Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2758318 Registered with Ofsted: 30/11/2023 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 make sustained progress from their starting points, including those who may need extra support. They develop a secure range of knowledge and skills across the areas of learning and are well prepared for the next stage in their development. Children confidently recall prior learning and use this in their play. For example, they draw on familiar experiences to extend their ideas.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate secure early mathematical knowledge. They use mathematical language with growing confidence as they count, recognise numbers and explore quantity through songs, routines and play. Children show high levels of emotional confidence. They engage readily with others, share their ideas and are willing to try new experiences. This reflects the childminder's consistent and effective strategies for supporting children's emotional wellbeing. For example, children who initially experience anxiety make significant gains in their emotional development. Over time, they become confident and fully engaged in play and learning, demonstrating a marked improvement in their emotional security, independence and readiness to learn. All children feel secure, develop confidence and engage fully in their learning. Children use mark making, role play and problem-solving to express their ideas. They are independent, persevere with challenges and take pride in what

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Achievement Strong standard

they do. All children can confidently use what they know across different experiences.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder knows the children well. She establishes clear, consistent routines that help children feel secure, particularly those who may experience barriers to their learning. She is thoughtful in her approach and plans ahead to help children feel secure when there are changes to their routine. The childminder adapts her approach effectively to meet children's individual needs. She builds warm, trusting relationships with children, which helps them to feel safe and confident.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. They understand expectations because routines are well established and consistently followed. Children engage well in activities. They take turns and show empathy towards one another when sharing toys and talking about how they have been kind. Children follow familiar routines, such as preparing for snack time, with confidence. The childminder promotes good attendance and works closely with families to maintain children's routines, helping them to develop secure habits that support their wellbeing and readiness to learn. Children develop confidence and self- esteem through regular praise and encouragement. Children show increasing independence and resilience when managing self-care routines. At snack time, children cut their own fruit with growing confidence, and show perseverance and pride in what they can do. They move confidently between routines, such as snack time or outdoor play, because transitions are

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a calm, nurturing environment that supports children's emotional wellbeing and communication. She listens carefully to children and gives them time to express themselves, helping to build their confidence and develop their communication skills. The childminder places a clear focus on promoting children's health. For example, children learn about caring for their teeth through planned experiences and discussion. This supports them to understand how to stay healthy and encourages good habits at home. Care practices are sensitive and respectful. During nappy changing, children's privacy is maintained while interactions remain warm and reassuring. This helps all children feel safe, secure and well cared for.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop healthy habits through daily routines. They help prepare fruit at snack time, manage their personal hygiene and learn about oral care. The childminder uses praise and encouragement to help children feel valued and develop confidence in what they can do. She encourages children to keep trying when tasks are challenging, such as cutting fruit, which helps them to develop independence and resilience. Daily routines and regular outdoor play supports children's physical wellbeing and helps them develop positive habits for the future.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of children's individual stages of development. She uses ongoing observation and assessment effectively in her day-to-day practice to identify what children need to learn next and shape her planning. She adapts her teaching in the moment, which gives children time to think and respond so they are supported to express their ideas with growing confidence. The childminder places a clear emphasis on designing experiences carefully so that activities are purposeful and build on what children already know. These experiences reflect children's interests and development. As a result, all children, including those who need extra support, are able to access the curriculum and make secure progress. The childminder further enhances this through her interactions, modelling ambitious language. For example, she introduces and explains new words, such as describing glass as 'fragile', which helps to extend children's vocabulary and

