Forde, Megan Rose

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2790300 Registered with Ofsted: 28/06/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder models and embeds a culture of respect where children receive high-quality support to manage their own feelings and behaviours. Some children struggle to find words to communicate their needs. Therefore, the childminder gives younger children words to use such as, 'Please can I play with that after you'. Children repeat these words, helping them to communicate their needs and reducing frustration. The childminder provides a calm approach to the care she offers. She models being polite, which has a significant impact on how children behave. This results in children using good manners voluntarily, without being prompted. Children show extremely positive relationships with the childminder and their peers. They confidently move around her home and go to the childminder for cuddles. Children remind their peers how to complete tasks. For example, they tell their friends to put one hand on the jug and one on the cup when they pour their own drinks.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has well-embedded routines that she uses during the day and, as a result, children show that they understand what is expected of them. For instance, when children are told it is time to tidy away toys, children show excitement to take part and quickly spring into action. Children sit and wait patiently at snack and lunch time when they know they will receive food. They put on their shoes independently in anticipation of going outdoors.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance for promoting children's safety and welfare. She recognises that if children attend regularly, they benefit from support for their learning and development. The childminder understands the need to take decisive action to tackle any barriers to attendance.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are keen to learn about and investigate their surroundings. They use equipment, such as containers, magnifying glasses and tongs to search for insects in the garden, helping them learn about nature. Children are physically active, such as in the childminder's garden. They climb steps and go down slides, use ride-on toys and push them along with their legs. This helps to develop their strength, balance and coordination. Additionally, children develop their hand-eye coordination as they use different containers to scoop and pour water, exploring quantity and weight. Children show an understanding of holding onto a rail as they walk down steps, promoting their safety. Children show an awareness of what is happening in the world around them. For instance, when an aeroplane goes overhead, children wave at it and remember their experiences of going on holiday on an aeroplane. Overall, children are generally well prepared for the next step in their education, including

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides opportunities for children to learn about oral health. For instance, she offers them activities to learn how to brush their teeth. She provides children with a range of nutritious snacks and meals to promote healthy eating. Children take an active part in preparing their snacks. They learn how to use a knife safely to cut up fruit. The childminder supports children to learn how to wash the fruit before they eat it. Children are provided with a step that enables them to wash their hands independently. They show some understanding of why they need to wash their hands before they eat. They know to use soap and water to wash the germs away. However, although the childminder provides children with opportunities to be healthy, such as giving them healthy snacks, she does not consistently help them understand the benefits of these practices on their bodies. Children's independence is promoted. For example, the childminder asks them to pour their own

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

drinks, put on their shoes, use the toilet and serve their snacks.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have daily opportunities to access outdoor learning. This includes children playing in the garden where they negotiate different level surfaces to provide younger children with physically challenging experiences. Furthermore, the childminder takes older children to parks where they have access to larger apparatus to build on their physical development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder's curriculum planning includes following children's interests and identifying what they need to learn next. For example, children who need to develop their confidence in social situations, are taken for visits to playgroups to mix and interact with a wider range of children. Overall, children progress well from their starting points in learning. Children, including those that need a bit of extra help to develop their speaking skills, make steady progress in this aspect of their development. The childminder reads children stories. She repeats words children say clearly and asks older children questions to encourage their thinking skills. Occasionally, the childminder's observations and assessments of children are not used effectively to accurately identify what they need to learn next. For example, children have been set next steps around becoming independent, when they can

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

demonstrate that they already have achieved in this area.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop their mathematical skills. This includes weaving in mathematical language into the interactions she has with children. For instance, the childminder talks about strawberries being 'big' and bowls being 'empty'. She models counting in order to ten. The childminder helps children to understand the world around them, including people's occupations. For instance, when children show excitement to see refuse lorries, the childminder helps them to understand that they are emptying bins so people can refill them with rubbish.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Even though the childminder does not currently have any children in receipt of additional funding, she demonstrates an understanding of how to spend this money to benefit children's individual needs. The childminder shows an understanding of how to support children who face barriers to their learning. This includes helping children to be emotionally ready for new siblings in the home. For instance, the childminder shows children how to be gentle when they play with dolls and how to change a doll's nappy and clothes. The childminder completes a written summary showing children's development between the age of 2 and 3 years. If any concerns about children's learning are identified, she knows to liaise with parents and other professionals to provide individualised support for children's needs. This includes identifying a 'plan, do and review' approach to supporting children's progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Typically, the childminder adapts the experiences she offers children to support their emotional wellbeing. Some children who struggle to settle when they first start with the childminder, are offered shorter additional sessions. Furthermore, the childminder invites parents and children to meet up with her away from the home. This helps children to get to know the childminder gradually, while with a familiar adult.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder helps all children, including those who face barriers to their learning, to learn about attractions in the local community. She takes them to toddler groups regularly. This helps children to develop their social skills, become confident with familiar people and to make friendships. The childminder shares information with parents on an app that helps to keep them informed about their children's learning and activities they enjoy. The childminder encourages parents to read to their children at home, supporting children's literacy and communication skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice. She has made some changes to benefit the ages and stages of the children who attend, such as ensuring that toys and resources are suitable and safe for their needs. She has made changes to her garden to promote children's safety. However, she has not identified some areas for further development, such as the consistent and effective use of observation and assessment to support children to make continuous progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds on her professional development. This includes attending a training courses to develop her knowledge of how to support children's learning through a forest school approach. Children take part in experiences to develop their literacy skills. For example, they use natural resources, such as sticks, to make marks in mud. Additionally, the childminder extends her knowledge of how to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shares information with other early years settings that children move on to. This includes sending a report to staff to show children's developmental progress. Furthermore, she takes children to see where they will be attending next and talks to them about the changes they will face. This helps children to be emotionally ready for their move on to the next stage in their education.

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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 show positive relationships with the childminder and their peers. They sit with the childminder to talk about their needs. Children confidently play with their peers during activities. Younger children copy the actions of older children, such as when they use watering cans on the grass to learn how to make it grow. Children feel safe and secure in the childminder's care. Children who face barriers to their leaning benefit from regular visits to playgroups where they are supported to develop their confidence in different social situations.

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About this setting

Information about children's prior learning is gathered from parents when children first start with the childminder. This is used to help plan for their development. Overall, the curriculum supports children to build on the skills and knowledge they have when they first start attending. Children develop their speaking skills, and make steady progress, including those that have gaps in this aspect of their development. They listen to the childminder, read stories and hear the correct pronunciation of words.

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About this setting

Children show an excellent understanding of the routine during the day. They are enthusiastic to help tidy away toys. Children are polite, without being prompted, when they receive objects from their peers. They show excellent manners. Children are independent. They complete tasks easily, such as washing their hands, putting on shoes, pouring their drinks and using the toilet. Children are supported to develop their imagination. For instance, they receive suggestions to help them understand that objects can be used in different ways, such as a boat can be used as a bridge.

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About this setting

Children's attendance is monitored. If children do not arrive when expected, parents, extended family members and the relevant agencies are contacted to find out the reasons why. This helps to promote children's welfare.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen the use of observations and assessments to identify more accurately some children's next steps in learning to help them make the best possible progress. The childminder should strengthen opportunities for children to learn the benefits that healthy practices have on their bodies.

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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. Unique reference number (URN): 2790300

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:00

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About this inspection

Local authority: Nottinghamshire County Council

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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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