Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2800647 Registered with Ofsted: 29/08/2024 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, typically make progress across all areas of the curriculum. This means children are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. Children concentrate and focus well on rolling up small pieces of dough to put carefully into the back of small diggers. This develops their smaller physical skills and concentration. Children develop their pencil control as they carefully colour in the lines. Children have fun as they jump onto numbered lily pads, practising their larger movements and strengthening their leg muscles.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show their emerging mathematical knowledge as they confidently count when singing their favourite number rhymes. They communicate confidently. Children enjoy two- way conversations with their peers and the childminder about their experiences. They learn new words, such as 'froglets' and 'spawn' when listening to a story. Children demonstrate their love for books as they independently look through them and ask the childminder to read a story. Children are happy and motivated learners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for behaviour. She is a positive role model for children, using gentle reminders and consistency to help children understand what is expected of them. Children remind each other of these, such as not to throw. The childminder recognises when these expectations need to be adapted to suit the ages and abilities of children, reducing barriers to children's learning and development. The childminder uses positive praise, encouragement and support to build children's self-esteem and resilience. This helps children to keep on trying when they face trickier tasks. The childminder prompts children to use their manners, and they rephrase their question to include, 'Please may I?' This teaches children to be respectful, kind and well mannered.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents and carers to promote attendance. As a result, children understand their daily routines, which supports their ongoing learning and emotional wellbeing. This creates natural transitions between day-to-day routines. This means the environment is calm and children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Children generally remain focused and engaged in their learning. However, inconsistencies in tailoring activities to extend children's learning means, at times, they lose focus.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children form positive relationships with the childminder and their peers. They show kindness as they pass each other toys and recognise when others are feeling sad. Children show care and concern. The childminder reassures children and helps them to begin to solve and manage small conflicts that arise, such as turn-taking. The childminder encourages children to use their voices to ask for what they need or want and helps children to engage in discussions with each other. This supports collaborative working.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers and knows children very well. This enables her to typically meet the individual care needs of all children, supporting their welfare and wellbeing. For example, she swiftly recognises when children need some time alone to regulate their emotions and behaviours. The childminder generally helps children to begin to understand their feelings. They begin to connect their experiences to how this makes them feel. This enables them to begin to regulate their reactions and build their self- control. The childminder is attentive and children know that she will respond to their needs and wants.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children develop warm and trusting relationships with the childminder. The childminder helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe. She reiterates the importance of sitting while eating and putting shoes on when outside. Children generally engage independently with self-care routines, such as washing their hands, wiping their own noses and attending to their own toileting needs. They enjoy healthy snacks and they talk about a recent visit from dentists. This helps children to understand the benefits of healthy eating on their oral health. Children typically develop positive habits and learn to make healthy choices. They benefit from a large, spacious garden where they confidently walk up and down the small steps, jump and learn to negotiate space around them. The childminder regularly takes children to the local park, supporting their balance, coordination and confidence as they move, climb and navigate different equipment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has created a curriculum that provides opportunities for children to make choices and lead their own learning. The spacious environment is set up to encourage children to explore all areas of learning across the curriculum. Children develop fundamental skills, including self-confidence and independence. This typically prepares children for their next stage in education. The childminder is skilled at ensuring the curriculum and environment is reflective to children's interests. She knows what children can do and need to learn next through her effective assessment procedures. However, at times, the childminder does not tailor activities precisely to children's individual next steps in learning. This does not consistently help children to build on their skills, and occasionally, they lose focus in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder places a focus on supporting children's communication and language skills. She uses her interactions well to model the correct pronunciation of words, introduce new vocabulary and recast words correctly. This helps children to become confident communicators. For example, children ask questions, enjoy in-depth discussions and use a wide variety of language. The childminder has recently introduced music sessions led by music teachers. They sing songs and experiment with sound. This supports children's language development, particularly for those children who speak English as an additional language. The childminder has introduced a 'book share' library for children and parents and carers to enjoy. This encourages children's love of books, supporting their early literacy skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder naturally weaves in mathematical language and concepts through children's play and learning. Together, they use the language of size, measure and quantity. Children demonstrate emerging confidence and understanding of early mathematics.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides an inclusive approach to children's learning and development. She generally ensures that every child is recognised as an individual and knows them well. Although there are currently no children on roll with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), she continues to closely track and monitor the progress of all children. This helps the childminder to identify any emerging gaps in children's development and to implement supportive strategies quickly. The childminder demonstrates confidence in the steps she would take to seek additional advice if needed. She has formed positive relationships with the local authority that ensures she can access support and guidance. The childminder recognises when additional funding can be used to support children and how she can support parents and carers to access this when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder shares regular overviews of children's development and next steps in learning. This helps parents to support their children's learning at home. However, the childminder has not yet formed more consistent procedures when sharing information about children's learning and development with other settings they attend. This does not provide continuity in children's learning. The childminder implements sign language and uses visuals. This ensures children, including those who speak English as an additional language, can communicate effectively. She places an emphasis on training to enhance her knowledge and confidence. For example, the childminder engaged with a mentoring initiative through the local authority and worked with other childminders to improve practice around supporting children with SEND and inclusion.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to her ongoing training and development. She has recently completed training based on 'school readiness'. This has enabled the childminder to place focus on providing more opportunities for children to develop their confidence in their self- care and independence skills. The childminder completes regular check-ins and supervision sessions with any assistants she works with. This helps to provide consistency in practice as well as sharing knowledge, training and updates. The childminder places importance on her wellbeing and that of her assistants.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has formed effective relationships with parents and carers and local links within the community, such as the music teacher and dentist. She supports the local food bank and takes children on trips to the fruit and vegetable shop. This promotes a positive community ethos and helps children to learn about the importance of supporting each other. Parents report on the consistent information sharing and value the detailed daily handovers about their child's day. However, the childminder has not yet formed consistent procedures when liaising with other settings children attend.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder generally has an idea of the setting's strengths and areas of improvement on a day-to-day basis. She reflects daily on what has worked well. However, the childminder has not yet developed more robust self-evaluation procedures to help identify clear targets and outcomes. This does not help to continuously raise the quality of care and 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 demonstrate they are safe and happy at the childminder's 'home-from-home' environment. Children form positive and warm relationships with the childminder, developing their emotional security. For example, children cuddle into the childminder during a story.

