Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2783263 Registered with Ofsted: 23/04/2024 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children achieve well across all areas of learning and development. They show curiosity, confidence and a positive attitude towards learning as they eagerly build trains, choose stories and explore different animals. Children build on their prior knowledge, discussing their recent learning of numbers and applying them during a dance activity.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make good progress in their communication skills and in their personal, social and physical development as they confidently explore, investigate and practise new skills. For example, when children researched the features of sea animals, they shared their ideas during group discussions and moved like sea creatures, demonstrating their understanding through play.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make good progress from their starting points, including those who may face barriers to learning. They develop the skills and behaviours needed for the next stage of their learning. Children become increasingly independent, communicate effectively and participate fully in daily experiences.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and naturally use polite language such as 'please' and 'thank you' in their interactions. The childminder supports children calmly during moments of frustration and helps them re-engage positively in play through distraction and redirection. While she manages these situations sensitively, she does not always help children recognise and name their emotions. As a result, children do not consistently learn strategies to help them understand and manage their feelings independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder builds warm, secure relationships with children and responds positively when they seek reassurance, comfort or attention. For example, during construction play, the childminder praises children for showing kindness, sharing blocks and including younger children in their play. This helps children develop positive relationships and learn how to play cooperatively with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder communicates to parents the importance of good attendance, helping families understand the link between consistent attendance and children's learning and development. She demonstrates a secure understanding of absence procedures and can clearly explain the steps she would take when children are absent from the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are happy, settled and emotionally secure in the childminder's home. Warm and caring relationships are evident throughout the day, and children clearly feel safe, valued and comfortable. Younger children confidently seek comfort and reassurance from the childminder, showing that they have formed strong attachments. The childminder knows the children well and responds warmly to their individual needs, helping them to feel confident and secure as they play and learn. The childminder supports children's physical health and wellbeing. Children enjoy healthy, nutritious meals and snacks and are keen to sit together at mealtimes, where they chat and develop their social skills. They benefit from plenty of opportunities to be active throughout the day and enjoy spending time outdoors. Children run, squat, explore and take part in physical play that helps develop their strength, balance and coordination. The childminder

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

provides regular access to fresh air and exercise to help children develop healthy habits from an early age. The childminder encourages children to stay active and promotes a positive approach to healthy lifestyles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a well-sequenced seasonal curriculum that helps children build skills and knowledge over time. She plans activities around children's interests, developmental stages and individual needs, which keeps them engaged and motivated to learn. She organises the environment well and offers a range of meaningful experiences indoors and outdoors. Children explore planting, investigate minibeasts and develop independence through everyday play and routines. They use mathematical language as they build with blocks, while younger children show good concentration as they solve simple challenges.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder teaches in a warm and responsive way. During a play dough activity, she encourages younger children to explore textures while supporting older children in using tools to create shapes, developing their fine motor skills, language and early mathematical understanding. She extends learning through conversations, counting and skilful questioning. She closely follows children's interests and curiosity. For example, when children discovered a jellyfish in the garden, she encouraged further exploration and research, helping them learn more about the natural world and how to use technology to find information. The childminder prioritises extending the learning of older and most-able children. During these moments, younger children are not always consistently engaged in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder celebrates a range of festivals, awareness events and cultural traditions throughout the year. She communicates with parents to ensure children's home cultures are meaningfully reflected in the curriculum. She also introduces universal values through everyday experiences and discussions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder prioritises getting to know children well and develops a good understanding of their backgrounds, routines and individual needs. The childminder works closely with parents from the very beginning to help children settle confidently and feel emotionally secure within her home setting. She knows how to effectively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities by regularly updating her knowledge and skills through training.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works well with other professionals to help children access the support they need. She uses strategies such as Makaton signs, visual support and one-to-one interactions to help children communicate and build confidence in their communication skills. For example, during a play dough activity, the childminder simplifies words for younger children, using visual cue cards to demonstrate the objects.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children who face barriers to learning, including those learning English as an additional language and children with speech and language delays, make good progress from their starting points. The childminder gets to know key words that children use at home and uses them when they first start. This helps children feel settled, understood and confident as they build relationships and begin to communicate in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder communicates effectively with assistants to ensure children's needs and next steps are understood and supported effectively. She has regular planning meetings and discussions to help the team reflect on their practice and to continue improving the experiences she provides for children. The childminder values professional development and encourages staff to attend training and share new ideas, creating a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder embeds children's safe sleep routines well. She talks to parents about children's sleep needs and takes these into account when planning their day. She speaks confidently about safe sleep practices and shows a good understanding of how to keep children safe while they sleep. The calm and welcoming sleep area helps children relax and rest, supporting their wellbeing and ensuring they are ready to enjoy the activities and experiences on offer.

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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, settled and confident in the childminder's home. They enjoy a warm and nurturing environment where they feel safe, valued and included in daily activities planned for them. Children build close relationships with the childminder. They confidently seek reassurance, comfort and support when they need it. Children enjoy a wide range of activities, both indoors and outdoors, that spark their curiosity. These activities, including gardening and minibeast observations, encourage children to explore and investigate through play. Children become excited when discovering minibeasts in the garden, racing on bikes, joining in with singing and dancing and enjoying engaging story sessions. The childminder uses children's interests well to extend their learning and introduce new vocabulary, ideas and experiences.

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

Children develop good independence skills and take pride in managing routines such as washing their hands, tidying away resources and putting on shoes and coats. They behave well, use good manners and develop positive friendships with one another. Children enjoy meaningful conversations and opportunities to share their ideas and experiences. The childminder knows the children and their families very well and works closely with parents to support children's individual needs and development. As a result, children develop confidence, resilience and the key skills they need for future learning and their next step in education.

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

Children who face barriers to learning achieve well and have positive experiences in the childminder's home. The childminder provides effective support that helps them make good progress and engage in activities.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 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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Next steps

The childminder should adapt teaching during spontaneous activities to ensure all children remain fully engaged and included in learning opportunities. The childminder should further support children to understand and manage their emotions by naming feelings during moments of upset or frustration.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the co-childminder 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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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

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 .

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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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