Bower, Sarah

Bower, Sarah

Unique reference number (URN): 2828503 Address: The Woodside Pavilion, 120 Middle Village, Haywards Heath, RH16 4GJ Type: Childminder without domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 04/03/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Sarah Bower

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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 Strong standard

Children are making considerable progress in all areas of learning, acquiring the essential skills needed for their development and growth. They engage positively with the childminder and their peers, expressing themselves clearly. The strategies implemented support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, enabling them to communicate their needs effectively. This includes the use of visual cues and prompts, which they utilise with confidence.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are swiftly developing their independence skills and learning to manage their personal needs. They show resilience and determination, enjoying tasks such as peeling and chopping fruit for snack time. Furthermore, they take great pride in their creativity, relishing the opportunity to express themselves in their art journals, which highlight their mark-making skills and creative journeys. Additionally, they love being active and eagerly engage in various physical activities. As a result, children are acquiring the necessary skills for the next stage of their education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder fosters positive relationships with the children and implements clear routines, creating an environment where they feel safe and secure. She maintains high expectations for behaviour, which are communicated and understood by parents. These expectations are adapted to accommodate the varying ages and needs of the children in her care. This approach ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those facing challenges in their learning or wellbeing, have ample opportunities to succeed and make progress.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's emotional development is nurtured extremely well. Through effective teaching methods, they learn to recognise and manage their feelings. For instance, during circle time, they are encouraged to express their emotions and articulate why they feel that way. Words such as 'happy', 'sad', and 'tired' reflect their growing emotional awareness. Behaviour among the children is exemplary. They exhibit remarkable kindness and empathy towards one another, offering comfort to peers who are feeling upset.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder serves as a positive role model, acknowledging and celebrating children's achievements. She also maintains effective communication with parents, sharing her policies and procedures to ensure they are fully aware of her expectations. Furthermore, the childminder emphasises the importance of punctuality and monitors children's attendance to guarantee they make the most of the educational opportunities available to them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has a deep understanding of the children in her care and implements robust policies that prioritise their welfare and wellbeing. She has built secure attachments with the children, which creates an environment where they feel safe and comfortable. This supportive atmosphere is particularly beneficial for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who may encounter challenges in their learning or wellbeing, helping them to settle in and prepare for learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Through various activities and daily routines, the childminder instructs children on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For instance, she encourages them to drink water regularly to stay hydrated and to wear hats while playing outdoors. The children are provided with ample opportunities for physical activity, such as exploring a woodland area and running in the fields. Consequently, they benefit from fresh air and exercise, contributing positively to their overall health and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Additionally, the childminder offers healthy, nutritious meals and consistently guides children in making healthy food choices. She provides opportunities for them to help prepare and serve their snacks, encouraging them to try a variety of fruits and vegetables to familiarise them with healthy options. By gathering information on each child's allergies, intolerances, and food preferences, she ensures that their individual dietary needs are met safely, fostering healthy habits among the children.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder creates and implements a high-quality curriculum that aligns with the interests and learning needs of children. She initiates each session by welcoming the children with a song, encouraging them to participate by selecting a flag to wave and greeting one another in different languages, including German and Japanese. The children joyfully sing along as they say hello to their friends.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder effectively enhances children's language and communication skills. For instance, during play, she introduces sounds and new words, such as 'mash' and 'squish', to broaden their vocabulary. She employs a variety of questioning techniques to foster children's thinking skills, allowing them sufficient time to process the language and formulate their responses. Consequently, the children are successfully developing their communication and critical thinking abilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Throughout activities, the childminder seizes every opportunity to count objects and incorporate mathematical language. For example, 'biggest and' 'smallest', 'more' and 'less', to deepen children's understanding of values and quantities. Outdoor learning plays a vital role in the curriculum, and the children relish their experiences in forest school and their outdoor environment. For example, they enjoy picking blackberries, which they use for squashing and painting, as well as tasting them during snack time. This activity allows children to learn about the natural world and understand how food grows.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder celebrates festivals that hold significance for the children and invites visitors to share insights about a variety of faiths. This initiative provides children with the opportunity to learn about their community and the wider world.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

