Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2796987 Registered with Ofsted: 31/07/2024 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 typically make the progress that they are capable of in this setting. They generally become confident communicators. Older children talk about things that are important to them, such as discussing their families. Toddlers use short phrases to express their needs and choices. However, at times, some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not benefit from additional strategies to help them to communicate what they want. Children are able to follow their own patterns in play due to the enabling environment. For instance, they collect and move objects around in buckets when they show an interest in transporting things.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children begin to understand diversity in an age-appropriate way. They explore resources, books and musical instruments that reflect a range of different cultures. Children demonstrate their mathematical understanding during activities. For instance, they count as they go up and down the stairs. Older children compare the sizes of objects during water play. Children develop an interest in books. They access books in all aspects of the environment. Children benefit from stories being incorporated into their play activities. They develop skills and knowledge in this setting that will help to prepare them effectively for the next stage in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children learn to behave well. They learn to share, take turns and respect the views of others. For instance, older children understand the need to wait for their turn to pick a story or a song. The childminder has high expectations for children. She generally communicates these clearly, so children understand what is expected of them. For instance, the childminder plays a familiar song at tidy-up time to encourage children to join in and help.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder generally adapts her expectations for the different ages of children. However, she does not consider that some activities change quickly and with little warning for children. This causes some children, in particular those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to become slightly unsettled and not participate alongside their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from constant, positive praise and encouragement. This helps them to have high levels of self-esteem. The childminder models positive manners throughout all her interactions. In turn, children copy this behaviour and frequently say 'please' and 'thank you'. The childminder monitors children's attendance. She shares her expectations with parents and carers to ensure that children benefit from attending regularly and promptly. The childminder, any assistants she works with and children have lovely attachments. They demonstrate that they feel very secure in their care. This helps children to be ready to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works with parents and carers to ensure children have a balanced and healthy diet. She gives them clear messages and advice around suitable meals to send in for their children. The childminder reminds children to drink water regularly to ensure they stay hydrated, particularly in warmer weather. Children have lots of opportunities for fresh air and exercise.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder carries out care practices with privacy and sensitivity. Mealtimes and sleep times are organised to promote children's safety and independence. For instance, all children sit in low-level seats and receive close supervision when they eat. Children sleep on individual mattresses with clean bedding. The childminder frequently checks on children when they sleep. Children learn to keep themselves safe, such as when using the stairs. For instance, they know to hold adults' hands when coming up, and learn to come down in a seated position.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Overall, children develop their independence skills. All children very capably feed themselves and learn to wash their hands. The childminder reminds children not to eat sand. At some times during their play, children do not receive support to develop a consistent understanding about positive hygiene practices. For example, some younger children or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are at the exploratory stage of mouthing or chewing shared toys. The childminder does not offer suitable alternatives or stop them. She does not explain at these times why this could impact their health. This does not help children to have a consistent understanding about the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows what she wants individual children to learn. She uses her observations and assessments to plan a curriculum, indoors and outdoors, that typically takes account of what all children need to learn next. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. Younger children develop the strength in their hands as they poke, roll and manipulate dough. They press pine cones and dried oranges into the dough, exploring the patterns they make. Older children make marks in sand with sticks and the wheels of toy diggers. They squeeze bottles and pipettes with determination. These activities help children to develop their coordination.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is a sensitive play partner. She follows children's lead and ideas, extending their learning through their play. Overall, the childminder develops children's language effectively when they play. For instance, she models key vocabulary to match children's actions, such as 'splash', 'shake' and 'wash'. The childminder asks effective questions, which encourages children to think and provide longer responses. This helps most children to become confident communicators.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans regular song and story times to develop children's early language and literacy skills. She adapts her teaching to include all children. For instance, younger children pick an object out of a song bag to choose the song they want to sing. Toddlers look at lift- the-flap books, eagerly anticipating what is underneath. Older children listen carefully to the childminder reading and join in with the story.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children are generally engaged and motivated in their learning due to the exciting activities the childminder plans. On some occasions, the childminder does not plan transition times as effectively, and some children are unsure of what to expect. At these times, this means children are not as engaged in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies gaps in children's development. She plans individual targets to help children catch up in their learning. The childminder involves parents and carers in this process, keeping them involved at every stage. She works with other professionals, such as Portage workers, when children need more specialist support.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder makes referrals to services, such as speech and language therapy, to get children the extra help they need. The childminder does not ensure that strategies, such as using objects and visual cues, are used promptly and consistently to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). At these times, this impacts on children's communication and ability to cope with transitions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has plans to develop her knowledge of how to support children with SEND further. For instance, she has enrolled in a level 3 qualification in special educational needs coordination. The childminder recognises that this will help to address the needs of individual children more consistently. The childminder is aware of additional funding that she can apply for to support children with barriers to their learning or wellbeing. She understands the support that is available in the local area to ensure children get the help they need.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge of statutory requirements up to date. She has attended lots of training around safeguarding to keep children safe. The childminder ensures that any assistants she works with know how to protect children. She regularly checks their knowledge through quizzes and meetings. The childminder encourages any assistants she works with to gain further qualifications. She evaluates her practice. For instance, the childminder has plans to enhance her knowledge of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, she has not yet focused professional development for herself and any assistants she works with on extending their teaching skills and knowledge, and to address minor inconsistencies in practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder conducts effective recruitment processes to ensure any assistants she works with are suitable. She is mindful to support their workload. For example, the childminder regularly checks in after work with any assistants she works with to check on their wellbeing. This helps children to benefit from a happy team, who work very well together. The childminder offers any assistants she works with regular feedback to enhance their practice further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are very appreciative of the service the childminder provides. They comment that their children are excited to attend the setting. Parents comment positively on the range of new experiences, people and places their children experience. The childminder shares lots of photos and information about children's progress and achievements with parents. She provides advice to support their children at home, such as around the use of dummies and healthy eating.

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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 very happy and settled in this stimulating home-from-home setting. They have lots of opportunities to lead their own learning through a curriculum that promotes their curiosity. They explore an abundance of natural and open-ended resources in a very enabling environment. This helps to inspire children's exploration and imagination. For instance, children explore scented dough with resources such as pine cones and dried oranges. They smell the dough, commenting it is 'sweet'.

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

Outdoor learning is an important part of the curriculum. Children benefit from hands-on experiences in nature to build on their confidence, curiosity and wellbeing. They play outdoors in all weathers, in waterproof suits when needed. Children visit the woods, where the childminder teaches them about the world around them and helps them to explore nature. They benefit from visits to parks to practise their large physical skills. Children receive encouragement to lead their own play. They benefit from the childminder skilfully weaving in their next steps in learning during activities. For instance, they recall the story of 'The Tiger Who Came To Tea' when playing in the water outdoors. They recognise objects and characters from the story, which the childminder places in the water tray.

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

Children try hard and persevere during their play. They carefully pour water from real teapots down ramps, watching the water run down different levels. Children make their own discoveries, such as by experimenting how they can make the water flow faster. They show pride in their achievements, saying 'ta-da' when they successfully fill a bucket. Children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they receive reminders to sit down when they are eating. Children cuddle up on the childminder's knee when they are tired or when they are listening to stories.

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Next steps

The childminder should target strategies more precisely to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to enhance their communication, especially when activities change. The childminder should plan transition times more carefully to ensure children know what to expect and are fully engaged in their learning. The childminder should enhance children's understanding of positive hygiene practices. The childminder should extend professional development opportunities for herself and any assistants she works with, to enhance their knowledge and teaching skills further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder, her assistants and children during the inspection. She also considered the written views of parents and carers.

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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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About this setting

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

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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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