Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2768207 Registered with Ofsted: 11/04/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder maintains very high expectations of children's behaviour. Children respond extremely well to her guidance because she sets clear rules and boundaries. The childminder skilfully models kindness to children at different developmental stages, helping them to understand their emotions and feelings. For example, young children patiently wait to take turns on equipment in the garden and offer compliments to each other as they play. They show a respectful understanding of one another's differing needs and behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate they feel secure within the familiar and well-established routines throughout the day. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face other barriers, benefit from bespoke planning, which supports them to manage their self-care and nurture their social skills. The childminder uses funding effectively to ensure that children enjoy a broad range of enriching experiences, such as cooking and gardening. As a result, children learn to assess risks in their play and have fun.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is committed to creating an environment where all children feel very secure and valued. Children happily interact with each other, share resources and enjoy eating healthy snacks. The childminder works closely with families to ensure that children attend regularly and arrive on time, in order to gain the maximum benefit from the provision. She prepares children well to understand and cope during times of transition.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder knows children extremely well and develop very close bonds with them. She creates well-considered environments. The childminder adapts these continually to meet each child's care needs and preferences. This helps children to feel very secure and able to flourish. A mix of nurturing spaces for sensory play and calming down, along with lively play areas, promotes active and healthy lifestyles. Children thoroughly enjoy lots of physical and outdoor play. For example, young children build important skills, such as strength and coordination taking turns on swings. They navigate different levels safely, climbing and practising their balance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is deeply committed to supporting children's emotional development. She understands the importance of secure attachments in supporting children's emotional wellbeing. The childminder uses effective strategies, such as initial settling-in sessions, to help children to feel comfortable and adjust to the setting. Children build very warm and positive relationships with the childminder and their peers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Mealtimes are calm and social occasions where children sit together and chat. The childminder joins them at the table. She closely supervises the youngest children to ensure that they are safe and well supported. Children learn the importance of dental hygiene routines as they brush their teeth each day. The childminder engages successfully with parents and carers to embed healthy eating habits and promote nutritious snack ideas for home.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has embedded a very effective culture of inclusion. She works highly effectively with parents and carers and other settings to share information and ensure that children's needs are fully met. From the outset, the childminder forges positive working relationships with parents. She completes assessments that quickly identify any delay in children's development. This helps to ensure that the childminder has a thorough understanding of children's individual needs from the moment they start at the setting.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works closely with external professionals when appropriate. She ensures that she makes identified adaptations to individual children's care plans quickly to remove barriers to their learning. The childminder monitors children's progress frequently. She uses highly effective strategies to calm children when they become upset. For example, the childminder gives gentle reassurance and reminders to encourage young children to understand their feelings and emotions. This helps to reduce children's stress quickly and enables them to engage fully and happily in the activities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder ensures that she supports parents to gain the full funding they are entitled to. She uses funding well, in order to have the most impact on each child's development. Parents comment on the childminder's commitment to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They describe the childminder's guidance for families as invaluable.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those who are disadvantaged or have barriers to their learning, generally progress well from their starting points. Gaps in children's learning are closing. They gain the important skills they need to support their future learning and transition to school. Typically, children become confident communicators. They learn to express their ideas as they build communication skills. Children learn the meaning of new words, such as the names of different fruits, as they engage in lots of talk about the natural world around them.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their physical skills and build their strength and coordination during indoor and outdoor play. Younger children crawl and pull themselves up to standing. They happily move around the furniture and access activities in a large tray. Children independently feed themselves at mealtimes and are beginning to use cutlery. Young toddlers are quick to grasp new mathematical knowledge and learn to problem solve, such as matching objects to numbers and sounds.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's curriculum design takes into account children's interests and includes all required areas of learning and development. She provides a variety of learning experiences that are adaptable for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For instance, the childminder adapts activities to ensure that children with limited verbal communication are included and able to express themselves. The childminder stores resources safely at low level, which means that children can select toys to enhance their play. She uses accurate assessments and her knowledge of how children learn to provide support and encouragement.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides children with daily opportunities to develop their physical skills and learn to manage risks. She makes sure that the environment supports non-mobile children to take their first steps with confidence. Children's wellbeing is fully supported. Alongside this, children develop their small muscles as they routinely practise holding different mark- making resources. For example, they draw pictures and decorate baskets to celebrate spring.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder spends time with each child making sure that they make progress. Over time, children develop confident speech and language and communication skills. The childminder embeds mathematical language well into everyday activities. However, occasionally, she does not plan group story times precisely to support and match children's abilities. Therefore, some children lose interest and struggle to maintain their engagement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate and committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment. She quickly establishes positive relationships with families. The childminder communicates effectively about children's progress and daily experiences. Parents and carers speak highly of the childminder and the progress their children make, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They praise her warmth, compassion and effective communication. For example, the childminder shares information about what children are learning so that parents can support them further at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

When children attend other settings, the childminder initiates two-way conversations. This ensures that there is consistency in children's care and learning. The childminder has established professional relationships with external agencies, other settings that children attend, local youth group and schools.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder recognises the need for professional development. For example, she has undertaken safer sleep training for babies and successfully delivered safeguarding to childcare assistants. The childminder reflects on her environment to see how she can enhance this for children. For example, she has developed the outdoor environment into a child-friendly space. Children can develop their physical skills in a stimulating and safe area. However, the childminder does not consistently use the most up-to-date practice in her teaching. For example, she has not yet considered undertaking professional development opportunities to enhance the curriculum and support children's learning even further, such as during story times.

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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 very happy in the care of the experienced childminder. She knows children well and plans a balanced curriculum, where children can thrive. The childminder takes time to get to know each child and their family before they start. This ensures that when children arrive, they feel safe and settle with ease. The childminder fosters respectful relationships with children and meets their individual needs. For example, she has created calm and cosy spaces for children to relax in and investigate. Children learn about the seasons creating

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About this setting

spring baskets. They explore water play in the garden, discovering what makes objects float and sink.

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About this setting

The childminder consistently engages with children throughout the day through modelling and supporting their language development. She promotes positive social interactions by encouraging sharing and turn-taking. Extremely positive relationships are well embedded. Children are proud of their achievements, and the childminder celebrates milestones with them. Children enjoy learning and being independent. For example, toddlers drink water throughout the day and know the importance of oral hygiene. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop the independence to be ready for the transition to school. Additionally, children demonstrate excellent physical abilities, such as hopping and jumping. They are active and energetic, often receiving praise from the childminder. This approach builds children's self-esteem, wellbeing and confidence. Children are friendly, and they show kindness to others.

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About this setting

The childminder sensitively manages conversations she has about children's progress and wellbeing with parents and carers. This helps to maintain respectful and trusting partnerships. Parents value the childminder's warm and nurturing approach. They appreciate the advice she gives on accessing funding and how she teaches children about road safety and how to regulate their emotions.

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Next steps

The childminder should refine her professional development to target specific needs so that training has a positive impact on children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and carers and children throughout 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2768207

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About this inspection

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

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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