Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2753698 Registered with Ofsted: 09/11/2023 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes a calm and respectful environment where expectations for behaviour are consistently applied and deeply embedded. She uses highly effective, developmentally appropriate strategies to support toddlers to understand routines and boundaries. For example, she intentionally uses simple visual signs and hand gestures alongside spoken language. She skilfully helps children make connections in different ways and supports their understanding.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder models and reinforces positive behaviour with clarity and consistency. Children learn how to take turns, use equipment safely and show respect for others. These approaches are well-established and highly effective. The childminder uses her in-depth understanding of each child to identify how they respond in different situations. She identifies triggers and purposefully adapts her approach to support them to manage their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder purposefully plans learning across the week to ensure all children have full entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. She takes a flexible approach to timetabling, making specific consideration for the days children attend. This ensures learning is sequenced and built on over time. She also identifies how parents can support learning at home on days children are not present, promoting continuity in their development.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress well from their starting points across the areas of learning, especially behaviour. They develop secure communication skills, building vocabulary and confidence to express themselves. For example, children use short sentences to describe what they see and take part in familiar routines and conversations. Younger children use gestures and signs to communicate their needs and show understanding.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show curiosity and persistence. For example, attempting to solve problems independently before seeking help. They develop social skills through shared experiences and positive interactions with others, supporting their ability to engage in learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who encounter barriers to their learning are supported to build on what they know and can do. They can access the curriculum and continue to make progress alongside their peers. Children gain the foundational knowledge and skills needed for their next stage of learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder establishes clear routines and care practices that support children's welfare, mental health and wellbeing. She creates a safe and welcoming environment, ensuring daily access to outdoor experiences. She has given clear consideration to hygiene routines and incorporates these into the day. The toilet area is designed so children can access it independently, while maintaining appropriate privacy. Children learn that germs can make them unwell and how some resources, such as dustbins, put them at more risk of catching germs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder builds warm, responsive relationships and provides purposeful care. She offers reassurance and sensitive support, helping children to recognise and express their emotions. She adapts her approach to meet individual needs, including for children who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, ensuring they receive appropriate care and support. She has tailored support plans for when children use soothers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles through everyday experiences. She works with parents to provide guidance on healthy lunchboxes, encourages children to stay hydrated and supports them to prepare fruit snacks safely. The childminder uses mealtimes to develop social interaction and independence. However, she has not yet fully identified how all aspects of the day can be used consistently to extend children's self-care skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the curriculum and plans activities with purpose, linked to children's interests and developmental needs. For example, she uses familiar stories, which are planned daily with repetition, so children become immersed and familiar with key texts over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is a clear focus on communication and language across the curriculum. The childminder models language effectively, repeats key words and uses strategies, such as rhymes during routines, such as mealtimes, to support children's understanding and expression.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum supports children's personal, social and physical development. The childminder uses the local community to support children's social and emotional development, helping them to meet and interact with other children in different situations. She provides children with specific opportunities indoors and outdoors, such as climbing, riding and using tools, to support children's physical development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands what children need to learn next and uses this to inform her teaching. However, planning for teaching and learning is not consistently precise in identifying how activities will extend children's learning further. This means that, while children engage very well, opportunities to deepen and build on their knowledge and skills over time are not fully maximised.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminders inclusive practices ensure that children's needs are identified and supported, enabling them to make appropriate progress from their starting points. The childminder identifies emerging needs, for example recognising that some children require additional support during transitions and implementing strategies to help them self-regulate. As a result, children are better able to engage in routines and access learning. She works closely with parents to review and adapt the support children need over time, showing a shared approach to meeting children's needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands how to support communication and language development. For example, she uses eye contact and getting to children's level to support engagement, while recognising that some children engage differently. She is skilled in personalising her approach to each child so they can progress alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands how and when to seek additional support and the need to work with external professionals. She completes a detail review of children's progress at age two and shares this with parents and the health visitor to identify if any early intervention is needed. The childminder understands how funding can be used to support individual needs, including accessing resources or additional support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has established clear routines and policies that support the safe and effective running of the setting and prioritise children's welfare. She demonstrates a secure understanding of the strengths of her provision. Through ongoing self-evaluation and monitoring of her practice, she identifies aspects to enhance further. For example, she is in the process of implementing a new assessment and teaching system for communication and language development. However, monitoring and self-evaluation are not yet used with enough precision to shape a clear vision for improvement or to focus sharply on the impact of practice on children's learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with families to support children's care and development, such as signposting them to learning experiences in the local community that complement those she also offers. She focuses well on supporting continuity in children's experiences at the setting and at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages in professional development to maintain and develop her knowledge and skills. She applies this learning to her practice, supporting the care and development of children, including those who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing. She identifies when additional support may be needed and adapts her approach accordingly.

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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 attend regularly and arrive happy, settled and ready to enjoy their time. They form secure relationships with the childminder who knows them well and responds to their individual needs. Children show a clear sense of belonging. For example, during group times they recognise their photographs, names, belongings and those of their friends. This helps them feel included, valued and confident within the environment.

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

Children benefit from a clear focus on communication and language. The childminder models and extends language through everyday interactions. Children develop vocabulary through meaningful everyday experiences. For example, describing bugs they find outdoors using short sentences. Younger children communicate their needs using gestures and signs, such as indicating when they have finished or want more.

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

Children demonstrate increasingly independent behaviour and a deep understanding of routines and expectations, which are embedded through consistent practice. They follow precise boundaries and fully understand the rules. For example, toddlers stop at the gate and recognise that the sign means 'stop'. Children show seamless cooperation with one another, taking turns and using equipment safely. This reflects their growing awareness of safety, responsibility and respect for others, supporting the development of positive social skills.

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

Children enjoy a range of experiences, particularly outdoors, where they are motivated to explore and investigate. They show developing problem-solving skills. For example, they first attempt to fix a ramp before asking for help. Children show persistence and curiosity in their play. The childminder encourages them to try things for themselves and develop confidence.

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

Children are cared for and safe. The childminder supports their emotional wellbeing. She helps them manage transitions calmly and feel secure. As a result, children develop secure communication skills, increasing independence and confidence in their play, and are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should make consistent use of all parts of the daily routine to extend children's independence and self-care skills, so children develop greater confidence in managing their own needs. The childminder should strengthen planning for teaching and learning so it precisely identifies how activities will extend children's learning, ensuring teaching consistently builds on what children already know and can do over time. The childminder should refine monitoring and self-evaluation processes so they focus more precisely on the impact of practice on children to drive sustained improvements.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 17:30,Friday : 07:30 - 14:50

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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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