Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2786413 Registered with Ofsted: 24/04/2024 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

All children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, progress well with their social skills as they play games that encourage turn-taking and sharing. They form friendships, play collaboratively and are kind and caring. For example, children demonstrated kindness and consideration by holding the door open for others as they went outside together.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress from their starting points and develop key skills across areas of learning. They show increasing confidence in their physical development, moving independently and exploring resources with curiosity.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children have many opportunities to learn about the world around them. They develop a love for reading and enjoy visits to the library where they are introduced to a range of books. These books are then taken home to be shared with their families, strengthening links between the setting and home learning. Children are well prepared for their next stage in learning and development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a calm and nurturing environment where children understand clear and consistent expectations for behaviour. She builds warm and trusting relationships with children and responds sensitively to their needs. Children confidently seek reassurance when needed and respond positively to praise and encouragement, which helps them feel secure and willing to take part in routines and activities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are familiar with the daily routines and respond positively to clear expectations. They demonstrate an understanding of what is expected of them and are developing independence skills. For example, children follow familiar routines with confidence. They understand transitions, such as nappy changing and snack times, and respond appropriately to the childminder's guidance. This contributes to a calm and orderly setting where children feel secure and able to engage in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from consistent attendance, which supports their learning and development. The childminder works with parents to ensure attendance is prioritised, adapting sessions when needed. Secure relationships with parents help them understand the importance of regular attendance, with feedback confirming the positive impact on children's progress and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Secure and responsive relationships are evident, particularly for babies and younger children. Children seek reassurance when needed and are comforted sensitively. The childminder responds promptly to children's cues, offering physical comfort and verbal reassurance. For example, children who become unsettled during play are supported calmly until they feel ready to re-engage. This helps them develop trust and confidence. Procedures for eating, sleeping and supporting children with their intimate care promote children's safety and welfare. The childminder supervises children well during mealtimes. She works closely with parents to ensure care practices are responsive and unique to each child. The childminder promotes children's understanding of healthy lifestyles effectively, for example during visits to the allotment. Children are encouraged to grow vegetables from seeds, helping them learn about healthy eating, nature and where food from comes from.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder is caring and attentive to children's personal care needs. However, she is sometimes too quick to intervene, for example by wiping children's noses and completing self-care tasks for them before they have the opportunity to try independently. This does not consistently support children to develop their independence and self-help skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder builds children's confidence and helps to support their personal and emotional development as she encourages them to take on new tasks. She teaches younger children to develop early counting skills by encouraging them to count while washing their hands. Children develop hand strength and coordination through using scoops to dig, transfer and manipulate mud while making mud pies.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder closely supports children's communication and language. She quickly picks up on any areas where they need additional support. She provides clear speech for them to understand and copy and repeats this as appropriate to help them develop their clarity and language. For example, she consistently uses single words in combination with gestures to support younger children's developing language skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed a curriculum that gives children the knowledge and skills they need for future learning and prioritises the prime areas. Her curriculum is centred on learning through play, outdoor learning and engaging learning experiences in and out of the setting. This supports all children to make steady progress through the curriculum. For example, children benefit from weekly visits to the childminder's allotment, where they engage in a range of hands-on learning experiences, including feeding chickens and collecting eggs, which they are able to take home with them.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder thoughtfully adapts activities, daily routines and the learning environment to ensure all children are fully included and able to participate with confidence. The childminder takes a proactive approach to removing any potential barriers to learning and actively engages in training to support this. She creates an environment where children feel supported, valued and motivated to engage. As a result, children make positive progress from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder maintains high expectations for all children and supports them to achieve their next steps. Her secure knowledge of child development enables her to identify what children need at different stages and plan experiences that support their progress. The childminder carries out regular observations and uses these, alongside information gathered from parents when children first start and through ongoing daily conversations, to support each child. The childminder understands how to use additional funding to support the individual needs of children. She keeps her knowledge of inclusive practice up to date and recognises the importance of working collaboratively with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective and mostly identifies where improvements are needed. She is committed to providing the best care and education for children. Furthermore, she accesses ongoing training to support children's development. This helps her implement various strategies in her teaching. However, although the childminder is committed to continuous professional development and attends relevant training, there still remains scope to further strengthen how this training is consistently embedded into everyday practice to maximise outcomes for all children. Nevertheless, all children are developing the skills in readiness for later learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her provision, using feedback from the families. She considers the opportunities she offers children and how these relate to their learning and development. She is very passionate about what she does and the experiences she offers the children in her care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder generally works well with parents and carers. She finds out key information about the children before they start at the setting. She keeps parents informed about their child's day, activities, development and progress. Parents value the feedback they are given, which includes information on how they can continue their child's 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 experience a warm, calm and nurturing environment where they feel safe, valued and secure. The childminder develops strong and trusting relationships with children, helping them to feel emotionally secure and confident within the setting. Children approach the childminder for reassurance when needed and quickly return to their play. They demonstrate that they feel comfortable and supported.

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

The childminder knows and fully understands children's individual personalities and what makes them unique. This helps her plan activities and experiences that she knows will engage children and motivate them to learn. For instance, when she is helping children to develop the coordination of the small muscles in their hands, she introduces interesting activities that she knows children will enjoy as they develop these skills. For example, children explored a sensory tray filled with coloured rice, using scoops and containers to pick up, pour and transfer materials.

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

Children are kept safe. The childminder supervises children closely and gives clear, simple explanations about safe behaviour, such as moving safely between spaces and not climbing. This helps children begin to understand risks and how to keep themselves safe. Children make secure progress from their starting points. This is supported by the childminder's knowledge of their individual needs and her close partnership with parents.

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

The childminder provides children with a rich range of experiences, including opportunities to grow produce in her allotment and care for chickens. Children collect eggs, and the childminder shares the produce with families, helping children to build an understanding of where food comes from and promoting a sense of responsibility. The childminder aims for children to foster a love for outdoors, which is reflected in the regular experiences she offers. Children visit a range of places of interest, including museums, libraries, farms and

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday : 07:30 - 17:30,Thursday : 08:00 - 15:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

the zoo. They also take part in bird watching at a local nature reserve, supporting their curiosity about wildlife and the natural environment.

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Next steps

The childminder should help younger children to develop their independence by allowing them to do things for themselves. The childminder should strengthen professional development and evaluation of practice to identify and address any improvements to raise the quality of education further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the 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. 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. 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 .

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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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