Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 225751 Registered with Ofsted: 05/02/1996 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 manages children's behaviour with a very calm and consistent approach. She offers regular praise and encouragement for positive behaviour and gently reminds children to be kind and considerate towards one another. This supportive approach helps children understand what is expected of them and contributes to the very good behaviour seen in the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder forms warm, caring and nurturing attachments with the children, and children are very happy in her care. She promotes an extremely positive attitude to learning by providing activities that reflect children's interests. She uses both planned experiences and spontaneous moments during play to capture children's curiosity and encourage them to explore. This helps children remain interested and engaged, supporting the development of a love of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Daily routines are very well established and consistent. The childminder prepares children for changes in activities by giving them reminders before transitions take place. This allows all children time to finish their play and move smoothly to the next part of the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder recognises the importance of regular attendance for children's learning and development. She monitors attendance closely and follows up any concerns about non- attendance with parents where necessary.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder knows the children in her care very well. When children first join the setting, she talks with parents to learn about their interests, routines and individual needs. This collaborative approach helps her support children effectively from the start, enabling them to feel safe, secure and form strong attachments with her. The childminder has a warm, friendly and caring approach that helps children feel valued and respected.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are extremely happy and settled in the setting. They confidently take part in activities and demonstrate high levels of wellbeing and engagement during play. Children are consistently encouraged to develop independence in their self-care skills and manage simple tasks for themselves, helping to build their confidence and resilience over time. The childminder tunes in to children's needs, helping them to recognise and label their emotions, fostering their emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles. She provides healthy snacks and talks with children about making healthy choices at mealtimes and during play. For example, during role play, they discuss which foods are good for their bodies. The childminder also helps children learn how to keep themselves safe. She talks about online safety in an age- appropriate way and supports them to manage risks during play, such as holding on when walking down the garden steps and using ride-on toys safely on the patio.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop independence and begin to manage simple tasks for themselves. They learn to make choices during play and take part in daily routines, helping to build their confidence and sense of responsibility. Children learn to play cooperatively with others. They begin to share and take turns, forming warm relationships with their friends and familiar adults, while learning to follow routines and behavioural expectations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the confidence to share their views and ideas. They learn to communicate with others and engage in meaningful two-way conversations, supporting their listening, speaking and language skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children have lots of opportunities to develop the physical skills needed for the next stage of learning. They strengthen their small muscles as they pick up items, such as pasta and cotton wool, during activities. They also use their larger muscles as they ride on toys and move around obstacles in the garden, developing coordination and balance.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed an ambitious curriculum and a clear vision to prepare children for the next stage in their learning. She adapts activities to meet children's individual needs. Through regular observation and assessment, she identifies what children need to learn next and plans activities around their interests to support progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, activities are planned and implemented well. However, occasionally some activities are too advanced for children's age and stage of development. For example, the childminder introduces weighing scales to teach about weight and measurement, but this concept is too complex for the younger children present. As a result, children are not always able to fully engage or achieve the intended learning outcomes. Nevertheless, children benefit from opportunities to develop early mathematical skills. The childminder supports their understanding of quantity and shape and introduces counting during everyday activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder engages children in conversation as they play, describing their actions and extending language. She shares familiar stories and uses props to bring them to life. Children join in with familiar phrases, helping them recall prior learning and develop communication and language skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's physical development. Children strengthen small muscles as they handle pasta and fill containers with rice. Outdoors, they confidently use ride-on toys to negotiate space, while avoiding obstacles.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's learning and the progress they make across all areas of the curriculum. She carefully plans, assesses and reviews children's needs, adapting provision to support their development. The childminder works closely with parents and other professionals and makes timely referrals when necessary. This coordinated approach helps all children, including those who may be disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses additional funding, such as the early years pupil premium, effectively. She uses this to provide resources and experiences that reflect children's interests and support their individual learning and development. This helps children to remain engaged and continue to make good progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder keeps her professional knowledge up to date through ongoing training. For example, she has recently completed training on autism spectrum disorder, which helps to ensure that her practice is inclusive and responsive to the needs of all children who may attend.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge up to date through regular online training and identifies areas to further develop her practice. For example, she recently completed training on Autism Spectrum Disorder. This has helped deepen her understanding of how to adapt the provision to better meet children's individual needs and support their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder holds regular supervision meetings and daily discussions with any assistants who work with her to support and reflect on practice. She identifies some strengths within the setting, including providing a warm and homely environment where children can build on what they already know. However, her self-evaluation is not yet precise enough to clearly identify strengths and priorities for development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder plans an ambitious curriculum. Overall, activities are planned and implemented effectively. However, at times, some activities are too advanced for children's age and stage of development, which can limit how well children engage with the intended learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds positive relationships with parents. She shares information and ideas to help them continue children's learning at home. Parents comment that they feel listened to and valued and that the childminder supports their children's individual needs well.

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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 very happy and settled in the childminder's warm and homely environment. The childminder has a kind and friendly approach, and children develop close relationships with her. She actively joins in with children's play, valuing their thoughts and ideas, which helps them feel safe and develop a sense of belonging. The childminder acts as a positive role model, encouraging children to play alongside one another, share resources and take turns. Younger children begin to form friendships and invite others to join in their play. The

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About this setting

childminder acknowledges and praises these interactions, supporting children to develop their personal, social and emotional skills.

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About this setting

The childminder supports children's language and communication development by introducing new vocabulary. She provides children with sufficient time to process what is said and encourages them to express their ideas and feelings. During play, the childminder skilfully prompts children's thinking and uses open-ended questions to extend their curiosity. For example, when she asks what might be hiding under shells and garden pots, children excitedly discover insects, leading to lively discussion and shared exploration. Overall, activities are planned and implemented well but, on occasion, some activities are too advanced for children's age and stage of development.

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About this setting

Children access the outdoors every day. The childminder regularly takes them to local parks, farms and soft-play centres, providing opportunities to broaden their experiences and socialise with other children. They learn to care for animals as they help to feed the childminder's guinea pig. As they cuddle the guinea pig, they listen to the childminder when they are reminded to sit still and handle it gently, demonstrating their awareness of behavioural expectations.

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Next steps

The childminder should plan activities more precisely to ensure that they are targeted to match children's level of understanding and development. The childminder should develop a more precise understanding of her strengths and areas for development, in order to further improve the quality of her provision.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, the assistant 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. Unique reference number (URN): 225751

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 18:00,Friday : 07:30 - 09:30,Friday : 15:00 - 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

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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