Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY379949 Registered with Ofsted: 01/10/2008 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 generally persevere with tasks and show a positive attitude to learning. For example, they concentrate for sustained periods of time while stacking and balancing wooden blocks to build tall towers. Children enjoy looking at familiar books and use key words from the stories. While reading 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', children eagerly join in saying words, such as 'egg' and 'butterfly', demonstrating their enjoyment and growing vocabulary.

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Achievement Expected standard

In the main, children show independence skills. For example, on arrival, they promptly take their shoes off and tidy them away, showing to visitors where they need to be stored. However, at times, the childminder does not encourage the children to do task for themselves. For example, they are not consistently supported to feed themselves at lunchtime.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their large muscles well. They walk to the local park daily, where they exercise and enjoy fresh air. Children enjoy exploring movements and active play. They show secure gross motor skills and are proud to show visitors that they can stand on one leg and do push-ups. Overall, children gain skills across all areas of the curriculum and are prepared for their next stage in learning, including school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder sets clear boundaries for children's behaviour and she acts as a positive role model. Children follow instructions and understand expectations. They show good manners, regularly saying please and thank you. Children are polite and respectful toward others. They greet visitors on arrival and wave goodbye from the door as they leave.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children enjoy the company of this caring childminder and seek her out to share experiences. When she reads to them, they snuggle in and enjoy the reassurance this gives them. They play and laugh together throughout the day, demonstrating a warm bond. This helps children feel safe and secure in her care.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder takes children to the local park and playgroups, where they have the opportunity to interact within larger groups. This helps them to develop their social skills, including learning to collaborate, sharing and getting along with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder typically encourages children to develop a positive attitude to learning. They are confident and eager to share ideas. Children select toys and books that interest them, investigate these and involve the childminder in their play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder monitors attendance and follows up concerns. This helps to promote children's good habits for the future and ensures that their safety is prioritised.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to understand how to keep safe and the reasons behind her expectations. She provides them with explanations during play and everyday routines. For example, when a child steps on a wooden block and says 'Ouchy', the childminder explains that toys left on the floor can hurt and that this is why resources should be tidied away after playing with them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to express their emotions and share their feelings. Children are comfortable in her care and show warm and trusting relationships with her. The childminder encourages children to talk about their experiences from other settings and to reflect on how they felt. This supports the children's emotional wellbeing and sense of security. Children share details about their day and make connections between experiences. For example, they recall visiting a local playgroup during the half-term and comment that they have also been there with the childminder.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children typically demonstrate independence skills and know the setting's rules and routine. For example, they tidy-up resources after play and know when it is time to go outside. However, on occasion, the childminder does not encourage children to do things for themselves. For example, they do not wipe their hands independently at mealtimes.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder understands safer sleeping requirements and ensures children are checked regularly during their sleep.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows the interests and needs of the children in her care well. She designs a curriculum that focuses appropriately on the prime areas of learning. She provides children with daily opportunities to exercise at the local park and playground, where they strengthen their physical skills. In addition, children develop their hand muscles and fine motor control through play. For example, they enjoy connecting magnetic carriages together. The childminder offers encouragement and praise as children attempt new tasks, helping them to build their confidence. She supports children's communication and language through conversations and introducing new vocabulary. For example, children learn the difference between 'shiny' and 'fuzzy' while reading touch and feel books. However, the childminder has not yet focused her professional development more precisely to further enhance the support for children's needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses targeted strategies and resources to adapt teaching for all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning. For example, she reviews the layout of her environment and the way she displays resources to foster children's concentration and engagement. As a result, all children can access the curriculum and make progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder interweaves mathematical learning through play and activities as she encourages children to notice and talk about sizes, shapes and number of objects. For example, children explore and complete a variety of sorting and stacking puzzles. This support them to learn mathematical language and concepts.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates a welcoming environment, where all children feel valued. She demonstrates a reflective approach to identifying and supporting children with emerging additional needs. The childminder gathers information from parents and carers about children's starting points and monitors their development, recognising gaps and potential barriers to learning. She works with parents and carers and liaises with other settings the children attend to provide targeted and consistent support. This approach ensures children receive effective support to promote their development and benefit from continuity of learning and care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows how to signpost families to relevant information and external professionals, when additional help is required. She has previously identified children who needed support with their speech and language development and worked with parents and other professionals to foster their progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder adapts her curriculum and routines to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and ensure that everyone is included. For example, she reviews the layout of the environment and introduces resources to promote children's engagement. In addition, she plans outings to support specific physical development needs. However, the childminder does not consistently access training to sources ways to support children's needs further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children develop an awareness of diversity through activities, such as cookery classes, where they explore foods from around the world and learn about different cultures and ways of life.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is an active and regarded member of her community. She works in partnerships with local nurseries to borrow and share resources, ensuring children access a wide and varied range of resources tailored to their interests and needs. Although there are currently no children in receipt of additional funding on roll, the childminder has a clear understanding of how such funding could be used to support children's individual needs. For example, she explains that she would use funding to purchase resources tailored to children's interest and needs and to provide experiences that they may not otherwise access.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains regular communication with parents and works with other settings that minded children attend. She reflects on her practice and makes changes that have a positive impact on the children's outcomes. For example, she implemented 'I am ready to' and 'I can' stickers. She then shares them with parents and the children's other settings to support continuity of learning and care. Parents are pleased with the service provided by the childminder and describe her as a trusted professional. They praise the progress their children make, especially in their communication and language's skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is knowledgeable and experienced. She generally keeps her knowledge of new requirements up to date. However, she does not routinely access training to build on her existing skills and further improve her practice. This reduces opportunities to further enhance 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 enjoy their time at this nurturing setting. The childminder knows children well and plans activities based on their interests and needs. She encourages them to think and express their thoughts. Children lead their play and move confidently in the environment.

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Inspector:

They enjoy learning, become engrossed in the activities they have freely chosen and show curiosity. For example, they spend a long period of time building elaborate train tracks and testing how movable bridges and gates work.

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Inspector:

The childminder builds trusting relationships with the children and their families. She welcomes them warmly on arrival, creating a homely and respectful atmosphere. This supports children's sense of belonging and their confidence. Children show a clear understanding of the daily routines and respond positively to the childminder's guidance. For instance, they know they need to clean their hands before lunch and to tidy up after playing.

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Inspector:

Children benefit from rich, meaningful interactions throughout the day. The childminder models vocabulary as children play and extends their understanding and conversational skills. For example, when naming body parts, a child says, 'big finger', she explains it is called a thumb. The childminder ensures she says the word clearly for children to learn how to pronounce it.

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Inspector:

Children enjoy visits at the local parks and walks in the community. This gives them the opportunity to enjoy fresh air and develop their physical skills. In addition, they acquire an understanding of the world around them. Children learn to care for and respect animals, interacting with the childminder's family dog. The childminder shows them how to gently stroke the dog in the direction of its fur. Children also learn that the dog sometimes requires rest in his kennel, helping them developing understanding and responsible behaviour towards animals.

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Next steps

The childminder should review her lunchtime routines to ensure she consistently maximises children's learning, including more opportunities to develop children's independence further. The childminder should routinely identify and access relevant training to enhance her knowledge and skills and further improve outcomes for children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents 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. Damiana Cornacchia

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 18:30

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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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