Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2778428 Registered with Ofsted: 06/06/2024 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 Strong standard

All children make excellent progress from their starting points and are very well prepared to transition between different stages of their education, including school. Children quickly increase their independence when managing their own personal care. They become confident to communicate their feelings and needs and to play kindly with other children. Younger children are confident to chat using new vocabulary. Older children participate in longer conversations using wider vocabulary. Children who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing flourish, and they benefit from targeted support to help them overcome barriers.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop a secure understanding of mathematical concepts. They manipulate numbered keys to unlock corresponding padlocks, recognising numbers up to 6 and matching these to corresponding amounts. Children persevere with challenges and are proud of their achievements.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's physical development is prioritised with daily trips to the park to practise functional skills such as balancing, climbing and core strength with more challenging equipment. Children develop fine motor skills and coordination initially as they practise to use cutlery precisely and, as skills develop, to use pencils correctly to begin to form the letters in their name.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children thrive because the childminder creates a highly positive environment that prioritises children's learning, development and care. The childminder builds a positive and nurturing relationship with each child. They treat children with kindness, care and respect, and through guiding conversations they teach children to demonstrate the same to their friends, for example when recognising a child is tired and on the edge of being overwhelmed, becoming unhappy and resisting nap time. The childminder patiently looks at photos and chats with the child to distract them. This is effective, and children begin to relax. Children are learning how to regulate their emotions and develop empathy for others because the childminder is an excellent role model.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Clear and consistent routines that reflect each child's stage of development help to support children to understand expectations and show their best behaviour. On the very rare occasions that younger children show negative changes in behaviour, the childminder quickly steps in and gently redirects. Children respond to this prompt and listen. They then continue and take turns and once again show consistently positive attitudes to each other.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Clear expectations regarding punctuality and regular attendance are shared with, and followed by, families. This ensures positive routines are achieved consistently. The childminder has procedures to support families should any barriers to attendance be anticipated.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder consistently prioritises children's welfare and wellbeing. They utilise local early years networks to ensure any changes to statutory guidance are fully understood, rigorously reviewed and adopted. This has recently included changes to sleeping arrangements to enhance children's safety with the use of more hygienic mattresses. The childminder's understanding of the risks to children of allergic reactions and choking is exemplary and helps to ensure children's safety is prioritised. Care routines are flexible around each child's changing needs, and these reflect routines at home. The childminder works collaboratively with parents to agree timings and approaches to introduce potty training to ensure children meet developmental milestones.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder celebrates the approach she takes to motivate children and families to develop long-lasting healthy attitudes to diet and physical and emotional health. For example, they notice during weaning that younger children sometimes eat pre-prepared food pouches containing high levels of sugar. The childminder tackles this positively to help parents make positive changes. The childminder recognises that parents absorb information in different ways, and they carefully plan different ways to communicate information for maximum impact. This results in children's eating habits changing significantly. Visits to pick fruit further support this, and children show delight when they see strawberries and bananas for snack, recalling their trip excitedly. The childminder shares further professional knowledge, including the negative impact of screen use on children's healthy brain development. This supports parents to adopt long-lasting healthy habits with their children.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder strives to implement a carefully planned curriculum that is inclusive and offers high expectations for what children can achieve. They recognise that each child is unique with differing experiences and use this information to plan an enjoyable and exciting daily routine. The childminder prioritises children's emotional security as the foundation for their academic and physical development.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

