Smethurst, Carla Louise

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2768920 Registered with Ofsted: 26/01/2024 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

All children make effective progress in their learning and development from their individual starting points. Children are very engaged in a broad range of activities. They communicate confidently, engage in conversations and join in enthusiastically with songs and imaginative play. Children enjoy sharing their thoughts and ideas and skilfully use new vocabulary such as 'expand' and 'enormous' as they explore during creative activities. They are beginning to develop their independence skills, confidently exploring their environment and taking an active role in setting up and tidying away activities. They complete these tasks with increasing ease and enthusiasm, often supported by music that enhances their engagement and enjoyment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children are effectively supported in preparing for their next stage of learning, including starting school. They display positive attitudes to learning and are developing essential skills such as independence, communication, personal care and the ability to follow routines and engage positively with their peers and adults.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have lovely behaviour and demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the expectations of their behaviour. The childminder typically supports children to develop positive social skills through consistent guidance and clear expectations. She encourages children to communicate respectfully, cooperate with others and resolve minor conflicts appropriately. Children demonstrate kindness and consideration during play, taking turns and sharing resources, and use polite language. Older children act as positive role models and show patience and encouragement to younger children. For instance, when younger children struggle with an activity, older children say, 'That's ok, we can help you as a team.' This fosters a caring and inclusive environment where children learn to support one another, develop empathy and build confidence in their own abilities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has developed secure attachments with children and has established an environment that helps them to feel safe and settled throughout the day. The childminder establishes consistent routines that children confidently follow, supporting smooth transitions between activities, including care routines and mealtimes with minimal support. She adapts her expectations and support to meet the differing ages and abilities of children, ensuring all are included and able to succeed. As a result, children develop increasing independence, and the well-organised environment enables them to remain focused and engaged in their learning. The childminder works in partnership with families to promote attendance, helping them understand the positive impact this has on children's learning and progress.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder places a clear emphasis on promoting children's wellbeing and ensuring their safety. She has developed close attachments to children and provides a warm, nurturing, home-from-home environment where children feel secure, valued, and well cared for. The childminder typically has an effective understanding of each child's individual needs and adapts activities and daily routines to support their learning and development. She supports children to recognise and express their emotions and ensures they have a voice within the setting. For example, during circle time, children share how they are feeling and make individual choices about the activities they would like to take part in.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles by teaching children about healthy eating, physical activity and good hygiene practices. Children enjoy nutritious meals and snacks, regular outdoor play and outings, and learn about the importance of oral health. The childminder works in partnership with parents to support children's access to dental care. As a result, children develop positive habits and a secure understanding of how to maintain their health and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's health and wellbeing effectively through secure care practices and has a thorough understanding of child development. She follows current guidance for safe sleep and the hygienic preparation of food. Regular risk assessments are completed for her home and outings to identify and minimise potential hazards. The childminder keeps her professional knowledge up to date and applies this effectively to promote children's safety, wellbeing and overall care.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed an ambitious curriculum and has a secure understanding of the early years foundation stage. She ensures this is carefully sequenced to meet children's individual learning and development needs. The childminder completes regular observations and assessments of children's development to identify their next steps in learning and inform planning. She has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn before going to school. The childminder prioritises children's communication and language skills, personal, social and emotional development and independence. She plans a broad range of engaging activities that build effectively on children's learning. For example, she skilfully extends children's interest in 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. As she reads the story, children enthusiastically match the correct fruit and number before posting them into a caterpillar's mouth. They eagerly create their own caterpillars using pens and paper before using

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

pipettes to add water and observe them expand. This helps to develop children's fine motor skills while sustaining their curiosity and engagement.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically supports children's communication and language development well. She enthusiastically sings with children, encouraging them to choose familiar songs, recall the words and use actions. This helps to extend their vocabulary and build their confidence in speaking and communicating with others. The childminder successfully incorporates mathematics into everyday routines and play. Children confidently count objects, recognise shapes in their environment and use mathematical language, such as 'full' and 'empty'. This helps children to build a secure foundation for future mathematical learning. The childminder provides regular opportunities for children to develop their physical and socialisation skills. Children benefit from frequent outings and group activities, where they develop their physical abilities, learn about the wider community and interact positively with other children and adults.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates an effective understanding of how to support all children in her setting. While she currently does not have any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities on roll, she typically monitors children's development and progress well to identify any emerging needs and put appropriate support in place. This generally enables children to achieve their full potential in her setting. The childminder is aware of other professionals she could contact if she had any concerns about a child's development. For instance, she knows if she had any concerns about children's speech, she could contact speech and language therapists to support them further with their communication and language skills. The childminder supports parents to access funding and provides them with information on additional funding available to ensure all children gain the support they require.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has typically established effective partnerships with parents and carers. She gathers detailed information when children first start, to gain a thorough understanding of their individual needs, interests and starting points. She continually updates her knowledge through professional development, enabling her to respond effectively to children's changing needs. Activities are adapted appropriately so that all children are fully included and able to participate successfully. The childminder skilfully promotes communication and language through singing, stories, role play and meaningful conversations. She gives children time to think and respond to questions, encouraging even the quieter children to contribute. As a result, children become confident communicators who actively participate in activities and develop increasing confidence in expressing themselves.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a genuine passion for the care and education she provides to children and their families. She is generally committed to delivering an ambitious curriculum that reflects children's individual needs and supports their ongoing learning and development. The childminder has a secure understanding of the strengths of her provision and identifies areas for further development. She regularly reflects on her teaching and the experiences she offers, adapting these to ensure children make effective progress and develop the skills they need for the next stage in their education. The childminder stays up to date with her professional development through mandatory training and values opportunities to further develop her practice. She attends regular webinars online to strengthen her knowledge and ensure she continues to meet the needs of the children in her care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has developed effective partnerships with parents. They praise the childminder for providing excellent activities and experiences for their children and feel their children thrive with her care. Although she discusses children's experiences in other settings with parents, she has not yet established effective partnerships and direct communication with these providers. As a result, information is limited and is not consistently shared to promote continuity in children's learning, care and development across the different settings they attend.

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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 very happy and settled in this nurturing, home-from-home setting. They settle quickly and build positive relationships with the caring and enthusiastic childminder. This helps children to feel safe and secure and develop a sense of belonging. Children are eager to be involved in the vast array of activities and resources that are available and are highly engaged throughout the day. For example, children enthusiastically place spots on toy babies as they pretend they have chickenpox before working together as doctors to care for them and help them feel better. This imaginative play supports children's communication

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2768920 and language skills, cooperation and understanding of the world. The childminder is an excellent role model and has high expectations for children's behaviour. Children receive lots of praise and support from the childminder, which builds on their self-esteem and gives them pride in their own achievement and understanding. They consistently demonstrate kindness and respect towards one another. They happily share resources, take turns and play cooperatively, demonstrating positive attitudes towards their learning. The childminder promotes regular attendance, which helps children settle into familiar routines and supports stability in their learning and development.

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About this setting

The childminder plans activities that reflect children's interests and individual learning needs. She listens carefully to what children say and uses this information to shape her planning and curriculum. For example, when children develop an interest in insects, she extends their learning by organising a bug hunt in the garden. Children eagerly use magnifying glasses to search for insects and other minibeasts before taking turns to hide toy insects for their friends to find. This supports children's curiosity, encourages exploration and promotes positive interactions with their peers. The childminder has developed effective relationships with parents and regularly shares information to support children's learning and development. However, partnerships with other settings that children attend are limited and not yet fully established to ensure consistent communication and continuity of care.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop appropriate partnerships with other settings that children attend to provide more targeted communication and support continuity of care.

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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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

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