Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 120533 Registered with Ofsted: 10/12/1997 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 quickly develop a wide range of skills and knowledge and make rapid progress from their individual starting points. They demonstrate high levels of engagement and begin to make independent choices. For instance, young babies confidently and independently move themselves towards toys that interest them. They observe and listen intently as the childminder introduces a new skill, then enthusiastically copy and have a go for themselves. Children demonstrate highly developed physical skills as they manipulate small tools and objects with high levels of precision. Babies use their fingers to accurately press small buttons to activate toys that create sounds and lights.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who face other barriers to learning, achieve well. Children who speak English as an additional language and arrive with no spoken English quickly learn to communicate their thoughts, needs and wishes. They speak in short sentences and follow simple instructions as they move into school alongside their peers. Young babies learning to talk attempt to say the word 'purple' while playing with building blocks. They make sounds to count as they turn each page of a book.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates an extremely warm and positive environment where children feel safe and ready to learn. Routines and boundaries are effectively embedded, helping children understand what is expected of them throughout the day. Babies show they understand the routine for eating fruit at snack time. They patiently anticipate and wait for food while sitting in their highchairs. They know to put their hands in a bowl and rub them together to wash them before eating.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of adapting her positive behaviour approaches to help each child manage their emotions in ways that match their age and stage of development. She consistently encourages children to talk about how they feel and teaches older children to use calm, quiet spaces when they become overwhelmed and need time to regulate. She takes young babies to local toddler groups to provide new experiences and help build their confidence to play alongside older children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's attachments to the childminder are highly secure. A robust induction process helps the childminder personalise each child's learning and care. She is extremely responsive and understands each child's needs. She skilfully interprets babies' early communication, such as their gestures and babbles, to recognise when they are hungry, thirsty, or tired. Parents comment that the childminder is 'truly invested in children's wellbeing and development.' They say she works flexibly and closely with them to establish regular sessions as soon as children are settled.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder prioritises children's welfare and wellbeing extremely effectively. She has a deep understanding of each child's individual care and works closely with parents when these needs change. The childminder tunes into babies' body language and communication and quickly recognises when they need to sleep or rest. She always responds sensitively and adjusts her routines to fit in with children's needs. She is highly reflective and reviews and modifies her approaches and routines for babies who find it difficult to rest or sleep.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from the childminder's caring, affectionate and attentive manner. They quickly develop a deep bond with her. Babies show their affection as they lift their arms up to be picked up and cuddle into her while she gives them milk and reads them stories. Parents refer to the childminder's genuine willingness to work with them on specific challenges such as naps, separation anxiety and weaning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder skilfully teaches children about being healthy. She provides a wide range of fresh fruit and fresh drinking water. Babies know to dip their hands in soapy water and rub them together ready for snack time. They giggle as the childminder says, 'wash wash wash. Let's get those hands nice and clean.' This builds children's independence from a young age. The childminder promotes children's engagement in physical activity and ensures they move their bodies in the garden or the park every day.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides a broad and ambitious curriculum. She creates a stimulating environment and ensures toys and activities match each child's interests and developmental needs. Babies learning to walk are given the space, encouragement and support they need to move confidently and explore the environment. Using her secure understanding of child development and regular, thorough assessments, she carefully sequences children's learning. She quickly identifies children's starting points and plans appropriate next steps. The childminder has high expectations for all children and builds on their knowledge and skills across the curriculum. She adapts her teaching, environment, and routines so children with barriers to learning achieve well and are ready for school. For example, she works closely with parents of children who speak English as an additional language to learn key words from their home language. She ensures she finds out about their home lives, so they

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

There is a strong focus on communication and language. Children are immersed in language. The childminder continually introduces a wide range of vocabulary, models new words and extends children's sentences through meaningful conversations. Babies learning single words and attempt to copy her as she names the colours of blocks.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's personal, social, and emotional development is always promoted through the childminder's sensitive interactions with children as they play. Regular visits to parks and toddler groups helps children build relationships and confidence in new environments. Mathematics is expertly woven into children's play. The childminder makes the most of all opportunities to teach children how to count, recognise colours, and learn the names of shapes as they build with blocks.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has embedded robust assessment and monitoring procedures into her practice. She takes time to understand each child's starting points and quickly identifies any gaps in their learning and development. She works closely with parents to remove barriers to children's learning. For example, when babies and young children with separation anxiety start at the setting, she works flexibly and gradually builds up their attendance to help them feel safe, secure, and happy to leave their parents. She sends photos and messages to reassure parents that their children are settled and content.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of making timely referrals when children need additional support or funding. However, she is new to the area and recognises that her knowledge of local processes for accessing professional advice and support is not yet fully secure.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder skilfully adapts her teaching and daily routines when children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) find aspects of learning difficult. For instance, she uses photographs of important objects and favourite activities to support children who find communication and following instructions challenging. This helps children express themselves, understand expectations and supports them to make choices. Her flexible and inclusive approach enables all children to make continual progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to delivering high-quality care. She keeps her knowledge up to date by attending regular and relevant training and ensures that her assistant follows the same approach. They both take part in weekly online training together and use the knowledge gained from these sessions to continually improve their practice. For instance, recent training on healthy eating ensures the childminder follows nutritional guidance when preparing and serving food at snack time. The childminder and her assistant work well as a team and support one another to manage their wellbeing and workload effectively. They regularly reflect on their practice and discuss ways to enhance children's experiences and learning opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents praise the childminder's consistent and supportive communication. They say she helps them understand their children's development and enables them to support learning at home. The childminder values parents' contributions. She uses parents' regular feedback to identify areas that could be improved.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is new to the area and is aware she has not yet established partnerships with other providers, professionals, or the local authority. As a result, her knowledge of local procedures for gaining further support and additional funding for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not yet fully secure.

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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 benefit from the childminder's calm, welcoming and nurturing environment. They settle incredibly quickly and separate well from their parents. Children demonstrate a sense of belonging as they confidently choose their preferred toys from the wide range of play opportunities the childminder thoughtfully provides. Children show they feel valued and special as the childminder praises their achievements and efforts such as, 'Wow! We need to tell mummy how well you can do that now!'

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 120533 Babies giggle and smile with the childminder as they explore and touch the different textures in the carefully chosen sensory books. They love watching the birds as they sit in the highchairs that the childminder has thoughtfully placed next to the window. They make noises and point excitedly to the different birds as they land in the tree. These opportunities alongside the childminder's consistently high-quality interactions helps build children's skills and knowledge across all areas of the curriculum.

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About this setting

The childminder's responsive and sensitive approach helps children quickly and form secure bonds with her. Babies who are new to the setting demonstrate they feel happy and secure as they confidently explore toys, freely babble and make sounds, and snuggle into the childminder when they feel tired.

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About this setting

Partnerships with parents are quickly established and positive. The childminder collects detailed information when children start and uses this effectively to ensure children's care routines are tailored to meet their individual needs. Settling sessions are highly flexible and adapted to meet the needs of each child. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure children's attendance is regular. This builds positive habits for the future.

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Next steps

The childminder should establish relationships with other providers, professionals, and the local authority to secure her knowledge of local procedures to follow for gaining additional support for children with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND).

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant and looked at feedback form 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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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