Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2812897 Registered with Ofsted: 13/12/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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

All children, including the youngest and those who may face barriers to their learning, typically achieve well from their unique starting points. They progress steadily and are well prepared for the next stages in their learning. Children move around with confidence and are self-motivated to play and explore. For example, they test out their ideas as they add sand to water and feel the changing textures. Sometimes, their emerging interests and early mathematical skills are not extended as much as possible to deepen their learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children behave well for their ages and stages of development and play amicably together. They are beginning to learn about being kind to others and to share and take turns with resources. Children are progressing typically well in their communication and language development. All children hear and repeat new words, such as 'pomegranate' and 'squeezing', and progressively speak in short sentences. They are developing the early independence and self-care skills they need for moving on to nursery and school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is firm but fair in her approach to children's behaviour, and children of all ages follow her rules and expectations. She helps them to learn the consequences of their actions in a gentle and informative way. For example, when she explains to children why they should not throw sand, they nod to confirm they understand.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave appropriately, share resources and follow simple instructions well. The childminder forms positive relationships with all children and families. She encourages parents to ensure their children attend as expected to avoid interruptions to their routines and play experiences. All children develop a sound sense of belonging and wellbeing and play well together. Overall, they show positive attitudes towards their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder knows that some behaviours are attributed to children's individual needs. She adapts her practice to support all children to develop confidence and self-assurance, and to behave in safe ways. The childminder constantly praises children for their achievements and when they help others. She soothes and reassures younger children, for example when they are hungry, to help them begin to regulate their emotions. The childminder models good manners, which children copy as part of developing positive social skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder identifies and meets children's individual care needs from the start. For example, she knows families well and typically makes sure that children receive any additional support they need to feel secure and begin to make progress. The childminder follows children's home routines, such as for potty training, to provide a consistent and familiar approach that supports their wellbeing. She uses risk assessments of her home and activities to keep children safe and healthy. For instance, during exceptionally hot weather, she explains to children that it is safe to play outside in the shade first thing, before the sun gets too hot. She encourages them to engage in physical activities for shorter periods of time and to drink water to maintain their sense of wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder's caring approach enables children to form close bonds with her and to develop confidence and emotional wellbeing. Children know that they can approach her for what they need and that she will respond warmly. The childminder talks to children about staying safe in different situations. For example, she explains why they need to sit down when they are eating and why they should not run indoors. Children learn to express themselves well. They show through their behaviour and actions that they feel safe and well cared for.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically plans and provides a curriculum across all areas of learning that builds on what children need to learn over time. She focuses on children's individual learning needs and any barriers to their learning in order to prepare them for starting nursery and school. The childminder encourages children's communication and language development well, including for children who are quickly catching up in this area of learning. She talks to children about what they are doing as they play and asks them interesting questions. She encourages children to progress from repeating single words to speaking in short sentences. For example, she tells children to 'chop it and peel it', which children repeat as they help to prepare bananas for their snacks.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder generally encourages children to explore their interests. Sometimes, she does not extend their play ideas as they arise in order to deepen their learning further. For example, when children crawl under an easel, she keeps them safe but does not find other ways for them to pursue their emerging interests. The childminder teaches children to count and recognise numbers in different contexts. She provides slightly fewer opportunities for them to explore other mathematical concepts, such as shape, capacity and quantity, to broaden their early mathematical understanding. The childminder charts children's progress from their initial starting points and uses assessment to identify and close any gaps in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands and meets children's individual needs. She typically adapts her teaching and the play environment to ensure all children are equally included in all learning experiences. She works closely with parents and guides them towards any help or funding available to enhance their children's development. The childminder works with other professionals and implements their recommendations to improve children's learning and to remove any barriers to their development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder engages in regular professional development to improve her skills and inclusive provision. She knows how to help all children succeed beyond their initial starting points and her curriculum is inclusive to children of different ages and stages of development. She regularly reviews her practice to help children flourish.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder follows children's home routines and interests to enable them to develop a secure sense of belonging from when they first join. When children start at the setting feeling anxious, she helps them to quickly settle, overcome their apprehension and begin to take part in all experiences. Children typically engage well in their play and follow routines in an age-appropriate way. For example, older children competently carry their chairs through to the kitchen for mealtimes and younger children join in with wiping their hands after washing them. All children show that they feel secure and know that their attempts to help and achieve are valued.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is well organised and reflective. She evaluates what works well and what she needs to improve to enhance children's experiences. For example, she recognises when some children struggle to peel stickers in a group activity, and adapts the resources used to enable future success. Despite some minor gaps in her teaching, she helps children to progress typically well in all areas of learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is well qualified and experienced. She continues to actively explore training opportunities to further improve her knowledge and skills. This helps her to promote good practice and meet children's diverse needs. The childminder provides an inviting and homely environment for all children. She knows the children well and makes decisions that are in their best interests. She uses her observations of their play and learning to monitor their progress and provide the support and experiences they need to succeed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands how to work with different professionals to make sure children progress as well as possible. She encourages parents to share her progress checks at age 2 with relevant professionals to swiftly initiate any early interventions needed in children's development. The childminder works with parents to understand and meet children's needs and to enhance their home routines. She informs parents about their children's progress and strives to include them in their children's learning and development. Parents have opportunities to provide feedback about the childminder's practice. They value her updates about their children and her help with seeking support for their children's development.

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

All children, including those successfully overcoming minor barriers to their learning, typically achieve well from their individual starting points. Children show a love of learning and happily engage in different activities and experiences. The youngest children join in with all activities, including water play and moving in different ways to songs. Older children concentrate as they decorate hand mirrors and learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. All children like being outdoors. Some practise their physical skills on wheeled toys, while others use their hands and finger movements during water play. Children hear and repeat vocabulary, such as, 'banana', 'carrots' and 'apple trees', as they freely engage in conversations about healthy foods.

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

Children use their imaginations as they make their own creations. They listen well to the childminder as she explains that water will drip through a container because it has holes in the bottom. All children practise independence relevant to their ages and stages of development and are quick to share their successes. Older children readily speak with visitors about their play interests and confidently include and involve them in their learning.

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

Children show that they feel safe and settled and they enjoy close relationships with the childminder. They develop a secure sense of belonging and enjoy playing together. Younger children respond with smiles when the childminder praises them or acknowledges their needs.

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

Children benefit from 2-way communication between the childminder and their parents. The childminder values parental input and uses this to enhance children's care and learning. She ensures parents understand the importance of their children attending as expected in order to enable their full participation in all activities and routines. Parents find the childminder approachable and value communication about their children's progress.

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

Children flourish in a safe and stimulating setting. They behave well and respond to the childminder's encouragement and recognition of their unique personalities. Overall, they develop positive attitudes towards their learning and enjoy their time together. All children become typically well prepared for the next stages in their learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to build on children's emerging interests as they play and explore, to further encourage their learning.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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Age range of children at the time of inspection

The childminder should provide a wider range of opportunities to promote children's early mathematical development, to further encourage their skills in this area of learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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