Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2783770 Registered with Ofsted: 01/07/2024 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

Children's language and communication skills are developing. Most opportunities are used well to broaden the range of vocabulary that children use. For instance, when different birds visit the feeder, the childminder introduces the various bird species, and children start to remember these. During games, children start to recognise word patterns, such as rhyming words.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop confidence as the childminder encourages them to try things for themselves. For instance, some children know how to put on their coats and shoes ready for going outside. The childminder recognises she could offer more opportunities within the daily routine, particularly at mealtimes, to help children develop greater levels of independence.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop a positive attitude to their learning and they are keen to join in all activities. They have a good understanding of expected behaviours, such as taking turns, and are kind to their friends. This helps them to build positive relationships and enables children to play and learn together happily.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder typically creates a calm, positive environment where children understand simple behaviour rules. They recognise they must be kind to their friends and learn to share from a young age. High expectations are consistently reinforced, and any incidents of unwelcome behaviour are addressed swiftly and sensitively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's attendance closely and works with families to ensure that children arrive ready to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Warm, trusting relationships help children feel secure. The childminder encourages kindness and cooperation. She models respectful interactions and supports children in building close bonds with one another. Children learn to use good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'. They take pride in caring for their environment, such as by saving their food waste so it can be composted.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder offers support when families experience significant changes, such as moving home or the birth of a sibling, and recognises the impact these changes have on children's behaviour and emotional stability. The childminder's calm and reassuring approach enables children to feel secure and to manage these changes confidently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are encouraged to make independent choices about where they would like to play, and this supports their growing sense of self and positive attitudes to learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare is clearly prioritised. The childminder maintains effective hygiene routines, such as teaching children about handwashing before eating and after playing outside.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children develop a strong sense of belonging. They benefit from the warm, trusting and caring relationships they form with the childminder. She knows children well, quickly notices any changes in their wellbeing and takes relevant action to help children feel safe and secure. She supervises children closely at all times, especially when they are eating and sleeping.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works closely with all families to help her fully understand each child's personal needs. This includes working with parents to support changes in sleep routines and when to start potty training. This ensures consistency for children between home and the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children know that exercise is good for them, and they have regular opportunities each day to be physically active and to play outside. Children learn why toothbrushing and staying healthy are important. However, this learning is not explored further during mealtimes. Children do not always follow the healthy routines the childminder sets out to create. For instance, food choices at mealtimes do not always support children's healthy development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes emotional security by offering calm reassurance and helping children to identify and express their feelings. For example, she uses books and other resources to help children learn about different emotions so they can explain more clearly how they are feeling in different situations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has created a simple programme of learning that equips children with the skills they need to become confident learners. She is clear about what she wants children to learn, and most activities have an appropriate focus. For example, she plays simple games with children to help them develop an early awareness of letter sounds and simple words. This helps to build children's early understanding of the sound each letter represents.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is generally tailored to children's individual needs and interests. The childminder introduces children to new vocabulary throughout the day. She weaves some mathematical learning into routines and play, such as counting items during number rhymes. However, other opportunities for children to practise counting and using other mathematical concepts are not always planned for fully. The childminder recognises this is an area she can develop further. Books and stories are used well to increase children's awareness of literacy.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's social development. She encourages children to form positive relationships with others and to become independent throughout the daily routine. She recognises that mealtimes can be used more purposefully to increase children's opportunities to practise independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder recognises how she would adapt her programme of learning and teaching to take account of children's different learning styles and needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may face other barriers to their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides a home-from-home environment where all children are welcomed and valued. She works closely with families from the moment children start, gathering detailed information about their needs, routines and interests. This helps the childminder to accurately identify children's individual starting points so that she can plan for these in her daily programme of activities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses her knowledge of how children learn to carry out regular observations. These help her to accurately monitor children's progress and identify early if there are any gaps emerging. The childminder has taken effective action to support children in developing their speaking and listening skills and introduced targeted activities to focus on this.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder maintains strong communication with parents, ensuring that she reviews and adapts support as children develop and their learning needs change. She agrees strategies to help parents extend children's learning at home, and this shared approach contributes towards the levels of progress individual children make.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows how to access local authority services when needed. She understands the importance of seeking specialist advice at any early stage to support children with more complex special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may be more disadvantaged than others.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder recognises what is working well within her setting and the areas she wishes to develop further. She reflects on her practice and identifies how she can strengthen the delivery of her curriculum into all aspects of her routine.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder always places children at the heart of every decision she makes and wants to provide the best opportunities for the children in her care. She keeps her knowledge up to date through her other professional roles, and she is familiar with changes in legislation. She uses the information she gains through this to make sure her policies and procedures reflect best practice. However, she recognises that she can organise mealtimes differently to broaden children's learning experiences. She understands the need to ensure children benefit from healthy meals and snacks, in line with her written policies.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder develops good relationships with parents, and they are very happy with the support their children receive. Parents value the ideas and information the childminder shares to enable them to continue to support their children's learning and development at home. This joined-up approach helps to ensure that children make progress across all areas of learning.

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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 show they feel safe and secure. They know the routine and are eager to play and explore. All children enjoy close, warm relationships with the childminder and she understands their different needs and personalities well. The childminder's calm encouragement helps children to take risks, try new things and develop confidence in their abilities. She listens carefully to children and provides them with choices in their play. This helps to develop children's independence and sense of self.

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Inspector:

Jo Caswell Children have opportunities to explore the outdoor environment. They regularly visit the beach, downs and woodland. The childminder uses these experiences to help children learn about nature. For instance, children use a pestle and mortar to crush the chalk pieces they find on the downs and notice how the texture changes in the process.

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Inspector:

Children develop some positive attitudes towards learning. They follow simple instructions and try hard to manage tasks for themselves, such as putting on their shoes. They listen when the childminder reads stories and use their developing communication skills to talk to their friends and ask questions.

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Inspector:

Children's learning is extended further through regular visits to the zoo, where they learn about the animals and recall simple information they have remembered. They go on train rides and visit places of interest, such as farms and a miniature railway. These opportunities help to broaden children's experiences and build their awareness of the area where they live.

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Inspector:

The childminder works hard to form professional relationships with families from the start. Parents praise the level of care their children receive and the positive progress they see in their children's learning and development. The childminder promotes good attendance and punctuality. She carefully considers each family's routines and needs when organising her provision and always ensures that children's needs remain a priority.

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Next steps

The childminder should make better use of snack and mealtimes to support children's understanding of healthy eating and to extend their learning across other areas of the curriculum. The childminder should review the curriculum to make even more provision to develop children's mathematical skills and knowledge.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday : 07:00 - 19:00

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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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