Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY366038 Registered with Ofsted: 07/01/2008 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides a calm and nurturing environment in which children are happy, secure and settled. They form strong attachments with the childminder, confidently seeking reassurance and comfort when needed. The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour and acts as a positive role model. She implements clear and consistent routines that help children understand expectations. Positive behaviour is consistently encouraged and praised, which enables even the youngest children to learn to share and take turns. The childminder's consistent approach helps children make positive choices and behave very well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They show enjoyment as they giggle and engage enthusiastically in activities, such as joining in with action songs and rhymes. Children play alongside one another and begin to take turns, for example, when posting small items. They show perseverance and develop a sense of pride as they respond positively to the childminder's praise for their achievements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is skilled in helping children understand and manage transitions. For example, she provides timely reminders before mealtimes, helping children anticipate what will happen next. This supports them in following familiar routines and enables play to end naturally without disruption. The childminder also recognises the importance of promoting regular attendance to ensure that children benefit fully from their early years entitlement.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The experienced childminder builds positive relationships with children and their parents. She gathers detailed information about children's care routines during initial discussions, promoting a consistent approach. Ongoing communication ensures that routines are adapted as children's needs change. The childminder talks with parents to promote healthy eating, including discussing safer food preparation to minimise choking risks. Mealtimes are safe, social occasions where young children are encouraged to develop independence, such as feeding themselves with spoons.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder's calm, caring approach helps children feel safe and valued. She understands the importance of building secure attachments, and children form close bonds with her, helping them settle quickly and thrive. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of safe sleeping practice, carrying out regular checks on sleeping children. She promotes independence from an early age, teaching children skills such as removing their shoes and putting on their coats. Children are supported to manage risks safely, for example, when learning to use steps. They show pride in their achievements and demonstrate high levels of self-esteem. The childminder supports children in recognising and expressing their emotions by consistently acknowledging and naming them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Although the outdoor environment is an area for further development, children's physical health and wellbeing are consistently well supported through a wide range of indoor activities, daily routines and regular outings that promote active, healthy lifestyles.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make clear progress from their starting points. The childminder adapts her practice to meet individual needs, ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their physical skills through purposeful activities. They strengthen their small-muscle skills as they fill pots with rice and post small objects, and they build large- muscle strength by climbing steps and using slides. Babies learning to walk develop core strength by cruising along low-level furniture with assistance.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their language and communication skills. They learn new vocabulary through songs, rhymes and stories, and they engage in regular conversations, which helps them become confident communicators who can express their needs. However, children do not yet have consistent opportunities to extend and consolidate their learning in the outdoor environment. This means they do not always make the progress they are capable of in all areas of learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop positive personal and social skills. They form secure bonds with the childminder and friendships with peers, further enhanced by visits to the local library and music groups, which broaden their experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder implements an ambitious curriculum that is typically taught well. Activities are purposeful, well sequenced and tailored to individual needs. For example, the childminder helps children strengthen their small-muscle skills through posting and mark- making activities. She shows children how to fill and empty containers with rice, helping them develop their hand–eye coordination. Children copy, showing delight in their achievements, which promotes enjoyment and a positive attitude to learning. The childminder's inclusive practice ensures that disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder places emphasis on the prime areas of learning, particularly communication and language. She adapts her interactions in line with children's ages and stages of development. For example, she reads slowly using short sentences so younger children can join in with single words and sounds. The childminder includes action songs and narrates play to extend vocabulary and understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children access outdoor play daily and benefit from regular physical activity. They climb steps and use slides, which helps develop their core strength and coordination. However, the childminder does not yet consistently plan a wide enough range of activities for the outdoor environment to promote all areas of learning. This reduces children's opportunities to extend and consolidate their skills outside. The childminder skilfully integrates mathematical language into everyday experiences. She encourages children to count and introduces early mathematical concepts, such as 'full' and 'empty', during play. This supports children's emerging understanding of mathematics effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

On entry to the setting, the childminder obtains detailed information from parents about what children already know and can do. She carries out regular observations and assessments to accurately identify children's next steps in learning. She plans engaging activities based on children's interests that support them in progressing their learning and development. When gaps in learning are identified, the childminder responds promptly and targets support effectively, continually observing, assessing and reviewing the impact of her practice to help children make the progress expected. However, the childminder does not yet consistently plan a wide enough range of activities for the outdoor environment to promote all areas of learning. This means some children do not always have the opportunity to extend and consolidate their skills outdoors.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works in close partnership with parents and liaises effectively with other professionals and advisers. She implements their guidance to adapt her provision and meet children's emerging needs. This collaborative approach ensures that children receive the necessary support to reach their full potential. For example, when supporting children who are developing their speech, the childminder uses visual timetables and cues to help them communicate their needs. She keeps her language clear, concise and purposeful, which helps children acquire new vocabulary and strengthen their understanding. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their individual starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder establishes effective partnerships with parents. She provides regular updates on children's learning and development and shares ideas and activities to support learning at home. Parents report that they feel valued, particularly as the childminder acknowledges and celebrates different holidays and family traditions. They are grateful for the support she provides, for example, when toilet training their children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of the strengths of her provision. However, she does not fully identify areas to develop, and opportunities to promote all areas of the curriculum outdoors are not yet fully embedded. Consequently, children are not consistently helped to continue their learning outdoors.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge up to date through regular online training, such as learning to use early signs to support children's language and communication development. This inclusive approach benefits all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 childminder demonstrates a warm, enthusiastic and nurturing manner. Children are content and settled, and they clearly enjoy their time in her care. The childminder engages fully in children's play, skilfully supporting and extending their ideas. Children participate confidently in activities and demonstrate they feel safe and secure.

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

The childminder gathers detailed information from parents when children start and uses ongoing observations and assessments to identify precise next steps in learning. She has a sound understanding of each child and plans purposeful activities, such as posting games,

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Inspector:

Sheila Sidey to promote hand–eye coordination and early problem-solving skills. The childminder adapts her provision to meet individual needs and works effectively in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure targeted support. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points and be prepared for the next stage of learning.

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Inspector:

Children show high levels of engagement and enjoyment, for example, as they eagerly catch and pop bubbles. The childminder models clear language, and babies readily imitate her, repeating words such as 'pop'. Activities align well with children's interests and foster positive attitudes towards learning. During story sessions, the childminder reads with expression and at a pace that allows children to participate, independently lifting flaps and turning pages. She incorporates singing into daily routines and introduces new vocabulary naturally through play, supporting children's developing communication and language skills effectively.

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Inspector:

Children play happily alongside one another. The childminder provides gentle reminders about sharing and turn-taking and offers sensitive guidance to encourage cooperative play. She promotes independence by encouraging children to carry out tasks for themselves while remaining close by to provide reassurance and support when required.

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Inspector:

The childminder enriches children's experiences through regular outings to the local library and community music groups. These experiences enhance children's personal and social development and help them develop a broader understanding of the world around them.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop the outdoor environment to provide a wider range of activities that consistently promote all areas of learning, allowing children to extend and consolidate their skills outside.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 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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