Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2789201 Registered with Ofsted: 08/08/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates an extremely warm, nurturing and positive environment where children feel safe, secure and eager to learn. She establishes routines and boundaries from an early age, which children readily understand and follow. For example, after lunch and before nap time, toddlers, including others who face barriers to their learning, independently go to the bathroom, fully aware that they must wash their hands. Even babies show they understand the routine around snack time as they patiently wait for food while sitting safely in highchairs and persevere at feeding themselves.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder consistently demonstrates a calm, sensitive and patient manner. From the outset, she provides thoughtful support to help children learn how to interact positively with others, understand boundaries and behave safely. For example, the childminder introduces simple turn-taking games, encouraging children of different ages to sit together in a circle and pass a ball to one another, while waiting patiently for their turn. Children clearly enjoy these experiences, frequently bringing the childminder a ball or toy car to show they want to play the game again. As a result, they willingly share resources if another friend wants it and relish in the praise and encouragement they receive for their efforts.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children form close and warm relationships with the childminder and are confident that she will respond positively and enthusiastically to their ideas and achievements. This encourages children to share what they know with confidence, such as proudly naming some familiar objects for those with speech delay. Parents particularly value the regular communication and close partnership established from the start, including clear arrangements for notifying the childminder of any absences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The attentive childminder places a high priority on promoting children's welfare and wellbeing. She demonstrates a thorough understanding of each child's individual care routines and works closely with parents and carers to adapt these as children's needs change. The childminder skilfully interprets babies' early communication, including those with speech delay who use gestures, babbling and single words, to recognise when they are hungry, thirsty or tired. She always responds with great sensitivity, adapting routines to suit each child's needs, such as adjusting timings if younger children are tired. The childminder is highly reflective and continually reviews and refines her care practices, such as when babies experience some difficulty settling to sleep.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children form secure relationships with the childminder, including those who are still settling into her care. Babies demonstrate their affectionate attachments by reaching up to be cuddled and snuggling into the childminder as she feeds them milk or shares stories. Parents applaud the childminder's genuine commitment to working in partnership to support specific milestones, such as establishing safe sleep routines and introducing weaning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The caring childminder effectively promotes children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. She provides a nutritious range of fresh fruit for snack, alongside constant access to fresh drinking water. Even babies recognise when they are thirsty, independently find their water