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is broad and thoughtfully organised to support progression across all areas of learning. The childminder plans opportunities for children to revisit and build on what they have already learned. For example, she keeps familiar resources alongside new activities so that children can practise and embed their knowledge over time. She ensures learning links to children's real-life experiences. For instance, children explore animal footprints in play dough, which builds on what they learned during a recent farm visit. There is a focus on early mathematics within everyday routines. Children regularly take part in meaningful counting activities and are encouraged to use mathematical language as they compare amounts, spot patterns and explore numbers. Opportunities for mark making are consistently available indoors and outdoors. This supports children's early writing as part of the well-planned curriculum.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure awareness of children's emotional needs, particularly for those who experience anxiety when separating from parents or carers. She implements effective adaptations to help children settle and feel secure. For example, children use individual visual prompts, such as clocks that show when they will be collected, to help them understand and anticipate the daily routine. The childminder incorporates photographs of children attending that day into activities, which promotes a sense of belonging and inclusion.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children's individual needs are generally identified and supported appropriately. The childminder understands how children learn and develop, and she uses this knowledge to support their progress. She keeps track of what children can do, plans what they need next and adapts her approach as children develop. For instance, she supports children's speech and communication by modelling language, giving them time to respond and encouraging them to build their confidence when speaking. Written assessments are not always precise in identifying emerging needs, including during the progress check at age two. This means some areas where children may benefit from additional support, particularly in communication and language, are not always clearly recorded or linked closely enough to what the childminder plans to do next. While this is not currently hindering children's progress, it makes it harder to track their development over time and means that support is

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Inclusion Expected standard

not always as sharply focused as it could be, especially as children's needs change or when they move on. However, the childminder's strong understanding of children and effective interactions in practice ensure that children continue to receive appropriate support and make secure progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of her provision and reflects well on her practice. She is highly qualified and uses her knowledge of child development effectively to support children's learning and wellbeing. The childminder identifies strengths alongside areas where provision could be developed further to support children's learning. She engages in professional development, including training in safeguarding, communication and outdoor learning. This has a positive impact on the quality of education and care she provides.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works effectively with parents and other professionals. She shares information about children's progress through learning journals and actively seeks parents' views. Parents speak highly of the care provided and the progress their children make. She identifies when children need additional support with their learning and takes appropriate action by working with speech and language therapists and adapting her practice to support children's communication and emotional needs. Assessment, including the progress check at age two, is not always used precisely to clearly identify and record emerging areas of development. This means next steps are not always sharply defined or clearly linked to how support will be put in place. While this is not currently affecting children's progress, this means that systems for monitoring and reviewing children's development are not always as effective as they could be over time. However, the childminder's strong understanding of

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

children and effective use of assessment in practice ensure that teaching remains well matched to children's needs and that they continue to make secure progress.

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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, confident and fully engaged in their play and learning. They form warm, trusting relationships with the childminder, which helps them to feel safe, secure and valued. Clear and consistent routines run throughout the day, so children know what to expect. This

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Inspector:

helps them to settle quickly and feel emotionally secure. Children enjoy their learning and achieve well. They develop a broad range of knowledge and skills across all areas, including communication, early mathematics and social development. They take part in conversations, recall past experiences and use what they know in their play. For example, children explore foam play in the outdoor role-play area. They mix sand and water to create their own ideas, match colours and recall familiar experiences. The childminder supports this through thoughtful interactions, introducing new vocabulary and encouraging children to think and talk about what they are doing. The childminder celebrates children's achievements. She shares 'wow' moments with parents and carers, which helps children to feel proud of what they can do. Children take books home to share with their families, which supports their love of stories and extends their learning beyond the setting.

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Inspector:

Children show positive attitudes to learning. They are curious, motivated and willing to try new experiences. They develop resilience as they learn to cut fruit independently, and show pride in their achievements. Children behave well. They take turns and show kindness to one another. This builds secure relationships and how to play cooperatively. Children are supported in an inclusive environment where their individual needs are generally understood and met well. The childminder adapts her interactions sensitively, including for those developing their communication skills. She works closely with parents and other professionals so that children receive the support they need. All children make secure progress from their starting points and are well prepared for what comes next.

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Inspector:

The childminder supports children's attendance well and works closely with families when children are unable to attend due to ill health, helping to maintain continuity in their care and learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen the use of assessment, including the progress check at age two, to ensure a more consistent and precise approach to identifying children's development needs and planning targeted next steps.

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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. Shelly McDougall

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 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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