Mazga, Andreea Raluca

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2781909 Registered with Ofsted: 28/03/2024 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 typically progress well across the curriculum in readiness for starting school, although this could be further accelerated for older children. Children catch-up quickly when particular factors create a temporary hurdle to learning. Toddlers demonstrate their rapidly developing communication skills in their home language, alongside developing English words. Older children develop confidence in using both languages, for example, through imaginative language during role play and dough play.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their social skills and physical skills during shared activities. For example, they negotiate space well while running after bubbles and share vegetables, which they chop with utensils that align with their different stages of development. Older children demonstrate well-developed hand-eye coordination and small-muscle strength while squeezing the trigger on the water-spray bottle to pop the bubbles that settle on the ground. Older children demonstrate their early mathematical skills while counting cars and solving problems while completing interlocking puzzles.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a calm and positive environment where children flourish. She sets clear expectations based on children's age and stage of development and sensitively reinforces them. For example, she reminds younger children not to place resources in their mouths. She is a positive role model, and this is reflected in children's sociable behaviour and their ability to interact well with others. For example, children respond to requests to help tidy-up together before playing in the garden. They share resources and take turns to pour the diluted washing up liquid into the circular bowls for the bubble wands. The childminder claps her hands and praises children for their positive behaviours and achievements in both English and their home language. This helps to foster children's self- esteem and confidence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate their familiarity with daily routines, such as washing their hands before sitting at the table with their lunch boxes. Lunchtime is a calm and sociable experience where the childminder promotes good manners, helping children to develop positive social habits and an understanding of routine expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children enjoy the many adult-led activities that the childminder provides. However, during some daily routines, such as when older children lead their own play indoors, resources that offer higher levels of challenge are less accessible. This does not promote older children's positive attitudes to their learning to the highest level. The childminder ensures children's good attendance. This helps to get children into good routines in readiness for starting school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder gathers important information from parents about each child before they start. However, she does not communicate with other settings a child already attends to support new children's transition into her setting to the highest level. Settling-in programmes are unique to each child's individual needs. For example, the childminder extends settling-in visits in discussion with parents where children are struggling to settle. This creates a firm foundation for children to develop a sense of security and emotional wellbeing and is evident in how settled and happy children are. The childminder works closely with parents to promote healthy eating, and she uses activities and mealtimes to reinforce messages to children. For example, older children readily name healthy items, such as strawberries, and the childminder discusses how the water in the cucumber hydrates them. The childminder encourages children to have a drink during more vigorous play in the garden.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supervises children as they eat and gently reminds older children about safe practices, such as sitting correctly on their chairs. Children are familiar with daily hygiene routines, such as washing their hands before eating, and older children manage their personal care needs well. Children benefit from ample fresh air and physical activity in the garden and other outdoor spaces, which effectively supports their physical wellbeing. The childminder changes younger children's wet clothes promptly to ensure their comfort and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically plans a broad curriculum that prepares children well for school. She focuses on the essential foundations that support children's future learning, including their physical, social and communication skills. This is significant for all children, especially those learning to understand and speak English. For example, the childminder narrates in dual languages as children play, sings songs and reads stories. Books are readily accessible, encouraging children to explore print independently and develop an early interest in reading.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses her observations of children's interests and engagement to inform changes and adaptations, such as reviewing and adapting resources. The childminder has also involved children in creating their own booklets to increase their interest in books and stories. The childminder continuously assesses children's progress. However, she does not always focus precisely on what will extend older children's learning and development as they lead their own play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder helps children to develop their mathematical skills. For example, as younger children snuggle on her knee for a story, the childminder introduces counting. The childminder highlights the different-shaped bubble wands. The childminder uses stories and soft toys to help children learn about, and manage, their feelings and emotions. She helps children develop their large motor skills and interact with others. For example, children learn to share equipment with other children in the park and use wheeled toys and balancing stones in the garden. The childminder plans trips to the local forest to help children learn about the world around them and nature, such as the life cycle of the frog.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is welcoming to all families. From the moment children start attending, the childminder works closely with parents to meet children's needs and tailor provision to each child's uniqueness. She adapts her curriculum in line with any changes in children's home circumstances that can present a short-term barrier to their learning and wellbeing. For example, she places greater emphasis on supporting children's personal, social, and emotional needs to help them feel secure and confident to learn again. The childminder closely monitors all children's progress. However, she does not always subsequently take full account of what older children already know, can do, and need to learn next to provide them with the highest level of challenge. The childminder reduces barriers to learning where children speak English as an additional language. For example, she repeats words, phrases and sentences in both languages.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder does not currently care for children who are in receipt of additional funding or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, the childminder has prior knowledge and experience of promoting an inclusive practice for children with SEND, including through working in partnership with parents and other professionals. She explains how she would use additional funding to support disadvantaged children's learning and development and regularly evaluate its impact to help narrow any gaps in achievement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder establishes effective partnerships with parents. For example, she holds daily conversations with parents and shares photographs and updates about children's progress. The childminder bases her decisions on the best interests of the children and their families, taking account of their uniqueness. She shares children's next steps in learning with parents, to support children in achieving these through a consistent approach. Parents express complimentary feedback about the service. There are some effective arrangements for sharing information with other settings. However, because the childminder's practice is inconsistent, not all children benefit from the same shared approach to their care and learning as others do. This does not fully support children's transitions when they first start attending and as they move between settings.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Many aspects of the childminder's training has a positive impact on her practice. She identifies her strengths and reviews and improves her practice through research and updates from professional organisations. The childminder sources activity ideas and works closely with her local authority quality improvement adviser. However, she does not consider how she can broaden continued professional development to raise children's progress to a higher level. The childminder focuses on her own wellbeing by creating a manageable workload that does not add any additional pressure.

