Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2778992 Registered with Ofsted: 22/02/2024 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 children's behaviour and is consistent in ensuring they say please and thank you and are always kind and caring to each other. Children are loving and respectful towards one another and hold hands and say 'we are friends'. They take turns with resources and play collaboratively. The atmosphere is calm and harmonious, and any rare incidents of unwanted behaviour are swiftly picked up by the childminder and managed appropriately. The childminder explains consequences, such as reminding them that if they fall off a chair, they might hurt themselves, so that they understand the reasons for the expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder monitors attendance carefully and ensures that carers understand the importance of regular attendance and consistent routines but is also understanding and supportive when families experience any times of change that may impact on their children. Routines are secure and well embedded, and children feel safe and happy because they know exactly what they are doing. The consistency in care routines, such as coming in and placing their shoes on their own mat and washing their hands regularly, is improving their independence and self-awareness. Their regular trips out of the setting are carefully planned to ensure they can build in confidence and develop well because they are familiar with the places they go.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are developing well and gaining in confidence and social skills because the childminder has a caring nature and spends time ensuring that children feel a sense of belonging and secure when they join the setting. These well-developed relationships mean that children feel able to try new things and are given praise when they do. Younger children have developed their speech well since starting with the childminder and are learning new words through songs, stories and a language-rich environment. Children are learning to count through songs and jump across the room like bunnies, counting '1, 2, 3, 4'. This means that they are developing in numeracy and early literacy skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, children are learning skills to become more independent and take pride in washing their own hands and feeding themselves. They are also being well supported to manage their own feelings and express themselves to each other and the childminder.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have very secure and close relationships with the childminder, which means that they are typically developing well and thriving. Care practices are effective and tailored to meet children's individual needs well. The childminder meets with parents when children start and communicates regularly on an ongoing basis with them to ensure she understands children's developing needs. The childminder understands and promotes safer sleeping practices, and children have their own rooms to sleep in and are carefully supervised. Risk assessments are carried out effectively and regularly, and this means that the setting is clean, safe and suitable and any issues or hazards are quickly identified and removed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The children are provided a variety of healthy and nutritious foods and snacks, and the childminder speaks to them regularly about the food they are eating and how to keep themselves safe and healthy. As a result, children are starting to understand how to care for themselves. A large, well-resourced garden gives the children ample opportunities to be active and play outdoors.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Routines are adapted to meet children's emerging and changing needs, for example by carefully planning the timings of trips out to ensure that children have regular and set times that they eat and sleep.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's independence could be further encouraged by ensuring that all of their belongings can be accessed easily by them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder establishes secure partnerships with parents from the outset, and effective information-sharing when children start ensures she has a clear understanding of what children know, can do and need to learn next. She regularly assesses children's progress and plans a curriculum that builds securely on children's prior learning and addresses any emerging gaps promptly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is designed to cover all the areas of learning and development, and activities are thoughtfully matched to children's interests and stages of development. For example, during baking activities, children practise counting and measuring ingredients, supporting their early mathematical understanding while also developing fine motor skills and hand–eye coordination. This learning is extended through visiting the local shop to purchase and pay for the ingredients.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder takes the children to weekly music sessions, where they sing familiar songs and learn new vocabulary through repetitive rhymes and actions, which they sing in the setting too. The childminder models language effectively, engaging children in meaningful conversations and asking purposeful questions that help children develop their language and communication.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder reads to children daily, and they enjoy choosing stories. This means they are developing a love of books.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder takes the children on regular outings into the local community to further enrich their understanding of the world. They are learning about the natural world by growing their own plants and vegetables in the garden. The childminder is teaching the children the skills they need to become more independent and confident, for example by encouraging them to put their own shoes on and to persist when they face difficulties. Children's coats are not accessible to them as they are kept on high coat hooks. They could be encouraged to further develop self-care skills if they were able to access them independently at their level.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has regular contact with parents and an effective system for monitoring children's progress, which means she is able to identify any barriers to learning that they may be facing and take swift and appropriate action and to support children at their own pace. She understands the need to regularly review any support she puts in place for children to ensure that it is making a meaningful difference to their progress. Parents report that she has been alert to any changes in family circumstances and has provided emotional and practical support to children so that they continue to develop and thrive in the setting during times of change.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is aware of some of the external support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and would access assistance and guidance from local partners for any children she identifies with SEND. She understands the need to liaise closely with parents, both in terms of support with any external help a child might need and on an ongoing basis within the setting. She has a secure understanding of the kind of strategies she might use for any children with barriers to learning. The childminder has also identified that she would benefit from some more targeted training on supporting inclusion so that she has the knowledge to make timely and meaningful interventions to support children in the future.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is focused on self-evaluation and maintaining high standards of care. She seeks out support from other childminders, who share information with each other on good practice and keep updated with childcare standards and practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

While she is aware of the range of support available from local authority partners, the childminder has also identified that she would like to further develop her provision by accessing training on inclusion and supporting children with any special educational needs and/or disabilities. This would mean that should she identify any particular needs of children in the future, she would be able to put in place targeted and prompt interventions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents report that the childminder has very effective partnerships with them and praise her excellent communication, both in terms of the information gathered at the settling-in stage and on an ongoing basis, including children's 2-year progress checks. Parents say they feel very well informed about what their children are doing each day and how they are progressing and report their development in numeracy and early literacy skills since joining the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has effective systems in place to ensure that any staff she may hire in the future are suitable, and she understands how to monitor staff and her own ongoing suitability and notify Ofsted of any significant matters.

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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 in this setting have very warm and close relationships with the childminder. They feel safe and secure, and because of this, they are growing in confidence and enjoying talking about their experiences. Children speak excitedly about trips they go on with the childminder to local groups and museums. They are happy in the childminder's care, and parents report how much they love coming to the setting. Children behave very well because the childminder has high expectations of them and they are always encouraged to say please and thank you and be kind and cooperative towards others. Positive behaviour is

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Inspector:

Kelly Stiff praised, so the children are learning to be proud of themselves and have self-worth. This also means that the setting is calm and harmonious as children have developed close and respectful relationships with each other and talk about being friends. Children are also learning to be independent and learning to take care of themselves by washing their own hands and putting on their shoes and coats, with support and encouragement.

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Inspector:

The settling-in process when children start is flexible and well considered, and parents are encouraged to share a great deal of information about their children so that the childminder understands what they can do and what they need to learn. Children are progressing well because the childminder is regularly assessing their development in close collaboration with parents and putting in place age-appropriate learning that helps them meet their next steps and is tailored to their specific needs.

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Inspector:

Children are really engaged in their learning and enjoy thoughtful conversations with the childminder throughout their day. These interactions are extending their thinking and helping them to develop language skills. Children are achieving well because they are treated as individuals and are given opportunities to learn what comes next for them, with a focus on their own individual interests. Regular attendance is expected and promoted, and routines are consistent and well embedded. This means that children have structure to their day and settle well.

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Next steps

The childminder should encourage children to further develop independence by ensuring they can place their belongings within reach. The childminder should strengthen opportunities for children to celebrate different cultures to help develop their understanding of the importance of diversity and celebrate what makes them unique. The childminder should strengthen her knowledge of special educational needs and/or disabilities to provide informed and swift support for children more effectively.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents 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,Friday : 07:30 - 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

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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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