Mason, Darren Mark

Mason, Darren Mark

Unique reference number (URN): 2747073 Address: 45 Buttercup Way, Lincoln, LN6 9YP Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 20/09/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Mason, Darren Mark

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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

All children, including those who may face barriers to learning, make effective progress from their starting points. Children are well supported and motivated to learn, which allows them to achieve increasingly consistently from their starting points. Children show growing independence through the opportunities they have to practise and embed their skills and understanding.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop excellent communication and language skills as a clear focus is placed on this area through the planning and teaching of the childminder. Children are introduced to an engaging and varied vocabulary, often inspired by the natural world, and are able to talk enthusiastically about their experiences and discoveries.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are supported consistently at each age and stage to build readiness for what comes next. Regular sharing of information about their learning with parents, carers and, where appropriate, other professionals, ensures a smooth and well-prepared progression for children through each phase of their early education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides a calm, nurturing and purposeful environment, where expectations are clear and consistent. He uses simple rules, visual cues and a visual timetable to help children feel secure, understand daily routines and develop independence. Warm and trusting relationships are fostered through consistent and caring interactions. Children are welcomed individually. The childminder listens, reassures and responds sensitively to children's needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave well and are developing a growing awareness of their own feelings and those of others. The ongoing support from the childminder enables them to learn to respond thoughtfully to each other and continue to develop key skills in cooperation, sharing and resolving minor disagreements. The childminder is aware of each child's needs and is able to guide and encourage at appropriate levels when focused on their emotional development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder encourages children to talk about their emotions and explore their feelings. This helps them to understand and manage these effectively, particularly during times of change or challenge. Through gentle guidance, reassurance and practical strategies, children learn to express themselves appropriately, build resilience and develop coping skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers, which helps children to settle into clear routines and feel secure in their daily activities. By promoting being on time and attending regularly, this partnership helps children to see how being present supports their learning and allows them to fully explore new experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has an excellent understanding of each child and their individual needs, which strongly supports their health, wellbeing and overall development. He invests considerable time in developing secure, trusting and positive relationships with all the children. Children show an effective understanding of personal hygiene. They confidently and purposefully wash their hands at key times, understanding how handwashing not only keeps themselves healthy but protects others too.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

All children confidently engage in conversations about making lifestyle choices, such as discussing food and nutrition, and daily physical activity, which children know keeps their heart healthy. The childminder keeps families well informed through regular communication, including the sharing of up-to-date nutritional guidance. Parents report on how useful the information has been to encourage better habits at home too.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder consistently promotes children's emotional wellbeing and safety. Clear routines, such as sleep and nappy changing, along with calm guidance and sensitive interactions help children feel secure and settled. All children are aware of how to keep safe indoors and outdoors and are able to express this clearly during activities, such as understanding the use of safety knives and knowing how to hold the fruit when cutting. The childminder provides children with so many inspiring opportunities to learn new skills, which they love to demonstrate at home and which clearly support school readiness.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children. He knows precisely what he intends children to learn as he undertakes regular assessment of each child's progress in learning to check what children know and can do from their differing starting points. He uses his professional knowledge of child development to deliver a rich and varied curriculum and uses well-considered teaching approaches.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Learning is well sequenced, so children develop skills step by step. For example, children move from early rhyme counting to confidently recognising small groups of objects through pattern without counting. The childminder's weekly plans are informed by children's interests and next steps, and themed weeks offer a meaningful and cultural context that brings children's learning to life. The childminder uses practical and hands-on activities effectively to strengthen children's small hand muscles, such as the opening and closing of clothes pegs as a counting tool.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses high-quality interactions to extend children's learning. He introduces new vocabulary, models language and asks open-ended questions during play. This is evident during activities, such as sensory exploration and curiosity about the wider world. An exciting fruit tasting activity allows the childminder to not only encourage key descriptive language, but also share the names of different countries. This in turn allows the children to make clear connections with their own life experiences alongside new ones.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has embedded a highly effective culture of inclusion. He identifies children's needs quickly and accurately and takes swift action to secure early intervention. The childminder uses ongoing assessment to understand what children can do and what they need help with. The childminder ensures that each child receives the attention, experiences and resources they need to thrive and works proactively to remove any barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder tailors routines and the learning environment so that every child can take part fully. For example, the childminder has worked closely with parents when supporting children with their speech and language development, sharing resources and guidance and also signposting to suitable external services. He adapts teaching strategies, breaks learning into manageable steps and ensures that resources are inclusive and accessible.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder builds warm and trusting relationships and promotes high expectations of every child. He uses the graduated approach effectively through the training he has accessed and works alongside his co-childminder to identify, support and monitor children's individual needs. The introduction of sign language is supporting early communication.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder communicates extremely well with parents and carers and relevant professionals to ensure that he meets and understands all children's needs. He regularly reviews each child's progress to ensure that they receive the right help at the right time. He prioritises their emotional wellbeing and stability, providing a safe, nurturing and reassuring environment.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear and insightful understanding of the provision. He takes a thoughtful and reflective approach to evaluating practice alongside his co- childminder. The childminder is committed to continual improvement and actively seeks opportunities to enhance the quality of education and care provided. The childminder keeps up to date with current early years guidance and has a thorough understanding of his statutory responsibilities, and he ensures that all legal requirements are consistently met. He makes sure that all required checks are completed and follows clear procedures so children are cared for in a safe environment.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Through ongoing self-evaluation, the childminder proactively identifies effective practice while also considering areas for development. This includes planning enhancements to the music curriculum and showing careful attention to children's individual needs and interests, as well as addressing any barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

All parents value the clear and open communication with the childminder and the regular updates they receive about their child's learning, development and next steps. They feel confident approaching the childminder to share information or seek advice, knowing their child and family will be fully supported. The childminder has a positive partnership with the feeder school, which helps to ensure smooth and well-supported transitions as children move on to the next stage of their education.

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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 an extremely inviting and thoughtfully structured environment that supports their curiosity, independence and involvement in their play. They concentrate independently on activities, such as enjoying and retrieving facts from the 'book of the week'. Children develop effective communication and language skills because the childminder consistently introduces a wide range of vocabulary, promotes discussion and responds positively to children's attempts to use new words. This helps children to extend their understanding. All children make clear progress because the childminder delivers a

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Inspector:

thoughtfully structured, yet adaptable, curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge, skills and interests. For example, the childminder uses children's fascination with dinosaurs to spark meaningful conversations, encourage questioning and deepen their understanding through the recall of facts.

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Inspector:

Children enhance their physical abilities through a combination of planned and spontaneous activities that develop their small and large muscles, indoors and outdoors. The childminder plans daily outdoor play that supports their physical confidence and growing awareness of the natural environment. He plans local walks to help children to develop an appreciation of the wider community, explore and become familiar with the places and people around them. Children respond well to the childminder's consistent boundaries and expectations. They develop cooperation, respect for routines and positive attendance. Children receive support to use words to resolve minor conflicts and seek guidance from the childminder when needed. The children demonstrate good manners, showing that respect and kindness are embedded in daily practice.

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Inspector:

Children display high levels of emotional wellbeing as the childminder establishes warm and secure relationships. This helps them to feel safe, valued and confident to explore. Parents and carers comment that their children are eager to attend and enthusiastic to share what they have been doing at the end of the day. The childminder actively supports children's health and wellbeing through key daily activities, consistent routines and nurturing care that promote healthy living. This includes guidance for families on nutritious eating and helping children to develop positive lifelong oral health habits.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain his work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. The childminder should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, his co-childminder, children and 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 the 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. Kirstyn Moffat

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 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

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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