Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2798342 Registered with Ofsted: 29/07/2024 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 good progress from their starting points. They develop confidence in communicating their needs, preferences and ideas and increasingly engage in conversations with the childminder and other children. Children listen carefully, respond to questions and contribute their own thoughts and experiences. As a result, they are developing the communication and language skills needed to support future learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children build the knowledge and skills they need across the areas of learning and development. They show increasing confidence in making choices, exploring independently and persevering with activities that interest them. Children engage confidently in learning experiences, readily try new experiences and share their ideas with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are developing the personal, social and emotional skills needed for their next stage of learning. They form positive relationships, manage familiar routines with increasing independence and show confidence within the setting. However, their knowledge and understanding of healthy lifestyles and the wider world are not developed as securely as other areas of learning. As a result, achievement across the curriculum is not yet consistently strong.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has established clear expectations for behaviour and daily routines. Children understand these expectations and generally respond well to gentle reminders and guidance. They move calmly between activities, follow familiar routines and willingly help to tidy resources at the end of activities. Children demonstrate that they feel secure and know what is expected of them throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children typically show positive attitudes towards their learning. They engage readily in activities, listen attentively to stories and discussions and sustain their concentration during experiences that capture their interest. Children contribute to discussions and enjoy participating in group conversations. They learn to cooperate during play, share resources and take turns. Children are beginning to recognise and talk about emotions, including their own and those of story characters, helping them develop consideration for others and positive relationships with their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder considers children's ages, stages of development and individual circumstances when supporting their behaviour and participation. Expectations are generally appropriate and help children experience success. She promotes the importance of regular attendance through positive relationships with families and consistent communication. As a result, children generally develop the behaviours, attitudes and routines that support their learning, wellbeing and future readiness.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from nurturing care that supports their individual needs and wellbeing. The childminder gathers information from parents about children's routines, care needs and individual circumstances when they start at the setting. She uses this information to help ensure that children's individual needs are understood and met consistently. Children are comfortable in the setting and demonstrate that they feel secure. They confidently seek reassurance, comfort and affection when needed, showing that they have formed trusting relationships.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children form warm attachments with the childminder. Care routines are carried out sensitively and respectfully. For example, children's privacy and dignity are maintained during personal care routines. Children are supported to recognise and express their emotions and are reassured when needed. They access familiar comfort items independently and receive support that helps them feel emotionally secure and valued.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are encouraged to follow healthy routines, including handwashing, healthy eating and physical activity. They are developing increasing independence in managing aspects of their personal care and daily routines. However, children are not consistently helped to understand how healthy routines support their health and wellbeing. As a result, they do not always develop the depth of understanding about healthy lifestyles that they could. Nevertheless, individual routines are generally followed well and adapted to meet children's needs, helping children develop confidence, emotional security and a positive sense of wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed a curriculum that reflects children's interests, stages of development and next steps in learning. She uses her knowledge of children to shape experiences and follows their interests to support learning across the areas of development. Children revisit previous learning. For example, they recall and act out elements of familiar stories during play. The childminder has strengthened opportunities for children to develop mathematical understanding through everyday play and routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder prioritises communication, language and mathematical development. She uses stories, discussion and play to encourage children to share ideas and extend their vocabulary. Children develop mathematical understanding through practical experiences, such as matching lids to containers and exploring shape, colour and quantity during play. The childminder generally adapts teaching appropriately to children's ages and stages of development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder does not consistently use explanations to help children understand why healthy routines and self-care practices are important. For example, she encourages children to wash their hands and follow personal care routines, but she does not consistently explain how these actions support their health and wellbeing. Although she promotes children's awareness of different people, communities and technology through discussion, resources and everyday experiences, this learning is not embedded consistently across the curriculum. As a result, children do not always develop the depth of understanding in these areas that they could.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers detailed information from parents about children's routines, interests and development when they start at the setting. Flexible settling arrangements help children become familiar with the environment and establish secure relationships. The childminder knows children well and uses her understanding of their individual needs to support their participation in daily experiences.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's development and identifies appropriate next steps in learning. She works with other settings that children attend to help provide continuity in their learning and development. The childminder carefully monitors children's speech and language development, including the words children use at home and the progress they make over time. She understands the importance of working with parents and seeking advice from relevant professionals when appropriate.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder considers children's individual circumstances, emotional wellbeing and stage of development when planning experiences and daily routines. She adapts her interactions and support to help children participate and overcome potential barriers to their learning and wellbeing. This helps children engage in learning experiences and access the opportunities available to them. As a result, children generally access the curriculum well and make progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. She reflects on her practice and uses her knowledge of children's individual needs and development to inform decisions about the provision. The childminder identifies priorities for improvement and takes steps to strengthen children's experiences. For example, she has strengthened opportunities for children to develop mathematical understanding through everyday play and routines. This helps her provide a welcoming and inclusive environment where children feel safe and supported.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains positive partnerships with parents and values their contributions to children's learning and development. She communicates regularly with families, helping her understand children's needs and provide continuity in their care and learning. Parents speak positively about the care, support and learning opportunities provided. The childminder organises the setting effectively and takes appropriate steps to maintain continuity for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages in professional development to keep her knowledge and skills up to date. She develops her practice through training and professional discussions. For example, she attended a forest school programme delivered by the local authority to broaden her knowledge and consider new approaches to children's learning. However, improvements to some aspects of the curriculum are not yet embedded consistently enough to have a stronger impact on children's learning. Nevertheless, the childminder demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and generally provides a positive learning environment that supports children's learning and development.

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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 secure in this welcoming home-from-home setting. They form warm relationships and confidently seek reassurance, conversation and cuddles before returning to their play. Children feel valued and included. They make choices about what they would like to do and move independently between activities. Children show confidence in familiar routines and increasingly manage aspects of their own care and learning. They benefit from consistent relationships that help them develop a strong sense of belonging. Children arrive confidently and settle quickly into the day, demonstrating that they feel safe and comfortable in the environment.

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

Children enjoy experiences that reflect their interests and stage of development. They become deeply engaged in play, showing curiosity, concentration and imagination. For example, children spend sustained periods exploring oats in a sensory tray before incorporating them into their own play ideas. They confidently share their thoughts, explain what they have created and learn new words, such as 'transparent', as they explore magnetic tiles. Children enthusiastically join in with stories and discussions. They begin to recognise and talk about their feelings, discuss why characters experience different emotions and learn to consider the feelings of others. They show increasing confidence in expressing their ideas and communicating with those around them.

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

Children typically develop increasing independence through daily routines. They confidently access resources, tidy away equipment, wash their hands and manage aspects of mealtimes for themselves. They join activities at their own pace and demonstrate growing confidence and resilience. Children play alongside and with others, learning to share resources and cooperate during activities. They benefit from regular experiences beyond the setting, including outings within the local community and visits to farm parks, which help them become confident in different environments. As a result, children generally develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should consistently provide explanations during daily routines and activities to help children understand how healthy choices and self-care practices support their health and wellbeing. The childminder should embed opportunities more consistently across the curriculum for children to develop their understanding of people, communities and technology beyond their immediate experiences.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 09:00 - 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

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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