Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2788705 Registered with Ofsted: 01/08/2024 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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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder supports every child to take part fully in the setting. She identifies children's needs early, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to learning. She adapts the setting and activities so that all children can join in and experience success.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder places a clear focus on supporting children's communication and language. She models simple words and short phrases and repeats key vocabulary throughout activities. She uses visual prompts and Makaton to help children understand and make choices. This helps children to communicate their needs, follow routines and join in with play alongside other children. Calm and responsive interactions help children to take turns, share and respond to their friends. However, transition times, such as nappy changing and snack time, do not consistently provide opportunities for further learning. All children are provided with daily experiences that support their confidence and emotional development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children receive tailored support that helps them develop confidence and extend their social interactions over time. The childminder uses observations to monitor children's progress. She identifies any extra support required early and quickly works with parents to put support in place. The childminder implements a graduated response and seeks advice from external professionals when needed. As a result, children feel valued and secure. They build confidence and develop the skills they need for future learning and participation in group activities.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make appropriate progress from their starting points, particularly in communication and language. For example, children move from early sounds and babbling to using single words to communicate their needs. Children confidently sign 'more please' as they request more snack. Children engage confidently in their learning. They explore resources independently, show curiosity and sustain their involvement in activities, such as water play and outdoor experiences. They demonstrate enjoyment and a sense of achievement. For example, they smile, clap and repeat actions when they succeed.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those requiring additional support, make progress relative to their individual needs. Where additional funding and support are used, they have a positive impact on children's confidence and ability to communicate effectively with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop increasing independence, such as selecting resources, feeding themselves, helping to tidy away and managing their personal care with appropriate support. They begin to play alongside others, take turns with support and respond to simple guidance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes a calm and predictable environment. Children show they understand and, in the main, follow her expectations for behaviour. Daily routines support children's understanding of what will happen next, including playtime, tidy-up time, snack time, lunchtime and rest time. However, teaching is not consistent throughout all areas of the routine. For example, children's learning is not consistently extended during snack time and during nappy changing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are happy and settled. This indicates there are secure emotional bonds and positive relationships with the childminder. Parents appreciate the support that both the family and the children receive. Children demonstrate secure bonds as they laugh and play together. The childminder holds high expectations for children's behaviour and consistently models and reinforces good manners. For instance, when she offers a snack, she asks, 'What do we need to say now?' The use of 'please' and 'thank you' is clearly embedded in the children's daily routine. This helps children understand how to treat others with respect and kindness. Children play cooperatively with their friends and are learning to share and take turns. The childminder consistently reinforces this during activities. She tells the children, 'It will be your turn next.' The childminder is enthusiastic about their achievements. This helps children to feel valued and show consideration for others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder explains the importance of regular attendance and punctuality during the settling-in process. This has a significant impact on children's progress and outcomes. Children develop daily routines and demonstrate their keenness to attend the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children form secure attachments with the childminder, which supports their wellbeing. The childminder encourages children to understand their feelings, supporting them to think about why they are upset. She offers reassuring cuddles and responds to children's needs, helping them feel safe and secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy being active. They enjoy daily walks, outdoor play in the park and garden, and visits to the castle, library and duck pond. They climb and balance on play equipment and slides, and they have time to run and jump. The childminder supports children to learn about staying safe. For example, they talk about road safety on their trips to the park. Children are provided with healthy and nutritious snacks, and the childminder encourages parents to provide healthy food in packed lunches. However, the importance of staying healthy is not consistently discussed with children to embed the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. The childminder understands the importance of oral hygiene in the early years and works closely with parents to promote this.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Care practices are generally responsive to children's individual needs. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to understand routines for their children's sleeping, feeding and care. This ensures consistency between home and the setting. Children benefit from familiar routines, such as flexible settling-in approaches and calm transitions throughout the day.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's communication and language development in the curriculum. She models language through play and routines, introducing vocabulary such as 'full', 'empty', 'more' and 'less'. She narrates children's actions and asks simple questions, supporting children's understanding and early communication. However, this is not always consistent through all areas of routine, such as during personal care and snack time. For example, nappy changing times are not used to further develop children's communication and language through conversation or singing nursery rhymes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum reflects children's interests and promotes engagement. The childminder builds on children's enjoyment of activities, such as water play, to introduce mathematical language and link learning to current themes. She adapts teaching effectively to children's developmental stages, including modelling extended sentences and using actions and sounds for younger children. The childminder teaches children about different cultures. Children find out what life is like for people who live in other countries. The childminder celebrates and values each child as an individual, promoting high levels of confidence and self-esteem and preparing children for life in modern Britain. The childminder places a clear focus on children's physical development. She plans daily outings in the local community so that children can enjoy physical play and exercise. The childminder knows what children can do and what they need to learn next. She uses this knowledge during her daily interactions

