Hughes, Patricia

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY562545 Registered with Ofsted: 07/08/2018 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 Strong standard

All children make effective progress from their starting points. Children demonstrate high levels of interest and are motivated to succeed during activities. For example, they persevere when using tools to extract juice from a lemon, practising how to push down and twist with their hands.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are consistently supported to secure the skills they will need as they move on to each stage of their learning and development. Close partnership working with parents and carers ensures that all children are extremely well prepared as they transition into school.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are skilled communicators. They use rich descriptive language during their play and confidently express their ideas and feelings to others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are extremely well behaved, as the childminder establishes clear and consistent boundaries and sets high expectations for all children. Children show their understanding of rules, and with sensitive and reassuring guidance build very positive relationships with their peers. They show increasing awareness of their own needs and emotions and learn to respect those of others. Through positive role modelling, children learn to play cooperatively and take turns with the resources.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is highly effective in working in collaboration with her co-childminder and assistants to provide children with a warm and nurturing environment where every child's individual needs are recognised and valued. Children feel safe and settled and are able to confidently explore the exciting learning experiences on offer.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder encourages children to express and embrace their emotions. She provides them with positive strategies to regulate their emotions and to find solutions to any problems or disagreements that might arise. This helps children to develop resilience and learn how to express themselves in positive ways.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works extremely closely with parents and carers to gather and share information. This helps children to have a smooth transition when they join the setting, and they quickly settle in. By encouraging regular attendance, the childminder helps parents and children to establish consistent and positive routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has a very secure understanding of what children know and can do and what they need to learn next. Precise assessments are regularly completed and ensure that all children's progress is carefully monitored. The childminder accurately identifies next steps in learning, which enables all children to make positive and sustained progress in their learning and development. The childminder uses her in-depth knowledge of child development to provide a broad and balanced curriculum that encourages every child to

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Expected standard

reach their full potential. She skilfully adapts her teaching strategies to ensure all children are highly engaged and thoroughly enjoy their learning experiences.

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Expected standard

The childminder is highly effective in engaging children in purposeful interactions to extend their learning. For example, as children explore fruit using their senses, she models familiar fruit names with younger children, which they repeat. With older children, she extends their vocabulary by introducing new words. This stimulates children's desire to learn more.

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Expected standard

The childminder ensures that learning is carefully sequenced so children consistently build on their skills. For example, children progress from putting on their coats with support to confidently managing buttons and zips independently. Younger children develop their awareness of number through activities such as singing. Through first-hand experiences the childminder teaches older children to count accurately beyond 10 and compare quantities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder engages effectively with parents and carers to further support children's health and wellbeing. Alongside her co-childminder, she has developed information to share with parents regarding positive oral hygiene routines and early nutrition.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder sits with children as they enjoy the healthy and nutritious food that is freshly prepared on site. She guides children in how to use knives safely to cut up food. The childminder engages children in lively discussions to further promote their understanding of the importance of a healthy diet. Overall, she supports children well, but occasionally she does not recognise when some children need help to sit comfortably at the table. Children follow appropriate hygiene practices, such as regular handwashing, to prevent the spread of infection.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children appropriately when they move on to toilet training. She gives children frequent reminders about visiting the toilet and provides reassurance, so they feel confident to use the bathroom independently. However, the childminder has not fully considered how nappy changing arrangements may impact on the privacy of younger children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from well-structured routines that give them time to enjoy their play, eat, sleep and engage in physical exercise. Procedures to ensure the safety of children when they are sleeping are embedded. Children delight in frequently using the spacious garden to practise and extend their skills, such as running, jumping and balancing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder does not currently care for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, she demonstrates an appropriate understanding of how to support and help children to make progress. Children's needs are fully discussed with parents when they first start so the childminder has a secure awareness of any potential barriers to learning. She uses her knowledge and understanding of children's individual needs to typically make sensitive adaptations so children can participate and feel included. For example, she introduces an engaging outdoor activity when she observes children becoming restless and distracted. However, she does not always fully consider how to make minor adjustments, such as at mealtimes, so all children can join in comfortably.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with her co-childminder and assistants and together they continually assess and review all children's progress. If any gaps in learning and development are identified, the childminder knows to share any concerns with parents and make timely referrals to involve other professionals if required. The childminder shows an appropriate awareness of how to support children who receive additional funding. She understands the importance of involving parents in discussions regarding enhancing experiences or resources to support children's needs and interests and help them to flourish and thrive in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works collaboratively with her co-childminder and assistants to ensure everyone feels supported. Ideas and suggestions to further enhance the learning environment are actively encouraged and valued. The childminder shares her knowledge of children's individual needs and unique characteristics to provide all children with meaningful and exciting learning opportunities. This helps every child to thrive and reach their potential.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder continually refreshes her knowledge and skills and is aware of any updates in early years care and education through further training and professional development. This ensures the childminder's safeguarding knowledge is regularly updated and she understands how to adapt her teaching strategies to meet the needs of all children. Although the childminder regularly reflects on her practice, she does not consistently identify when some care practices could be improved to further promote children's welfare and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works positively with parents and carers to ensure they are kept fully informed about children's care and educational progress. Daily diaries provide consistent communication between the setting and home and give parents a clear insight into what children have been doing each day. The childminder has established effective partnerships with local schools. This is beneficial in supporting children when they move on to school.

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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 benefit from an extremely inviting and very well-organised environment that meets children's individual needs and thoughtfully promotes their learning and development. Children show curiosity and keen interest in using their senses as they freely explore different fruits. They practise and extend their language and communication skills as the childminder consistently introduces children to a wide range of words as she plays alongside them. She positively acknowledges and reinforces children's attempts when repeating new and challenging words, consistently praising their efforts. This motivates children in their

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Inspector:

learning. All children make clear progress as the childminder provides a rich and ambitious curriculum that is adapted to each child's needs. Activities carefully build on children's skills and extend their prior knowledge. For example, the childminder provides a variety of tools during sand and water play to promote exploration and problem-solving and help children to develop their physical coordination and small hand skills.

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Inspector:

Children have frequent opportunities to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the wider world and local community through exciting topics and regular outings. They learn about nature and seasonal cycles through stories, discussions and planned walks. Children develop an appreciation of the places and people around them as they visit local parks and attend library sessions. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They respond positively to the childminder's high expectations and feel secure as they are supported by embedded routines. Children are polite and respectful to one another. They learn to share and take turns when playing and work cooperatively when it is time to tidy up. Children benefit from regular attendance as the childminder works closely with parents and carers to establish consistent practices before children start school.

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Inspector:

Children foster warm and secure relationships with the childminder and her assistants. Children thrive as the childminder is attentive to their emotional wellbeing and provides sensitive support when needed. Parents and carers comment that children always enjoy coming to the setting and that regular communication helps families to feel involved and valued.

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Next steps

The childminder should review some care arrangements, such as nappy changing and mealtimes, to further promote children's privacy and ensure children are consistently supported when eating. The childminder should further strengthen systems to evaluate the provision so that practice consistently promotes the highest standards of care for all children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-childminder, assistants, children, and parents and carers 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 the 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. Kate Scheel

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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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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