Wigmore Susan

Wigmore Susan

Unique reference number (URN): 117085 Address: 60 Westlands Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 8EW Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 07/10/1997 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Wigmore, Susan Jayne Maria

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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 benefit from a continuous cycle of precise assessments, thoughtful planning and purposeful teaching, which secures their successful outcomes. The childminder meticulously monitors and reviews each child's progress. She accurately identifies their achievements and carefully builds on what they already know and can do. The childminder's practice is skilfully adapted to overcome barriers to learning and ensure that every child thrives. As a result, children exceed expectations for their age, particularly in communication and language. For instance, they confidently create their own verses to the 'baby shark' song and play a tambourine with a clear sense of rhythm. This allows children to demonstrate their thorough understanding across a broad range of curriculum areas.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are very well prepared for their next stage in education. They draw on their overwhelmingly broad knowledge as they engage in purposeful play. Even babies begin to develop early writing skills, proudly pointing at the marks they make. The childminder models a genuine enthusiasm for books, which inspires children to handle them with great care and respect, turning pages gently. Older children demonstrate their thinking skills when given time to reflect and respond to her questions about story characters. They confidently identify the facial expressions and actions in the pictures, extending their ideas using rich vocabulary, such as 'scared' and 'sad'.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children arrive eager and enthusiastic, immediately selecting resources independently and demonstrating a secure understanding of their established morning routine. They sustain high levels of engagement as they explore, showing notable interest and deep concentration, impressive for their young age. Older children show kindness and empathy towards their younger peers, thoughtfully inviting them into their play and modelling how to use the toys. Children embrace opportunities to take on roles of responsibility, such as helping to maintain a safe and tidy environment. For example, after checking a cuddly toy's heartbeat with a toy stethoscope and taking its temperature with a pretend thermometer, they carefully return the equipment to the doctor's bag.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder places a focus on developing children's personal, social and self-care skills. She encourages them to share, take turns and play cooperatively. For example, she teaches children to take turns turning the pages of a book and to share out food at mealtimes, saying 'one for you' as she distributes the items. Strategies such as these successfully nurture children's patience and secure their understanding of fairness.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder maintains high expectations for behaviour, which children clearly understand and follow. Older children confidently and appropriately use good manners, including 'please', 'thank you' and 'you're welcome'. The childminder offers specific, meaningful praise, and children respond with evident pride and delight in their achievements. The childminder recognises the importance of regular attendance and punctuality, which helps prepare children for eventually moving on to school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has a comprehensive understanding of the importance of forming secure, warm attachments with children. From the very beginning, she gives babies the time, attention and reassurance they need. The childminder provides highly responsive care that strengthens their emotional security. For instance, babies smile contentedly and babble with delight as she sings to them during nappy-changing routines, turning everyday moments into rich, meaningful interactions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places a priority on promoting a healthy lifestyle. Older children demonstrate their understanding of handwashing through imaginative play in the play kitchen, where they carefully pretend to use soap, rub between their fingers, and dry their hands thoroughly. The childminder consistently encourages healthy food choices by helping children recognise and discuss fruits and vegetables at snack time. She also reminds them about the importance of having regular sips of water to stay hydrated. Children benefit from daily opportunities to be physically active, indoors and outdoors. Babies, for example, make rapid progress in their physical development, confidently learning to crawl, pull themselves up to standing and cruise along furniture, fostering their growing independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Throughout the day, children develop a secure understanding of their feelings. The childminder skilfully models and labels emotions during children's play, such as when they enthusiastically tap on a toy laptop while sipping their cup of 'coffee'. She describes how they might be feeling, and children respond confidently, remaining deeply engaged and proudly declaring, 'I am happy.'

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder designs and implements a well-thought-out, coherent and adaptable curriculum. She places children's communication and language at the heart of her practice, weaving rich opportunities for discussion and interaction throughout the day. Babies eagerly explore the activities on offer, showing determination and growing confidence. Older children are articulate and expressive talkers who apply new vocabulary and language structures with relative ease. The childminder reads to children with animation and expression, capturing their attention and fostering a true love for books.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

First-hand experiences and daily outings beyond the home are purposeful and immerse children into the world around them. During their play, children confidently demonstrate what they remember. For example, after shopping trips, they gather items, organise them, and pretend to use coins to pay. This demonstrates children's ability to build on their learning and make meaningful connections between experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder thoughtfully introduces a wide range of resources and books that reflect diversity and challenge stereotypical views. As a result, children from different cultural backgrounds feel represented and valued, recognising aspects of their home lives in the setting. Dolls, male and female, are dressed in outfits that appear different to what children may have seen before, which helps broaden their perspectives. This intentional approach encourages children to question stereotypes and appreciate and respect people as unique individuals with their own identity and creativity.

