Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2688657 Registered with Ofsted: 04/08/2022 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

Typically, all children achieve well from their starting points. The childminder monitors the children's progress and identifies any areas that children need support with. Children develop the key skills they will need for school. They develop their physical skills outdoors, including balance and coordination. They have lots of opportunities to strengthen their hand muscles, such as through filling and pouring using various containers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Older children develop their communication and language skills well and engage in conversations, such as at lunchtime and when reading stories and talking about what they can see in the pictures. The childminder puts in place extra support for those who may be experiencing difficulties in this area to help them communicate their wants and needs and to help them catch up.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, children behave well. They learn to share the toys and resources and to consider others. Older children show consideration for the younger ones, talking to them and offering them the toys. The childminder and her assistants offer the children reminders, such as when they try and fix the cave they have made and are waving a long stick around. She reminds them to be careful as they may accidentally hurt their friends, which they respond to quickly. However, on occasion, the childminder is not consistent in explaining to the children the consequences of their actions to further embed the need for the rules and boundaries.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder offers the children lots of praise and encouragement for their acts of kindness and achievements. When they ask to get some different toys out, she explains that she needs them to help tidy away the other toys first, which they do. This helps boost the children's self-esteem.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder encourages good attendance and has put routines in place to help children feel secure. She monitors children's absences and works with parents to try and minimise these. This helps children establish the routines for pre-school or school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children bring their own snacks and lunches to the childminder's home. The childminder provides parents with information about healthy eating. Mealtimes and snack times are sociable, and children are well supervised when eating.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder helps children learn about the need to rest when they are tired and works in partnership with parents about sleep routines. She has implemented safer sleeping, and children settle to sleep contentedly.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children learn the importance of good hygiene routines, and older children wash their hands independently before eating and after using the toilet. The childminder places an emphasis on toilet training, encouraging parents to work with her when she knows children can succeed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

At times, the childminder completes tasks for the older children that they can do for themselves, such as putting on their shoes and peeling their fruits, and she does not consider when children are ready and able to drink from an open cup. This does not fully promote their independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children regularly practise their physical skills. The childminder provides opportunities for the children develop their hand–eye coordination. They use containers to fill and empty water and confidently use the watering can to water the flowers they are growing. Babies have plenty of space to develop their crawling skills, and those who have mastered this are encouraged to stand at the tables, cruise around the furniture or take their steps holding the childminder's hands.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, the childminder introduces early mathematics into children's play. She uses language such as 'full' and 'empty' as they explore water. She makes shapes in the tray with her hands and names these, such as 'square' and 'circle'. Children copy and make 'round' patterns with their fingers. However, the childminder does not consistently use the activities and routines to further support other aspects of children's early mathematical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder and her assistants promote children's communication and language well overall. When young babies 'babble' they 'babble' back, which promotes their confidence in communicating to others. The childminder encourages young children to say simple words correctly, such as 'banana', and offers lots of praise and encouragement when they do so. There are lots of conversations, and children are encouraged to be sociable. All children are encouraged to communicate. This includes by using gestures, hand signs and pictures to ensure that all children are included.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress carefully through observing them, noting what they can already do and where they may need any extra support. She identifies emerging gaps in children's development and works in partnership with parents and outside agencies to seek additional support and advice. The childminder is confident to put in place additional support for children so that she can adapt the curriculum to help all children make steady progress. She seeks support from the local authority early years team, and this has helped her tailor her activities and routines to meet all children's needs. The childminder makes suitable use of additional funding to buy resources and create new spaces to help children who have gaps in their development to catch up.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has made significant improvements since the last inspection. She has welcomed support from the local authority early years team and undertaken training. Her and her assistants' interactions with children are positive. The curriculum is balanced and focuses on children's next steps in learning, and established routines have helped improve behaviour.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has attended a 'challenging behaviour' course. She has implemented a calm space and used additional funding to purchase resources so she can help children learn to understand and manage their emotions more successfully. This has helped create a calm environment that is conducive to children's learning overall.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder offers her assistants supervision and training, and together they set targets for improvement. For example, she encourages them to be more confident in making independent decisions throughout the day and in organising interactive activities that they can adapt to the children's individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shares information with parents about their children's next steps and involves them in decisions where there may be possible gaps in children's learning. She provides parents with progress reports and works collaboratively with them to decide the best course of action when children may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 settled and at ease in the care of the childminder and her assistants. They show they have formed secure bonds with the adults caring for them and with the other children who attend the setting. Babies snuggle into the childminder for a cuddle when they become tired and are keen to go off and explore the toys, knowing they can return for reassurance should they need it. Older children show they are confident in their environment and eager to join in with the activities, such as engaging in role play. Children play together cooperatively as they pretend to make ice creams, hot dogs and burgers. They invite the adults into their play, who ask them if they have cheese or salad or sauce to go with their food.

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

Children show they are engaged in their learning. Older children sit and listen intently to stories, talking about what they can see in the pictures. They show they are developing a love of books at a young age. Babies explore various cause-and-effect toys, knowing that if they press the button the toy will light up and play music.

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

Children have opportunities for real-life experiences. They go into the forest and learn about nature. They visit parks and have opportunities to meet other children and adults. This helps them develop their social skills and awareness of their local community.

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Next steps

The childminder should support children's understanding of rules and boundaries through clear and consistent explanations. The childminder should strengthen the use of activities and routines to develop children's early mathematical skills.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 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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Age range of children at the time of inspection

The childminder should further support children's independence skills and encourage them to have a go at doing more things for themselves.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistants 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.

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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

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

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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