Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2806402 Registered with Ofsted: 18/12/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make secure progress from their starting points across the areas of learning and development. The childminder knows children very well and uses assessment accurately to identify next steps in learning. She provides quality experiences that build on what children know and can do.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop secure knowledge and skills that prepare them well for their next stage of learning. They are very confident communicators. They confidently share their ideas, recall previous learning and use new vocabulary in context. For instance, children confidently discuss the life cycle of butterflies, explain how plants grow and use words such as 'cocoon' to describe their observations. Children develop secure early mathematical skills through practical experiences, such as using a number line with buttons to count in sequence and match quantities to numerals.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop strong physical skills and independence through extremely purposeful experiences. They strengthen their fine motor control through activities such as using tools with dough. They develop coordination and self-regulation through sensory circuits and outdoor physical challenges. Children are extremely confident, motivated learners who are very well prepared for their future learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from a highly nurturing and inclusive environment. This helps them to feel safe, valued and secure. The childminder prioritises children's welfare and wellbeing. She has a secure understanding of their individual needs. She uses her knowledge of children, observations and information from families to provide care that supports children's physical, emotional and social development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop increasing independence and confidence through supportive care routines. The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles. She teaches children how to care for themselves. For instance, children learn about sun safety through stories, songs and discussions. They confidently recall the importance of wearing sun hats, applying sun cream and keeping hydrated. During snack time, children develop healthy habits as they independently serve fruit. They discuss how foods such as watermelon help them stay hydrated in warm weather.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children receive sensitive and respectful care that supports their wellbeing. The childminder responds calmly to children's emotional needs and helps them understand and manage their feelings through discussions. For example, they use emotion cards to explore different emotions and how their actions affect others. Children who require additional support benefit from adapted approaches, such as sensory circuit activities that promote physical development, coordination, energy levels and emotional regulation.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, highly benefit from a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on their interests, experiences and individual needs. The childminder has a secure understanding of what children know and can do. She effectively uses observations, assessment and information from families to plan meaningful learning. She identifies barriers to learning and adapts experiences to support children to participate fully. For instance, sensory circuit activities support children's coordination, physical development, energy levels and emotional regulation. This helps children to develop confidence and independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children develop excellent communication and language skills through rich interactions throughout the day. The childminder skilfully models language, introduces new vocabulary and encourages children to explain their ideas. For example, during ice exploration, children investigate sea creatures frozen in ice, suggest that the sun will help melt the ice and test different ways to release the objects. The childminder extends children's thinking through questioning and discussion. During shared stories about sun safety, children confidently join in and learn new vocabulary, such as 'toddle', 'waddle' and 'helter-skelter'. They apply their learning to real-life experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children develop knowledge and skills across the curriculum through purposeful experiences. For example, they confidently use a number line with buttons to count in sequence and match quantities to numerals. This demonstrates their developing mathematical understanding. Furthermore, they make links between learning about sea creatures, plants and life cycles. They recall that sunflowers need sunlight and water to grow and discuss the development of butterflies from caterpillars.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder knows children extremely well. She uses observations and assessment effectively to identify children's starting points, individual needs and any barriers to their learning or wellbeing. She gathers detailed information from parents about children's development, experiences and needs when they start, and she maintains regular communication to review progress and discuss any concerns. She adapts activities and routines precisely to meet children's needs. This enables children to make rapid progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through targeted strategies that promote their physical development, emotional wellbeing and independence. For instance, she uses structured sensory activities to support children's coordination and physical development, while helping them to regulate their energy levels and emotions. She carefully considers when these experiences will have the greatest impact and reviews children's progress to ensure support remains appropriate.

