Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2786108 Registered with Ofsted: 04/06/2024 Registers: EYR

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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

Overall, children are happy and enthusiastic. They are confident communicators and those who need more help, hear and learn new language every day. They enjoy playing and approach learning with plenty of smiles and excitement. When things are tricky, they work together as a team. For example, in the woods they roll a large log together to make a bridge over a hole. They ask adults for help and hold their hand before they build up confidence to do it on their own. They hold out their arms for balance and then crawl across. They rush to the childminder proud of their achievements and receive praise as she celebrates with them.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are encouraged to be independent. Generally, they manage their self-help skills on their own. For instance, they wash their hands, pour their own drinks and put on their shoes. They persevere at things that are more difficult, like taking off their own jumper. These attitudes and skills support children as they transition to the next stage in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children thrive in the routines that the childminder has established. She reflects each day on what went well and what to change to improve children's experiences. The childminder adapts the day depending on the needs of the children. For example, she has introduced a daily singing session when all of the children have arrived. This gives them the opportunity to come together and socialise with their friends. Children are very excited as they dance and sing along. They choose to jump like squirrels and leap like frogs. Adults sing and dance with the children which helps to build secure attachments with the children. They are positive role models for children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Generally, children are kind and friendly towards each other. They use their manners and say please and thank you without prompt. When there are small disagreements, the childminder reminds them to share, and they resolve their problems without fuss. Children learn to take turns and play in collaboration. The childminder promotes regular attendance and is flexible in her working patterns to support working parents.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder places the welfare and wellbeing of the children at the centre of everything that she does. Before children begin attending, the childminder offers setting in sessions. This helps children feel comfortable and confident when they start. When children arrive in the morning, they rush to the front door to greet their friends. The childminder develops secure relationships and gets to know each child well. This means that she can respond quickly to their emotional needs. For example, when children tire, she scoops them up for a cuddle and they nestle in for comfort. Routines are designed so that children receive plenty of fresh air and are active. In the afternoon they have time to relax. Children who are reducing their naps have quiet time listening to stories or audio books. This creates a calm environment to rest before they are ready to engage in more active play again. Overall, the childminder promotes healthy eating. Children help to prepare an allotment to

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

grow fresh vegetables. They eat fruit at snack time and food provided is nutritious. However, the childminder has not yet shared information with parents about healthy eating. This means that families are not always aware of nutrition guidelines and how to provide healthier options in packed lunch boxes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder designs a curriculum that encourages children to make choices and learn independent skills. She encourages collaboration and teamwork. Questioning techniques are effective to allow children to share what they know as they develop their language skills. For example, she gets children to think about what food a giraffe might eat or how to build enclosure for the animals, so they do not escape. Children are confident communicators from a young age, they enjoy holding conversations with adults as well as their friends. However, the curriculum for mathematics is not as well embedded. There are some inconsistencies in teaching. For instance, sometimes, the childminder will count for the children rather than encouraging them to have a go themselves. This means that opportunities for children to develop their mathematical skills are not as well as established as other areas of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children are developing into curious learners. For example, as they walk through their community, the childminder encourages them to talk about what has changed and what is new. These observation skills help children to use their memory and talk about past events. Children laugh as they recall that when they went to the allotment, they dug a big hole so that they could sit in it and got messy. Overall, children make positive progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where children feel safe, valued and able to join in throughout the day. Overall, she identifies children's emerging needs through ongoing observation and play. This helps her understand the children's stages of development and any barriers that may affect their learning or wellbeing. The childminder shares information with parents and signposts them to support services. For example, she prepares reports for the health visitor and refers to speech and language therapy. The childminder implements some strategies to stop any gaps in children's development widening. For instance, when children have limited vocabulary, she offers them choices of snack to encourage them to communicate.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Overall, the childminder thinks carefully how to remove any barriers to children's learning. She reflects that she has limited experience of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the childminder has taken proactive steps to prepare for supporting a wider range of needs. She has established support networks with other professionals and the local authority. This means that the childminder can access help and guidance to support children and their families should the need arise. As a result, children typically feel included and able to make steady progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate and reflective of her practice. Overall, she is aware of her strengths and what areas she would like to enhance. The needs of the children come first, and the childminder adapts her provision to continually improve. She has undertaken some specific training to support this. For example, she has completed training about language development in children. This has already had a positive impact on the outcomes for children. However, the childminder does not yet have a focused plan for her professional development or support for her assistant to increase their knowledge of child development and apply to their teaching practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parent feedback is very positive; they praise the calm and home from home environment. They are pleased that their children spend so much time out in nature and remark that their children now know the names of birds and insects that they see. The childminder recognises that spending time outside has a positive impact on her own wellbeing alongside the children's. Parents also appreciate the support that they receive with transitions like potty training. They discuss strategies so that there is a consistent approach for children. The childminder gives verbal feedback to parents daily. She has also started to use an online system to enhance information sharing. This has helped her to be more organised so that she can focus on interacting with the children.

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

Children arrive happy in the care of the childminder and her assistant. They have a calm and nurturing manner which helps the children to feel welcome and safe. When children arrive, they find their name and rub it out to so that they start to recognise familiar letters. Children choose what they would like to play with. They build train tracks, explore shapes with magnets and use their imagination. For example, they make pretend cups of tea and coffee for everyone and exclaim that it tastes 'delicious'. The childminder provides a positive environment for children in which they feel safe and secure.

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

The childminder instils a sense of community and love of nature though the daily activities that she builds into their day. They take walks to the park, local woodland and go to the allotment. They also visit the library and local shop to buy resources. For example, they purchase fruit that they have been reading about in stories and try it at snack time. They enjoy trying new things like mango and passion fruit. Children look forward to these daily outings. They choose what to take with them like construction vehicles or animals to play with. On their walks, children say hello to familiar people that they meet and wave at dogs that they know. While they are out, the childminder teaches children about road safety. They

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:00 all stand to listen and look for cars. Children exclaim when they see an electric car and know that we cannot hear their engine. Children tell their parents about the robin and the pigeons that they see in the trees. These experiences help children develop an awe and wonder for nature alongside promoting their physical and social skills. Children develop a sense of community and learn about the wider world.

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Next steps

The childminder should review and enhance the curriculum to fully embed mathematics so that children receive more challenge and time to practice what they know. The childminder should work with parents and share information about healthy eating so that food provided is nutritious and children have healthier options. The childminder should continue to implement a focused program of professional development for herself and her assistant to raise standards in teaching and practice.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant and read parent reviews 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. Local authority: Kent

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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. 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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