Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 302123 Registered with Ofsted: 01/01/1994 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 Strong standard

Children demonstrate considerable skills for their age. They develop a wide range of knowledge and make rapid progress from their individual starting points. They develop the skills and knowledge needed for future learning through experiences that build successfully on what they already know and can do. Children communicate confidently and use an increasing range of vocabulary during conversations and play. They listen attentively to stories, recall key events and use language to explain their ideas and experiences. This supports their growing ability to express themselves clearly and engage in meaningful discussions.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make secure progress from their starting points. The childminder tailors support to their individual needs, helping them to access learning opportunities alongside their peers. Children gain the confidence, independence and resilience needed for their next stage of learning. They concentrate well, follow routines and apply what they have learnt during play. Children are well prepared for future leaning and their eventual move to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children thrive in this nurturing environment where they feel safe, secure and valued. The childminder has established clear routines and expectations that children understand well. These are embedded consistently throughout the day and help children develop confidence and a sense of security. Children behave extremely well and respond positively to gentle reminders and praise. They understand expectations, such as washing their hands before meals and remaining seated while eating. Children are polite, use good manners independently and show respect towards others. Extremely secure attachments with the childminder help children feel emotionally safe and ready to learn. Parents speak highly of the childminder's commitment to children's behaviour and wellbeing and describe her as highly responsive to children's individual needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning and engage confidently in new experiences. They listen carefully, follow instructions and persevere with activities. The childminder supports children to understand and manage their emotions in ways appropriate to their age and stage of development. For example, older children learn to use calm spaces when needed to regulate their emotions. All children are encouraged to talk about and explore how they feel. Children benefit from opportunities to attend local play groups, helping them develop confidence, social skills and positive relationships with others. The childminder works closely with parents to promote regular attendance and establish consistent routines. She adapts routines, expectations and support strategies to meet children's individual needs. This helps all children understand expectations and participate confidently in daily experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a warm, caring and nurturing environment where children's wellbeing is prioritised. Children form close attachments with the childminder and confidently seek reassurance and support when needed. The childminder knows children well and works closely with parents to meet children's individual care needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported sensitively and included fully in daily experiences. This helps children develop confidence, feel valued and build positive relationships.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children to develop healthy lifestyles. Children enjoy healthy and balanced meals and snacks that promote their health and wellbeing. The childminder helps children to understand the importance of healthy eating and physical activity through daily routines and conversations. Children enjoy daily fresh air and exercise and regularly visit local places of interest. For example, they visit a local allotment where they help to plant and grow vegetables and regular visits to local parks. These experiences help children to learn about the world around them and support their physical development. Children are encouraged to develop independence and good hygiene practices through daily routines. For instance, they help to tidy up resources, prepare their own food and wash their hands independently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder follows safer eating and sleeping guidance carefully. Children are supervised closely during mealtimes to help ensure their safety and wellbeing. Children learn how to assess and manage risks appropriate to their age and stage of development. For example, they use scissors safely during arts and crafts activities and handle knives competently when cutting up their snacks. These experiences help children develop confidence and an understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children benefit from a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum that is designed around their interests. The childminder has a secure understanding of children's development and uses ongoing in-depth assessments to identify children's individual next steps. This helps her to tailor experiences that deepen children's knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. Children develop independence through daily routines. For example, they confidently set the table for snack time, chop strawberries safely and clear away their plates afterwards. These experiences help children develop responsibility, self-care skills and confidence, preparing them well for their eventual move to school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children make excellent progress in communication and language. The childminder engages them in meaningful conversations and introduces new vocabulary throughout the day. Children confidently share their ideas, recall experiences and use new words in context. For instance, when discussing vegetables they have grown, children learn and use new words, such as 'courgette'. This extends their vocabulary and understanding of the world around them. Mathematical learning is embedded in daily experiences. Children cut fruit into halves and quarters, compare sizes of sticks and fir cones and use mathematical language naturally during play. The childminder skilfully adapts her teaching to help children achieve their individual next steps. For example, older children are encouraged to remove small groups of objects and work out how many they have left.

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Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in all experiences. Adaptions to teaching help all children make secure progress from their starting points and develop the skills and knowledge they need for future learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children benefit from a fully inclusive environment where they are supported to feel valued and included in all aspects of the setting. The childminder has many years of experience of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works hard to provide an inclusive environment, ensuring children's individual needs are identified and carefully supported. The childminder understands the importance of identifying gaps in children's development early and reducing barriers to their learning. She works in close partnership with parents to access additional help and understands how to seek advice from external professionals. Parents comment on how well supported they feel by the childminder. The childminder adapts experiences and routines to meet children's individual needs. For example, children have an area which they can access if they need a calm space to help them to self-regulate. This helps children to feel fully included and develop

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Inclusion Strong standard

confidence in their abilities. Consequently, all children are supported to access learning experiences and feel fully included at this setting.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of how she would support disadvantaged children and those known or previously known to social care. She talks about the use of additional funding to support children's individual needs and experiences. For example, purchasing targeted resources or providing experiences children may not have already had. The childminder ensures all children feel valued, included and supported to make progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to providing high-quality care and education for all children. She keeps her skills and knowledge up to date through on-going training and research. The childminder is clear about the strengths of her setting. However, self-evaluation is not yet consistently used to identify areas for development and raise the quality of practice to an even higher level. For example, the childminder does not routinely reflect on practice or seek feedback from parents to help evaluate the quality of her setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with other settings that children attend to fully support their development. For example, she liaises with the local nursery school to ensure consistent approaches to support children's next steps in learning. The childminder engages with the local authority to access guidance and support when needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnership with parents are highly effective. Parents praise the childminder and comment on the impressive progress children have made since starting. The childminder completes daily handovers with parents and regularly shares information about children's learning and development. This helps parents understand their children's progress and support learning at home.

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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 thrive at this extremely welcoming, safe and inclusive setting. They form warm and secure relationships with the childminder, supporting them to feel emotionally secure. Children understand and follow daily routines confidently. For example, they remind the childminder about handwashing before snack time, demonstrating their growing understanding of healthy practices and independence. Children learn to play alongside others and develop positive friendships. They are supported to take turns, share resources and show kindness towards one another. Children's uniqueness is valued and the childminder works together with parents to understand children's interests, routines and individual needs. Attendance is promoted well and families are encouraged to establish consistent routines. This helps children to feel fully included and develop a strong sense of belonging.

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

Children enjoy a wide range of experiences that fully support their learning and development. The childminder has created an ambitious curriculum that excites and inspires children. Children show curiosity and sustain their concentration during activities. For instance, they use sticks and piping to create caterpillars linked to a story they are reading. This helps children recall and retell parts of the story and strengthen their understanding of familiar text. The childminder supports children's communication and language development by introducing new words in meaningful context. For example, children learn and use words such as 'antennae' as they discuss different parts of the caterpillar. They confidently talk about their creations, share their ideas with others and extend their vocabulary through purposeful conversations.

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

Children enjoy daily opportunities to explore the outdoors and develop physical skills. The childminder takes children on regular outings, to garden centres, parks and allotments, where they learn about the world around them. Consequently, children gain the knowledge and skills needed for future learning and their eventual move to school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported extremely well to learn alongside their peers. All children are happy, settled and make age-appropriate progress from their starting points.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen her self-evaluation processes to identify areas for development more precisely and drive continuous improvement.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection. She looked at parents written comments provided for the purpose of 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 : 07:45 - 09:00,Wednesday,Thursday : 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

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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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