Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2784509 Registered with Ofsted: 10/04/2024 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate appropriate language skills. Older children engage in conversations, listening to what others say and responding appropriately. Children who face barriers to learning demonstrate confidence to have a go. They engage in conversations with familiar adults and make their needs known. Children show an excitement for learning. They eagerly engage in bug hunts in the garden, and they use their imagination to create play dough birthday cakes. They show their self-confidence as they sing 'Happy birthday' to the childminder.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children begin to develop their independence. They use small jugs to pour water at the lunch table. They begin to use the toilet independently and learn how to wash their hands. Children show that they can focus their attention on an activity. They take time to achieve their desired goals. For example, while playing with play dough, children take time to mould and manipulate the dough to meet their individual goal. They demonstrate their fine motor skills by pinching and pulling at the dough. They spontaneously point out shapes as they play, correctly identifying simple shapes in the environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children's attendance through the creation of effective parent partnerships. She prioritises getting to know parents and families, in order to further understand children's needs and interests. This is then used as the basis for future planning. The childminder is mindful of children's individual needs and barriers to learning when implementing expectations for the setting. Children typically know what is expected of them. Children with developing language skills are encouraged to use single words and gestures to make their needs known to their friends. Children who present as naturally quieter or more reserved are given the language to express their boundaries to their friends during play. For example, when a child wants a toy that another child is playing with, the childminder models a clear boundary of, 'Stop please. I am using that one.'

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder facilitates a wide variety of play opportunities that encourage children to play collaboratively. Activities are planned in a way that supports children to take turns and share. In the garden, children take turns to climb onto the play equipment. Older children engage in a bug hunt and run around the garden alongside their friends eagerly seeking out different insects. Children build positive, trusting relationships with this childminder. They excitedly involve her in their play and relish in her genuine enthusiasm for their bug hunt.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children show that they feel safe with the childminder. They regularly engage in conversations with her, and they include her in their play. If children feel unsure, they seek her out. They stand close to her and whisper to her to make their needs known.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder plans trips to the local park to enable children to build on their physical development. They enjoy time spent running around in the garden. They listen to the childminder reading familiar stories and use ideas from these to inform their own play ideas. The childminder encourages children to consider their personal safety while outside, such as managing their speed around obstacles.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages children to understand their emotions. She helps them to begin to understand their own behaviour and takes steps to manage this. The childminder explains and role models turn-taking and encourages children to consider alternative solutions, for example finding additional resources that all children can share.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Mealtimes are utilised as learning experiences. Children enjoy the social experience of siting alongside one another to eat. The childminder uses lots of single words and creates a rich- language environment. The childminder is mindful of children's home experiences. She offers lots of opportunities for children to develop key skills, such as using a spoon independently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder teaches a broad, inclusive curriculum that considers children's learning and development in all areas. Focus is given on providing all children with the skills that they need to succeed at school and in later life. Children are encouraged to develop a positive sense of self and to develop their personal, social and emotional skills, such as sharing and turn-taking. Regular assessment supports the childminder to know what children need to work on next. Planned activities are then adapted to support children to achieve these next steps while following their own interests and motivations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematics is woven into everyday play. Mathematical concepts are taught explicitly. Older children learn about shapes and numbers while playing with the play dough. The childminder teaches about '1 whole' and '2 halves' during a conversation about pizza. Every opportunity is taken to model or engage children in counting and exploring shape, space and measure.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of outdoor play as an opportunity for children to develop their physical skills. Children are encouraged to use their muscles to climb on large play equipment in the garden. They take regular trips to the local park to access more space to run, jump and climb further.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder adapts her teaching to meet children's individual needs and abilities. Where children show developing speech sound development, the childminder models clear words to support them. She supports them to engage in conversations with their peers and other adults. Children with developing speech sounds show that they are confident to engage in conversations and practise these skills regularly. The childminder supports children effectively to further their thinking through the use of phrases such as 'I wonder…' during play. Ongoing conversation supports a language-rich environment for all children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder establishes positive parent partnerships that support the early identification of children's individual needs. Regular reviews for all children support the childminder to adapt or change support as children's needs change. The childminder understands the

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Needs attention

importance of supporting children during times of transition, such as when starting at the setting or when moving on to school. Where children face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, she liaises with local schools to discuss adaptations to the transition process to meet the needs of every child.

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Needs attention

Although the childminder is not currently supporting any child with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face disadvantage, she has previous experience of doing so. She shows a commitment to reducing barriers to learning and creating an inclusive environment for all. She has recently completed a level 3 'Special Educational Needs Coordinator' course. This has improved her knowledge on the graduated approach and implementing individual targets for children. She speaks about the importance of ensuring that these targets are individual to each child and ambitious yet achievable. She understands how to access support from external professionals and how to complete referrals if required.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder shows some understanding of her statutory duties and her role in reporting notifiable events to Ofsted. However, she has not informed Ofsted of new adults living in the home where children are cared for, which is a breach of requirements. Having said this, suitability checks have already been completed for new individuals through another registration and, therefore, impact on children is minimal. The childminder has acknowledged this breach and has since taken steps to rectify this.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder engages in professional development opportunities. Most recently, she has completed a course on special educational needs and/or disabilities to further her knowledge in this area. However, intentions for future training are sometimes overly generic and not specifically planned and targeted to improving the outcomes for the children in her care.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder works closely with a co-childminder, and they support one another to find balance between their workload and wellbeing. Parent partnerships are a priority for the childminder. She uses these well-established relationships to learn more about the children in her care and, in turn, to support their individual needs. The childminder demonstrates an understanding of the setting's strengths. She regularly engages in professional conversations with other local childminders to seek out and share good practice. However, the childminder does not yet have a clear plan for how to bring about continued improvement and sustained high-quality practice. Areas for improvement are often broad and lack precision. This means that changes to practice are not targeted specifically to promote the best possible outcomes for children in her care.

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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 show that they feel safe and happy in the care of this childminder. If they are feeling unsure, they seek out the childminder for reassurance. The childminder provides kind and genuine responses. During play, children eagerly share stories from home with her and choose to involve her in their play. They proudly show off their creations and relish in her praise. During a play dough activity, children flatten the dough. They take this to the childminder and smile as she positively comments on the shape they have created. She recognises their hard work. Together, they consider what to do with the play dough next.

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Inspector:

Children find tubes and explore different ways to push the play dough into these. Children demonstrate sustained attention during activities because of the childminder's enthusiasm and positive energy.

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Inspector:

Effective parent partnerships support children's attendance. Children's individual needs are identified and taken into consideration to inform the childminder's teaching. Children show a love of learning. All children, including those who face barriers to learning, are supported to develop positive social skills. They demonstrate that they are happy playing alongside their friends. Children are typically supported to develop the skills to prepare them for school and later learning. Where appropriate, children begin to use the toilet independently. All children learn how to wash their hands and begin to understand why this is important.

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Inspector:

Children demonstrate effective communication skills. They engage in back-and-forth conversations with adults and their peers. They show an enjoyment of stories and singing. Children's developing mathematical knowledge is supported well. They enjoy a vast range of activities that support them to further develop their understanding of number, shape, space and measure.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

identify clear and precise areas for improvement to support sustained, high-quality practice for all children 05/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

target training and continued professional development more precisely to improve outcomes for children. 05/06/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the children and sought the views of parents 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. Bethany Hunt

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 17:30,Friday : 07:30 - 13:30

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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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