Hall, Julie Anne

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2775002 Registered with Ofsted: 10/03/2024 Registers: EYR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points. Children generally benefit from early discussions around concerns. Sometimes, the childminder does not act swiftly enough where children may need additional support. Children build new knowledge and vocabulary through appropriate role modelling and conversations with the childminder. This happens during play and mealtimes, enabling children to be active participants in discussions about their food.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children make decisions independently, such as the toys and resources they would like to play with in the welcoming and accessible environment. Children are proud to have age- appropriate responsibilities within the setting, including hanging their coat on their associated peg and laying the table before chopping their own snack. Children are relaxed and ready to learn. Children gain independence in managing their own hygiene through regular practice with handwashing skills, which prepares them well for the next stages of their learning.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children are motivated and have confidence to try new things. In the garden, they work hard to turn on the tap and fill bottles of water before spraying this onto the ground. Children show curiosity and enjoyment in their play. They concentrate as they explore looking through coloured blocks at words in the environment.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour and reinforces this regularly with children throughout daily routines. The childminder reminds children often about what comes next in the routine, allowing children to feel safe and secure throughout the day. Children typically receive regular praise for their positive behaviour. The childminder is an effective role model for children to be kind and respectful towards each other, teaching children how to resolve conflicts sensitively and effectively. When playing in the garden, children give each other space and take turns to play on the slide.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show secure relationships with the childminder, having confidence to share concerns or ask for help throughout their day. Through clear and consistent communication, parents understand the importance of regular attendance on children's development. The childminder encourages children to build resilience when presented with challenges. For example, when children struggle to open packaging at mealtimes, the childminder encourages children to have a go, helping them just enough to enable them to successfully complete the task. The childminder generally has clear ideas of how children should be kept safe and involves children within this process. Therefore, children learn to keep themselves safe when sitting at the table or when climbing steps to the slide.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has created a space that is safe and inviting for children, parents and carers. Children can easily access toys at their own level and enjoy exploring everything available to them. Children are eager to play outside in the garden and help the childminder to wipe water away from the slide, encouraging active participation and shared thinking. The childminder sensitively uses her knowledge of child development to build secure relationships with children. As a result of this, children also build secure relationships, which allows them to engage confidently.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children typically learn to become increasingly independent with self-care and hygiene through simple, sequenced routines reinforced regularly by the childminder. Children wash their hands before mealtimes. The childminder explains to children the importance of washing their hands. The childminder promotes independence and understanding through regular explanation around keeping our hands clean. The childminder reminds children regularly about what they are able to do and adapts her explanations so that all children learn. This encourages children to build secure knowledge and understand their own strengths. The childminder promotes healthy, balanced meals with parents and children through discussion and signposting to information such as what to include in a packed lunch. Children enjoy taking an active role in snack time, with opportunities to lay the table, peel fruit and choose whether to chop this before eating.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands what children should know and can do. The curriculum is designed to support children's learning across all areas of learning and development. The childminder accepts and acknowledges there is room to further refine the curriculum to help embed higher-quality teaching across the provision.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder carefully interacts with each child to meet individual learning styles. She skilfully extends, consolidates and revisits learning with children, supporting solid long-term retention. The childminder prioritises communication and language development with ample opportunities for children to develop their fine motor physical development. She also thoughtfully considers mathematics development. For example, children explore play dough and the childminder encourages children to roll it and create balls of different sizes. She talks to children as they play, introducing language to compare size, such as big and small.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder purposely plans to develop children's overall physical strength and control. In the outdoor environment, children are highly motivated to learn new skills. Children enthusiastically fill water bottles with the childminder before spraying them onto the garden slabs. The childminder precisely guides learning by encouraging children to observe the differences in the slabs as they change colour when becoming wet. The childminder introduces new words as she explains to children how they will build muscle strength and how this will help them to hold a pencil.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers key information from parents and carers to help establish children's starting points. She uses this to plan activities carefully. As a result, children make steady progress across all areas of development. Embedded partnerships with parents also allow the childminder to share how learning can be supported at home. The childminder understands how to support communication and language development. For example, she uses children's names to gain their attention and extends learning by adding resources during play, such as dinosaurs. The childminder recognises that some children engage differently and is skilled at individualising her approach to allow each child to make progress.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's changing needs and typically adapts her practice to ensure relevant intervention steps are taken. For example, the childminder understands how additional funding can be used to support children who may be eligible. She also works with parents and local professionals to inform planning, and this is typically reducing barriers for children. However, the childminder is not always confident about the role she can play in swiftly organising additional support for children who need it and the strategies she will implement to even further close gaps in learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder welcomes contributions from parents and carers during their earliest moments and has created well-established partnerships that contribute to effective settling and planning processes. She works to maintain consistency for children between home and the setting. Parents recognise and appreciate the progress their children have made during time with the childminder as well as receiving clear communication and regular updates. The childminder uses skilled observations and previous knowledge of children to determine clear next steps in learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder takes clear notice of children's thoughts and ideas, extending them purposefully during play. Where children make requests for help, the childminder is committed to reinforcing a strong, trusting relationship. This ensures the childminder stays rooted in what matters most to children and that children feel safe and secure in her care.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is extremely reflective of her own practice and that of her assistant and remains open to constructive feedback. The childminder engages in some professional development and recognises where additional opportunities could further increase the support available to children. The childminder plans to seek out meaningful training and advice, including within the local authority. The childminder manages her workload and that of her assistant well. She ensures time is effectively used to secure the best outcomes for children.

p.4

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

Children develop appropriate knowledge for their age and stage of learning with skilful interactions from their childminder. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to ensure children's individual routines and interests are understood. As a result, children are well supported and make steady progress. Children are comfortable in a nurturing and inviting space and feel safe asking for help when needed. Children's social skills are developed appropriately for their age. The childminder closely uses gentle modelling and skilful interactions with children to support cooperative play and positive relationships.

p.4

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

The childminder embeds consistent routines that children understand. Children enjoy playing outdoors where they explore physically and test new skills and learning with water and spray bottles. Children talk confidently with the childminder, who introduces new language and extends conversations meaningfully. Children's health and wellbeing are supported consistently. The childminder provides healthy snacks, and children enjoy being an active part of mealtimes, including laying the table and peeling and cutting their fruit. There is a strong focus on developing children's independence, which is woven into daily routines. As a result, children develop a sense of achievement and know what they are good at.

p.5

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

The childminder establishes effective partnership working with parents. She ensures parents understand the importance of their child's regular attendance. Children become confident in a range of self-care skills, including handwashing, feeding themselves and putting their coats on their pegs. This helps to support them for future learning. The childminder regularly praises children. As a result, children develop emotional wellbeing. The childminder carefully designs a range of learning opportunities using children's interests and ideas. This supports children to feel heard and be excited about their play.

p.5

Next steps

The childminder should focus more precisely on consistently reducing barriers to children's learning throughout daily practices to help narrow gaps swiftly and effectively. The childminder should further refine the curriculum and embed higher-quality teaching across the provision. The childminder should develop the programme of professional development for herself and her assistant to build on and strengthen practice to further elevate quality.

p.5

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

p.5

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.

p.5

About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

p.5

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:15 - 17:00

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.6

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.7

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.

p.7

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

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 .

p.7

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7