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Inclusion Strong standard

At present, there are no children in the childminder's care who are eligible for additional funding for disadvantaged families or for specific learning or developmental requirements. Nevertheless, the childminder remains highly attentive and responsive, quickly recognising when a child requires extra help with their learning. Through meticulous assessments, careful planning, and a thorough knowledge of child development, the childminder promptly identifies any emerging gaps in children's progress. To strengthen her practice, the childminder proactively undertakes training, such as strategies to support children's concentration and persistence in completing tasks.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder fully understands how and when to seek guidance and support from external professionals to reduce any identified barriers to learning. She acknowledges that monitoring children's ongoing progress and reviewing and adapting her approach are crucial for helping them thrive and achieve their full potential. The childminder provides opportunities that children may not have experienced before, such as visiting the local library, attending toddler groups and shopping for ingredients. Such first-hand experiences have successfully helped children develop practical life skills and nurture lifelong learning. Should additional funding become available, the childminder will use it to further enrich children's real-life experiences or purchase additional resources to meet their specific needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly professional and extremely well organised. She makes thoughtful, informed decisions about the high-quality care and education she provides. The childminder consistently places children's best interests at the centre of her practice. She reflects regularly on her provision alongside other early years professionals and is highly receptive to new ideas, concepts and approaches. For example, she has used grant funding to create an even more appealing outdoor area, where children eagerly explore, run, jump and climb. The childminder demonstrates a proactive commitment to her professional development. She embraces opportunities to further enhance her already extensive knowledge and skills. This includes strengthening her understanding of how best to support children with challenges and barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder establishes effective, trusting partnerships with parents. She shares a wealth of information about children's experiences and developmental progress. The childminder offers practical guidance and ideas for parents to support learning at home. Feedback from parents is overwhelmingly positive. They express deep appreciation for the significant progress their children make and for their children's evident enthusiasm to attend the childminder's setting.

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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

The experienced and highly competent childminder provides an extremely well-considered curriculum, which she expertly adapts to meet the individual needs of every child in her care. She skilfully promotes children's communication and language development through regular, high-quality verbal interactions. Babies confidently make early attempts to sound out key words. Older children express themselves with increasing fluency, using sentences to share their ideas and ask thoughtful questions. They listen attentively to the childminder, who consistently welcomes and values their opinions. Children quickly adopt and apply the newly introduced language they hear. Children become increasingly confident and capable communicators.

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

Children excel in the childminder's calm and inviting environment, where their unique learning styles are understood and celebrated. For example, older children independently use phrases to express sounds as they play, such as 'boing, boing', when they bounce a ball. Children follow routines that precisely meet their needs, ensuring that they feel safe and comfortable. They develop high levels of independence and are well prepared for future learning. The childminder places a keen focus on helping babies settle and building warm and responsive relationships. She works closely with parents to establish sleeping and feeding routines that are flexible and fully support babies' wellbeing.

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

The childminder enthusiastically engages in children's role play, which children clearly enjoy. Children demonstrate impressive imagination and creativity as they prepare items for a 'working from home' scenario. They thoughtfully gather a toy telephone, a children's electronic laptop and a 'cup of coffee' from their play kitchen. Children show excellent attention to detail, such as when using the toy microwave to warm the 'coffee' and carefully adding 'chocolate sprinkles' on top. They confidently invite others into their play, ensuring that they are also all set with similar items for a 'working from home' day. Children also apply their mathematical understanding to add more water, saying their cup is 'empty'. This highlights their increasing awareness of the real-life experiences and how the world works.

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

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of inclusive practice. She assesses children with parents' input from the outset, enabling her to clearly understand their individual starting points. The childminder actively promotes consistent attendance and punctuality. She works diligently to identify and reduce any potential barriers to learning, ensuring that all children are fully supported in making sustained progress.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities 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, children and parents. 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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Address:

60 Westlands Avenue Reading Berkshire RG2 8EW

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Address:

Registered person: Wigmore, Susan Jayne Maria

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 09:00 - 15:00

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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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