Smith, Laura Katy

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2774813 Registered with Ofsted: 06/02/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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 creates a calm and relaxed environment for the children. She consistently speaks gently to them and supports their understanding of simple routines and expectations throughout the day. For example, when children become upset over sharing a toy, she calmly acknowledges their feelings and helps them wait for their turn patiently. Children settle quickly and return to their play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children share a warm and trusting relationship with the childminder. They confidently seek reassurance and comfort from her when needed, and the childminder responds sensitively to their emotional needs. She regularly praises children's efforts and encourages kind and gentle behaviour during play and routines. Children respond positively to this. Children show positive attitudes towards their play and learning. They confidently choose resources for themselves and remain engaged in activities for sustained periods. The childminder consistently responds positively to children's interests and supports them to remain focused and motivated during activities and play. Children enjoy listening to familiar stories and often choose to revisit them, to which the childminder responds positively and happily continues to read their favourite books repeatedly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents to help children settle successfully into the setting. She promotes regular attendance through ongoing communication with parents and carefully planned settling-in arrangements that help children become familiar with daily routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has a thorough understanding of children's individual care routines and responds sensitively to their changing needs. She continually provides a calm and nurturing environment where children are comforted and reassured appropriately throughout the day. Care routines are adapted thoughtfully to reflect children's individual circumstances. For example, she continually provides additional reassurance and comfort for children who need support settling to sleep. Children settle calmly and are monitored closely while they rest. The childminder follows the correct safe sleeping arrangement for younger children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Daily routines consistently support children's physical health and emotional wellbeing. Mealtimes are calm and well organised. The childminder uses every opportunity to encourage children's growing independence throughout the day. For example, the childminder encourages children to pour their own drinks and help clean themselves after meals. Children regularly enjoy healthy meals and snacks, including fruit, sandwiches and yoghurts. The childminder also works closely with parents to help support children's dietary needs and promote healthy eating habits. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of safer eating practices and supervises children appropriately during mealtimes and daily routines.

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Expected standard

The childminder maintains effective hygiene and safer eating practices throughout the day. For example, children use individual towels during handwashing routines and age- appropriate equipment such as step stools to reach the handwashing facilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder consistently provides learning experiences that reflect children's stages of development and individual needs. She uses interactions during play and daily routines to support children's speech and language development. For example, she continually repeats key words and models simple language effectively to support the understanding of younger children and those with emerging communication needs. Children hear language modelled clearly throughout the day and are encouraged to communicate during play and routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder regularly joins in with children's play and adapts interaction successfully to reflect their needs and interests. She understands that everyday interactions provide opportunities for teaching and learning. For example, while playing with magnetic tiles, she introduces language such as 'open' and 'shut'. She consistently supports children's early mathematical understanding as they explore mathematical language during activities and play. For example, she counts the animals as children place them in the water tray. During story times, she reads expressively, asks questions and encourages children to identify familiar objects and pictures in books. Children remain deeply engaged in activities and confidently explore resources in different ways.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder consistently supports children's personal, social and emotional development. She helps children learn to share, take turns and understand their feelings through calm explanations and positive interactions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points and develop appropriately across all areas of learning. Younger children become increasingly confident in their communication and language development. For example, they begin to copy familiar words and join in with songs during play and daily routines.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy regular opportunities to develop their physical skills. They benefit from playtime in the garden, where they improve movement and develop their coordination and confidence. Younger children move around the environment with increasing independence as they develop skills such as walking and balancing. Children also begin to manage simple routines for themselves, including washing their hands and independently pouring drinks during mealtimes.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop positive relationships with the childminder and are reassured by her calm and supportive approach. They begin to play alongside others and learn simple expectations, such as sharing and taking turns. Children who may face barriers to their learning receive support that helps them continue to make progress in their development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents to understand children's routines, development and care needs. She gathers information when children join her setting and uses this, along with her own observations, to help identify children's next steps in learning. The childminder understands children's different stages of development and provides appropriate support for younger children across their learning and care routines. For example, she supports children's physical development through activities and play experiences that encourage them to develop their mobility and coordination skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the needs of children who may face barriers to their learning and wellbeing. She adapts activities and interactions appropriately to support children's individual needs. For example, she uses signing, gestures and repeated language to support children with emerging communication needs. She also adapts her teaching to support children with delayed communication and language development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's development through ongoing observations and assessment. She uses this information to plan suitable experiences and learning opportunities for children. She understands the importance of seeking additional advice and guidance, when needed, to help support children's individual needs and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Parents speak positively about the support their children receive. They value the childminder's settling-in arrangements and comment positively on the progress children make, particularly in communication and language development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects appropriately on her practice and has a suitable understanding of the strengths of her provision. Information relating to children's learning, care and safety is organised appropriately and reviewed regularly. For example, attendance records, medical information and risk assessments are reviewed and kept up to date. The childminder also carries out routine checks before children access outdoor areas to help maintain their safety.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder uses ongoing observations and tracking to monitor children's development and identify suitable next steps in learning. Assessment information is updated regularly and helps the childminder adapt activities and routines to support children's varying stages of development and needs. She keeps children's individual targets accessible to help guide teaching and learning. The childminder also gathers information from parents when children join the setting to help support and oversee their care routines, interests and development from the beginning. However, communication with other settings some children attend is not yet fully established. As a result, children do not always receive consistent support for their learning and development during transitions and across settings.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages in regular professional development to increase her knowledge and support her practice. She keeps a record of completed courses to help reflect on her ongoing learning. She also attends local community groups, such as local library sessions and forest school activities, to help broaden children's experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents speak positively about the communication and support they receive. They value the regular updates shared by the childminder and appreciate how well their children have settled into the setting. Some parents even noted that their children have flourished in certain areas of learning, such as speech and language. The childminder listens to parents' feedback and is often considering different ways to strengthen communication with families further.

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

Children are happy and settled in this calm and welcoming setting. They quickly form warm relationships with the childminder and confidently seek reassurance and comfort from her when needed. Children benefit from a nurturing environment where the childminder responds sensitively to their individual routines and care needs. For example, she provides reassurance and comfort during sleep routines and supports children gently and calmly when they become upset.

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

Children enjoy exploring the environment and confidently choose resources during play. The childminder consistently supports children's communication and language development during activities and play. She repeats key words, models simple language and uses signing and gestures appropriately to support younger children and those with emerging speech

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2774813 needs. Children begin to copy words and join in with familiar stories and songs. Parents comment positively on the progress children make in their communication since attending the setting.

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About this setting

Children benefit from enjoyable play experiences that reflect their interests, ages and stages of development. For example, they explore textures and ingredients while making 'mud' for toy animals during messy play. The childminder joins in with children's play and consistently uses interactions to support their learning and development. She follows children's ideas during play and adapts experiences successfully to maintain their interest. Children remain engaged in activities for sustained periods and confidently explore resources in different ways. The childminder consistently supports children's early mathematical understanding during play and daily routines. For example, she introduces mathematical language such as 'heavy', 'one more' and counting as children mix ingredients during an activity.

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About this setting

The childminder consistently encourages children to be kind and considerate towards others. She supports them to learn to share and take turns. She understands and acknowledges their feelings and settles them through calm explanations and praise. Children play positively alongside each other and happily cooperate during activities and daily routines.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen communication and partnership working with other settings children in her care attend to help provide greater consistency in supporting children's development, including any barriers to their learning and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

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

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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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