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Inspector:

Chelsea Woollard Children show confidence as they lead their play and learning. They make choices and gain self-confidence and independence skills. Children build their relationships with their peers as they chat together, share their thoughts and begin to show care towards one another. Children benefit from a joint approach where families share and update information with the childminder regularly. This ensures their care closely aligns with their home experiences, supporting children's wellbeing. This creates a secure base for children to explore, develop curiosity and gain a real sense of belonging. The childminder encourages children's regular attendance and monitors this effectively.

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Inspector:

Children eagerly choose activities that reflect their interests, such as sand and diggers. They demonstrate their understanding of new words they have recently learned. For example, children talk about 'camouflage' as they hide small toy frogs in the sand. The childminder uses 'taste-safe' sand to ensure all children can access this in a safe way. This helps to reduce barriers to children's learning and/or wellbeing. Children benefit from the childminder's interactions as they learn about the life cycle of a frog. This supports their understanding of the world around them. Children begin to work out how many objects are in a group without counting them, as they relay the number of toy frogs they have hidden. All children access an inclusive environment and make steady progress in their learning and development.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure that activities are precisely tailored to help children to build on their skills, helping them to excel in their learning. The childminder should develop strategies to work more closely with other providers who are involved in children's learning. The childminder should strengthen her reflection and analysis strategies to embed highly ambitious and consistent practice, to support the overall quality.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children, and parents and carers shared their views, 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: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 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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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

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

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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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