Brookbanks, Lucia Maria

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2808292 Registered with Ofsted: 06/11/2024 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 Strong standard

Children make excellent progress in their learning and development. They develop a wide range of skills to help them to get ready for their next stage of learning and beyond. Children are curious and enthusiastic about learning. They notice changes in the weather and talk about which weather they prefer. Children use their impressive language skills to talk about feelings and negotiate with each other. For example, they discuss how to share resources and how that makes them feel.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children excitedly revisit activities and recall prior learning. They are eager to discuss the caterpillars they had and how they changed into butterflies. Children also identify their own names and ages from a board. Young children have excellent mathematical understanding and skills. They recognise shapes, numbers and count fluently. Children identify numbers on a ruler and excitedly find their age on a number line. Children listen to instructions carefully. Children develop their problem-solving skills and communication as they learn to work as a team. For example, they work together to count the shopping items as they place them in a basket.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has very high expectations of children's behaviour. She has very positive relationships with children. She has embedded a warm, harmonious and respectful culture. Children work together to problem solve. For instance, they relish jointly completing a large floor puzzle and excitedly name the characters in the puzzle. The childminder has a calm, nurturing and sensitive approach. She models polite and respectful communication. Expectations are consistently reinforced through clear explanations and explicit, positive praise. The childminder shows high regard in supporting children to regulate their behaviour. Children demonstrate strong negotiating abilities and collaborate effectively to resolve minor disagreements. As a result, children's behaviour is exemplary.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes clear, consistent routines that help children feel safe and secure. She is thoughtful in her approach and plans to help children feel confident, when there are changes to their routine. For instance, she prepares children for visitors to the home by explaining the reasons for their visit and providing a description of what the visitors look like. Children manage their self-care with ease, washing their hands and brushing their teeth with growing confidence and independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has effective systems in place to promote children's attendance. She works closely with parents and acts to establish consistent routines and understand the attendance policy.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are a priority for the childminder. She develops warm, positive relationships with the children in her care. Children are very happy and settled and have established secure attachments. Parents and carers are confident leaving their children in the childminder's care. Children have regular access to outdoor learning, where they enjoy opportunities to be active and explore with their friends. Children are sensitively supported to manage their personal needs. They understand the importance of washing their hands before eating and can do this independently. They explain to the childminder that they have removed the 'germs'. The childminder uses daily routines, such as snack, to talk about healthy foods and exercise.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is highly respectful of children's privacy and ensures it is always protected during self-care routines. The childminder follows stringent policies and procedures, when children are eating or sleeping, to ensure they are always safe. She gathers a wealth of information from parents and carers on children's dietary requirements, allergies, weaning and sleeping routines. This enables her to know children's individual needs from the very beginning. Children demonstrate an understanding of how to keep themselves safe as they carefully manoeuvre themselves up and down the stairs to the childminder's playroom. The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing effectively. Children learn to recognise and manage their feelings. As a result, children are very happy, secure and thrive in this exceptionally nurturing environment.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder is a skilled teacher. She has carefully constructed a high-quality curriculum that meets children's development and interests. The childminder is reflective. She observes children and carefully adapts her teaching to ensure that children are challenged and motivated to learn. The childminder teaches children how to meet and manage their own needs with confidence and independence, extremely well. For example, children are able to tell the childminder what they would like to do, and when. Children are extremely independent with their self-care needs. The wash their hands and access their own drinks. Children brush their teeth and they explain they need a 'pea-sized' amount of toothpaste, and they need to reach the 'molars' at the back of their mouth.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Mathematics is taught explicitly. For example, the childminder uses every opportunity to encourage children to count coins and fruit as they play in the role-play kitchen. She weaves learning at every opportunity, for example, through their daily routine. During snack, toddlers explain that they have a semi-circle on their plate. The childminder encourages them to count shells and add them to a number line, promoting children's understanding of number well. Children's physical strength is prioritised. Children enjoy daily exercise in the childminder's garden. They access resources that support large-muscle movement. Children enjoy exploring, making marks on chalk boards and use tongs to pick up small objects. This helps to develop their dexterity and their physical coordination.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder knows the children well. She checks what children already know and can do before they start attending and continually assesses and monitors their progress. She provides effective support for children, including those who may face barriers to learning, even while waiting for guidance from external professionals. For example, she researches specific support groups and develops activities to help children develop their communication skills. The childminder works in collaboration with parents and professionals to ensure children who may need additional support receive the right interventions at the right time. For instance, the childminder seeks advice from external professionals, when needed, and has sought professional development to improve her practice.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Parents are actively involved in their children's learning. The childminder has meaningful, considerate discussions to help parents to recognise where children may need additional support. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of children's emotional needs, particularly for those who experience anxiety when around strangers. She ensures children's individual needs are met by explaining to children and introducing them to visitors to the home at the child's pace. As a result of this high-quality, inclusive provision, every child is meaningfully supported. There is a clear purpose to developing children's skills, particularly in their social and emotional and communication skills. This means that children are developing the skills needed for future learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is extremely passionate and dedicated. She maintains high professional standards and actively pursues continuous development. She is reflective and adapts her practice effectively to enhance children's individual experiences and outcomes. Recent training includes 'safe sleeping', 'supporting wellbeing' and 'nutritional guidance'. She effectively implements the learning from these courses into her everyday practice. This has a positive impact on the children in her care. The childminder consistently acts in the best interests of the children, including those who may face barriers to learning. She carefully considers children's individual needs and ensures her environment is highly inclusive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

She works closely with other professionals to ensure she is providing the best care. For instance, she liaises with health visitors, the local authority and the local family hubs to ensure children get the right support at the right time. The childminder establishes strong links with local early years settings to support smooth transitions.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has excellent relationships with parents. She ensures effective communication and gathers detailed information about children's learning, interests and any areas where additional support may be beneficial. The childminder provides parents with activities and resources to further support children's learning at home. Parents are very happy with the childminder's care, they comment that their children have made 'tremendous progress'.

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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 develop exceptionally secure bonds with the childminder and benefit from her warm and caring manner. She is extremely nurturing and knows the children and their families incredibly well. The childminder has an excellent understanding of children's individual needs. She plans activities that motivate and ignite their enthusiasm for learning. Children develop their physical skills as they engage in dance and yoga sessions. They demonstrate their favourite yoga poses and discuss changes to their bodies once they have finished moving to the music.

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Inspector:

Julie Campbell The childminder has very high expectations of children and plans a wide variety of challenging and motivating experiences for them. Children love to explore the childminder's well-resourced garden. They learn about nature and living things. Children eagerly explain to visitors that their caterpillars developed into 'cocoons' and then turned into butterflies. Children respond well to the childminder's positive approach. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their confidence and independence. For example, the childminder supports quieter children to use their voices to make their needs known. All children develop the skills they need for their future learning. This successfully enhances their confidence and self-esteem. Children follow the rules and routines of the setting with ease. For example, they know that they need to tidy away toys before getting more resources. The childminder

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Inspector:

has developed positive and effective relationships with parents and significant carers. She works well with parents to ensure they understand the importance of attendance on children's learning and development.

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Inspector:

Children demonstrate a love of books. They sit and listen as the childminder reads with excitement and intonation. Children join in with their favourite parts and point out small details in the pictures. The childminder expertly engages children into discussions about the book, listening to their ideas and suggestions. The childminder places an emphasis on communication. She engages children in meaningful conversations, songs and rhymes. Consequently, children are becoming confident communicators.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children, including those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and reviewed parent's feedback 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,Friday : 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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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

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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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