Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2784885 Registered with Ofsted: 15/04/2024 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has an exceptionally strong understanding that children need to feel safe, secure and emotionally supported before they are ready to learn. As a result, she places children's emotional well-being and sense of belonging at the heart of her practice. She carefully considers how to ensure children view both her and her home as a consistently safe, nurturing and welcoming environment. During children's transition into her setting, she prioritises spending focused time with them within the home environment, establishing secure routines for sleep, care and daily experiences while building warm, trusting relationships. Once children feel emotionally secure and settled, she gradually broadens their experiences beyond the home, knowing their confidence and sense of belonging are firmly established. The impact of this highly effective approach is evident in the exceptionally strong attachments children form with the childminder. Children demonstrate high levels of

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

confidence, security and emotional well-being in her care. The childminder has a comprehensive understanding of children and their families, enabling her to adapt experiences, routines and support precisely to meet their individual needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is equally meticulous in meeting children's care needs and maintaining exceptionally high standards of hygiene and care. Robust routines are embedded consistently throughout the day to promote children's health, safety and well-being. Mealtimes are exceptionally well planned and provide meaningful opportunities to promote children's independence, social skills and understanding of healthy lifestyles. The childminder works closely in partnership with families to support weaning and establish healthy eating habits from an early age. Very young children demonstrate a secure understanding of healthy choices, confidently identifying the importance of eating fruit and vegetables and developing positive mealtime behaviours, such as remaining seated at the table until everyone has finished.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder places inclusivity at the heart of her practice. She has a highly secure understanding of where to access additional support, guidance and funding to meet children's individual needs effectively. She recognises that disadvantage can present itself in many different forms and understands the importance of promptly identifying when children may require extra support in order to achieve their full potential. She is proactive in undertaking her own research and training to ensure her knowledge remains thorough, current and accurate.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder swiftly and accurately identifies when children are not meeting developmental milestones. She works closely with parents and draws upon her extensive knowledge to precisely identify the support children need. For example, when children require additional support with communication and language, she undertakes focused training to deepen her understanding and enable her to identify the specific areas where support is needed. As a result, she is able to provide highly targeted support that helps children to catch up with their peers. For instance, she carefully identifies whether children need support with understanding, pronunciation, listening skills or confidence in verbalising their thoughts.

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Expected standard

She thoughtfully considers how to meet children's individual needs while remaining fully inclusive of all children. For example, when teaching simple signing, she introduces it to all children, recognising the benefit it can bring to everyone. She carefully selects books that are well matched to the needs of children with language delay, while also ensuring they are engaging and beneficial for all children. In addition, she provides parents with practical strategies to support learning at home, such as promoting the value of sharing regular bedtime stories.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children learn to listen, think and repeat back what they hear. Children learn to communicate in different ways, including through signing. They develop an interest in books and stories. Children develop their hand-to-eye coordination, such as when completing age- appropriate puzzles. They learn to feed themselves and enjoy social mealtimes. Children learn to begin to do things for themselves, such as washing their hands and feeding themselves. They learn to enjoy a healthy and varied diet. Children develop a positive attitude to being outdoors and develop an appreciation of their local environment and community. They also gain an age-appropriate understanding of their own and other cultures. Children are able to cooperate and help with simple routines, such as tidying away toys and getting ready to go outside. They learn to see trusted adults as people who can help and support them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a positive environment and children behave typically for their age. When there are minor disagreements, such as over favourite toys, the childminder intervenes calmly and appropriately, and cooperative play resumes. For example, she uses signing to reinforce what she is saying, to aid understanding when necessary. The childminder is a positive role model for children and is polite and encouraging when talking with them. However, she does not consistently make the most of opportunities to teach children the skills they need to begin managing their own behaviour and to further develop their understanding of acceptable behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children build warm and trusting relationships with the childminder. They see her as a source of comfort and clearly enjoy her company. They respond very well to her kind words, cuddles and smiles. They show this trust by reaching out to her if they are feeling a little unsure. Typically, children enjoy their learning and often focus well on the task in hand, such as when completing puzzles or listening to stories. The childminder encourages regular and prompt attendance so that children can get the most out of their time with her.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed a curriculum that meets children's needs well and is particularly effective in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those facing other barriers to learning. Through accurate assessment, she precisely identifies children's learning needs and interests and carefully considers these when planning what, and how, she will teach next.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, the childminder successfully engages children in the activities she has planned and supports them to focus well. However, this practice is not yet fully consistent throughout all parts of the day, particularly outside, and there are occasions when children are not encouraged as effectively to participate in activities linked to their specific next steps in learning. As a result, teaching is not consistently as effective at these times.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is especially skilled at supporting children's language development. She carefully considers and plans the books she reads to children to extend their vocabulary and engagement. Throughout the day, she provides a clear running commentary on children's play and experiences, emphasising key words and phrases and giving children plenty of time to process what they have heard and repeat it back.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