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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 demonstrate how settled, safe and secure they feel. They happily follow consistent daily routines and express themselves confidently, such as asking to play in the garden. Children thoroughly enjoy engaging with the warm-natured childminder during their play. For example, there is plenty of fun and laughter as the childminder models how to use different- sized bubble wands. The children respond with great excitement as they chase and pop the bubbles, showing high levels of engagement and enjoyment. This demonstrates the positive attachments children have built with the childminder, which develops children's emotional wellbeing. Children develop their large physical skills as they squat down low, stretch up high, and wave the bubble wands from side to side. The childminder skilfully weaves in spontaneous learning opportunities, such as encouraging children to compare the size of the bubbles and to count them as they float and pop.

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

Children hear their home language, alongside English, which helps them to feel valued and develop a sense of belonging. The childminder sensitively supports children through changes in their home life that may create a short-term barrier to their learning and wellbeing. This boosts children's confidence and self-esteem, so that they are soon ready to learn again.

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

Children typically enjoy learning and develop positive relationships during activities. For example, they use their imagination during pretend play. Younger children dress-up in costumes and care for 'babies', pushing them in prams and changing their nappies. Older children express and follow their own ideas in the role-play kitchen. Children are motivated by the childminder's enthusiasm and positive role modelling that helps them to develop kind and respectful behaviours and a positive attitude to learning, in readiness for school.

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

Children's regular attendance and generally effective partnership working with parents and other professionals means that children typically achieve well from their stage of development on entry. Children develop independence, for example in their dressing skills. They also develop their small-muscle strength and hand–eye coordination as they carefully slice fresh vegetables in the exploratory kitchen in the garden.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop the organisation of the indoor learning environment to offer older children higher levels of challenge during child-initiated play. The childminder should extend information-sharing with other settings children attend, to enable them to work in a more consistent way to support new children's transitions and promote continuity in children's care and education. The childminder should broaden her opportunities for continued professional development to help extend older children's learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder, children and 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 20:00

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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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