Eastman, Sophie Jane

Eastman, Sophie Jane

Unique reference number (URN): EY462349 Address: 26 Thicket Road, Tilehurst, READING, RG30 4TY Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 22/05/2013 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Eastman, Sophie Jane

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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 generally good progress from their starting points, including those with small barriers to their learning. They are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and development. Older children can manage their own self-care well, such as using the toilet and putting on their coats independently. They also do up their own zips. Children enjoy mark making. They use an effective pincer grip. Older children are starting to form letters and write their names.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are confident and generally communicate well. They enjoy stories, especially those with flaps they can open. All children enjoy listening to and responding to different types of music, such as Chinese music. They wave dancing sticks they have made and roll small drums in their hands. This contributes to their fine hand control. Children have positive physical skills relative to their age. They practise these in the garden, at mealtimes and moving around the house.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder maintains a positive environment where children generally understand her expectations of them. Occasionally, children are too eager to start activities and do not listen carefully enough to the childminder's instructions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well on the whole. They have positive relationships with each other and generally play well together. The childminder manages any disagreements and challenges sensitively. She talks to the children about how to treat each other and also how to be gentle with animals. Children are polite and use good manners, but the childminder is inconsistent in her encouragement and reinforcement of these. This, at times, inhibits children's understanding of suitable social skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder explains the order of routines to ensure children understand what they can expect to happen next. Children respond positively to the setting routines and are excited to go into the garden.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder employs suitable procedures to support children's attendance and punctuality. She always follows up on unexplained absences and when children are late. This helps parents to understand the importance of these for children's future learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Mostly, the childminder meets children's care needs effectively. However, on some occasions, the promotion of these is inconsistent. For example, the childminder does not always ensure children's noses are wiped swiftly. However, she does ensure children wash their hands thoroughly at appropriate times, such as before meals and after using the toilet. The childminder also ensures that children have the opportunities they need to rest and sleep and that this is done safely. The childminder provides nutritious and healthy meals and snacks to children. The childminder talks to them about making healthy choices and food not having too much sugar. On occasions, children help to make their own meals. They are also able to practise chopping fruit with a knife. The childminder reminds them how to do this safely and ensures they are supervised well when doing so.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from close caring relationships with the childminder to help them feel secure and valued. When they have minor accidents, the childminder offers them sensitive cuddles and reassurance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to manage their emotions effectively, such as when they get frustrated or cross. She talks to them about how they are feeling and how they might cope with this. The childminder reminds children how they must treat others and be kind, for example by not pushing younger children.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a holistic approach to her curriculum and wants children's learning to be organic and based on their interests. She plans many activities and experiences for children, often related to seasons and celebrations, for example Pancake Day. The childminder also aims for learning to be embedded to enable children to gain knowledge and skills over time and be ready for school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

While the childminder has ambitions for all children and knows what she would like children to learn and achieve, she does not always recognise small weaknesses in her own teaching. This means she does not support the needs of all children as well as she could. Her teaching is not always consistent, and she misses opportunities to embed or build on learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Although the childminder uses lots of language with children, she does not always focus closely enough on what individual children need to support their developing communication skills. She uses mathematical language with children in their play, such as related to numbers and size. The childminder gives suitable priority to children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. They enjoy time outside daily and climb, swing and scoot. The childminder supports children to understand the effect their behaviour has on others through discussions and stories.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has a secure knowledge of children's additional needs and how to recognise these. She understands the importance of working closely with parents to identify and support any barriers children face. This ensures they make the progress they are capable of. The childminder has appropriate systems in place to identify gaps in learning, using observations and assessment to support this. She understands how to put suitable strategies in place to ensure these gaps close and children receive the support they need.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has some experience of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She understands how to involve other professionals and make referrals to identify needs and access relevant services and support. The childminder is committed to completing any additional training to enable her to support individual children as best she can, such as related to neurodiversity. The childminder is aware of additional funding children may be entitled to. She would work with parents and professionals to ensure this was spent appropriately, therefore having a positive impact on any children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is very passionate about her role and wants the best for all children and to give them the best start in learning. Although she is generally reflective, she does not always recognise the weaknesses in her own practice. This means she does not always provide the highest quality of care she strives for. The childminder prioritises her own professional development. She attends regular training to keep her own knowledge and skills up to date. For example she has recently completed a course relating to anxiety in children. This training will help her to drive improvement and meet children's individual needs to a higher standard. The childminder makes effective decisions in the best interests of all children. For example, she has recently redesigned her playroom to make this accessible for all children and to suit the learning needs of the very youngest children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder prioritises her partnership with parents and families, as she recognises that this supports children to learn effectively. She shares regular and pertinent information with parents so they can continue to support their children's learning at home. The childminder also shares information with other settings children attend to promote consistency in their care and learning.

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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

The childminder creates a home-from-home environment for children. They access a dedicated playroom where they can play and explore. Children are happy, settled and safe. There are positive relationships between the childminder and children and also with their peers. Children are confident to communicate. The childminder provides a wide range of activities and experiences, which children enjoy and engage with. This includes a number of activities away from the home environment, where children learn more about the community and socialise with a wider group of friends. All children achieve effectively in their learning and development and in preparation for what comes next.

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

The childminder knows the children in her care well. She has identified suitable focuses for their next steps in learning. She is aware of what interests them and tries to use this to support their learning. The childminder seeks relevant information from parents when children first start to help her get to know them and to support them to settle. She then completes termly assessments and reports for parents to ensure children are developing and making progress.

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

Children enjoy feeding and caring for the childminder's chickens and collecting their eggs. They count these as they do so, practising their early mathematics skills. The childminder uses play equipment relating to teeth to help children learn about toothbrushing. She talks to children about how they brush their teeth and what happens when food gets stuck in their teeth.

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Address:

26 Thicket Road Tilehurst READING RG30 4TY

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Next steps

The childminder should focus further on and develop the teaching of the curriculum to ensure it meets all children's needs and stages of development to ensure they make the best possible progress. The childminder should review her hygiene practices to ensure these are consistent and fully meet the care needs of all children. The childminder should further develop her own assessment of her strengths and areas for development to ensure any weaknesses in teaching and practices are identified and addressed to drive improvement further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and received written feedback from parents 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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 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

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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