Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY477802 Registered with Ofsted: 09/06/2014 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 Strong standard

All children are motivated and thrive in their learning. They show excellent concentration skills and are excited to try new things. For example, younger children persevere until they successfully pick up objects with tweezers, which supports the small muscles in their hands and fingers. Children have excellent social skills. They use chalks to make patterns, and demonstrate their language skills as they ask they friends to guess what they are drawing. Children are confident communicators. As they mix coloured water together, they discuss what the result might be. Children move freely, make choices and are purposefully engaged in play. Children successfully develop their balance and coordination skills. They use tape to make lines and shapes, and excitedly balance along it. Children use new knowledge in their play and confidently discuss which way they are going. All children make sustained progress. They develop the skills they need ready for school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates a nurturing and emotionally secure environment where children flourish. She has high expectations for children's behaviour. The childminder supports children extremely well to understand, express and regulate their emotions. At the start of each day, she thoughtfully checks in with children about how they are feeling, using approaches tailored to their individual needs. The childminder's highly effective partnerships with parents and carers ensure that she has a thorough understanding of any changes. This includes disrupted sleep or significant events at home, that may influence children's wellbeing. This enables her to respond sensitively, helping children to feel emotionally secure.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder consistently models kindness and respect. Children reflect these values in their interactions with others. They show genuine care and compassion towards their friends, readily offering encouragement and support without prompting. For example, while washing baby dolls together, older children patiently guide their younger peers reminding them to be kind and careful. Children form secure relationships with the childminder, her assistants and one another. Secure partnerships with parents promote excellent attendance and ensure continuity of care. Children of all ages respond extremely well to the childminder's consistently high expectations. They listen attentively, follow instructions and demonstrate high levels of cooperation and self-control. This contributes to a calm, purposeful and highly positive learning environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children confidently embrace responsibility and take pride in contributing to the daily routines. They independently prepare the table for lunch, organise resources and willingly undertake a range of helpful roles. These well-established routines successfully promote independence and resilience. As a result, children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They remain deeply engaged in their play and show sustained levels of concentration, perseverance and motivation throughout the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder promotes children's health extremely well. Outdoor play is firmly embedded within the curriculum, ensuring that children benefit from daily fresh air and regular physical exercise. They participate in an exciting and varied range of activities that successfully develop their physical skills. For example, children work collaboratively to throw balls into buckets, encouraging and supporting one another throughout the activity. They show high levels of perseverance as they try hard to improve their accuracy and enthusiastically celebrate one another's achievements. The childminder supports children to learn how to manage risks safely. Children confidently climb and balance on equipment. They show an awareness of their own safety and that of others. Children understand why they need sun cream and a hat to help keep themselves safe during outdoor play.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder ensures that children enjoy a nutritious and varied diet of home-cooked meals. She works closely with parents and carers, and has recently enhanced her menu in response to their feedback. This demonstrates her commitment to continuous improvement. Mealtimes are used highly effectively in promoting children's independence, language and communication skills. As children enjoy their food, the childminder encourages them to describe different tastes, smells and textures. She engages children in meaningful discussions about healthy foods and the importance of making healthy choices.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children confidently develop healthy habits. They know the importance of drinking water regularly to stay hydrated and thoughtfully take water bottles to their friends. The childminder consistently promotes safe eating and sleeping practices. She maintains an inclusive approach to meeting children's individual needs. The childminder works in close partnership with parents to identify and respond promptly to any changing needs. This ensures every child receives highly effective support and thrives in her care.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder delivers a varied and inclusive curriculum. She carefully assesses and monitors children's development. The childminder uses this knowledge to plan purposeful activities that effectively support each child's learning. This enables children to make the best possible progress, including those with barriers to the learning. A stimulating programme of well-targeted experiences, including regular outings, provides children with rich opportunities to develop skills across all areas of learning. Children confidently talk about their previous experiences. They enthusiastically recall watching and waving to the train drivers from the bridge at the local common. The childminder uses photos as prompts to support all children. This strengthens their communication skills and enhances their understanding of the world.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder tailors planning to children's individual interests and next steps in learning. For example, children develop their coordination skills as they carefully use nets to catch coloured and numbered ducks floating in the water tray. They show great pride in their achievements. With encouragement from the childminder, children eagerly match the ducks to objects of the same colour and the corresponding written numbers displayed around the garden. The childminder encourages children to work together as they excitedly search for additional resources, extending their learning and reinforcing their knowledge. Throughout these activities, she skilfully promotes children's language development. For instance, the childminder consistently encourages children to describe what they are doing. She also deepens children's understanding of shape and size while naturally introducing early mathematical concepts, including simple calculation, through play.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder knows children remarkably well. She continually monitors and evaluates their progress to ensure they achieve the best possible outcomes. The childminder has a secure understanding of child development. She recognises the importance of identifying any emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities at the earliest opportunity so that timely and effective support can be put in place. Drawing on her extensive childcare experience, the childminder works in close partnership with parents and carers and other professionals to successfully support children who may face additional barriers to their learning. She is committed to her own professional development. The childminder attends regular training to keep her knowledge and practice up to date. As a result, she identifies any potential barriers to children's learning promptly and addresses them effectively. This ensures that every child is fully included and thrives in her highly inclusive environment.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder places an emphasis on helping children develop an understanding of the diverse community in which they live. She works closely with parents to incorporate festivals and family experiences into daily routines and activities. This ensures that every child feels valued and respected. The childminder further strengthens these partnerships by inviting children and their families to events at her home. This fosters a sense of belonging and community. Children receive encouragement to think about the needs of others through experiences beyond the setting. For example, they write and post postcards to residents at the local care home. Children also donate toys to the children's hospital. This supports them to develop empathy and an awareness of how their actions can make a positive difference to others.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates an unwavering commitment to enhancing outcomes for children. She is a passionate advocate for inclusion. The childminder continually reflects on and adapts her practice to minimise any barriers to children's learning or wellbeing. This ensures that every child can achieve their full potential. Recent improvements to the outdoor learning environment have enhanced children's development across all areas of their development.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder regularly undertakes a wide range of high-quality training. She shares this knowledge effectively with her assistants through ongoing guidance, professional discussions and leading by example. This ensures they have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities and consistently implement high-quality practice. The childminder prioritises the wellbeing of her assistants and is mindful of their workload. As a result, they work together well as a team and provide children with a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment. The childminder implements highly effective policies, procedures and robust risk assessments that consistently promote children's safety and wellbeing. She works closely alongside her assistants, providing clear direction and support while maintaining vigilant supervision so that children are always seen and heard. The childminder has a thorough understanding of safeguarding. She responds confidently to any concerns