She teaches children the specific skills they need to begin managing their own personal care independently. For example, at mealtimes she carefully demonstrates how to rub soap into their hands and how to rub them together to ensure even coverage when washing. She also plans effectively for children's physical development, clearly identifying the skills she wants them to learn and how these will be taught. For instance, she models the specific skills children need to climb the steps to a slide before encouraging them to practise independently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The mathematics curriculum, although taught explicitly, is not yet fully developed. For example, the childminder does not consistently identify with precision all the different mathematical skills children need in order to begin solving problems independently.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Since registration the childminder has worked hard to establish a warm 'home from home' provision where children feel safe, enjoy learning and are develop the skills and knowledge they need in preparation for the next stages in their learning. She makes careful choices about her own professional development, to ensure she has the knowledge and confidence to meet children's specific needs. For example, she has accessed training to help her identify the specific aspects of language development children may struggle with. This in turn has enabled her to adapt her teaching accordingly.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are very effective and parents are especially pleased with how welcome she makes children feel. She builds well on these warm partnerships, working closely with parents to support children's development and help them gain specific skills. For example, she works with parents to teach children new skills in regard to self-feeding. She also supports parents to establish useful bedtime routines that support children's language development. Partnerships with other professionals are equally as beneficial to children's learning. For example, the childminder reaches out to other professionals who can support her further to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

She continues to develop her provision and is able to identify where she can improve further what she already does well.

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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 safe and happy in the nurturing and welcoming environment. They show they feel totally 'at home' with the childminder and that they see her as an adult they can trust to help and look after them. They respond positively to the smiles and encouraging words that the childminder consistently offers. The atmosphere is both relaxed and purposeful and children's sense of belonging is very evident. Children are valued for their individuality and unique personalities.

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

Children behave typically for their age and show they are keen to play and learn. They find the resources interesting and are curious to explore. The take part in a range of learning experiences that build on what they already know and can do in preparation for the next stage of their learning, including starting school when the time comes. Where children face barriers to their learning they are helped very well to catch up with their peers and make the progress of which they are capable. For example, children who need extra support with their communication and language development receive targeted support to develop their understanding and speaking skills. They also receive the support they need to join in well with all activities so they continue to progress well with other aspects of their development, such as their social and physical skills. Children learn to appreciate the benefits of an active

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

lifestyle because the childminder ensures there is lots of opportunities for children to explore and learn outside. They learn to feel part of their local community through regular trips out to shops, social groups and nearly parks. Children learn to do lots of things for themselves because they are caught the specific skills they need to be able to do so. For example, they learn to wash their hands and to look after their environment.

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Next steps

The childminder should more consistently support children to focus on and take part in the activities she has planned with their learning needs in mind. The childminder should improve the planning and delivery of the curriculum for mathematics. The childminder should make use of opportunities to explicitly teach children the skills they need to increasingly manage their own feels and behaviour.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 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.

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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

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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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