Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2745672 Registered with Ofsted: 02/10/2023 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 Expected standard

All children make good progress from their entry points across all areas of the early years foundation stage. They develop the confidence and self-assurance they need to advance to the next stage in their learning. Children demonstrate strong independence skills consistently, such as handwashing, toileting and cutting their own fruit during mealtimes. Children are well prepared for their education due to the skills they have developed with the childminder.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are happy and confident in the setting, regularly engaging in conversations with one another and the childminder. Children chat as they play and vocalise their thoughts freely. Children use their imagination as they create 'play dough snowmen', rolling both small and large 'buttons' for the 'snowman' to wear. Parents praise the progress that children have made since being at the setting, including the development of speech and language skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has created a calm and respectful environment where children are confident to communicate with each other. The childminder is a good role model. She is responsive and warm, and children seek her out for comfort and assurance. Children reciprocate this behaviour. They are respectful of their peers, using polite language and sharing resources without prompting. For example, children swap which doll they are playing with so they can both get a turn with each. The childminder has clear boundaries, which children understand. Any issues that arise are swiftly supported by the childminder. Children discuss their daily routine and reflect on their experiences, for example, going to playgroup. The childminder has developed a routine that is flexible and moves with the children's interests and next steps. Children join in adult-directed activities, for example, reading emotion stories and exploring puppets. Due to minor weaknesses in the curriculum

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

and teaching, children occasionally lose engagement during some story times.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from regular attendance to the setting, which is evident in the progress they make in their learning. Children arrive keen to learn and enter the setting happily. The childminder understands the importance of promoting attendance and punctuality and monitors the children's patterns of attendance closely.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from secure attachments with the childminder. The childminder supports children's mental health and offers positive reinforcements, such as 'I am so proud of you.' Children respond to verbal and specific praise with smiles. This builds on the children's self- esteem and confidence. The childminder helps children manage their emotions within this setting. She labels children's feelings, helping them to develop an understanding of their emotions and learn empathy towards others. As a result, children develop the ability to vocalise how they feel. The childminder aims to teach the children how to keep their bodies healthy, for example, using toothbrushing activities for the children to role play through keeping pretend teeth clean by brushing them. This sparked conversations among the children, such as how often they brush their own teeth and the importance of a healthy diet to maintain good oral health.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder ensures children have daily access to the outdoors and prioritises physical movement, for example, weekly gymnastic sessions and forest walks. However, the childminder should strengthen the delivery of teaching children about staying safe when using digital technology and screens. This has the aim of ensuring children develop an age- appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves safe when using digital technology.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed a high-quality curriculum. She places priority on children's personal, social and emotional development, regularly labelling and validating the children's feelings. Children are confident communicators and share their thoughts, for instance, their ambitions on what they want to 'be' when they grow up. The childminder prompts children to talk to one another. The childminder offers all children hands-on experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children practise life skills, such as shopping in the supermarket. Children socialise with other generations as they visit the local care home. They learn about the wider world and become aware of the different people in the community. However, the children could benefit from a sharper focus on supporting their engagement when stories are being read. Sometimes, the stories the childminder picks do not always support all children's level of development. Therefore, some children lose focus.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder assesses the children's development termly. Children's next steps are shared with parents and carers. The childminder routinely observes the children. She adapts next steps to make learning more achievable. The curriculum for physical development is a strength. Children have daily opportunities to strengthen their hand muscles. This supports early writing skills. The childminder introduces mathematics to the children by counting and exploring size and shape.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is confident to identify where children may require additional support in their learning. She closely monitors children's development through daily observations to inform what children need to learn next and shares this information with parents and carers. She regularly reviews the progress that children make in their learning. The childminder adapts the children's learning outcomes and next steps to ensure they are achievable. The childminder liaises with the local authority special educational needs and/or disabilities area coordinators when she wishes to seek more support for a child. She has secure knowledge of how to make referrals to external professionals.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows how to use additional funding that children receive effectively. She takes effective steps to reduce any potential barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. The childminder embarks on further training around local processes and procedures to ensure she remains up to date with any changes. The childminder shares detailed documents about children's individual needs, which are shared with other professionals where necessary.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is keen to reflect on her practice and has previously sought mentor support from within the local authority. This is to develop the existing curriculum to enhance the opportunities the children have in the setting. Furthermore, the childminder regularly accesses training to keep up to date with changes to practice. The training the childminder has accessed is in line with her own interests and topics that she wishes to learn more about to upskill herself further, for example, attending a special educational needs and/or disabilities training course. She shows commitment and dedication to her ongoing continuous professional development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents praise the effective communication between the setting and home, as the childminder provides regular updates about the children's progress, next steps and their day-to-day experiences. The childminder shares key messages with parents, such as guidance around food safety and the importance of physical activity. Furthermore, the childminder ensures that the children's information is shared, with parental consent, to other education settings, for instance, pre-school or school. This helps towards achieving a seamless transition to the children's next stage of their learning and development.

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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 happy and well settled, thriving in a nurturing home-from-home setting. Children are relaxed and confident to play, showcasing their individual personalities freely. The childminder has built strong relationships with children and families. Parents praise the consistent updates and communications they receive to notify them about how their child has been throughout the day. Children regularly seek out the childminder for both comfort and assurance. The positive bonds that the childminder has developed with the children enable them to feel secure. The childminder places a key focus on promoting children's emotional wellbeing, for example, labelling children's feelings and using mirrors to show them what their emotions may look like. As a result of this, the childminder has fostered a safe space for children to feel validated and heard.

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

The childminder consistently promotes children's emerging independence skills, with children engaging confidently in self-care and hygiene routines. Children have opportunities to cut up and peel their own fruit during snack times, and they are encouraged to access the toilet independently. Moreover, children are confident communicators. They are inspired to solve problems in play as they arise, with the childminder posing questions such as 'What do you think we can do to help?' Children are prompted to speak to one another, sharing ideas in play. Consequently, children develop good peer relationships and are consistently kind to one another, often swapping and taking turns with resources, as they say, 'We can both have a turn.' Children are exposed to positive language and manners, which they often pick up on and repeat.

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

Children make good progress from their starting points with the childminder. Parental feedback echoes this. The curriculum offers children new experiences and opportunities, such as outings into the local community. Children develop their physical skills as they access the local park regularly. Children also have daily opportunities to strengthen their

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

hand muscles to support early writing skills. They show good control and precision as they manipulate and mould the play dough.

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Next steps

The childminder should explore ways of improving children's engagement during story times to promote their love of books. The childminder should improve the opportunities that children have to learn about the risks of using digital technology and how to keep themselves safe online.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and carers 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. 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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