Aldous, Kelly Anne

Aldous, Kelly Anne

Unique reference number (URN): 2751185 Address: 1, The Chantry, Sandbach, CW11 2AN Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 09/10/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Aldous, Kelly Anne

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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

Over time, children achieve extremely well. All children, including those who face barriers to learning, consistently make excellent progress from their starting points. Older children show increasing levels of independence with personal care routines, social interactions and a developing ability to manage their own feelings. Children's language skills are developing extremely well. Children show enthusiasm as they join in meaningful conversations with others. All children benefit from an awe-inspiring, well-sequenced and purposeful learning that builds on their interests and prior knowledge. Children demonstrate high levels of curiosity and sustained engagement during activities. For example, younger children concentrate intently as they fill containers and transport water to make mixtures, showing increased control in their coordination and small-movement skills.

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Achievement Strong standard

Babies respond positively to consistent praise, helping them to develop their self-esteem and confidence rapidly as they explore the highly stimulating environment. Children learn to be kind and independent during routines, play times and tidying-up activities. They are very well prepared to move on to their different stages of their learning and development effectively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children experience a calm and predictable environment where behaviour expectations are clear and consistent. Established routines help children to feel safe and confident throughout the day. For example, children enjoy identifying each other during morning circle time. Children settle quickly and move between activities, mealtimes and rest times with minimal support.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder builds warm and respectful relationships with children. They stay close and offer reassurance when children need it. Children explore independently and have a positive attitude to their learning because they know the childminder is available to help.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder uses gentle explanations and positive praise to help children understand expectations and manage feelings. Children share, take turns and cooperate with their friends. They show kindness, growing patience and begin to recognise when others need support. Older children can be seen comforting babies and young children when upset.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Daily routines, such as, tidy-up times, help children develop responsibility and independence. The childminder communicates regularly with parents and carers both verbally and via online platforms. The childminder understands that regular attendance is vital for children's learning, routines and emotional security. She communicates this message to parents, which promotes consistent routines and strengthens children's wellbeing and behaviour over time.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is a dedicated practitioner and strives to make a positive impact on all children's lives. She undertakes regular detailed assessments of children's progress, which she shares with parents. This means that the childminder can identify any additional needs and take swift action. For example, she uses communication screening tools to identify children's understanding and speaking skills. This identifies the need for intervention and ensures that language development is prioritised. The childminder works closely with parents of children who speak English as an additional language, and the systems she has implemented ensure that children are well supported.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder seeks advice from other professionals, such as health visitors and the portage team. When professionals have not given feedback swiftly, the childminder has chased and accessed further advice from the local hubs. She communicates effectively with speech and language therapists and educational psychologists. This has a significantly positive impact on children's speech and language development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder focuses intently on ensuring that her setting is inclusive to all children, including those with barriers to their learning. She makes adaptions to her teaching so that everyone can access the curriculum on offer. For example, she implements effective use of objects of reference and Makaton, in order to promote communication for all children. This supports those with barriers to their learning to thrive and ensures that any gaps in development are quickly addressed; thus, helping children to reach their potential.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder provides clear leadership that promotes high-quality care and education for children in her care. She understands her responsibilities to lead and support her staff. The childminder organises routines well and provides consistent expectations that help all children, including those that may face barriers to learning to feel secure.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and provides regular supervision and feedback to her staff. This support ensures that aspects of development are identified to help strengthen children's experiences and outcomes overall. The childminder undertakes targeted professional development, for example 'outdoor play' training supported learning intentions and interactions with the children in the outdoor learning space. The childminder has also accessed 'working with babies and toddlers' training to support her skills with the younger children. This helps to keep their knowledge current and supports practice across the setting.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers. She communicates regularly and shares information that supports continuity of care and learning. The childminder has robust settling-in systems in place to ensure that the children receive the correct support from their starting points. She also works with other early years settings and external professionals when needed. This helps ensure that children receive coordinated support and settle quickly when transitioning between settings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Care practices are effective and meet children's individual needs. The childminder uses information from parents to implement familiar routines for sleeping, feeding and nappy changing. She embeds respectful care routines that promote children's privacy and protect their dignity. Children are also helped to understand simple ideas about keeping healthy and safe, for example learning why handwashing matters to promote their good health.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children in this setting experience a high standard of care that consistently supports their emotional and physical wellbeing. Younger children are given time to observe activities before joining in, supporting smooth transitions and inclusion. Additionally, children regularly explore the community, visiting parks, enjoying nature and being physically active.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has established policies and practices that typically support children's welfare and wellbeing. She shares these with her staff and the parents. That said, the childminder has not yet explicitly formalised the arrangements for the times when children are being cared for solely by the co-childminder in her absence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed a curriculum that reflects children's ages, stages of development and their individual routines. The curriculum supports all areas of learning, with a strong focus on personal, social and emotional development, and communication and physical skills. The childminder uses her settling-in sessions well to identify gaps in learning. This helps her to build on what children already know and can do. The childminder skilfully uses children's interests and themes to support them as they learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children are confident communicators who delight at conversing with adults and their peers. The childminder encourages this by chatting to children throughout the day and showing genuine interest in their discussions. The childminder's curriculum is inclusive and supports all children, including those who face barriers to their learning. For example, children who require extra opportunities to practise their gross motor skills can be seen using climbing frames and negotiating steps. The childminder also ensures that children develop their fine motor skills. For example, they practise coordination skills as they enjoy filling and emptying containers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans activities and experiences to deepen children's understanding of cultures other than their own. For example, the children recently attended a celebration of the lunar new year at the local library. This helps children to extend their understanding of people and communities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides plenty of opportunities for children to develop and practice mathematical skills. These are skilfully woven into play, For example, staff promote the identification of 2D shapes and typically use positional language as children play and explore. Teaching is caring and responsive, and adaptations reflect children's home routines, thereby supporting emotional security. However, the quality of interactions is not consistent, particularly for the youngest children. At times, interactions focus more on older children's needs without the childminder making appropriate adjustments to interactions with younger children. The learning intentions for planned activities do not consistently reflect the needs of the youngest children.

