Griffiths, Valerie Watson

Griffiths, Valerie Watson

Unique reference number (URN): 2753389 Address: 183 Redgate, Ormskirk, L39 3NW Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 06/10/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Griffiths, Valerie Watson

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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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is extremely alert to children's care needs and understands their emerging characters extremely well. She identifies when children may be thirsty, when they require a rest or need a hug and some quiet time. The childminder consistently follows routines and care practices as much as possible to mirror those from home. For example, younger children use comforters they have brought from home when they are tired to help them settle as they enjoy an afternoon nap.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places a huge focus on supporting every child with their emotional wellbeing and considers her time wisely through the day. For example, when younger children go to sleep in the afternoon, she gives her attention to older children, playing alongside them, modelling and differentiating activities. This helps children's self-esteem, wellbeing and confidence as they prepare to start school. Older children relish this 'special time' with the childminder. They thrive from the positive interactions and secure relationships.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children receive superb support to develop an understanding of their health and wellbeing. Children enjoy lots of activities in the outside area and relish taking part in a yoga session as they watch and follow yoga poses on the television. Children observe a wide variety of poses and attempt them with enthusiasm and gusto. The childminder talks with children about making healthy food choices to support their wellbeing and positive oral health. The childminder supports children to identify and manage their emotions. For example, children enjoy accessing a den area and use a remote control to change the coloured lights so they feel calm and happy. Children are developing high levels of emotional wellbeing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make effective progress in their learning and development. They gain the knowledge they will need for future learning. For example, children demonstrate a love of books and thoroughly enjoy reading stories together as a group. They listen carefully and contribute to discussions. For example, as children identify a chicken in a storybook, they excitedly say, 'They are the ones that lay eggs.' Overall, they enjoy interacting with their peers and are confident enough to express their needs and share ideas.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy making puzzles, listening to music and taking part in role play. These activities help children to develop their imagination and express their creativity. Children show that they are very settled and exhibit high levels of security and happiness. Children listen carefully to the childminder and understand boundaries. They are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model and has high expectations for all children in her care. She has clear boundaries in place that help children to understand positive behaviour expectations. For example, the childminder reminds children to sit on their chair properly as they eat lunch. Children have built warm attachments with the childminder. They independently involve her in their play, ask her to read stories and go to her for a reassuring hug when needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children receive support to collaborate with one another and work together. For example, the childminder sings a special tidy-up song to show children that they are working together to tidy resources away. Children listen carefully to instructions and encourage each other to join in before choosing further resources. The childminder is aware of promoting children's attendance. She works alongside parents and carers to support and encourage regular attendance as much as possible.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder considers children's age and stage of development when supporting them to understand expectations. For example, she encourages children to understand emotions and consider the feelings of others. Children use their manners and demonstrate positive behaviour. Older children are encouraged to be positive role models for younger children. Children have lots of opportunities to be independent, build their confidence and develop their understanding of routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed a curriculum that incorporates children's natural interests and helps them to sustain engagement in activities. She has an effective understanding of child development and is currently looking at the different ways in which children prefer to learn. The childminder offers children a range of opportunities to build their understanding through experience. For example, she encourages children to 'help with jobs' and to be actively involved in decision-making. This allows children to repeat tasks, revisit prior learning and embed new skills. The childminder ensures that children access opportunities to build skills across the different areas of learning in the early years foundation stage.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder supports children in their communication and language skills. She provides a running commentary for children, introduces them to new vocabulary and asks them questions. However, she does not leave enough time for children to process an answer to questions or encourage them to answer before moving on to the next question. This does not consistently help children who are developing their language skills. The childminder has not consistently developed the way she speaks with children and gives them time to think to support their thinking and language skills further.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children access opportunities to build their mathematical awareness. They enjoy counting out loud and singing number rhymes. The childminder encourages older children to complete jigsaws, which supports their knowledge of shape, space and matching. The childminder places children's physical, personal, social and emotional development at the centre of her practice. She talks with children about taking care of others and being a good friend. The childminder differentiates the curriculum to support the needs of children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder regularly assesses children's progress and identifies areas in which they may need more support. She employs different strategies to help support children's individual learning needs. For example, the childminder considers if children are engaging in activities, if the environment needs to be changed or if resources need to be adapted. The childminder invites parents and carers to contribute to processes of assessment. She encourages children to borrow resources from the setting to extend their learning at home.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is able to demonstrate how she has cared for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in the past. She ensures that she adapts her practice to support children to engage and enjoy learning. In addition, the childminder has cared for children who speak English as an additional language. She understands how to make reasonable adjustments so that all children access an inclusive curriculum that supports their learning and development. The childminder evaluates the progress that children make to ensure that the curriculum is supporting them to develop and establish new skills. She works closely alongside families and understands the importance of working alongside other professionals. The childminder understands the importance of ensuring that any funding that children receive is targeted to support them to progress and have an impact on their overall development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder offers high-quality care and education for the children in her care. She undertakes self-evaluation to identify areas for improvement and values professional development. The childminder is currently undertaking training in a quality award, which is helping her to work alongside other providers, share ideas and improve her practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers. She shares a range of information about children's learning and how they can be supported further at home. Some children attend another setting. The childminder has not developed a process to share meaningful information as children transition. She has not consistently shared information about children's needs to ensure that transitions are more supportive to meet the needs of all children and remove any potential barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder takes decisions in the best interests of the children in her care. For example, she reflects on whether children are accessing activities, if they enjoy participating and if they are learning new skills. The childminder is swift to make required changes to have a positive impact for children. She plans outings with experiences that she knows children have not yet experienced at home. This helps children to build their confidence and develop their understanding of the world.

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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 active learners at this inviting and welcoming setting. They confidently choose resources, make their own decisions and lead their own play. Children enjoy dressing dolls, looking at books and acting out being in a café. The childminder understands children's individual needs well. She regularly observes children as they play and identifies their individual next steps in learning. The childminder then plans learning opportunities to support children to develop new skills. Children have lots of opportunities to build their confidence and independence in age-appropriate ways. For example, the childminder supports younger children to use their voices to make their needs known and encourages older children to consider the needs of others. All children develop well at this setting and develop the skills they need for their future learning.

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

The childminder is extremely nurturing. Children demonstrate that they are happy and settled in her care. For example, children ask if the childminder can read them a story, and they all enjoy sitting together as they listen with intent to the story. The childminder encourages children to make choices and shows that she values their opinions. For example, children talk about what they would like for lunch and which activities they would like to do today. The childminder welcomes families and carers into the setting and values their contributions. She regularly communicates with parents about their child's progress and encourages them to be involved in their child's learning and assessment. This helps to create a consistent approach for children from all of their carers.

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

Children and their families have developed positive relationships with the childminder. Children independently go to her for an encouraging word or reassuring hug. Children are very relaxed in the childminder's care and show that they feel safe and secure. The childminder is aware of the importance of attendance on children's development and works with parents so that children attend consistently. The childminder values each unique child and identifies their individual needs well. For example, she encourages younger children to understand the expectations for their behaviour through gentle reminders. She talks with older children about her expectations. The childminder considers the care and development needs of every child in her care, which helps them to thrive and flourish.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop the curriculum for communication and language, giving children time to think about questions and formulate a response to fully support their communication and language skills. The childminder should share information about children's care and learning needs with other providers if children attend more than one setting, to support positive transitions and remove any potential barriers to learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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.

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Address:

Registered person: Griffiths, Valerie Watson

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Address:

Operating hours: Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 17:30

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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. 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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