All activities are tailored to accommodate the individual ages, stages, and needs of the children. This approach ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those facing barriers to their learning, are included and can make significant progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder employs a range of assessments, including the two-year progress check and a speech and language tool, to monitor children's development and identify any learning gaps. She swiftly implements plans and effective strategies to remove obstacles to learning. For example, she uses visual prompts to help children understand and follow routines. The childminder engages in a continuous cycle of assessment to adapt her plans to meet the changing needs of the children. This approach ensures that those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who are disadvantaged or face barriers to learning, can make consistent progress in their wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder collaborates closely with her local authority to provide targeted support tailored to the specific needs of the children. Moreover, she utilises funding, such as disability award funding, to obtain specialised resources like sensory toys, which aid in children's development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Through high-quality teaching methods, the childminder assists children in learning to regulate their emotions and engage effectively with their peers. As a result, the children are making significant progress and fully benefiting from the enriching experiences offered. The childminder has a secure understanding of the various ages and stages of child development. She applies this knowledge to ensure that all activities are tailored and accessible to every child, creating a play environment that is both inclusive and highly effective for all.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is passionate and highly ambitious, consistently assessing her practice and professional development to create and implement a high-quality curriculum for all children. She actively seeks opportunities to enhance her skills, such as learning sign language to better support children's communication abilities. To enrich the curriculum, she offers incredible experiences, including trips to the theatre, library and forest school. Her positive collaboration with other childminders provides excellent professional support and allows children to develop their social skills by interacting with peers. Consequently, the childminder upholds a high standard of care throughout her provision.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder communicates effectively with other settings attended by the children, sharing crucial information, such as their next steps, to ensure continuity in learning. Additionally, the childminder collaborates closely with other professionals to secure extra support and funding for children. This approach ensures that those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those facing barriers to their learning or wellbeing, can fully access the curriculum and achieve significant progress.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Secure relationships with parents foster effective communication. The childminder regularly updates parents about their children's daily activities, progress, and future learning goals, thereby involving them actively in their children's education. She also provides resources for children to take home and share with their parents, enhancing home learning. Furthermore, the childminder supports children during transitional periods, such as starting school or moving to a different setting, ensuring they are well prepared for the next stage of their educational journey.

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

Children are curious, enthusiastic learners who enjoy exploring their indoor and outdoor surroundings. The childminder has established comprehensive policies and procedures and follows routines that ensure the children's safety and security. For instance, she prepares them for outdoor play by applying sunscreen, providing hats, and ensuring they have access to drinking water. The children thoroughly enjoy stories with the childminder and have a selection of books available for independent exploration. During story time, they remain focused and engaged, eagerly answering questions about the narrative and predicting what might happen next. Their behaviour is exemplary, and they demonstrate kindness towards their peers. For example, when a friend is feeling sad, they empathise and console them by offering to paint a picture of an elephant, which is their favourite animal. The children also enjoy participating in role-playing activities and cooperate well, sharing toys and resources.

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

For instance, they love pretending to run an ice-cream shop.

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

The childminder tailors learning opportunities to the children's interests, maintaining high expectations for all, regardless of their background or individual needs. She ensures that every child can access the available activities and makes adjustments as needed, taking into account their ages and developmental stages. This approach supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those facing barriers to their learning or wellbeing, helping them make effective progress.

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

Independence and self-care skills are encouraged, with children practising tasks such as putting on their shoes and washing their hands. They have ample time to persist and refine these skills, which prepares them for the next stages of their learning. The childminder has a firm understanding of each child and has built secure relationships with them. She communicates effectively with parents and has established robust policies to promote and monitor children's attendance. This careful approach ensures that children are safe and can fully benefit from the educational opportunities provided.

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Address:

The Woodside Pavilion 120 Middle Village Haywards Heath RH16 4GJ

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Address:

Type: Childminder without domestic premises

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Address:

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Next steps

The provider should continue to strive for ongoing improvement and uphold high standards. Their emphasis should be on generating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, along with those who may face barriers to their learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents 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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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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