Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY558291 Registered with Ofsted: 30/08/2018 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has embedded consistent routines and clear expectations for children's behaviour. She acts as a positive role model and uses specific praise to help children to feel a sense of pride in their achievements. The childminder uses gentle reminders very effectively to support children to make positive choices and follow instructions. For example, she has devised a song to remind children to wear their hats in the sun, which they readily join in with. This helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate a clear understanding of the daily routines. For example, they independently remove their shoes when coming in from the garden. The childminder consistently promotes children's independence. She encourages children to persevere when completing tasks for themselves. This helps to build children's resilience and confidence, preparing them well for their next stage in learning. Children develop consistently positive attitudes to their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder closely monitors children's attendance. If children do not arrive as expected, the childminder promptly follows up with parents and carers to establish the reason for their absence. She reinforces the importance of regular attendance. The childminder understands her responsibility to respond appropriately to unexplained absences. She will carry out welfare checks where necessary to help to ensure children's safety and wellbeing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children typically progress well from their starting points, helping to prepare them for the next stage in their learning. They generally become confident communicators who are confident to share their thoughts and ideas during play. Children are enthusiastic learners who are keen to join in with the activities the childminder provides. Overall, they demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and show increasing resilience when faced with new tasks. For example, children persevere as they squeeze bottles of paint to fill paint pots for their creative play until they complete the task.

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Achievement Expected standard

In the main, children develop an understanding of early mathematical concepts through everyday play and routines. They learn about numbers, counting and quantity as the childminder naturally incorporates mathematical language into activities. Children learn to care for their environment and develop a sense of responsibility through everyday routines. For example, they help to feed the childminder's animals and willingly tidy away toys before transitions to the next activity.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder gets to know the children in her care well, helping them to feel safe and happy in her care. She builds positive attachments with children and is responsive to their individual needs. This supports children's emotional development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's growing independence by encouraging them to manage their own self-care and personal hygiene routines. Children learn to attend to their toileting needs and to understand the importance of washing their hands before mealtimes. These consistent routines help children to develop confidence, independence and healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents and carers to promote children's health and wellbeing. She discusses the importance of oral hygiene with parents, shares ideas for healthy lunch boxes and ensures that food is prepared safely. However, the childminder does not consistently plan opportunities during mealtimes to talk with children about the foods they are eating. This means children do not receive consistent support to develop an understanding of healthy eating and how to make healthy food choices.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder talks to parents about their children's routines and sleep times. She follows these routines to help children feel secure and well rested. The childminder carries out regular checks on sleeping children to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has implemented an effective curriculum that builds on what children know and can do. She works closely with parents and carers and maintains regular communication to share information about children's care, learning and development. This helps to promote continuity between home and the setting, helping to meet children's individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder supports children's communication and language development by introducing new vocabulary and engaging them in meaningful conversations. She takes time to listen to children, pausing to allow them time to respond. The childminder shares stories with children, helping to foster their enjoyment of books. However, sometimes, the childminder reads too fast to younger children. This means they do not consistently have time to process the language and follow the story.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder naturally introduces mathematics into activities. For example, while children water the plants, she talks to them about whether their watering cans are 'full' or 'empty'. She encourages children to count items and models mathematical language.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder gives children lots of opportunities to strengthen their core muscles, through climbing and balancing activities and using ride-on toys. However, children do not always have the same opportunities to strengthen their small muscles. For example, children use paintbrushes to make marks, but the childminder does not extend this by offering different tools and equipment. This does not fully support children to build hand strength.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses regular observation and assessment to monitor children's progress and identify their next steps in learning. She works in close partnership with parents and carers. The childminder regularly shares information about children's progress. She offers practical suggestions to help extend children's learning at home. The childminder carefully monitors children's progress to identify any emerging gaps in learning or development. She works collaboratively with parents and external professionals to adapt her provision to meet children's needs and makes timely referrals where appropriate. While children are waiting for assessments or specialist support, the childminder implements targeted strategies to help them continue to make progress and ensure that their needs are met effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Overall, the childminder understands how to support children's language and communication development. She uses a range of effective strategies, introducing early signs alongside key words and phrases to reinforce children's understanding. When caring for children who speak English as an additional language, she learns key words and uses visual cards and prompts to support their understanding. These inclusive approaches help to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can make progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses additional funding to support children's individual needs. She reflects on resources and activities, purchasing items that will specifically benefit children and taking children on outings to widen their experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works closely with other settings and schools to share relevant information and ensure continuity in children's learning and development. This supports smooth transitions, helping children to feel confident and prepared for their next stage in learning. Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents comment that they are grateful for the care and support they receive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder uses her own observations alongside discussions with parents to identify children's next steps in learning. She regularly reflects on the progress children are making. The childminder adapts her provision to respond to children's emerging interests, developmental needs and stages of learning. This approach helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates an understanding of the strengths and areas for development in her setting. She reflects on practice and identifies relevant opportunities for professional development to enhance her knowledge and skills. She regularly completes online training and engages with other childminders to share ideas and reflect on practice.

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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 are happy and settled in the childminder's welcoming home. They benefit from her friendly and caring approach. This helps children to develop secure attachments and feel safe and emotionally secure. The childminder gets to know each child well. She gathers information about their interests, starting points and what they already know and can do. Children benefit from enjoyable activities that capture their interests. Children are sociable and confident communicators. They readily engage with visitors and the childminder, asking questions and using conversations naturally as they play. This demonstrates that they feel secure and confident in the childminder's care.

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

Children learn new words and widen their vocabulary as the childminder narrates their play and talks to them during activities. Children enthusiastically join in with familiar songs and recall key phrases from familiar stories. These activities rich in language help to support children's ongoing communication and literacy development. Children are eager and confident to join in with the activities the childminder provides. They readily follow her guidance and ideas, for example painting tracks on the patio for their toy cars. This imaginative activity captures children's interests and encourages them to explore and extend their play.

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

Children benefit from daily opportunities to be physically active and spend lots of time outdoors. They confidently use ride-on toys, climb steps and use slides, helping to develop their strength and physical skills. Children also practise balancing as they walk along balance beams. This helps to develop their coordination and control in moving their bodies. These experiences support children's physical development and promote healthy and active lifestyles. Children benefit from a wide range of regular outings to the local library, music sessions and farm visits. These experiences broaden their understanding of the world around them. Children recreate some of their experiences through their play. For example, they sit on stepping stones, pretending they are 'hatching an egg'. This demonstrates their ability to recall and recreate meaningful experiences through imaginative play.

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Next steps

The childminder should help children to build the strength of the small muscles in their hands more effectively, such as by extending the range of tools on offer to younger children. The childminder should talk to children about the foods they eat to help them understand how to make healthy choices. The childminder should help younger children to follow and understand stories, such as by reading more slowly.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 19:30

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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

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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