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Inclusion Strong standard

There are currently no children from disadvantaged backgrounds or children known to children's social care attending the setting. However, the childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of how to support children who may require additional help. She understands the importance of early identification, working with parents and other professionals where

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Expected standard

appropriate. She fully understands how to access additional support and how to adapt her practice to ensure all children are fully included.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop positive relationships with the childminder and each other. They feel secure within the setting and respond well to the childminder's calm and nurturing approach. Children confidently follow familiar routines, such as storing their belongings, preparing for activities and tidying away resources. Older children support younger children. They demonstrate kindness and consideration towards others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They are motivated and curious and engage well in activities. They share their ideas and take pride in their achievements. For instance, children confidently explore resources, solve problems during play and persevere when trying new experiences. The childminder promotes children's independence and encourages them to take responsibility within everyday routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, children benefit from expectations that support their behaviour and social development. The childminder consistently promotes sharing, turn-taking and respectful interactions. Children understand routines and boundaries. However, when children become excited during play, they do not always regulate the volume of their voices. At times, the noise level becomes too loud for the environment. The childminder does not always consistently reinforce expectations around appropriate noise levels. This means children are not always reminded to adjust their voices when needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's wellbeing and inclusion by responding sensitively to their individual needs. She supports children to regulate their emotions through calm interactions. She provides reassurance when children need help to manage their feelings. The childminder understands the importance of attendance and monitors children's attendance patterns to identify any concerns.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has appropriate systems in place to support children's care, learning and development. She understands her responsibilities. She uses observations, assessment and information from families to monitor children's progress, identify children's needs and inform her practice. She reflects on children's experiences and adapts her practice to support positive outcomes. She works effectively with families to understand children's individual needs and maintains appropriate records to support children's care and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides children with opportunities to develop their knowledge of the wider world through engagement with the local community and planned experiences. She takes children to playgroups, parks and outdoor spaces. This supports their confidence, independence and understanding of their environment. Furthermore, she plans experiences linked to wider events and cultural celebrations, such as World Book Day, walking events, Diwali and Chinese New Year. She understands the importance of working with families to value children's cultures, traditions and experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder completes some relevant training to enhance her practice. For example, she has completed horticultural training. She uses this to support children's understanding of the natural world through activities such as growing sunflowers and observing seasonal changes. She has identified further training to support children's mental health and her work with younger children. However, she does not yet consistently use professional development opportunities to further refine aspects of her practice, such as reinforcing expectations around appropriate noise levels during exciting play.

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

Children are happy, confident and thrive in the childminder's warm, nurturing environment. They develop secure relationships with the childminder and each other. This helps them to feel safe, valued and included. Children quickly settle into familiar routines and confidently make choices about their play and learning. They behave well, show kindness and consideration towards others and readily help younger children. They share, take turns and use good manners as part of everyday routines. Children enjoy a broad range of engaging experiences that build on their interests and support them to make strong progress from their starting points. They are curious learners who enthusiastically explore, investigate and solve problems. For instance, children experiment with melting ice to rescue sea creatures, discuss their ideas and confidently test their own theories. They eagerly share their thoughts, ask questions and confidently

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

communicate with adults and their friends.

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

Children develop secure knowledge and understanding across the curriculum. They confidently recall previous learning, such as how plants grow from seeds, the life cycle of butterflies and the importance of keeping themselves safe in the sun. They use new vocabulary accurately and enjoy stories, songs and meaningful conversations that strengthen their communication and language skills.

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

Children develop increasing independence through everyday routines. They confidently serve their own snack, manage their personal care and take pride in completing tasks for themselves. They learn about healthy lifestyles through discussions about nutritious foods and hydration. This helps them understand how to look after their bodies.

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

Children benefit from a curriculum that supports their physical development well. They strengthen their coordination, balance and hand muscles through a wide range of purposeful activities. This prepares them well for their next stages in learning, including school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive timely and tailored support. This helps reduce barriers to their learning. Strong partnerships with parents and carefully planned experiences help children make excellent progress. They rapidly develop confidence, resilience and independence.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen expectations around behaviour, including supporting children to understand appropriate noise levels during periods of excitement. The childminder should explore professional development opportunities to further enhance knowledge and strengthen practice.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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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