Prentice, Jennifer Anne

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY459635 Registered with Ofsted: 14/03/2013 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 remarkable progress from their starting points. The highly ambitious curriculum supports children in deepening and consolidating their knowledge and skills. Children demonstrate their extensive vocabulary through their play and conversations. They remember a broad range of songs and rhymes, which they delight in singing.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children show deep levels of concentration as they approach tasks such as completing puzzles and drawing pictures. They apply their previous learning to new experiences. For example, when they prepare their snack, they use their fine motor skills and safety knowledge to successfully cut their fruit. Children exhibit wonderful confidence in their ability. This is promoted through the consistent praise they receive from the childminder, which increases their self-belief.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate their increasing mathematical awareness as they count objects and recognise numbers in print. Older children demonstrate advanced mastery of mathematics as they count backwards and confidently use numbers across a range of contexts. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make sustained progress from their starting points. Targeted support means that children are well prepared for the next stage of their education and that any barriers to learning are significantly reduced or removed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave in the best possible way. The childminder has high expectations for how children interact with others. She consistently acts as a positive role model and shares these expectations through praise and positive reinforcement. Children are incredibly kind to one another. When they accomplish a task, they run to tell their friends, who celebrate achievements with them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children play well together, demonstrating their mature social skills. Attendance is excellent. Children often attend additional sessions outside of their usual pattern and thoroughly enjoy the time spent with the childminder. This positive approach means that children consistently access the high-quality learning opportunities available to them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children show great focus and concentration as they engage in their learning. They consistently complete tasks and show perseverance and attention, such as when they fill bowls and transport water with a range of spoons. Children have secure, trusting relationships with the childminder, which further supports their ability to access learning to the fullest. Children transition through the day with confidence and ease. The childminder uses a slow, unhurried approach, prioritising children's views and choices. This helps children feel valued and approach learning positively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are consistently supported to develop emotional security. The childminder provides warm and responsive care that supports children's wellbeing. Children who face barriers to learning are sensitively supported in developing essential emotional foundations. For instance, they enjoy looking at family albums and talking about their family, which promotes their sense of identity and belonging. Consequently, children flourish in the care of the nurturing childminder.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children approach physical activity with great enthusiasm. They run and climb with confidence and approach risk and challenge with excitement. Children learn about healthy lifestyles. They have access to fresh drinking water and a range of healthy snacks. Children learn about the importance of oral hygiene and demonstrate self-care skills, such as wiping their noses and washing their hands. They are fiercely independent, putting on their coats and shoes and carrying their snack plates to the table. As a result, healthy habits are quickly embedded, preparing children to make positive choices that promote their health and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children show secure attachments to the childminder. They chat and giggle with the childminder as they play, showing the comfortable, trusting relationship between them. The childminder meets children's individual needs, such as for intimate hygiene routines and sleep arrangements. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is tailored to meet their individual needs, such as using smaller targets to achieve long-term goals, such as toileting and managing feelings and emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has designed a diverse and ambitious curriculum that supports children to thrive. She is acutely aware of the quality of teaching and how this drives positive outcomes for children. Her consistently high-quality interactions support children in extending and deepening their thinking, such as when they plant strawberry seeds and water them. The childminder reminds the children of the previous planting of potatoes, encouraging them to connect their prior learning to their current experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children develop a range of skills that promote future learning, such as developing fine motor skills and coordination in preparation for later writing. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully supported to access the curriculum. Where children face barriers to learning, the childminder swiftly identifies highly effective strategies to ensure that children are fully prepared to engage in learning. The childminder uses her meticulous evaluation of children to determine what children already know and what they need to learn next.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children develop a wealth of vocabulary, which is supported by the childminder. Every opportunity to extend and develop language is maximised. Children hear mathematical language as they fill buckets and count scoops of sand. They develop problem-solving skills as they collect water in their cans. For example, they quickly realise it is quicker to use the small water dispenser than the larger water butt. Learning opportunities are seamlessly woven throughout the day, including mealtimes when children count their snacks and learn to cut fruit. The childminder weaves children's personal, social and emotional development through everyday tasks and acts as a positive role model to demonstrate kindness, empathy and good manners.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder fully understands how to provide an inclusive curriculum. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who face barriers to their learning. Children receive sensitive, tailored support developed through a highly collaborative approach with parents and professionals. The childminder is meticulous with her assessment of children and uses this knowledge to ensure that any barriers to learning are removed and children are supported to thrive. This leads to children making rapid and sustained progress in their learning and development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses her secure knowledge of the graduated approach to initiate education, health and care plans for children with SEND. Her high expectations for children mean that they are incredibly well prepared for the next stage in their education, including the transition to school. The childminder works closely with other professionals to secure the support that children are entitled to and embraces any support from the local authority. She uses precise assessment to measure the progress children make and the impact of any intervention. The childminder accesses training to strengthen her understanding of how best to support children to achieve and thrive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is acutely aware of the strengths and applies meticulous evaluation to driving continuous improvements in her curriculum and teaching. She keeps herself up to date on changing policies at both the local and national levels and attends training to deepen her understanding and practice. This ensures that changes to safeguarding practices are quickly embedded. Children benefit from the most recent guidance around nutrition and oral health.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly committed to professional development. She attends a range of training courses that strengthen her knowledge and teaching practice. For example, she recently attended a course on transitions and settling procedures to further strengthen children's experiences. The childminder works closely with a co-childminder. She uses shared observations and regular reflective discussions with the co-childminder to critically evaluate her practice.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has developed supportive and professional relationships with parents. She fully understands the context of her setting and the families she serves. She works closely with parents to provide children with experiences that help shape their unique talents and interests. The childminder is deeply committed to her work and understands the importance of seeing the world through the eyes of a child. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who benefit from the sharply focused support plans and learning experiences that are created.

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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 flourish in this home-from-home childminder setting. They arrive full of energy, and this stays with them through the whole day. Children show great levels of independence and take care of their belongings, such as placing their coats and shoes in the correct places. They show immense pride as they carry their snack plates to the table and chop their fruit. The routines of the day flow seamlessly, and children become deeply engaged in their play with little interruption to learning. This is because the childminder weaves teaching into every possible opportunity.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): EY459635 Children have wonderfully warm relationships with the childminder. She has an excellent knowledge of every child that attends and what makes them unique. She plans highly considered experiences tailored to meet children's individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to learning. The childminder is mindful of children's circumstances and ensures that teaching supports children in engaging fully with the experiences on offer. As a result, children make rapid and sustained progress from their starting points. Attendance at the setting is excellent, and children often attend extra sessions because parents see the great benefit of their time with the childminder.

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About this setting

Children have harmonious relationships with adults and peers. They show wonderful kindness and empathy for their young age. Children behave impeccably. They share with their friends and understand the importance of taking turns. They listen to the childminder and carry out instructions, such as tidying away their toys and washing their hands, with great positivity. This means that disputes are minimal, and learning flows smoothly across the day.

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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 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, parents 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

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

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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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