Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY274983 Registered with Ofsted: 06/02/2004 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder motivates children to develop long-lasting healthy habits. She explains that recent training on healthy choices has prompted her to reflect on her practice in this area. As a result, she now shares nutritional guidance with parents and carers to help them understand which healthy foods to offer their children. In addition, the childminder's procedures for managing children's allergies are well planned. This promotes children's safety and wellbeing.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are supported well to use their physical skills. For instance, the childminder offers daily outdoor opportunities that help children to walk and explore. Children smile with glee as they hit balls with bats and watch closely as the childminder moves figures around with her hands. Children are developing a love of movement.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has a comprehensive understanding of the children in her care. The information she gathers from parents before a child starts enables her to be highly responsive to children's emerging needs. For example, she recognises when to play music as children stand by the music system and point towards it. She also understands that children who are new to the setting require a gradual transition. Therefore, she adapts attendance hours and care routines, such as sleeping and feeding times, to help children develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. The childminder has secure and responsive relationships, and children regularly go to her for comfort and cuddles when they need reassurance.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder's curriculum is designed around the Montessori approach. She aims to help children develop resilience, independence and essential life skills. The childminder is clear about what she wants children to know and be able to do. For example, she recognises that children who face barriers to learning, such as new children to the setting, require adaptations to her curriculum. They are at the exploration stage of learning, and she supports this by offering exciting activities such as sensory toys and pretend ducks in water. This sparks children's curiosity and helps them develop positive attitudes towards play and learning.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder's practice supports children to build independence skills over time. For example, she repeatedly asks children if they would like some water to drink and shows young children where their water is kept. Through thoughtful repetition and effective role modelling, young children soon begin to independently access their drink when needed.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

There is a strong focus on developing children's communication and language skills. When children select a book, the childminder sits at their level to share the experience. She enthusiastically reads simple stories and carefully interweaves mathematical language in play. For example, she gently counts the spiders' legs as children point to them. Young children remain engaged for extended periods. The childminder repeats words and phrases such as 'pitter patter' and 'spout', helping children to learn new vocabulary and develop a love of books.

p.2

Expected standard

The childminder offers plenty of opportunities for children to learn and practise physical skills. For example, she throws balls for children in the garden and encourages them to try this too. Young children have secure physical skills that they use to explore the wide array of activities and navigate the childminder's home.

p.3

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder fosters a culture of continuous improvement. She is proactive in her professional development, engaging in regular training, webinars and feedback from external partners, such as the local authority. This helps her to reflect on and improve her practice. Recent training on topics such as domestic abuse has strengthened her knowledge and understanding over time.

p.3

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and takes effective action to address areas for improvement. For example, she uses her observations of children, alongside networking with other local childminders, to inform a self-evaluation plan. She plans in future to attend further training, such as disability awareness. This will deepen her understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities even further.

p.3

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder's consistent and positive engagement with parents and carers helps children to thrive. For example, she regularly shares information with parents about children's learning and provides practical tips on how to support their children's development at home. This includes guidance to support parents during the weaning process. Parents report that the childminder builds close, caring bonds with children, which helps them to settle quickly in her care.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Children develop across all areas of learning, particularly in their communication and language. For example, they happily babble and chat as they share stories. Children develop the skills they need for future learning. For instance, they smile as they play with shape sorters, benefiting from enthusiastic role modelling of how to play. Children engage in activities for increasing periods of time.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Children who face barriers to learning make appropriate progress from their starting points. For example, younger children who have recently started, confidently explore the activities on offer, such as hitting balls with bats. Children develop secure emotional connections and seek reassurance when needed. Children build the social and emotional foundations they need for future learning. The childminder recognises that her curriculum has not yet been highly effective in ensuring children are very well prepared for their next stage in learning due to children being new to her setting.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes a positive environment with clear, shared expectations for attendance and behaviour. The childminder regularly monitors children's attendance. When necessary, she discusses any non-attendance with parents and carers and promotes the importance of regular attendance to families. She is a positive role model, which helps children learn appropriate behaviour. For example, she encourages children to say 'please' when pointing to activities of their choice, teaching good manners from a young age.

p.4

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop positive attitudes to play and learning. She offers engaging experiences that encourage children to explore, play and focus on the task. For example, she uses expressive voice and movement when playing with puppets. Children happily join in and become fully absorbed. As a result, children learn how to be curious and sustain their attention during learning.

p.4

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have warm, trusting and respectful relationships with the childminder. Young children seek her out for cuddles and reassurance when needed. These close bonds enable the childminder to identify children's cues quickly and meet their needs promptly. For instance, she recognises when young children want to go outside when they become unsettled and stand by the door. This supports children's confidence in making choices.

p.4

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder follows an effective daily routine, which is repeated so that children become familiar with it. For instance, she shows children who are new to the setting how to sit and eat their snack. However, she does not consistently consider all children's individual needs to fully support them to understand what is happening now and next. This limits children's understanding of routines and at times confuses them.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's needs quickly and accurately. She effectively assesses, plans and reviews children's next steps in learning. She has systems in place to identify when children need additional support in specific areas of development. For example, the childminder explains how she has previously supported children with speech delays. She follows advice from other professionals, such as speech and language therapists. For instance, she offers children word cards and early talk activities. These adaptations to her curriculum ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make the required progress.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder's support reduces barriers to learning for all children. For example, through observation, she identifies that some children lack the skills they need to play. To teach these vital skills, she enthusiastically role models how to play, such as showing children how to kick a ball. Children giggle with delight as they watch her and later try to kick a ball themselves. This helps children develop the skills they need for future learning. Should the childminder receive additional funding for children, she has a clear plan in place to identify their needs and speak to the local authority for advice on how to best support them.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

The childminder provides a caring, happy, home-from-home environment. She builds warm, trusting bonds with children from the outset. The childminder gathers detailed information about children before they start, enabling her to adapt her provision to meet each child's individual needs. For instance, she supports children's emotional wellbeing by offering several short settling-in sessions prior to their start date. This reduces barriers to children's wellbeing and helps them make positive progress from their starting points. As a result,

p.5

About this setting

children who are new to the setting happily explore the wide variety of experiences on offer with curiosity and confidence.

p.6

About this setting

The childminder's Montessori teaching approach deepens children's knowledge, skills and confidence. For example, she skilfully repeats positional language, such as 'on top of the table', so that children can later self-select activities and know where to place them for focused learning. This supports children in developing the skills they need for independence at a later stage.

p.6

About this setting

The childminder's meticulous monitoring and planning ensure that children thrive in her care. She regularly reviews children's developmental progress and skilfully weaves their next steps and interests into planned activities. For example, families have shared that music plays a large part in home life, so she offers new children familiar objects, such as a guitar, to help them settle. This enables children to flourish in their overall development.

p.6

About this setting

Children build a solid foundation of social skills. For example, they giggle and smile with delight as they play with shape objects alongside visitors. The childminder builds positive relationships with children and gently encourages them to explore, praising them for their efforts. This gives children the space to explore and grow in confidence, while reassuring them that she is close by if needed.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should enhance strategies to help younger children understand the routines and what is happening now and next to support their wellbeing even further. The childminder should enhance their understanding of how to make referrals for additional help to support children with barriers to learning further when required.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents during the inspection.

p.6

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. Unique reference number (URN): EY274983

p.6

About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

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 .

p.8

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8