Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY429688 Registered with Ofsted: 04/07/2011 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 make secure and sustained progress from their individual starting points across all areas of the early years foundation stage. They develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for the next stage of their education at school. Children build communication skills as they sing songs and play games, answering questions and sharing their ideas. For example, during a shopping game, children describe the shopping items they see and need to add to their shopping trolleys. This expands children's vocabulary and understanding of the world around them as they make connections with real life shopping experiences.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children strengthen early mathematical understanding through practical activities. For example, children learn to recognise numbers in the environment. They identify numbers on a clock face and learn about time, using sand timers when playing games. They enjoy counting songs that support their understanding of quantity, size and simple shapes.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress because the childminder swiftly identifies children's barriers to learning and seeks timely interventions. Children show confidence when joining activities, interacting with others and trying new experiences. Children also build independence through daily routines, such as helping to tidy away resources and clearing and wiping down the table after mealtimes. Children make progress and thrive as a result in all areas of their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Relationships between the childminder and the children are extremely nurturing. The childminder plans and creates a calm and safe environment where behaviour expectations are clear and consistent. Established routines help children to feel safe and confident throughout the day. Children settle quickly and move between activities respectfully when directed by the childminder. The childminder builds warm and respectful relationships with children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder uses gentle explanations and positive praise to help children understand expectations and manage feelings. She knows children extremely well, implementing a range of personalised strategies to help support and manage children's behaviour. For example, she recognises when children would benefit from time in her garden, running around and playing active games. This positively promotes children's emotional and physical wellbeing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children learn to share, take turns and cooperate with their friends. For instance, the childminder plans shopping games that are targeted to promote children's understanding of turn-taking. Children develop increasing levels of patience and resilience as they persevere to complete tasks and activities that they initially may find challenging. Children self-register their attendance and learn how recycling paper helps them to care for their environment. This promotes children's independence and a developing sense of responsibility.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands that regular attendance is vital for children's learning and development. She undertakes targeted training that enhances how she works in partnership with parents to promote good attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder creates a nurturing environment where children feel safe and settled. Children receive caring and individual support that promotes their health, wellbeing and enjoyment of learning. Established daily routines help children to understand expectations in the childminder's home. This helps children to feel secure in the care of the childminder. The childminder skilfully interacts with children in a calm and supportive way to help them manage their emotions. She supports them to recognise and express their feelings, offering guidance to help them manage their emotions and behaviour. This promotes children's emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's physical health is promoted through daily routines. Children wash their hands independently before eating and learn the importance of good oral hygiene. The childminder provides healthy snacks for children, supporting their understanding of the importance of making healthy food choices. During mealtimes, children pour drinks of water from jugs and learn how to use knives safely to cut their banana snacks. This promotes children's independence and understanding of personal safety. Children enjoy outdoor play and regular trips to local parks, supporting their physical development. These activities promote children's wellbeing as they develop physical skills of agility and coordination.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder's teaching is skilful and responsive to children's interests. While out walking in the community, children learn how to care for the local area and wildlife. They identify how the litter they see can harm local wildlife. Children show intense curiosity about the refuse trucks they see, collecting the wastepaper that they know will be recycled. Regular visits to the local library help to instil a love of books and stories in children. This promotes their knowledge of the local community and the world in which they live.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's communication and language are prioritised by the childminder. She swiftly identifies when children with special educational needs and/or disabilities require additional support in this area and provides tailored interventions. She uses high-quality interactions to help children learn deeply. For example, children use language such as 'float' and 'sink' in the correct context to describe what happens when ice cubes are added to a jug of water. This promotes children's vocabulary and critical thinking skills. The childminder promotes children's problem-solving skills, helping them to overcome barriers they may face when playing. For instance, children are encouraged to persevere when removing play dough from containers, tapping, squeezing and then turning the pots upside down to remove the play dough. This builds children's resilience and perseverance as learners. The childminder's recognition of their efforts builds children's confidence and self-esteem.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder extends children's mathematical language and understanding of mathematical concepts very effectively through songs and daily activities. Children recognise and name simple shapes, as they describe the towers they build, using mathematical language such as 'taller' and 'tallest'. The childminder uses everyday routines to help children develop proficiency in their physical development and independence. The childminder's ambitious and engaging curriculum ensures that children make excellent progress and that they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education at school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder reviews children's progress regularly. She fully understands what the children in her care already know, can do and need to learn next to achieve developmental milestones. The childminder consistently uses observations and assessments of children's learning to aid the swift recognition of any barriers they may face. She liaises closely with parents and other professionals to gain any additional intervention and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) need. She engages in regular training to keep her knowledge of supporting children with SEND up to date. For example, she undertakes training to help screen and identify early communication and language interventions for all children, including those with SEND.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder thoughtfully and effectively enhances children's learning experiences, offering exciting trips to the shops and local parks. She uses these trips to close gaps in children's experiences, offering children a range of opportunities to play, explore and be active outside. She consistently maintains high expectations for all children's learning through her ambitious and engaging curriculum. The childminder is highly knowledgeable about how and when children learn. She skilfully adapts learning experiences and activities to ensure that all children can access and engage in activities that promote their learning and enjoyment successfully.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder plans a curriculum that reflects children's ages and stages of development and personal interests. She plans activities and learning experiences that help children build skills over time. The childminder consistently reflects on her practice and outcomes for children. She adapts and strengthens her provision effectively to ensure that children are meeting developmental milestones, preparing them well for the next stage of their education.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder engages in regular professional development, including training in safeguarding and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She undertakes targeted training to strengthen her practice, particularly in developing children's communication and language skills. The childminder applies this learning effectively to enhance outcomes for all children. She also works proactively with external professionals to ensure that children with SEND receive well-coordinated and timely support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is passionate about how she works in partnership with parents and carers. She shares information with parents in a variety of ways, such as daily discussions, learning journeys and photo albums to promote children's learning and continuity of care. Parents greatly appreciate the regular trips and outings that children experience in the care of the childminder, contributing effectively to the consistent progress they make.