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses assessment to identify children's next steps in learning and adapts her teaching accordingly. However, the childminder does not always make good use of transition times to ensure that every experience is a learning opportunity.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear commitment to providing high-quality care and education for all children. The childminder leads a stable team of assistants and ensures that day-to-day practice is well organised and, overall, responsive to children's needs. The childminder has a secure understanding of the setting's strengths, particularly in communication and language development, effective relationships and providing a nurturing environment. She evaluates practice appropriately and recognises areas for further development. The childminder makes decisions in children's best interests. Inclusion is embedded in daily practice, with adaptations made to ensure all children can access learning experiences. She also prioritises children's safety and welfare through effective safeguarding practice, clear attendance procedures and responsive communication with parents and carers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder supports any assistants she works with well through regular supervision sessions, appraisals and daily informal discussions. She monitors their wellbeing and provides opportunities for professional dialogue, ensuring they feel supported in their roles and able to raise concerns. The childminder actively promotes professional development. She, and any assistants she works with, access training through online platforms, webinars and the local authority. This ensures ongoing development of knowledge and practice, supporting continuous improvement across the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents speak highly of the childminder's care and support. They are pleased with the communication they receive and the many experiences the childminder provides, including regular day trips. The childminder sends photos and keeps them informed about daily activities. Online communication apps allow parents to see their children's progress. The childminder works well with other settings to support children's transitions. She is proactive at making referrals to other agencies, when needed, and builds good working relationships with other professionals.

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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 experience a warm, calm, nurturing and homely environment, where they feel safe, secure and valued. They form deep attachments with the childminder and any assistants she may work with. They respond warmly to children's needs and support them sensitively throughout the day. Children arrive happily, attend regularly and settle quickly into familiar routines. They demonstrate confidence as they move between indoor and outdoor areas. All children are included in all aspects of the setting and engage in a wide range of meaningful play experiences. They explore water play with curiosity, filling and emptying containers, tipping water through funnels and observing what happens. Children show sustained interest and enjoyment, laughing, smiling and celebrating their discoveries.

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

Children communicate through a developing range of language, signing and interaction. They listen, respond and begin to use words and actions to express themselves. The childminder supports this by modelling vocabulary and extending children's communication during play. This helps children to build their understanding in context. Children also join in with familiar songs and rhymes during group times. They respond with actions and clapping.

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

Children make steady progress from their starting points. The childminder tailors the care she provides to each child's individual needs. She understands that some children need more emotional support to feel confident in their learning. The childminder considers the whole child, carefully thinking about the approach that will help them the most. She is passionate about helping children to overcome any barriers to their progress and seeks support wherever necessary.

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

The childminder collaborates well with parents to help them support their child's learning. For example, she shares reading books that children enjoy and communicates children's next steps in learning and how they can be supported at home to help achieve these. The childminder recognises the importance of children's regular attendance and promotes this in her setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should embed teaching that consistently motivates children to develop long-lasting healthy habits, particularly at mealtimes. The childminder should refine the organisation of all routines to ensure that they consistently provide high-quality learning opportunities for all children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, parents and children during the inspection.

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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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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. 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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