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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 arrive confidently and are ready to start their day in the calm, unique and nurturing environment. The childminder works closely with another childminder and staff, creating a small provision for children aged 3 and under. Together, they support parents to understand the importance of attendance in helping children to develop good habits for the future. Across the setting, adults stay close to children and ensure that they are well cared for. Children demonstrate feelings of emotional security throughout the day. They develop a strong sense of belonging through warm, responsive relationships and predictable routines. Children play comfortably alongside their peers and show growing confidence in social interactions. For example, they share resources during play, take turns on play equipment outside and give cuddles to their peers when they are sad.

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

Children enjoy a range of play based experiences that support exploration and early learning. Children who speak English as an additional language and those who face barriers to their learning are supported well. The childminder uses effective strategies, such as sitting alongside children, offering reassurance and simple commentary to support their understanding and attention. The childminder narrates children's actions as they explore in the mud kitchen. These interactions help children begin to link actions with words and help to promote their communication and curiosity.

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

The childminder has high expectations of the children, and they are each encouraged to develop early independence through everyday routines. Children confidently put on wet suits and wellingtons before playing outside. Not only does this promote their confidence and support coordination, it also helps to prepare them for the next stage of their learning.

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

Care routines, such as nappy changing and toileting, are calm, respectful and predictable, supporting children's emotional wellbeing. This helps children feel secure and valued. All children make steady progress from their starting points, particularly in building their confidence and developing early independence.

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Next steps

The childminder should formalise the agreed procedure and share this effectively with parents, in order to clarify the arrangements for children when they are solely in the care of the co-childminder. The childminder should strengthen the consistency of high-quality interactions for all children, particularly the youngest, so they are supported to make the best possible progress.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with childminder and her assistant during the inspection.

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,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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1 to 3

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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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

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 .

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

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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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