Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2756486 Registered with Ofsted: 06/11/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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

Children make steady progress from their starting points. They develop increasing confidence in expressing their ideas as they play. For example, they enjoy exploring and decide to add a wooden log to the water play as they sing number songs about frogs. Children use developing vocabulary to describe their play and explain what they are doing. They respond appropriately in conversation and demonstrate their learning as they talk about the life cycle of a butterfly. Children also join in with retelling stories when the childminder reads books to them. Children show enjoyment as they spend long periods of time concentrating on activities of their choice. They are kind and helpful, offering to help the childminder fill a bucket of water and care for the pet guinea pigs. Children demonstrate consistently good manners.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are familiar with the routine of the day. Typically, children are learning skills to support their self-care and independence. They can manage going to the toilet independently and pour themselves a drink at snack time. Overall, children are developing skills to prepare them for their transition to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides a calm and homely environment where children feel safe and supported. Children have positive relationships with the childminder and with each other. They demonstrate this as they care for one another and play cooperatively. The childminder helps children begin to understand and develop their turn-taking skills in a nurturing manner. She encourages children to use their manners, including saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children help to care for and feed the pet guinea pigs. This gives children a sense of responsibility and helps them learn to respect and care for others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder's expectations for children's behaviour are age-appropriate. This ensures that children typically understand and respond to these rules. However, at times, these approaches and explanations are not yet consistently effective. As a result, children are less confident in following simple tasks, such as when the childminder asks them to take off their shoes or spread butter on their crackers, and can give up easily.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. She works closely with families to follow up on absences, providing support when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides healthy and nutritious meals for children, ensuring this is in line with nutritional guidance and children's individual dietary requirements. Children enjoy healthy snacks, such as fruit, and drink water throughout the day, and learn how to keep safe when eating. For example, children learn about the importance of sitting sensibly at the table. The childminder is supporting children to recognise emotions through storybooks and interactions. Children have a go at expressing their emotions through daily group discussions and use language such as 'happy'.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder ensures children have regular access to the garden and daily trips into the community. They enjoy walks and visits to local parks, which support their physical health and wellbeing while teaching them how to stay safe. She implements effective hygiene routines, explaining the importance of germs as she guides children to wash their hands after feeding animals and before eating. The childminder also promotes children's awareness of oral hygiene through discussions during bathroom routines. Through these routines, children develop healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder takes time to get to know children and works closely with families to understand children's routines, personalities, and backgrounds. This helps children to settle quickly and feel valued from the start. The childminder has built positive relationships with children and their families. She offers cuddles and care when children need them. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to agree approaches to care, such as toilet training and managing emotions. Parents comment on the supportive approach between home and the setting.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed a curriculum that builds on children's starting points and interests, ensuring learning is broad and appropriately sequenced. She is passionate about children exploring the world around them and plans activities and topics to support this, such as life cycles. The childminder uses these experiences to help children gain new knowledge and skills, building on what they already know and can do. She skilfully weaves mathematics into daily routines and makes the most of these opportunities. For example, as children walk down the stairs, they are encouraged to count the number of steps. During mealtimes, the childminder supports children to recognise volume as they talk about 'full' and 'empty' when pouring themselves a drink. The childminder demonstrates that she can adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the children who attend and reduce any barriers to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum places a clear emphasis on communication and language. The childminder uses modelling and conversation during play to support children in developing vocabulary and expressing their ideas. Language is woven through daily experiences and story times. Children learn new words such as 'cocoon' and 'massive', widening their vocabulary. The childminder plans appropriate activities to support children's physical skills. They regularly attend local parks to further develop their balance, coordination, and gross motor skills. She models how to be respectful and kind to each other. Children learn about others' privacy and body boundaries, which helps to keep them safe. The childminder's curriculum prepares children for their next stage of education, such as school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Although the childminder's assessments of children are accurate and she plans appropriate next steps to build on skills and knowledge, her teaching is not always focused on supporting children's next steps as they play and learn. Her interactions are not yet consistently tailored to build on the next steps she identifies.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder regularly assesses children to understand where they are in their development. She considers children's interests and unique characteristics when planning the curriculum. The childminder ensures parents are well informed regarding their children's development. She provides a regular overview of children's progress and next steps, and shares their achievements. The childminder shares supportive strategies and expectations with parents around developmental milestones, such as toilet training and managing behaviour. This helps to provide continuity between home and the setting, supporting children to feel confident and secure.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of putting support in place, reviewing it regularly, and adjusting it if it is not having the intended impact to reduce any barriers to learning or wellbeing. This ensures that learning experiences are appropriately matched to children's stages of development and emotional wellbeing. The childminder recognises when to seek additional advice and how to use additional funding to support individual children's needs. She also understands how targeted support and a close partnership with families help disadvantaged children make good progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a wealth of knowledge in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She knows the importance of working in partnership with professionals to meet children's individual needs and close any gaps in their learning. The childminder has created local links with other childminders, and they network together to share ideas and practice. This provides a collaborative working approach to support children's learning and development and supports the childminder's overall wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands her strengths and the importance of refreshing her knowledge and keeping up to date with relevant changes. She has recently focused her professional development on strengthening the mathematical curriculum through everyday activities and discussions. Furthermore, she is currently taking an early literacy course and has embedded new routines and activities to help children self-register and recognise their own coat peg and name. These positive changes support children in preparing for their transition to school. However, the childminder has not yet targeted professional development to further raise the quality of teaching, in order to build children's confidence and self-esteem.

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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

The childminder adopts a warm and friendly approach that helps children feel safe and secure. She provides a calm, welcoming environment where children feel confident to explore and learn. When children first start, she spends time getting to know their individual backgrounds and what makes them unique. Activities and resources focus on children's specific interests, allowing them to engage in their chosen play. The childminder regularly shares stories with children, helping them to develop a love of books. Children join in with words and phrases, which supports their language development.

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

Children develop friendships and enjoy each other's company. They confidently move around the environment as they sing and dance together. Children work together to feed the pet guinea pigs. They take turns to scoop up the food and tip it into the bowl, showing kindness and speaking calmly and softly to the animals. Children actively explore the life cycle of a butterfly. They observe the caterpillar in its cocoon with curiosity and excitement, ask questions, and discuss what will happen next. This hands-on experience develops their understanding of nature and strengthens their observational and communication skills.

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

Children develop an understanding of the world around them. The childminder uses spontaneous opportunities to enhance children's learning. For example, when children hear birds in the garden, they name the birds. This excites children's curiosity and prompts conversation. The childminder regularly takes children on outings to the local park and playgroups. This supports their personal, social, and emotional development as they meet

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

new people and play alongside children of different ages. She also offers children experiences such as riding a bus or visiting the farms.

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Next steps

The childminder should refine teaching and interaction, so they are precisely focused on children's next steps in learning to further support their development, so they make the best possible progress. The childminder should continue to access opportunities for professional development to improve teaching strategies to support children to build confidence, resilience and consistent positive attitudes to learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the 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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