Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 128761 Registered with Ofsted: 11/05/1998 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

Young children make steady progress and achieve the expected standards for their age and stage. They are confident, curious and eager to learn, demonstrating high levels of concentration and engagement in a wide range of activities. Children develop independence through everyday tasks.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their physical skills as they move confidently, running and exploring. They strengthen their fine motor skills and hand–eye coordination through squashing and squeezing play dough, using scoops in coloured rice and sweeping with a dustpan and brush.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are socially confident and celebrate their uniqueness. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other barriers to learning make progress from their starting points. Despite children making steady progress in their communication and language and speaking confidently, their language development could be supported further with opportunities to develop their thinking skills and descriptive language further. Children demonstrate foundations in their knowledge, sharing what they know about animals during story time, including their size, colours and counting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder and any assistants that work with the childminder manage children's behaviour effectively. They model appropriate behaviour, remaining calm and relaxed, and speak to children in a gentle manner. Children have positive attitudes to learning, and their behaviour is good. They learn to share and take turns playing alongside the childminder.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Structured routines are implemented to promote children's sense of security, enhance their confidence and support their independence. The childminder addresses the needs of children at varying developmental stages by providing suitable resources and guidance. Children have established secure relationships with the childminder and any assistants working with the childminder, seeking reassurance and comfort as needed. This self- assurance is evident in their interactions with the environment and resources, as well as in their communication with visitors.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works with parents and ensures that routines are consistent and that there is a positive transition between home and setting. She speaks with parents during their children's settling about regular attendance to ensure they understand the importance of attending the setting regularly to support their child's learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children feel safe and secure. They have a positive relationship with the childminder and any assistant that works with the childminder and demonstrate secure attachments. Throughout the day, the childminder ensures that children have plenty of opportunities to practise self-help skills, such as feeding themselves, tidying away toys and managing their own personal care. As a result, children become increasingly independent, proud of their achievements and confident in their ability to take responsibility for themselves and their actions. The childminder shares stories and discusses feelings and emotions. She tailors procedures and resources to meet the needs of all children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder actively teaches children about healthy eating. For example, the childminder provides children with healthy, well-balanced and nutritious meals. She encourages and supports children to make healthy choices and try new foods. She reads books to children and encourages them to talk about the variety of fruits in the story. The childminder closely supervises when children eat. Children have access to fresh drinking water, and hand hygiene practice is embedded into the routines of the day to promote children's health and support their wellbeing. The childminder works with parents to support routines for sleeping, feeding and weaning to ensure consistency between home and her practice to support children's development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear idea of what she wants children to learn during their time with her, and the curriculum covers all areas of learning overall. She uses assessments and tracking information to adapt activities and support to meet the needs of all children. The childminder places a focus on children's communication and language development. The childminder and any assistant that works with the childminder generally provide quality interactions. They play alongside the children, commenting and modelling language. The childminder responds positively to children's interests and opinions. However, at times, the childminder asks children questions that only require single-word responses. This does not help to support their ongoing language development or their thinking skills even further. The childminder and any assistant that works with the childminder support children's confidence and independence. Additionally, children benefit from regular singing and story times.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children become familiar with many number rhymes and songs, and they copy and join in with the actions. Children have a wide range of opportunities to develop their early mathematics skills. The childminder introduces early counting through songs as well as mathematical language during play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's personal, social and emotional development. Throughout the day, the childminder ensures that children have plenty of opportunities to practise self-help skills and manage their own personal care. Children seek the childminder's attention and involvement in their play, demonstrating secure attachments and trust. Children develop their gross motor skills in the garden and on visits to local play areas. Fine motor skills are developed through creative activities using a variety of resources, including tools for play dough and painting with coloured ice to celebrate Valentine's Day.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of how to identify children who may need extra support to reach their full potential. She understands how to assess children and identify where support is needed. For instance, she supports children to develop their core strength and physical skills as she encourages them to walk when on trips. The childminder takes the buggy for children to use when needed but encourages them to walk while on shorter journeys to the local soft-play centre to help build their stamina. The childminder adapts her curriculum to support all children to make progress. She completes training to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder requests that parents share when the required progress check for children aged 2 is completed by other professionals to ensure continuity. The childminder has developed a good understanding of each child's personality. She collects information from parents regarding their children's specific needs at the start, which assists with the children's settling-in process. The childminder works with parents to develop a consistency with practices at home. She tracks children's progress and identifies where children need further support. She encourages parents to access support from other professionals when needed. The childminder demonstrates an understanding of how to assess children's development, track their progress and access support overall.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is experienced and is clear about the strengths of the provision. She knows what she wants the children in her care to learn and the experiences that she offers. She uses links with other childminders to share ideas and reflect on practice. She has an overall understanding of the areas she does well in and has some plans to make further improvements. However, the childminder does not seek feedback from parents and external professionals to help evaluate the quality of her practice and identify areas to further improve and raise the quality of her setting and practice even further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has clear policies and procedures that are shared and signed by parents before their child starts, to help them understand the expectations of her setting. She carries out regular risk assessments and keeps records of these to ensure children's safety. These also include information about the family dog, which is also shared with parents. The childminder has developed a strong partnership with all that use her setting, regularly sharing information about children's care and learning. Parents are complimentary of the childminder and the care that she provides. They value the communication that they receive and feel supported.

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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 enjoy their learning. This is because the childminder plans learning experiences that are age and stage appropriate, that will support children to gain new skills and that children will enjoy. She consistently interacts with children in ways that encourage them to listen, think and verbalise their own thoughts. Children thrive in the happy, 'home-from- home' environment the childminder creates. They learn to be helpful and to include others in their play. For instance, older children offer younger children props from the story sack during group story time. When needed, the childminder provides extra support to enable children to join in and learn alongside each other. With the childminder's encouragement and guidance, children become increasingly independent in doing things for themselves. The childminder uses daily routines to support this, such as by encouraging children to manage their own personal needs and helping to tidy up. The childminder teaches children

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

the early literacy and mathematical skills that further prepare them for the next stage in their learning. Children learn to enjoy books and to recognise and use numbers in their play. They gain a secure set of skills and knowledge, ready for the next stage of their learning.

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

The childminder celebrates children's skills and knowledge and provides opportunities for them to share them with others, which helps build their confidence. For example, children proudly finish phrases of familiar stories and help each other to roll play dough.

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

Partnerships with parents are central to the ethos of the setting. Relationships are warm and supportive, with the childminder ensuring that children's needs remain a priority. For example, she works with parents to support them to understand the importance of consistent attendance and the positive impact this has on children's learning and wellbeing.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Parents value the nurturing care the childminder provides and how she and any of her assistants that she works with develop a deep understanding of children and the whole family.

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Next steps

The childminder should improve her understanding of questions techniques to support children's language development even further. The childminder should strengthen reflective practice to include feedback from others to enhance the quality of her provision further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, the assistant and 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. 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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