Pickup, Angela

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2782436 Registered with Ofsted: 24/05/2024 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 has high expectations for all children's behaviour, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Children behave extremely well and show kindness and consideration towards one another. The childminder establishes clear and consistent routines that children know, understand and follow confidently. These routines help children to feel safe, secure and settled within the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate consistently positive attitudes towards their play and learning. The childminder provides a calm, caring and nurturing environment where children thrive emotionally and socially. Children display high levels of engagement and concentration during activities. They are motivated to explore the resources and experiences available to them. They are happy to play independently and alongside their friends. For example, children learn to share resources, take turns and respect the ideas and feelings of others during play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder acts as a positive role model and supports children to manage their feelings and behaviour appropriately. As a result, children form extremely positive relationships with the adults in the setting and seek them out for reassurance, comfort and praise. Children are confident, happy and secure, which supports their emotional wellbeing and readiness to learn. The childminder promotes the good attendance of all children and has procedures in place to ensure that children attend regularly.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are a priority within this warm and welcoming setting. Children develop a strong sense of belonging. The childminder knows children extremely well and builds highly positive relationships with both children and their families. As a result, children feel safe, secure and emotionally supported in the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder follows good hygiene practices and meets the personal needs of all children effectively, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face other barriers to their learning. Children learn the importance of good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands before eating and after using the toilet. They take great pride in managing personal care tasks independently, including using the potty successfully. Children comment they are 'proud' of their achievements. The childminder consistently praises children's efforts and achievements, which helps to build their confidence and self-esteem.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles. She provides nutritious meals and encourages children to make healthy food choices. The childminder shares recipes and ideas with families and works closely with parents to encourage children to try new foods. Children enjoy sociable mealtimes together and confidently practise feeding themselves independently.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing, develop the expected skills they need for the next stage in their learning, including their move on to nursery or school. Children become increasingly independent and confident learners. They learn important self-care skills, such as putting on and taking off their shoes, feeding themselves and managing their own personal hygiene routines, including washing their hands and cleaning their faces. They also learn to share, take turns and play cooperatively alongside their friends.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children have ample opportunities to practise and build on the skills they have learned through play and daily routines. Children enjoy time to explore and experiment independently. For example, they walk along a beam independently, only seeking reassurance and encouragement when needed. Children freely access a wide range of resources and confidently make choices about their play, helping to develop their independence and decision-making skills. However, on occasion, children do not have support to extend their learning to a higher level.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans a broad curriculum that typically supports all children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may other face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing, across all areas of learning. Typically, she plans activities that reflect children's individual interests and developing needs. However, on occasion, some activities are not tailored precisely enough to meet the differing ages and stages of development of all children attending. For example, stories at group times are sometimes too long for the younger children to be able to follow the story. As a result, some children do not benefit as fully as possible from the learning experiences provided.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's communication and language development effectively. She is skilled in promoting children's language through play and everyday interactions. She introduces new vocabulary as children play and consistently repeats keywords for younger children to hear and practise. This helps children to reinforce and extend their language skills. For example, while playing in the sand, the childminder models words such as 'scoop' and 'pat' alongside the actions. On occasions, the childminder does not respond in the moment to children's needs. For example, when young children show an interest in throwing objects, the childminder removes the objects and does not offer a safer alternative to allow children to still practise and continue to develop their skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Young children confidently climb, balance and move safely around the setting and garden. The childminder builds warm and secure relationships with all children. Children develop positive personal, social and emotional skills. The childminder also promotes mathematical language well throughout children's play.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations of all children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may other face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. She knows children very well and has a clear understanding of their individual needs, interests and stages of development. The childminder monitors children's progress and quickly identifies any gaps in their learning. She plans targeted activities and experiences to provide additional support when needed. For example, she provides focused activities to support children's communication after identifying gaps in their speech and language skills. As a result, children make expected progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses additional funding effectively to support children's individual needs and next steps in learning. She carefully considers how resources and experiences can be used to help children make progress. For example, she purchases resources linked to children's interests to encourage their engagement and development. This helps children to build on their skills and narrow any gaps in learning. The childminder works effectively with outside professionals to ensure that children receive timely and appropriate support. For example, she liaises with health visitors and parents to support children's emerging needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice regularly and considers her strengths and areas for further development. She is committed to improving the quality of care and education she provides for children. Although the childminder accesses a range of professional development opportunities to support her role, she has identified the need to seek more targeted training to further strengthen her knowledge and skills to an even higher level. The childminder provides appropriate support for her assistants through regular meetings and discussions about practice, children's development and the overall provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds positive relationships with parents and families. She gathers a wide range of information about children before they begin attending the setting. For example, she finds out about children's routines, interests, likes and dislikes, allergies, medical needs and current stages of development. This helps the childminder to meet children's individual needs effectively from the start. As a result, children settle quickly into the setting and feel safe, secure and confident in the care of the childminder and her assistants.

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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 happy and settled, and they thrive in this warm, welcoming and nurturing environment. All children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning, feel safe and secure as they develop positive relationships with the childminder. The childminder knows children extremely well and understands their individual needs, interests and stages of development. The childminder gathers information about children's needs, likes and interests from parents before they start. She finds out what they can already do. This helps

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About this setting

Type: Childminder the childminder to develop an understanding of what children may need when they first start. Children receive timely support to help them reduce gaps in their learning and development. As a result, they make expected progress from their starting points.

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About this setting

Children enjoy their learning and are highly engaged in activities and experiences throughout the day. They experience the wider world and enjoy visits to the farm and library. Children develop their communication and language skills, as the childminder introduces and repeats new vocabulary during play and daily routines. Children develop their physical skills as they learn to press the lever on a spray bottle to help develop their small muscles. They strengthen their large muscles as they learn to climb up the climbing frame. They confidently explore resources, make independent choices and develop skills for the next stage in their learning, including their move on to nursery and school. Children behave extremely well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their play and learning. They learn to share, take turns and treat others with kindness and respect. Clear and consistent routines help children feel confident and secure within the setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should consider how planned activities can meet all children's ages and stages of development more accurately. The childminder should respond more swiftly in the moment to children's individual stages of development to support all children to excel in their learning and development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants 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. Registration date: 24/05/2024

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:00

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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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