Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2774584 Registered with Ofsted: 26/03/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents to ensure that children attend regularly and promptly. Children thoroughly enjoy learning and are highly motivated to take part in and talk about what they learn. For example, children share books of their family members, talk about new siblings and enable other friends to join in conversations. The childminder's care of all children, including those with special educational needs, reflects her focus on inclusivity, to ensure children's unique needs are supported. Positive relationships between the childminder and children enable children to understand and mirror kindness, respect and genuine care and affection for each other. A harmonious atmosphere is evident across the setting, reflecting the secure, trusting relationships children build with one another.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

All children even the youngest children are socially confident. Through daily routines, they learn to value and respect one another. For example, toddlers politely ask to take a turn with a roller and wait patiently while older children respond with kindness. Spontaneous acts of kindness between children of differing ages and abilities reflect an emotional awareness beyond children's ages. These social and emotional skills ensure that all children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning, including the transition to school when the time comes.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make typical progress from their starting points, across all areas of learning. Children have developed secure communication and language skills, which means that they build relationships with friends and develop strong social skills. They learn and use vocabulary to share ideas, question and are inquisitive to learn. For instance, as they push sand through sieves they explore the differing sizes of sand and why some pass through holes and others do not.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children are confident and capable in their growing independence, for example they learn how to put on and fasten shoes to go out to the garden, help tidy away toys and put out chairs for meal times. Children learn some mathematical skills, such as recognising shapes. However, opportunities for them to embed a greater range of knowledge around mathematical concepts, including number recognition, are not yet fully embedded to help maximise this aspect of their achievement.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder places children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of her curriculum. She takes the time to get to know children's individual needs, from the outset. This means that care practises and daily routines help children to form secure and nurturing relationships with her. Children explore their surroundings with confidence, when cuddles or some reassurance are needed, children readily seek out the childminder, who responds warmly. Routines such as mealtimes are sensitively adapted to each child's stage of development. The childminder skilfully supports children to make thoughtful choices about foods. For instance, children try new foods, as they broaden their knowledge of healthy choices. Parents comment on how children enjoy a wide range of choices around fruits and vegetables as a result of the childminder introduction of these to children in her setting, which are then followed through at home.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy a wealth of opportunities to gain fresh air and exercise as part of daily routines. For instance, they take part in music classes, visit local woodland areas and parks to gain fresh air, exercise and to meet with new friends. Children enjoy physical play and develop their core strength, balance and coordination skills, such as when they climb the steps to the slide and carefully transport small spadefuls of sand around the garden.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for children and provides an ambitious curriculum for the differing ages and abilities of children she cares for. She has a secure knowledge of early education. Children are motivated to learn. The childminder understands how to observe, assess and plan for children's learning, sequencing to ensure that that children develop new knowledge and skills. However, at times, the childminders planning for what children need to learn next is broad. At times this hinders how the childminder can plan and implement tailored learning to help maximise children's learning. Some aspects of mathematical learning, in particular, lack the precise sequencing children need to greater knowledge of numbers and counting.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder focus on children communication and language skills is a strength of her teaching practice. She models rich vocabulary and skilfully introduces new words during play, helping children broaden their language skills and deepen their understanding. Where some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities need additional support in communication the childminder skilfully adapts how children's language can be built upon. For instance, children learn how to express they want, as the childminder takes the time to help them recognise and respond to their needs. This helps children to grow into confident communicators, who make their own choices.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the differing needs of children in her care and promotes inclusive practice. She understands how to support children who may face barriers to learning, or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder promotes positive outcomes for all children so that every child can succeed. She makes regular observations of children, from the outset to swiftly identify areas where children are not making expected progress. Where children need additional support, including when other professionals advice is needed to support them, the childminder approaches this sensitively with parents, to seek this. This has a positive impact on how targeted support can be put in place for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has developed effective partnership working that enables her to seek help and support as well as work with parents to achieve the best outcomes for children. The childminder embraces a collaborative working approach where children's needs are at the forefront. For example, shared strategies to build on children's language skills helps children to express their wants, needs and wishes. This approach helps to make sure that every child receives support to remove any barriers to learning.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has clear ambitions for all children in her care. She builds positive relationships with parents and external professionals, to support all children in her care. The childminder establishes and maintains open, honest communication with families, addressing concerns promptly and ensuring parents feel informed and involved in their child's experiences. She offers advice and support, to help parents continue learning at home. These partnerships support smooth transitions and help all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to settle quickly and confidently into the childminders care.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of her strengths and priorities for development. She is reflective and makes changes to her provision that have a positive impact for children. For instance, changes to the garden area provide greater opportunities for those who prefer to play and learn outdoors. The childminder actively seeks advice and training whenever she identifies gaps in her knowledge. However, some aspects of her self- evaluation are not yet sharply focused enough to drive consistently high-quality practice. On occasion, she does not identify the specific teaching strategies that would help her strengthen areas such as extending children's mathematical development.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.4

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.4

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children are happy and confident in the care of a warm and dedicated childminder. Their personal, social and emotional development is a clear strength of the childminder's practice. Children form strong, trusting relationships with one another. They are kind and caring and recognise and respond to the differing needs of their friends with a maturity beyond their years. For instance, toddlers notice when friends becoming frustrated while trying to connect pieces of train track. Without any prompt, they step in gently to offer help, showing empathy and an emerging understanding of how to support others. This kindness is a consistent theme in the childminder's setting.

p.5

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

Children enjoy learning and are keen to take part in activities that the childminder provides. She provides a balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities to help them make progress from their starting points. Children explore with enthusiasm and confidently share what they learn. For instance, children share how they have cared for butterflies. They confidently explain how they start as caterpillars and change into cocoons before becoming butterflies. Children learn and use a wealth of language in conversations. They are able to speak confidently, share ideas and listen to friends as they share their thoughts. Children, including those with special educational needs, listen attentively, respond thoughtfully and engage in meaningful back-and-forth interactions.

p.5

Next steps

The childminder should review and develop ongoing planning, to focus more precisely on what children need to learn next. The childminder should review and enhance the curriculum, to focus on embedding mathematical development into children's play.

p.5

About this setting

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

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

Age range of children at the time of inspection

The childminder should continue to focus on professional development and further enhance her teaching skills, to inform a sharp focus on raising the quality of provision.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

p.6

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.

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.7

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.

p.7

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8