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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 feel safe, valued and are motivated to learn in the highly nurturing environment created by the childminder. Children make independent choices about the toys and resources made available that reflect their personal interests. Children are highly engaged in their learning. They routinely demonstrate care and respect, as they play alongside each other, building towers and working together to make car tracks. This supports children's personal development well. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education at school. They begin to identify letter sounds and recognise their names in print, for example, by locating their designated seats at mealtimes. They also develop early mathematical understanding through practical activities, such as sharing snacks and by dividing an apple into quarters so that each child receives a piece.

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

The childminder places a strong emphasis on developing children's language and communication skills. She promptly identifies additional support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She plans targeted learning opportunities in response to children's individual needs. Children actively participate in songs and story times, expanding their vocabulary and communication skills. For instance, children sing familiar action songs, reinforcing mathematical vocabulary as they stretch their arms out, 'wide and wider'.

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

Children develop a real love of books and show excitement when sharing books and stories. They learn about the world around them as they excitedly read stories about a visit to a zoo. The childminder encourages children to name the animals they see and describe how animals move. Children giggle and laugh as they stomp like an elephant and swing like a monkey. This promotes children's language and communication skills highly effectively.

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

Children consistently learn about healthy lifestyles. They learn how the fruits and foods they eat are good for them and help them to grow. Children excitedly wash coffee stains from teeth models to extend their understanding of good oral hygiene. Children enthusiastically play games that support their physical development. For example, in turn, they each select a card and copy the action, such as balancing on one leg and jumping with their feet together. This activity promotes children's physical skills effectively, developing dexterity and balance.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement, especially to help children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning reach an exceptionally high standard of achievement, in order for there to be a transformational impact on their learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the 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.

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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

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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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