Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2793151 Registered with Ofsted: 30/08/2024 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

Overall, children achieve well from their individual starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other vulnerable children. Generally, children gain secure communication, language and literacy skills. They understand what is said to them and follow instructions. Children learn new words and express themselves clearly. They have effective personal and social skills. Children learn how to feed themselves and how to put on their coats. They learn how to play cooperatively with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children do well in their physical development. They climb and learn how to throw and catch. Children show secure hand control as they use tongs to pick up small objects. Children gain effective early mathematical skills. They count confidently to 10 and have understanding of size and pattern. All of these skills help to prepare children for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children enjoy their learning, show interest in activities and resources and attend regularly. They show high levels of concentration in activities linked to their interests, such as painting and drawing. Children persevere well as they patiently and skilfully transfer small objects to containers using tongs. The childminder manages children's behaviour successfully. She uses a calm, fair approach and works with children to find fair resolutions. The childminder adapts her approach to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and other vulnerable children. For instance, she identifies anything that may trigger an unwanted reaction and mitigates this effectively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has strong, close relationships with children. She helps children to form positive relationships with others, for instance by taking them to small, local playgroups where they meet and play with other children. The childminder praises children for their work and efforts. For instance, she praised children for their paintings. She promotes manners by reminding children to say 'please' and 'thank you' at appropriate times. The childminder makes skilful adjustments to routines to meet the needs of children with SEND, and other vulnerable children. For example, she ensures that any trips out are made during quiet times to avoid overloading children's senses.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, the childminder considers children's interests and individual needs and links these to curriculum activities based on areas of learning. She places high emphasis on promoting children's personal and social development. For example, the childminder teaches children how to do things for themselves, such as how to dress themselves and wash their hands. The childminder supports children's early mathematical skills securely. She encourages children to count the number of presents they can see and they count securely to 10. The childminder points out striped and dotted patterns in a book to help children learn about pattern. She extends children's learning well. For instance, she teaches children how fire engines need fuel to operate and talks about the role of the fire dog to support fire fighters.

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Needs attention

Generally, the childminder supports children's communication, language and literacy securely. She gives children time to think and respond when she asks them about their experiences. Children use clear sentences to talk about their experiences with enthusiasm and confidence. The childminder reads stories to children which helps them to learn new words. However, books are not readily accessible to children and this reduces opportunities for them to engage independently with stories. This means that children do not have maximum opportunities to develop a love of books to support their language and literacy skills. The childminder ensures that children take part in daily activities to promote their physical development. For instance, she provides developmentally appropriate equipment, such as a low climbing frame and slide to help children develop confidence in climbing. The childminder organises ball games with children to develop their throwing and catching skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Generally, the childminder provides an inclusive environment where children's individual needs are identified and supported effectively. She takes time to get to know children well and talks to parents for further information about children. The childminder recognises when children may need additional help by observing children regularly. The childminder carries out two-year-old progress checks which provides further information on any emerging gaps in children's learning and development. She shares any concerns about development with parents and advises them to contact suitable health professionals for further guidance.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with local authority staff trained in special educational needs. She obtains advice from the staff on ways to adapt curriculum activities and routines to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and other vulnerable children. For example, the childminder uses stretchable toys to help develop large movement skills to support children's physical development. She regularly reviews the progress of children with (SEND) and other vulnerable children to make any further adjustments to their learning. This kind of intervention helps children with SEND, and other vulnerable children to make secure progress.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently and robustly carry out daily risk assessments, particularly regarding the garden and safety of pets. The childminder ensures that children are seated at meal and snack times and provides healthy, well-balanced meals that meet special dietary needs. She ensures that children have time to rest during the day, however bed linen is shared between two children who share a sleeping space on a double sofa bed. This is not hygienic or suitable because of the risk of cross contamination and because it does not meet the individual needs of children. The childminder sits with children while they sleep and carries out regular checks to ensure that they are safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Generally, the childminder teaches children how to stay safe. For example she ensures they wear sun protection cream and sun hats in hot weather, and avoids the hottest part parts of the day. She teaches children how to act with care and caution when crossing the road. The childminder helps children to learn how to manage their feelings. She helps children to identify different emotions and how to handle them in the moment. For instance, children are aware when they need to feel a sense of calm and get their comforters and lie quietly on the sofa.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder does not identify any of the weaknesses around risk assessments and bed linen reported on in this inspection. However, she reviews her work and has a broad understanding of some areas for improvement. Overall, the childminder keeps her skills and knowledge up to date, for instance she completes regular paediatric first aid and safeguarding training updates.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has positive relationships and works successfully with parents and carers. She liaises closely with parents to support children's overall development, such as behaviour management. The childminder gives parents daily updates on children's activities and progress in flexible, effective ways. Parents' comments read during the inspection express appreciation of the care and learning provided by the childminder. They state that the childminder gives regular feedback on children with clear indication of what children need to learn next. The childminder takes children out to visit features of the local community, such as local parks and playgroups and this helps them to form links with the wider community. The childminder supports her wellbeing effectively, for instance she takes part in regular physical exercise and takes annual holidays.

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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's welfare is not wholly supported as the childminder does not consistently carry out robust risk assessments to reduce all risks of hazards indoors and outdoors. She does not ensure that children are fully protected from risk of cross-contamination from bed linen.

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

Children and their families receive a warm welcome into the childminder's home. Children establish positive relationships with the childminder who appreciates each child and helps them to settle securely. The childminder values the importance of parental support for children's development. Children feel nurtured and cared for. For instance, they feel reassured by the childminder's hugs and smiles. Generally, children make secure progress, whatever their starting points. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and other vulnerable children. The childminder considers the needs of children with SEND, and other vulnerable children and adjusts her routines and activities to meet their needs effectively.

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

Children enjoy engaging in a range of tasks. They select stacking beakers and assemble them in order of size supported by the childminder. This helps their understanding of early mathematics. Children observe bees on flowers and the childminder explains the important role of bees as pollinators. Children learn how animals, such as horses, move as the childminder teaches them words like 'trot and jump'. This supports their understanding of the world effectively. Children learn how things grow by planting flowers in the garden with the childminder. They learn how to play with others, for example by visiting a local play group regularly. Children learn about different textures and materials through creative play. For instance, they use paint sticks to create bright paintings and enjoy using musical instruments to explore different sounds. Children attend regularly which supports their progress and readiness for school effectively. They learn valuable skills in preparation for

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure that risk assessments are thorough and cover all aspects of the environment to reduce the risk of hazards, including the garden, and snake cages 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that suitable sleeping arrangements for children are hygienic to reduce the risk of cross infection. 20/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

engage in professional development opportunities to consistently evaluate the provision to enable more precise identification of weaknesses to drive improvements more effectively. 20/07/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff and children. The inspector considered comments from parents 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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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

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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