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

about children's welfare or allegations, ensuring that statutory responsibilities are met without delay. Regular training ensures her assistants fully understand the safeguarding procedures they must follow.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Highly effective partnerships with parents and carers ensure a seamless and consistent approach to children's care, learning and development. This also promotes children's excellent attendance and engagement. The childminder carefully plans an ambitious, broad and exciting curriculum that is precisely tailored to children's individual interests, developmental stages and next steps in learning. As a result, all children are highly motivated and make excellent progress across all areas of learning. They develop the confidence and independence skills they need to be well prepared for the next stage in their education, including their move to school.

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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

The childminder creates a supportive learning environment. She is committed to reducing any barriers to children's learning. Children form extremely secure relationships with the childminder, her assistants and one another. They demonstrate consistently positive behaviour and confidently follow the well-established daily routines. Children show the trust they have in the childminder and her assistants, readily approaching them for reassurance, support and encouragement. Children of different ages express themselves through singing and movement. Even the younger children demonstrate high levels of determination as they practise their jumping skills while remaining mindful of those around them. They respond with delight to the genuine praise and affection they receive. This helps them to feel safe, valued and emotionally secure.

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

Children display an enthusiasm for learning and eagerly engage in the rich range of experiences on offer. They become deeply absorbed in their play, demonstrating high levels of curiosity, concentration and perseverance. Children listen to and show respect to each other. They negotiate with their friends and take on different roles as they set up a doctor's surgery, strengthening their social skills. Children develop their coordination as they carefully apply bandages to their friends and the childminder. Children independently select and put on dressing-up clothes. They learn new words, such as 'thermometer' and 'stethoscope', and discover why their heart may beat faster, for example, after exercise.

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

Through consistent routines and regular attendance, children develop secure self-care skills. Social mealtimes provide further opportunities for children's learning. Younger children confidently talk about colours and shapes. Older children use their mathematical skills to work out how many pancakes are left for their friends. Children become increasingly independent, confidently taking responsibility for small tasks. They develop resilience and self-confidence. These experiences equip children with the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes they need to be well prepared for their future learning and eventual move on to school.

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Next steps

The childminder should build on the already highly successful practice, including further strengthening strategies to reduce any barriers for children who require additional support, so that her excellent practice has a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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About this setting

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

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistants 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 .

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Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn . Store Street Manchester M1 2WD

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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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