Townshend, Lucy Sandra

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2768025 Registered with Ofsted: 22/12/2023 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 make steady progress from their starting points, particularly in communication and language. They develop vocabulary and confidence in speaking because the childminder consistently models language and correct pronunciation through high-quality interactions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop a love of books and stories, often asking for their favourite books to be read. They engage in discussions about characters and events and begin to identify similarities and differences through shared reading experiences.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children benefit from activities based on their interests. For example, they develop their physical skills, concentration and perseverance as they practise controlling and kicking a football with increasing accuracy.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children also develop early mathematical skills during outdoor activities, such as throwing bean bags into a hoop. They sort and match colours, compare sizes and count accurately using one-to-one correspondence. They demonstrate resilience and perseverance when responding to increasing levels of challenge, such as moving the hoops further away to make the task more difficult.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has created a calm and positive environment in which the children feel valued and can learn. She sets clear expectations for behaviour and establishes consistent routines. She supports children to adhere to these. For example, when children leave an activity without tidying up, she immediately offers choices to encourage them to put the resources away, modelling her expectations alongside them and working as a team. The childminder adapts her expectations depending on the children's ages and stages of development and supports them appropriately. For example, when younger children snatch toys from older children, she offers suitable cause-and-effect toys that she knows they like, to distract them. Older children benefit from clear, age-appropriate explanations that help them understand the reasons for behavioural expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model. She models good manners, kindness, care and respect. As a result, children behave well and respond positively to her guidance and support and have a positive attitude to learning. Children develop close and trusting relationships with the childminder. When they need reassurance, she provides warm and responsive emotional support, helping them to feel safe and secure. The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance and shares her expectations with parents from the outset.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are cared for in a calm and well-organised environment. The routines the childminder has in place are consistent but also flexible to suit the different ages and stages of development of the children in her care. For example, she ensures that younger children sleep when needed while older children spend time looking at books and listening to stories, in order to have quieter times.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder knows the children well and understands their individual care needs. The settling-in process is tailored to each child and their family. The childminder takes time to get to know them and places high importance on trusting relationships that take time to establish. As a result, she builds warm, responsive, caring relationships with the children. When children ask for their parents, she quickly provides reassurance and support. This helps children feel safe and secure, enabling them to settle quickly and engage in activities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children follow consistent hygiene routines, such as washing their hands after being outside, after nappy changing and before snack or lunchtime.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy regular trips to local farms and parks. These experiences support their sense of enjoyment and wellbeing. They also spend time in the garden, playing football and engaging in role play in the outdoor barbeque, supporting their physical wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a curriculum that is broad and covers all areas of learning in an age-appropriate way. She places a particular emphasis on communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical development. She understands the importance of these areas in providing the foundations for future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder consistently models language through high-quality interactions. She initiates conversations, listens carefully to children and responds thoughtfully to their questions and interests. She helps children develop their vocabulary and communication skills by repeating words correctly and engaging them in meaningful discussions. Younger children at the early stages of speaking benefit from listening to stories and singing nursery rhymes to support their emerging language skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's independence effectively. For example, children are encouraged to use cutlery, manage their personal care and tidy up after completing activities. These opportunities help prepare children for their transition to pre-school and school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder gathers information about each child's interests during settling in. She uses this information to plan activities that reflect children's interests and support their learning. For example, children develop physical and problem-solving skills as they use tools to free the toy animals trapped in the ice. The childminder provides a wide range of learning opportunities. However, planned activities are sometimes too broad and do not always focus precisely on children's individual next steps in learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers information about children's interests, routines and experiences at home before they start at the setting. During the settling-in period, which is unique to each child, she gathers information through close observations, assessments and regular discussions with families. This helps children settle quickly and enables the childminder to identify their starting points and plan their next steps in learning. Planned activities generally support children's learning effectively. However, strengthening the focus on children's individual next steps would help ensure that all children consistently build on what they already know and can do.

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Inclusion Expected standard

There are currently no children on roll with special educational needs and/or disabilities or in receipt of additional funding. However, the childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of inclusive practice. She knows how to adapt her curriculum and provision to meet the needs of individual children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Ongoing assessment and monitoring of children's learning ensures that the childminder quickly identifies any areas where children may need extra help with their development. This enables the childminder to identify concerns promptly and work with parents and other professionals when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the support available for children and their families and knows how to access additional advice when required. For example, she has contact details for the local authority where she can get guidance and support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has established positive partnerships with parents and carers. Parents report that she communicates well and keeps them informed about what their child is doing and the progress they make. Parents value the open-door approach, which allows them to discuss their children at drop-off and pick-up times.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective about her professional development. She ensures that she remains up to date with changes to requirements through refresher training and professional development opportunities. She collaborates with other childminders and engages with a variety of childminding networks that regularly share ideas and practice. The childminder uses ongoing assessment and children's interests to plan for their learning. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to plan activities that build directly on children's identified next steps and support them to make the best possible progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of a work-life balance and plans a shorter working week. This supports her wellbeing and enables her to maintain her high-quality care for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has clear expectations for healthy eating and sleeping. She offers guidance to parents about suitable food choices and the safe preparation of food to reduce the risk of choking. She implements guidance on safer eating and safe sleeping consistently.

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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 thoroughly enjoy their time with the childminder. She provides a welcoming home- from-home where children feel safe, happy and quickly settle into the daily routines. She creates a calm and well-organised space where children confidently explore a variety of resources and activities to support their learning and development across all areas of the curriculum.

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

The childminder prioritises getting to know the children to provide learning opportunities that build on what they already know and can do. Children enjoy activities that reflect their

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About this setting

interests. They explore resources such as coloured dinosaurs and tweezers, developing their concentration and coordination as they play.

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About this setting

Children typically develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of their learning and development. They enjoy learning through play and the activities the childminder plans for them.

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About this setting

Children develop independence through consistent routines. They wash their hands before eating, help tidy resources and prepare for intimate care. These routines help children to feel confident and secure. They know where to find paper and pencils when they want to, 'Make a picture for mummy and daddy' and with support select the resources. Children confidently select resources and enjoy making pictures for their families, developing their independence and confidence.

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About this setting

Children benefit from a range of opportunities to learn and extend language. For example, the childminder narrates what is happening when they use warm water to 'melt' ice to help the animals 'escape'. They discuss similarities and differences between the animals. Snack times and lunchtimes are social occasions, and children benefit from further meaningful interactions. For example, they discuss their favourite fruit, share information together and engage in conversations.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure that planned activities are more precisely focused on children's individual next steps in learning so that children build consistently on what they already know and can do.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and considered parents' comments 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2768025

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About this inspection

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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