Youens, Jenny

Youens, Jenny

Unique reference number (URN): 2774490 Address: 16 Foxglove Bank, Royston, SG8 9TH Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 25/01/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Youens, Jenny

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

Achievement Strong standard

Children in this setting have the confidence to explore and to try new activities. They fully engage with their learning and demonstrate happiness through laughter and chatting. Children have excellent communication skills for their age and stage of development. They clearly enjoy their learning and the activities available, demonstrating persistence and resilience. For example, children attempt to cut hook-and-loop toy fruit with knives until they succeed, then repeat the activity until they are well practised.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children, including disadvantaged children or those with other barriers to learning, achieve incredibly well in the setting across all areas of the curriculum. For example, children recall prior learning, remembering that caterpillars eventually become butterflies.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

All children are extremely well prepared for their next stage of learning, whether that is nursery or school, as they develop confidence in their speech, language and other skills. They develop independence by putting on their own shoes to go outdoors and by washing their own hands.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has created a nurturing and positive environment that fully supports children in establishing excellent attitudes to learning. She recognises that activities designed around their interests and with appropriate challenge will motivate them to engage and enjoy their learning, and this is fully embedded in the setting. The childminder has a superb knowledge of the children in her care and works with each of them individually to develop an understanding of their own emotions and how to express these appropriately. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning have the same experiences as their peers.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is a highly effective role model. She is kind and thoughtful to the children, and their behaviour towards each other reflects this. For example, children wait happily for their turn to roll cars down the ramp.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has exceedingly high expectations of children's behaviour and gives gentle, positive guidance where necessary. She gives lots of praise and positive reinforcement when children demonstrate expected behaviour and encouragement where necessary. As a result, children are extremely well behaved, kind to each other, and demonstrate lovely manners at mealtimes. The childminder actively promotes the importance of regular attendance and punctuality, ensuring that parents understand the positive impact this has on children's learning, development and overall wellbeing.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder highly prioritises the children's welfare and wellbeing. She knows the families and children extremely well and forms secure, nurturing attachments with them. Parents speak highly of her trustworthy, safe and welcoming care. The childminder is highly responsive to children's individual and developing needs and clearly values them all. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning or wellbeing develop high self-esteem and emotional wellbeing.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure and insightful understanding of children's individual needs. For example, she recognises when a child is developmentally ready to transition from a bottle, supporting this change sensitively and at the appropriate time. The childminder is passionate about children's health and provides all meals, which are incredibly healthy and nutritious. She works closely with parents to ensure they understand the importance of a healthy diet and gives support with example menus where necessary. Children enjoy tasting new foods and learning about healthy eating from their peers. The childminder is highly alert to issues such as allergies and choking.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder explicitly teaches children how to keep themselves safe. For example, children are encouraged to look carefully as they navigate the steps, helping them to develop an awareness of risk. She also provides excellent support for children's emotional development, skilfully promoting the use of language to name and manage feelings and encouraging children to express themselves clearly using words.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder's curriculum is highly ambitious, play based, and particularly tailored to the individual needs of the children in her care. This means it is highly inclusive of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or other barriers to learning. The childminder intends for children to develop their confidence and communication skills, to get along well with other children, to be independent, and to develop physical strength in small- and large-muscle skills. She offers plenty of opportunities for children to develop their imaginations and enjoy sensory experiences.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder's interactions with the children and her teaching are highly effective, and she ensures that every opportunity to support children's learning is taken. For example, when children spot a bee, she explains how it is on its way to collect pollen to turn into honey. The childminder prioritises children's development in communication skills, and she uses opportunities to increase children's vocabulary rapidly. For example, she carefully explains what a cocoon is.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children listen attentively to stories, demonstrating sustained focus and interest. The childminder ensures that all children can fully access the learning by thoughtfully using resources linked to the story. For example, children carefully count the pieces of fruit they place into the caterpillar's mouth, reinforcing early mathematical skills. As a result, children display high levels of engagement and active participation in their learning.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has secure procedures in place for identifying children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and other barriers to learning or wellbeing. She has excellent knowledge of child development and of the individual children in her care. The childminder ensures that children with SEND or other barriers to learning receive targeted support to make swift progress from their starting points. She has a secure understanding of the organisations and resources that are available to support children with SEND and other barriers to learning and works with them when necessary.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has excellent relationships with the parents and carers of the children she cares for, and she collects detailed information when children start with her. She then plans activities and rigorously monitors and assesses children's progress to ensure that any gaps in their learning are quickly addressed. The childminder attends training on specific issues as needed and makes suitable adaptations to ensure that all children can fully access the curriculum. For example, she effectively incorporates basic Makaton signs to support communication and enhance children's understanding.

p.4

Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder ensures that funding for disadvantaged children is spent wisely on experiences and resources they would not normally access and that this has a high impact on their progress across all areas of the curriculum.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly reflective about her practice and has an excellent understanding of her strengths and areas for development. She is passionate about providing a setting where children feel at home and as comfortable and secure as possible. The childminder recognises that building trusting relationships is the key to developing positive attitudes to learning. She has a clear vision of how she wants to improve her already wonderful setting. The childminder intends to further develop her understanding of forest school and outdoor learning experiences to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged or have other barriers to learning and wellbeing, can make the best possible progress and experience a broad curriculum.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly committed to her own professional development and actively seeks opportunities to enhance her practice. She has undertaken training in speech and language development and Makaton sign language, which she applies effectively in her setting. As a result, children make excellent progress in their communication skills, demonstrating well-developed speech, a rich vocabulary, and language abilities that are often advanced for their age and stage of development. The childminder intends to continue developing her understanding of how to better support children through ongoing professional development.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has excellent relationships with parents, who enjoy the clear communication and understanding of how their child is developing and ideas to assist this. The childminder has positive links with other childminders and pre-schools, sharing information to ensure that children from both settings maintain a high continuity of care.

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

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

Children demonstrate that they are incredibly happy, secure and confident. They are extremely well supported by the childminder and flourish in her care. Children are fully engaged in their play and include others. For example, they offer everyone an ice-cream cone they are busy making. Children have great fun with the childminder. She gives them lots of individual attention, which helps them settle quickly and builds their confidence to explore. Children's behaviour is exemplary because of the fully embedded high expectations the childminder has of them. They are polite and kind to each other. For example, when sharing toy cupcakes, children save one for a child who is arriving soon. They have high self-esteem because the childminder gives them lots of praise and encouragement. Children develop excellent social skills and happily share and wait for their turn.

p.5

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

Children benefit from a wonderful range of experiences that fully capture their interest in learning. For example, they hunt for bugs and tick them off from a list. All children have full access to the curriculum. It is designed to ensure children with barriers to learning make the same excellent progress as their peers. Children enjoy outdoor play and develop their physical skills by throwing balls and riding balance bikes. The childminder ensures that children have many opportunities beyond her home environment. They visit the local park for story time and to enjoy natural activities such as mud painting. They go for walks in the local forest and regularly attend the library and toddler groups. They are fully supported through these extensive experiences for their next stage of learning, whether that is nursery or school.

p.5

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00 The childminder works closely with the children's families to ensure the best possible outcome for children. She promotes the importance of attendance and punctuality to parents.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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. Local authority: Hertfordshire

p.6

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.7

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.

p.7

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