Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2791750 Registered with Ofsted: 09/12/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children enjoy an extremely calm and very welcoming setting, where they know what is expected and feel safe. They help one another without being asked. For example, children offer toys to their friends or let other children go first on equipment. The childminder notices these moments and celebrates their efforts, helping children to feel proud and confident. Older children often copy the childminder's positive language, praising younger children and encouraging them to keep trying.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children show the utmost positivity to their learning and follow routines confidently and consistently. They approach activities with joy and curiosity. They happily tidy up, take turns and show kindness to each other. The childminder places an incredibly high priority on helping children to manage their own feelings and those of others. She adapts her expectations for each child, promoting an inclusive, respectful and harmonious environment. For example, the childminder gives younger children extra time to wash their hands, uses visual prompts and offers practical support. She consistently offers praise when older children demonstrate greater responsibility and independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder supports families to maintain consistent routines, such as arriving on time, and provides detailed advance information if the children are going on trips. Children settle quickly and demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Clear expectations, supportive relationships and consistent routines help children behave well, feel included and have the confidence to try new things every day. The childminder has high expectations for children's attendance. Consequently, regular attendance and punctuality results in children engaging in a broad range of tailored activities in order to support their progress.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children feel extremely safe, secure and confident in this setting. This is because the childminder knows them well and responds quickly to their individual needs. The childminder carefully balances support with high expectations for independence. For example, she encourages even very young children to manage personal tasks themselves, such as putting on sun hats and shoes and using tissues. She stays close to guide them when needed. As a result, children develop excellent self-care skills and show pride in what they can do independently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder actively promotes healthy lifestyles and embeds these into daily routines. Children learn about nutritious foods through varied meals and discussions. They develop excellent hygiene habits through meaningful experiences, such as drinking water from cups and washing their hands independently. The childminder works closely with families to establish consistent routines, including toileting. This enables children to acquire these skills rapidly and confidently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Mealtimes are calm, and the childminder joins the children at the table to ensure that they are well supported. She engages successfully with parents to embed healthy eating habits and toothbrushing activities at home. The childminder arranges a robust and personalised

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Expected standard

settling-in process to meet the needs of each individual child. This supports all children's emotional wellbeing and helps children adjust to the setting at their own pace.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those who are new to the setting, settle quickly and feel secure. Typically, children achieve well from their starting points. They develop their motor skills effectively, building their strength and coordination in a well-resourced outdoor environment. They practise using tools in the mud kitchen and make marks in writing and number areas. Older children show they are developing these skills with increasing independence and control.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children thoroughly enjoy participating in a selection of experiences linked to their individual interests. Children of all ages develop their listening and attention skills effectively. They are interested and engage in the focused group activities that the childminder provides. The childminder promotes children's love of books and reading. They choose from a variety of books that reflect their interests and enjoy looking at books independently, developing their literacy skills. However, in order to fully support children's individual needs and promote greater consistency in care, the childminder should strengthen relationships with other settings children attend or transition to.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder implements a broad and varied curriculum that is carefully differentiated to reflect the ages and stages of the children in her care. She demonstrates an accurate understanding of curriculum quality and teaching for all children. The childminder knows and adapts teaching appropriately for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. Children's physical development is prioritised from the earliest age. She understands the steps to take to help build children's physical strength. Children enjoy learning outdoors, and the childminder uses the environment well to teach children about number, habitats and weather.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

A love of books is woven through the curriculum, ensuring that stories sit at the heart of children's experiences to support their communication and language development. Typically, the childminder introduces new vocabulary, such as 'cocoon' and 'watermelon'. She builds on children's growing vocabulary through songs, rhymes and stories, engaging children in back-and-forth conversations. The childminder comments and narrates as children play. Toddlers delight in joining in with songs and rhymes, while older children listen attentively to stories. Children are building on their growing personal, social and emotional skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans opportunities for children to develop physical skills, including walks and trips to places of historic interest. She provides regular opportunities for babies and toddlers to crawl and climb. This builds their strength and coordination. The childminder uses ongoing assessment to monitor children's progress form their starting points. She incorporates mathematical experiences across the provision, supporting children to engage with mathematics in purposeful and meaningful ways.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder generally knows how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She uses observations to assess and monitor individual children's needs. She understands how to use additional funding to enhance children's experiences. She recognises the importance of making prompt referrals and working with agencies to reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder carries out research to help her understand how to address barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. This enables her to tailor learning styles and broaden her range of interventions to meet the needs of individual children. She works with professionals, such as health visitors, and knows where to secure further advice when required. The childminder works in partnership with parents to identify children's starting points and ongoing needs. She looks at the impact of ongoing support on children's outcomes so that she can adapt her practice appropriately, including for children who are disadvantaged and those known to social care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Parents value the broad support for children and the whole family that the childminder provides and the difference this makes to children's achievements. The childminder creates tailored plans for each child in her care. Her ongoing communication with parents ensures that they are informed about children's achievements and how to continue learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Overall, the childminder reflects on the strengths of her setting and identifies any new areas for improvement. She takes account of the views of parents and children, captured in written and verbal feedback, in making decisions about changes. This helps families to feel heard and valued. Her professional development programme generally identifies mandatory and some other training that meets her interests. For example, the childminder has contact with other childminders, including her co-childminder, to exchange ideas and has completed training on developing children's communication and language skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents value the daily discussions with the childminder about children's experiences and achievements. They say that children love to come to the childminder's home and do not want to leave. They feel informed about children's progress and appreciate the advice they are given about attendance. They speak highly of the guidance they receive, such as with weaning and potty training.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder knows the importance of working with professionals and has a clear understanding of areas for development. For example, she is using funding to provide colour-coded sleep mats and outdoor equipment for the youngest children so they can explore and experiment in activity spaces linked directly to their interests in animals and nature. However, the childminder has not yet established effective partnerships with local early years settings the children attend to fully support continuity in care and learning. This work is developing but has not yet had time to show impact.

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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

Children are happy, secure and thriving in the childminder's warm and attentive care. They experience a nurturing environment where their safety and wellbeing are always a priority. Daily routines are well established, and children confidently seek reassurance or support when they need it. For example, children confidently approach the childminder for cuddles when they need comfort. This strong sense of emotional security enables them to explore, learn and take appropriate risks.

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

Children fully immerse themselves in the range of carefully planned learning experiences that the childminder provides. The childminder gives careful consideration to what children already know and the experiences they have before planning next steps. She supports children's language skills effectively and places a focus on supporting children to understand how they are feeling. Children are excited to learn and engage with the childminder with sustained positivity. They gather around her to share a story, which she reads with enthusiasm. She uses opportunities within stories to remind children about how to be kind to friends.

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

The childminder knows the children exceptionally well and ensures that children benefit from plenty of fresh air and exercise to support their physical wellbeing. At mealtimes, children

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About this setting

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

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About this setting

Local authority: Wirral have their own place mats and water bottles. This gives children a sense of independence and belonging. Children enjoy rich and varied experiences that extend far beyond the home environment. The childminder takes them to parks, the zoo and community spaces. These outings provide meaningful opportunities to interact with a wider group of children and to deepen their understanding of the world. The childminder sensitively manages conversations she has about children's progress and wellbeing with parents to help maintain a respectful and trusting partnership. Parents value the childminder's warm and nurturing approach. They appreciate the advice she gives on accessing funding and the importance of regular attendance.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen links with other settings that the children attend, sharing relevant information to ensure continuity in care and learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, co-childminder, parents 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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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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