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Expected standard

bottle and confidently drink through a straw. Children consistently follow hygiene routines, such as washing their hands thoroughly as the childminder reinforces the importance of having 'nice and clean' hands. This helps to build healthy habits and independence from an early age. The childminder also promotes children's physical wellbeing very well by providing daily opportunities for energetic play in the garden or at local parks. In addition, she expertly adapts her approach to support each child to recognise their emotions in ways that match their age and stage of development, such as when she names the emotions children are feeling and offers suggestions to help them overcome any difficulties they may face.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children make steady progress from their starting points, particularly in developing their communication skills. However, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not benefit sufficiently from the childminder's current knowledge of more targeted strategies to accelerate their understanding and language development. Although children's confidence in communication increases over time, the lack of consistently tailored support and precise interventions means they do not always make the best possible progress they are capable of. For example, these children do not fully engage in conversations initiated by the childminder as they do not fully understand what she is saying without the use of visual prompts and other communication strategies.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop high levels of independence, social skills and physical development, as they master everyday tasks. For example, toddlers confidently feed themselves with a spoon. With more trickier food, such as corn kernels, they carefully place their free hand under the spoon to catch any food that falls. Children learn to take turns as the childminder joins in their play, modelling cooperative games, such as rolling a toy car back and forth. They show perseverance as they continue to push the car towards each other. As a result, all children willingly share their toys from an early age. Older children become increasingly competent in managing their personal care as the childminder works collaboratively with parents and carers to follow similar techniques at home. These skills, alongside children's ability to follow instructions, ensure they are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder demonstrates a clear idea of what she wants children to learn, and her inclusive curriculum provides broad coverage across all areas of learning. She uses observations, assessments, and information shared by parents and carers to plan stimulating experiences that build on children's interests, developmental stages and individual needs. For example, the childminder provides a practical collecting and pouring activity to strengthen children's hand-eye coordination to support small hand muscle development. However, the learning environment is not always planned carefully enough to maximise all children's learning, particularly those with speech delay where the childminder's knowledge of more effective strategies needs strengthening. Too many toys and resources are available at once, which distracts children. Consequently, they move quickly between activities with limited engagement, concentration and purposeful play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder places a focus on developing children's communication and language. In general, her interactions are of a high-quality. She comments on children's play and models words and phrases naturally to help expand their vocabulary. The childminder responds positively as she celebrates their emerging use of language. For example, younger children say 'snack' for the first time when they notice plates of fruit being placed on the table. Children's love for books is evident as they carry around their favourite books and regularly invite the childminder to read with them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder also weaves early mathematical concepts into daily routines, encouraging children to count pieces of fruit at snack time and introducing mathematical language to compare size during play.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Typically, the childminder embeds robust assessment and monitoring procedures into her practice. She takes the time to establish each child's starting points and promptly identifies any gaps in their learning and development. Typically, the childminder works well with parents and carers to help reduce barriers to children's development. For example, she shares her assessments with parents, who then seek support from external professionals where appropriate. The childminder is developing her approach to supporting children with speech delay, however, she does not yet apply this support consistently, which means children's progress is not as strong as it could be.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses national events and celebrations to help broaden children's awareness of diversity and inclusion. For example, during 'Pride Week', she encourages children to celebrate differences and links learning to their own family structures. She expands on this by sharing photographs of them with their families so they can share their experiences about significant people and events in their lives, such as talking about their older siblings and parents.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder expertly adapts her sensitive approach to help children who face barriers to learning understand and follow daily routines. She knows children's unique learning styles and interests and acts as a positive role mode, providing experiences that motivate children to engage. For instance, she encourages children to explore books independently by sharing their favourite stories throughout the day. Children with speech delay eagerly lift the flaps in interactive books, delighting in revealing familiar characters. They confidently gasp in amazement and use gestures to show their recognition of the 'Gruffalo' and indicate that it has 'long teeth'. This demonstrates their enjoyment and understanding despite their identified barriers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to providing high-quality care and education. She keeps her knowledge up to date by completing regular and relevant training, including enhancing her understanding of safer sleeping practices, which she follows effectively. In this way, the childminder's continually drives improvement. Although children make steady progress across all areas of learning, the childminder acknowledges that she is yet to fully develop the knowledge and targeted strategies to maximise children's communication and language, especially those with speech delay. Consequently, these children do not consistently benefit from precise interventions that enable them to fully make the best possible progress and reach their full potential.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder plans age-appropriate adult-led activities with clear learning intentions which are designed to build on children's interests and developmental needs. However, she is still in the early stages of evaluating the overall effectiveness of her provision. In particular, the childminder does not consistently consider how the organisation of the learning environment affects children's engagement. As a result, children become easily distracted by the vast range of resources available to them and do not remain fully focused or purposefully engaged in adult-led planned activities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are trusting and positive. Parents praise the childminder's consistent and supportive communication. This helps parents understand their children's development and enables children to continue learning at home. The childminder highly values parents' views and regularly seeks their feedback to help evaluate and further improve her provision.

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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 are happy, confident and settled in the childminder's welcoming home-from-home environment. They form close, respectful relationships with the caring childminder, who knows them well. Children of all ages particularly enjoy times when the childminder actively joins in their play. They smile and giggle as she follows their lead during independent play, showing that she values their thoughts and ideas. Overall, babies and toddlers move purposefully from room to room, such as when transporting resources in a wheeled cart from one area to another. This demonstrates children feel safe, secure and have a firm sense of belonging.

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

Older children act as positive role models for younger ones, who eagerly imitate their behaviour during play. This encourages children to embrace new experiences and develop positive attitudes to learning. For instance, while playing turn-taking games with the childminder, older children confidently share toys and wait patiently for their turn. Babies mirror this behaviour impressively, sitting in anticipation for their turn. Children beam with pride as the childminder enthusiastically praises their efforts and achievements. However, at times, children become distracted by the wide range of readily available resources. Consequently, they do not always sustain their attention well enough during the well- planned adult-led activities to make the best possible progress.

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

Children, including those with speech delay, develop a genuine passion for books. They independently select their favourite stories, carry them around and settle quietly to explore them. Children eagerly turn the pages and gasp with delight as they discover familiar characters hidden beneath flaps. Those with speech delay use their gestures and parts of single words that the childminder understands to express their wants and needs. Their understanding of familiar routines is very well established. For example, older children know they need to sit quietly on a mat with a book in the sleep room while the childminder settles younger children for their nap. This also demonstrates children's growing consideration for others.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:00

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About this setting

Local authority: Buckinghamshire Children access the outdoors daily. They regularly visit the childminder's garden, local parks and other places of interest to help broaden their experiences and socialise with other children. As a result, children are extremely friendly, willingly share resources, play cooperatively and consistently show kindness and respect towards others.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen her knowledge of targeted communication and language strategies to help children, particularly those with speech delay, make better progress in their language development The childminder should review the organisation of the learning environment to ensure children benefit from the well-planned adult-led activities and consistently sustain their concentration and engagement in purposeful play

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and took into account parents and carers written feedback 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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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. 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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