When the childminder chats with children, they adapt the dialogue based on the child's needs and interests. For example, recognising that some children are shy, they kindly encourage them to join in with a game or read a story they know the child will enjoy because they 'love horses'. This supports children to feel safe, happy and more confident to join in and reduces the barriers to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children are developing a love of books. They eagerly choose their favourites from a selection the childminder changes and selects as high quality. Children listen and concentrate because the childminder reads enthusiastically, changing their voice and encouraging the children to look at the pictures to answer questions or recall what has happened.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is enhanced through interesting and carefully planned trips, for example visiting the local town to take part in the community's celebration of Diwali or trips to international food shops to buy unusual fruit. On discovering a dragon melon, the children and childminder learn about this new find together. This provides children with real-life experiences to develop their understanding that people have different beliefs, cultures and experiences to them.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder precisely identifies any barriers to learning and/or wellbeing children may experience. They identify children's needs quickly and are swift to notice any changes in circumstances and emerging needs. They carefully adapt their environment, routines and activities to meet individual needs. This helps to ensure support is adapted for each child and reduces barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder carefully monitors children's progress and understands their responsibility to ask for and follow advice from specialists when needed. Parents value the childminder's knowledge, asking for guidance when needed. The childminder recognises the importance of sensitively discussing children's emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning and wellbeing with parents. They actively encourage and support parents to seek advice from specialists, including health visitors.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder prioritises continuous professional learning. This ensures they have up-to- date knowledge, skills and understanding to make a positive impact on all children in the setting. The childminder demonstrates a firm commitment to inclusive practice, completing a wide range of training, and is dedicated to completing further qualifications in this area to ensure the quality of support provided for children is even higher.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has an ambitious vision for all children to experience high standards of education and care. They recognise the strengths of their provision in relation to their community of children. The childminder is highly reflective and carefully explores how to adapt the setting should the needs of children change. The childminder takes into consideration children who may attend in the future when planning areas for improvement. This includes disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are known (or previously known) to social care. For example, plans to introduce even more precise assessment systems for speech, language and communication will provide even more focus on securing excellence for all children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Children thrive because the childminder adopts a consistently thoughtful and highly positive relationship with parents. They celebrate that fully inclusive provision widens beyond the child and includes parents. This makes a significant positive difference to children's care and education. Parents comment that the childminder has made 'all the difference in the world' to their children. They value the childminder's professional opinion, which supports them as new parents.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder engages with other professionals to support children to settle quickly when they join a new setting. They aim for all children to move seamlessly on to their next setting or school. The childminder supports families to develop highly positive attitudes to healthy lifestyles, and, as a result, children begin to eat a wider range of healthier food.

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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 flourish in this warm and welcoming setting. They feel safe and secure because the childminder knows them exceptionally well. Children's individual needs and interests are understood and reflected in the education and care provided. As a result, children are enthusiastic, motivated and keen to learn.

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

Children benefit from a well-resourced environment where toys and activities are easily accessible, encouraging them to make choices, explore and investigate independently. Children show resilience and determination when faced with challenges because the childminder provides sensitive support and encouragement. For example, children are fascinated by unlocking padlocks using numbered keys. As they push keys into locks and experiment with turning them, they strengthen their fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities. When children comment, 'It's tricky,' the childminder encourages them to persevere by offering gentle prompts and reassurance. This effective support helps children develop confidence and a positive attitude towards learning.

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

Children's experiences are broadened through regular visits to local parks, towns, a living rainforest, soft-play centres and the library. These experiences strengthen their physical skills and understanding of the world. The childminder promotes punctual attendance so children can fully benefit from these opportunities. As a result, children are confident, motivated learners who engage fully in the curriculum.

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

Children thoroughly enjoy sharing books and stories. They snuggle with the childminder, listen attentively and eagerly chat about the pictures. Communication and language development is promoted effectively as the childminder introduces new vocabulary, models clear language and extends children's conversations. Less confident children receive warm encouragement, helping them to participate and express themselves. Children feel valued and included because activities and resources reflect their interests, such as books linked to their favourite animals.

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

Children are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their personal care and daily routines. Children receive support with tasks such as handwashing and toileting, while gradually developing the skills and confidence to manage these independently. Children behave very well because daily routines are predictable and familiar and help them feel secure.

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

Families feel welcomed. The childminder maintains strong partnerships with parents, keeping them well informed through daily conversations and other communication methods that meet the needs of individual families.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with children, the childminder and parents during the inspection.

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About this setting

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

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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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4

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 children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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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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