more freely.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has completed mandatory training, such as first aid and safeguarding. She holds regular professional discussions with other childminders and reads updates from her local authority. This helps her to keep her knowledge up to date. The childminder recognises that in order to gain more knowledge she now needs to plan more focused professional development opportunities. This will help her to continue to develop her skills and knowledge further. The childminder engages well with parents. She shares information about children's care and experiences. She has plans to introduce further ways to communicate more effectively, which she plans to introduce in the near future.

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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 are happy in the childminder's care. They show a secure sense of belonging as they arrive and quickly settle into the daily routines. The childminder shows genuine care

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2799411 and spends time getting to know new babies and children, supporting them through their settling-in periods. Children benefit from the childminder knowing them well. They enjoy sociable mealtimes where they chat about their day and the foods that they enjoy. The childminder works well with parents to share important information, such as the foods that children enjoy, to help them to mirror these meals at home. This helps to support children's wellbeing.

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About this setting

Children make typical progress from their starting points. They develop the skills they need for their next steps. For example, young babies enjoy tummy time during rhyme sessions and enjoy reaching out for colourful scarves. This helps them to develop their core muscles. The childminder supports children's growing communication skills. Children delight in blowing bubbles and copy repeated phrases during singing times. They move their bodies to the beat and enjoy rocking and jumping to the music.

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About this setting

Children are developing confidence in new situations. They are willing to try new activities and enjoy performing in front of the group. They enjoy a wealth of new experiences, such as weekly library trips and bus rides. This helps children to experience new things and have a wide and varied curriculum.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure that children consistently engage in positive hand hygiene routines to help them to develop an understanding of keeping healthy. The childminder should focus plans for professional development on helping her to drive forward her practice even further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents.

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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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

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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

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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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