Leake, Louise Rebecca

Leake, Louise Rebecca

Unique reference number (URN): 2750995 Address: 61 St. Thomas Way, Rugeley, WS15 1RA Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 19/10/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Leake, Louise Rebecca

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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 has impressive knowledge of child development and uses it to maintain high expectations for children's behaviour. She has established extremely effective routines for all children and considers their individual needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder consistently models her setting rules through kindness and care. This enables a harmonious culture at her setting. For example, when she notices children taking toys from their friends, she helps them understand what is right and wrong. Through the childminder's gentle approach and consistent reinforcement, children begin to find solutions to their own actions. Children learn to be kind and caring towards each other. They show empathy and understand their actions have consequences when they have upset their friends. This ensures that children are developing a real sense of social skills, including understanding of their own feelings and behaviours.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has embedded consistent, respectful relationships with children and their parents. Parents say the childminder is nurturing; she helps them build consistent routines for their children by gently easing them into daily routines at the setting. The childminder demonstrates that her routines and structure of the day help children learn and that regular attendance prepares them for school. She has put in place highly effective monitoring procedures for attendance and has high expectations for every child at her setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from extremely nurturing relationships they have formed with the childminder. The childminder possesses comprehensive knowledge about all the children who attend her setting and is highly responsive to their individual needs. For instance, when the childminder blows bubbles, some children become upset because they want more. The childminder recognises when children need reassurance, so she offers them a cuddle, to which they reciprocate, and helps them immerse themselves back into play. Furthermore, when children jump in the air, the childminder reminds them to avoid bumping into their friends for everyone's personal safety. This ensures that children develop physical skills while learning to be safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder uses daily routines, such as snack times, to instil good habits in children. She explains to the children why it is important to wash their hands before meals. Children are highly independent as they squeeze soap onto their hands, rub them together and then wash the soap away. They independently access their water bottles before sitting down, ready for their snack, showing they are familiar with the routine. Children with allergies are kept safe, as the childminder has appropriate procedures to ensure that she finds out from parents about their dietary requirements during transitions into her setting. The childminder engages in conversations with all children, creating a harmonious environment and resulting in children becoming confident speakers and independent learners.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, thrive in the home of the caring childminder. They engage in age- and stage-appropriate activities that help them learn and progress towards their next stage of development.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children sing along to nursery rhymes, such as 'Old Macdonald Had a Farm'. They learn new vocabulary when singing songs. As children move to music, they learn to identify parts of their bodies and move in different ways. For instance, they hop around like small rabbits by using their legs and bending their knees. Children become increasingly confident at naming their emotions and discussing their feelings, such as 'sad', 'angry' and 'happy'. They learn to understand that their actions have consequences, show empathy and advance their personal, social and emotional development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed an ambitious curriculum for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. She shows great enthusiasm and clearly understands the different ways in which children learn and grow. The childminder takes time to find out from parents about their children's interests and stage of development. She identifies appropriate next steps in children's learning. The childminder does not have effective strategies in place to communicate children's identified next steps to parents. This does not fully support continuity in children's development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans music and movement sessions to promote children's communication and language skills. Children join in as they sing songs and have fun when they move their bodies to the music. They use their hands to pretend to beep a horn and make vocal sounds. The childminder uses these moments to introduce new vocabulary, such as 'wriggly', as children pretend they are little bunnies, helping widen their vocabulary. The childminder plans activities to support children's physical development. Children are developing their fine motor skills. They use tweezers to pick up pom-poms and sort them by colour, which supports their problem-solving skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder's warm and nurturing approach supports children, including disadvantaged children and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. She talks to parents to learn about their children's interests and abilities. The childminder uses an approach to carry out observations to identify children's needs. She uses an effective assessment tool that enables her to plan appropriately to close gaps in children's learning. However, the childminder has yet to develop partnerships with other professionals to support children's individual needs further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children show considerable confidence in exploring their environment in the homely setting. They enjoy the experiences on offer as they are closely matched to their individual needs. The childminder thoughtfully considers the way she spends additional funding to help individual children thrive. She provides personalised learning opportunities. For example, children have learned to understand and manage their emotions through the additional resources the childminder has purchased. They begin to name their feelings, such as 'sad', 'angry' and 'happy'. The childminder supports this by using stories and props to help children understand various emotions, fostering their personal, social and emotional development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds warm and nurturing relationships with children, including disadvantaged children and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. She understands her role and responsibilities around children's learning and development and shows genuine care. Parent partnerships are extremely positive. Parents report that the childminder has significantly enhanced their children's progress. They say they value the nature walks and library visits the childminder provides and that their children are always happy and cared for in her presence.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective and is keen to improve her practice. She understands that she has yet to gain the necessary knowledge and training in developing partnerships with other professionals to support children's individual needs. The childminder supports her assistant to expand their knowledge in a way that is manageable, and she takes account of their wellbeing. For example, she has enrolled her assistant on a learning platform to develop their understanding of managing children's behaviour. The childminder has regular meetings with her assistant to discuss children's learning and development to identify any gaps in their learning. There is a clear focus and commitment to ensure that children receive high-quality support so they can make the best possible progress.

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

Children flourish at the childminder's home-from-home setting. They are happy and confident in the presence of the nurturing childminder. Children greet their friends warmly before immersing themselves in play and enjoy various experiences. Children like dancing to music and imitating horn sounds by saying 'beep, beep'. The childminder is a positive role model. Children giggle and laugh together as they pretend to be asleep and jump up as they sing along to 'sleeping bunnies'. Children are developing their language and social skills.

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

Children learn about sharing through everyday experiences. They enjoy visits in the community, such as going on nature walks. The childminder creates opportunities for children to learn about sharing through playing ball games together. This helps children develop their physical skills. Children learn to share books and listen to stories. They sit comfortably as the childminder reads to them. The childminder uses facial expressions to represent the different emotions in the book. She discusses in depth what makes the children 'sad', 'angry' and 'happy'. Children engage in activities linked to the story. They use tweezers to pick up different-coloured pom-poms that represent different emotions and count how many they have, which supports their mathematical skills.

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

Children enjoy role play, feeding dolls and using expressions to show their babies are crying. The childminder seizes these moments to recall stories about emotions. She reminds children about feelings and suggests the baby may need a cuddle. Children demonstrate positive behaviours towards their learning. They show empathy and understand their actions have consequences. Regular attendance at the setting ensures that all children thrive and make progress.

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Next steps

The childminder should build on her knowledge of external support available to support all children's emerging needs. The childminder should ensure that children's next steps are shared effectively with parents.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and took account of parents' views.

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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

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Address:

Registered person: Leake, Louise Rebecca

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Address:

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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Total number of places

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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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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