Steinhaus, Esther

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2806365 Registered with Ofsted: 06/12/2024 Registers: EYR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are happy in the childminder's care. Younger children sit on her knee as they sing songs together. Children typically enjoy joining in with the actions. She uses scarves to encourage children to join in with actions and to develop their shoulder and elbow muscles as they move the scarves up and down.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to understand how they can keep themselves healthy. Children understand that they need to wash hands before eating and after playing outside. From a young age, children learn how to wash their hands correctly and proudly announce to the childminder when they do this independently. The childminder generally takes account of recent government guidance on the safe preparation of food. She gathers detailed information when children first start about their likes and dislikes and any specific care needs. She gives advice to parents about healthy packed lunches and provides children with a healthy snack.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder liaises effectively with parents to support any children who have barriers to their welfare and wellbeing. For example, she updates information regularly so that she can understand how she can support children's individual needs at mealtimes.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder explains how she gathers information when children first start and how this would help her to identify any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Although there are currently no children with SEND on roll, the childminder generally recognises the importance of finding out from parents what children's individual needs are and planning for ways that she can support them. She typically understands how to seek advice from other professionals where appropriate, to help her to meet children's individual needs. The childminder assesses children regularly and discusses how she would use assessment to identify children who had any gaps in their learning. She gives examples of how she would plan adaptations or additional activities to support children further. She talks about how she would provide additional staff to support children as necessary.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder supports children with any barriers to their learning effectively. She has consistent, ongoing communication with parents to help her to meet children's needs effectively. She provides reassurance and support to help children benefit from their time in the setting. The childminder describes how she would support children who are disadvantaged or are known, or previously known, to children's social care. She talks about how she would ensure families get the support they are entitled to and would liaise with other professionals as appropriate.

p.2

Achievement Needs attention

Weaknesses in the curriculum impact on children's achievement and not all children, particularly younger children, make the progress of which they are capable.

p.3

Achievement Needs attention

There are times when children concentrate well. For example, 2-year-old children thoroughly enjoy drawing on a large drawing mat. They focus intently as they discover how they can roll balls down the slides. They climb up the steps and then slide down to retrieve the balls. Children develop their communication skills overall. For example, they talk happily about what they are doing as they draw. They listen to stories and begin to talk about how they are feeling. Older children manipulate jigsaw pieces into the wooden board. They match colours and show perseverance as they turn the pieces around to fit them into puzzles. Overall, children learn some skills that support them in their future learning.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Weaknesses in curriculum and teaching impact on children's engagement. For example, children struggle to focus on activities for longer periods because the childminder moves children on to new activities. In addition, younger children lose interest when the jigsaw puzzles are too difficult for them. However, there are occasions when children concentrate well. Older children play alongside others as they attempt to build a train track. They try hard to fit the pieces of the train track together.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children behave well and the childminder typically reminds children of her expectations. Children learn to walk around the childminder's home and wait for help to navigate the step into the back yard. The childminder reminds children to wait for their turn on the trampoline. The childminder and any assistants she employs help children to share toys with their friends. For example, when children become frustrated when other children have a toy that they want, the childminder explains that they can have a turn in a minute.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children beam when they arrive in the morning, demonstrating they are happy in the childminder's care. They develop good relationships with each other. The childminder encourages children to attend regularly so that they benefit from the routines and experiences she provides.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder's curriculum is not sufficiently well thought out. She is keen for children to experience a wealth of activities but often moves children on to new activities too quickly. This impacts on children's concentration. She has not thought about how these activities help children to develop the knowledge and skills they need to learn next. Consequently, she provides a range of activities that do not support younger children's age or stage of development. Some activities are too hard for some children, such as jigsaws. They sometimes lose interest, for example, as they watch older children building a train track. The childminder provides activities that cover the different areas of learning. She provides a range of activities for children to develop their small-muscle skills. For example, children use pens and chalks to draw and colour. The childminder helps children to develop an enjoyment of books and stories. They listen to stories and talk about the illustrations. The

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

childminder supports children's communication and language effectively overall. She listens to children and repeats and extends what they are saying. She uses a range of communication strategies to help develop children's language. For example, she comments on what children are doing and asks questions to encourage children to express their thoughts and ideas.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder's programme of professional development is not sufficiently focused on improving the quality of her practice or those of any assistants she employs. Consequently, she has not identified where she needs to improve further. For example, she has not undertaken sufficient training to improve her understanding of the learning and development requirements. This has led to weaknesses in the childminder's curriculum and teaching.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder attends mandatory training, such as safeguarding. She ensures any assistants have a suitable understanding of her policies and procedures. She identifies what she does well and is proud of the relationships that she has with children. She generally supports any assistants she employs to develop some skills. Some have completed a paediatric first-aid course. The childminder is aware of the workload of all of her assistants and checks-in on them regularly to ensure they are confident in their role.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has a suitable relationship with parents. She talks to parents when they drop their children off about how their children have been. The childminder tells parents about activities that their children have enjoyed.

p.4

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

Children do not consistently experience a curriculum that is matched to the skills they need to learn next. They experience a lot of activities during their time with the childminder but are not always able to become engaged fully, because the childminder moves them on to new activities. For example, children are fascinated as they discover how they can roll balls down the slides. However, they do not have time to explore this fully because the childminder moves them on to a different activity. This impacts on the progress children make. Children arrive happily in the morning. They greet the childminder, and any assistants she employs, warmly. Younger children seek out the childminder for reassurance when they feel unsure. This helps them to settle in. Children independently choose activities when they first arrive. During the time when children are arriving, children have more opportunities to direct

p.4

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

their own learning. Some children are fascinated in drawing and concentrate well on this activity. Older children enjoy using the shape sorters and posting the shapes in the correct slot. They enjoy stacking shapes on top of each other too. Children learn to play alongside each other and begin to understand that they need to wait for a turn. This is evident during a singing activity when children wait for their turn to hold an electronic toy. They develop some skills to support their next stage in learning, such as listening and taking turns. Children attend regularly and this helps them to develop good habits for nursery and school when the time comes.

p.5

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

Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they hold the childminder's hand as they navigate the steps into the backyard. They understand that they must walk in the childminder's home.

p.5

Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

p.5

Action Completion Date

undertake further professional development opportunities in order to plan and deliver high-quality learning opportunities 08/09/2026

p.5

Action Completion Date

ensure the curriculum stimulates children's interests and reflects children's different stages of development so that they can learn at their own rate. 22/09/2026

p.5

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, parents and children during the inspection.

p.5

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.

p.5

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 09:00 - 13:00

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.6

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.7

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.

p.7

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 .

p.7

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 .

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7