Clegg, Gemma Marie

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY550641 Registered with Ofsted: 03/11/2017 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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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where children and families feel welcomed and valued. She works closely with parents from the outset to understand children's starting points, routines and individual needs. Information gathered through discussions and observations supports continuity in children's care and learning. She demonstrates an awareness of children who may face barriers to learning, including those who are disadvantaged and those known to children's social care. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. For example, the childminder encourages families to share traditions and experiences within the setting, helping children feel included and valued.

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Inclusion Strong standard

There are currently no children on roll with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of how to identify and respond to emerging concerns about children's development and wellbeing. She adapts experiences, routines and interactions to help reduce barriers to learning. For example, she explains how she would introduce smaller targets and adapted strategies, reviewing these regularly with parents. She works with external professionals where needed and reflects on previous SEND support, such as using visual maps and checklists to support emotional regulation in unfamiliar situations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally make progress from their starting points and develop skills across the areas of learning. The childminder uses ongoing assessment, including the progress check at age two, to identify children's next steps and any emerging gaps. Children engage in play and show enjoyment in learning. Older children communicate their ideas and experiences, while younger children begin to join in with familiar songs, stories and routines.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop physical, communication and early mathematical skills and begin to build independence. They show curiosity, remain engaged and attempt to persist with activities. However, children do not consistently develop a secure awareness of their own feelings and those of others, or fully embed skills linked to healthy lifestyles and independence. This is due to minor inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. As a result, children are not always fully prepared with the breadth of skills needed to support future learning and their next stage of development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a calm environment where children behave well and understand expectations appropriate to their ages and stages. Children respond positively to encouragement and praise from the childminder. They show positive attitudes towards learning and remain engaged in activities and play for sustained periods. Children confidently move between activities and increasingly begin to manage simple routines for themselves.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children build warm relationships with the childminder and one another. Older children show care and consideration towards younger children during play without being prompted. For example, older children support younger children to complete puzzles and encourage them as they play alongside one another. Children learn to listen to others, take turns and play cooperatively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children begin to develop independence skills. However, opportunities for children to further develop resilience and independence are not always fully maximised. At times, the childminder does not encourage children to try things for themselves. For example, during snack times, older children are not consistently encouraged to cut and slice their own fruit independently. At these times, children have fewer opportunities to further develop independence and self-help skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder monitors attendance and follows up absences with parents to help support consistent routines for children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from regular opportunities to spend time outdoors and develop healthy lifestyles. The childminder, and any assistants who work with her, support children to develop an understanding of healthy eating through discussions and daily routines. For example, children talk about foods in their lunch boxes and learn about similarities and differences between fruits and vegetables, including discovering that cucumber is a fruit. Children also learn about celebrations and experiences beyond their own through discussions and activities linked to the wider world, helping to broaden their understanding and awareness.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children typically develop appropriate self-care skills. Older children understand the importance of washing their hands after carrying out personal care routines and demonstrate an emerging awareness of keeping themselves healthy. However, hygiene routines are not always consistently embedded. For example, children are not always encouraged to wash their hands after wiping their noses. At these times, opportunities to strengthen children's understanding of healthy hygiene routines are not always fully maximised, and expectations are not consistently reinforced through daily practice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans an ambitious curriculum and adapts experiences in response to children's interests, stages of development and emerging needs. She adapts learning to help children of differing ages and stages engage alongside one another. Younger children develop coordination and control using balancing equipment indoors. Older children refine these skills further as they learn to navigate swings and larger outdoor equipment. This helps children develop the physical skills needed as they grow and develop. The childminder naturally weaves mathematics into play and conversations. Younger children use simple counting, while older children discuss shapes and create new ones, such as turning two squares into a rectangle. When older children talk about riding a tractor, the childminder introduces words such as 'fast', 'slow' and 'reverse'. This helps children develop early mathematical understanding and problem-solving skills needed for their next

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder places a clear focus on promoting children's communication and language. Stories and singing support children's listening and attention skills. Younger children repeat simple words and join in as they sing songs together. During story time, the childminder gives older children time to think before responding to questions. For example, when older children explain that monkeys eat bananas, she encourages them to think about other animals, such as horses, that may also eat fruit. However, the childminder does not always build on the already effective teaching to further deepen children's understanding of feelings and emotions during play and discussions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and identifies areas to further strengthen her provision. She ensures mandatory training remains up to date for herself and any assistants working with her. Effective supervision arrangements support any assistants' professional development, workload management and wellbeing. Regular discussions provide opportunities to review practice, manage expectations and identify any support or training needs. For example, the childminder has researched ways to help children develop resilience, independence and emotional wellbeing. Positive relationships with parents help support continuity in children's care and learning, including sharing ideas to support children's next steps and independence at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of continuous improvement. However, systems for evaluating the impact of teaching and routines are not always sharply focused on helping children develop the highest levels of independence, emotional understanding and self-care skills. As a result, opportunities to strengthen children's progress in these areas are not always fully maximised. There are currently no children in receipt of additional funding. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of how funding could be used to support children's individual needs and reduce barriers to learning, working with parents and professionals to target support appropriately.

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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 arrive at this nurturing, home-from-home setting and quickly settle into familiar routines. They happily speak with the childminder, their friends and visitors. Children talk about their interests, experiences and home lives with ease. They feel emotionally secure and develop close relationships with the childminder, who knows them well and responds sensitively to their individual needs. Older children naturally support younger children during play and routines. This helps children feel valued, included and develop a secure sense of belonging. Strong partnerships with parents help the childminder understand children's routines, interests and experiences outside of the setting. This supports continuity in children's care and learning.

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

Children enjoy their time at the setting and engage positively in play and conversations. They share ideas, join in with songs and use their imaginations during play. Children respond positively to encouragement and proudly recall the setting motto, 'try, try and try again.' They behave well and respond positively to familiar expectations as they learn to listen to others, wait for their turn to speak and cooperate during play.

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

Children become increasingly capable in managing daily routines. For example, they independently access drinks and manage many tasks for themselves throughout the day. Children benefit from regular outdoor play and experiences within the local community. They explain how to keep themselves safe, such as remembering to 'stop, look and listen' near roads and staying away from the edge of the pond. Children's individual needs are understood well, and younger children are successfully included alongside older children during play and routines. As a result, children develop perseverance, positive attitudes towards learning, self-help skills and the social skills needed for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should provide children with more opportunities to further develop their independence and resilience by encouraging them to try things for themselves during daily routines and activities. The childminder should further strengthen children's understanding of healthy hygiene routines by embedding these more consistently throughout the day. The childminder should maximise opportunities during play and discussions to help children develop a deeper understanding of feelings and emotions.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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About this inspection

The inspector/inspectors spoke with the childminder, assistants 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 : 08:00 - 18:00

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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

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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