Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2802668 Registered with Ofsted: 23/09/2024 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 Expected standard

Children make appropriate progress in their language development. They are articulate and initiate discussions that are based on their current interests. For example, young children enthusiastically name and describe the unique features of their favourite dinosaurs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) communicate their needs and preferences with equal determination. For instance, they use points of reference, such as shoes and tabards, to express their wish to go outdoors.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning and are enthusiastic to join in focused group activities. Children with SEND are beginning to join their peers during these sessions, maintaining focus on tasks for short periods of time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are learning to be independent. Older children wash their hands at regular intervals and put their shoes on with minimal support. Young children show equal determination by feeding themselves independently using cutlery. Developing these skills prepares children for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children typically follow routines well because the childminder ensures that she adapts them to support the needs and abilities of all children attending. For example, during daily circle time, children sing their favourite songs and focus on discussions for appropriate periods of time. The childminder adds exciting props to encourage children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to join in and develop an appropriate level of focus and concentration.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role models, demonstrating manners and kind behaviours. She is consistent in the approach she takes to supporting children's understanding of appropriate behaviour. Children receive an abundance of praise. They learn about the impact their behaviours may have on others. This embeds the setting's standards and ensures that children typically have a secure understanding of the boundaries that are in place and why.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children's attendance at the setting is consistent and they enjoy the time they spend exploring the learning environment with their peers. The childminder creates opportunities for children to engage in collaborative play and develop skills, such as taking turns and teamwork. For example, children group chairs together to create their own vehicle. They take turns completing safety checks on their 'car' before setting off on their adventure. Children form equally close relationships with the childminder. Young children and babies regularly cuddle up to the childminder when they are tired or in need of some additional support. Older children confidently complete tasks with the trusted childminder on hand for support.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder ensures that children sleep in a safe environment and monitors them closely during periods of rest. She adapts equipment to ensure that it is appropriate for the different ages of children who attend. Children enjoy safe and sociable mealtimes. They sit in age-appropriate equipment alongside the childminder. Together, they discuss the variety of healthy choices of foods they have. The childminder monitors children's packed lunches to ensure that they are safe and appropriate for the different ages of children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's emotional wellbeing is a priority for the childminder. All children demonstrate close attachments with her, regularly seeking her out for affection and feeling safe in her nurturing care. In addition, the childminder places a sharp focus on ensuring children develop skills and routines to keep themselves safe. Children all follow essential hygiene routines well. They understand the need to wash their hands at regular intervals during the day, especially after messy play and prior to eating. Children learn to explore and manage risks in this exiting learning environment under the close supervision of their childminder. For example, they learn about safety around water when crossing the bridge to explore the rough terrain in their woodland area.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands that children learn best when teaching focuses on their interests. She plans an appropriate balance of adult-initiated and child-led activities based on children's current fascinations. For example, children choose books about dinosaurs on their library visit. The childminder skilfully links in mathematical learning discussing the different sizes and quantities of dinosaurs. Children explore descriptive language when exploring the features of the different dinosaurs in the book and on models.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder makes every effort to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities engage in the same exciting activities as their peers. For example, she incorporates specific sensory objects into group sessions to encourage all children to join in. This allows all children access to this rich opportunity to build their confidence and develop their communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Planned activities have a clear focus on supporting children's individual learning needs. For example, young children use brushes and water to clean models of farm animals with the purpose of developing their hand muscles. The childminder extends children's learning further by encouraging them to name animals and mimic the noises they make. On occasion, the childminder does not allow children sufficient opportunity to respond to her questions before answering for them. Furthermore, at times she completes tasks for children rather than providing further support and encouragement. This limits the learning opportunities and engagement of children during some activities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive support to engage in all aspects of the setting's life with carefully adapted approaches. The childminder provides visual aids and physical prompts to ensure children with SEND understand and follow the routines. She also completes additional training programmes to keep her knowledge up to date and be able to offer the best possible support for children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Partnerships with other professionals involved in supporting children with SEND are generally supportive and secure. Regular discussions and observations of children's progress allow the childminder to develop support strategies that meet the ever-changing needs of children. However, she does not share these highly effective strategies with other professionals involved in children's learning at the setting. This does not ensure the support children receive is of the same robust standard throughout the day.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder routinely assesses children's abilities and monitors their development. This allows her to identify concerns early on in children's learning journey and swiftly put in place strategies to promote their progress. The childminder regularly shares her findings with families, offering advice and support throughout their children's journey at her setting and beyond.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder ensures that she completes all essential training to support her to keep children safe in her care. Furthermore, she accesses additional programmes that are based on the specific needs of individual children. For example, she has recently undergone specific training to support the additional needs of current children and those who are due to start at her setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are highly complimentary about the childminder, the care she provides to children and the sensitive support she offers to families. The childminder provides families with regular and detailed progress checks and high-quality communication about their children's development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Relationships with other professionals involved in children's care are typically collaborative. The childminder works with leaders and staff when supporting children's transitions to and from other settings. This helps children to settle well in their new environments. However, the childminder is not swift to share with co-childminders her extensive knowledge of individual children and the highly effective strategies she has adopted to support their needs. This means on occasion there is some inconsistency in the support these children receive.

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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 of all ages enjoy the time they spend in this exciting learning environment. Outdoor play and exploring nature plays a key role in children's learning and development. Children learn about the life cycles of animals by tending to their chickens and observing the baby peacocks that have recently hatched. They develop life skills, such as managing risks and teamwork by creating dens and exploring the extensive on-site forest area. In addition, children enjoy learning experiences outside of their setting where they engage within the community at local libraries and group play sessions.

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Inspector:

Antonia Campbell Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities engage in every aspect of play. The childminder makes careful adaptations to resources and the environment to ensure children's safety and emotional wellbeing is paramount. For example, she has created a calm area where children regulate their emotions when feeling overwhelmed.

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Inspector:

Children demonstrate confidence and a positive attitude to play that will support them in their future learning. Even the youngest children attending happily explore activities as a group. They enjoy independent play with their childminder close by for support. These close attachments are evident in the manner that children welcome visitors into their environment. They engage them in their play and discussions that highlight their robust communication skills.

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Inspector:

The childminder values partnerships with parents and carers. She welcomes them into the setting to share their unique customs. This develops children's understanding of ways of life beyond their own, as well as celebrating what makes them unique. These visits also allow parents to gather a deeper insight into children's daily experiences and routines in the setting. This also supports parents to gather an understanding of the importance of attendance and punctuality in order for children to access the full breadth of learning the childminder provides.

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Next steps

The childminder should share her robust knowledge of children's individual needs with her co-childminders in a timely manner to ensure that all children benefit from consistently high levels of support. The childminder should provide children with sufficient time and encouragement to respond to questions and requests during play.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-childminders 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 : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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