Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY547385 Registered with Ofsted: 06/12/2017 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

Children generally sustain good progress from their starting points. They develop early communication skills through repetition and meaningful conversations during play. For example, while exploring kinetic sand, they talk about shells found on the beach. This demonstrates children's growing vocabulary, improved clarity of speech and increasing confidence when interacting with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop a love of books and stories, which the childminder uses purposefully to support their emotional understanding. They talk about feelings during their play. For example, when a conflict occurs with another peer, children say 'I am sad.' These discussions help children begin managing their emotions and strengthens their understanding of feelings.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's personal, social and emotional development are well supported. They follow routines and manage small challenges. As a result, children demonstrate readiness for their next stage of learning and achieve well across all areas of development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder typically supports all children's behaviour well. She acts as a positive role model and builds warm relationships with all children. Children benefit from her calm and reassuring approach. The childminder uses age-appropriate language and praise to guide children's behaviour effectively. As a result, children respond positively, treating one another with kindness and respect.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, the childminder sets clear behaviour expectations for all children. However, the agreed rules are not yet promoted consistently throughout the day. For example, expectations around sharing are not always reinforced in a consistent manner.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

In general, all children follow routines well within the setting. She encourages the children to help with small tasks, such as carrying their bottles when going indoors or using the brush and dustpan to clean the floor. Mealtimes are generally a calm and sociable experience, where the childminder promotes positive manners and supports children to develop good social habits. The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance, supporting children into positive routines in readiness for starting school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm and nurturing environment, where children feel safe, secure and valued. Children develop close relationships with the childminder. They confidently seek out reassurance and support. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their individual care and emotional needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents to find out about food preferences. She provides nutritious home-cooked food each day for the children and promotes healthy food choices. She encourages children to learn about nutrition through conversations. Children benefit from daily opportunities for outdoor play, visits to farms and other community spaces. They develop physical skills, such as strength and coordination.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

In general, the childminder provides a range of opportunities for the children to be independent. For example, tidying up or putting their shoes on. However, at times, the childminder is quick to intervene and help the children to manage daily tasks. This does not always support children's growing independence skills or develop their resilience, when they find something tricky.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a curriculum that is broad and covers all areas of learning in an age-appropriate way. She places a particular emphasis on communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical development. She understands the importance of these areas in providing the foundations for future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder models language well through high-quality interactions. She initiates conversations, listens attentively and responds thoughtfully to children's questions and interests. She supports children to build vocabulary and develop confident communication skills. Children benefit from regular story sessions, where she extends their thinking through purposeful questioning about the world around them. These interactions help children deepen their understanding of the natural world.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children use mathematical language naturally in their play. For example, when sharing pretend ice cream, they confidently say how many scoops they might want. This shows an emerging understanding of number and quantity. Outdoor play is promoted daily, giving children regular opportunities to run, jump, climb the slide and use bikes independently. This supports children's physical development and coordination.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder generally promotes children's independence well. Children are encouraged to select resources and decide what they would like to play with, both indoors and outdoors. However, daily routines are not always used consistently to strengthen and embed children's independence. For example, children are not yet supported to wash their hands independently.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers information about children's interests, routine and experiences at home before they start at the setting. During the settling-in period, which is unique to each child, she gathers information through close observations, assessments and regular discussions with families. This helps children settle quickly and enables the childminder to identify their starting points and plan further learning. Planned activities generally support children's learning effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder currently has no children on roll with special educational needs and/or disabilities or in receipt of additional funding. However, she has a secure understanding of inclusive practice. She knows how to adapt her curriculum and provision to meet the needs of individual children to ensure that all children can participate fully and make progress. The childminder reflects regularly on her environment and is proactive in developing resources that would support children with additional needs. For example, she is working to create a sensory room designed to offer a calm space to support all children's needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Ongoing assessment and monitoring of children's learning ensures that the childminder quickly identifies any areas, where children may need extra help with their development. This enables the childminder to identify concerns promptly and work with parents and other professionals when needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder's reflective practice and willingness to seek expert guidance demonstrates her commitment to ongoing improvement. The childminder has completed mandatory training, such as first aid and safeguarding. She reflects on her professional development and recognises that she would like to learn yoga for children and babies. She feels this will further support children's physical and emotional wellbeing. The childminder ensures risk assessments are carried out when needed, and she remains attentive to the children's developing needs. However, the childminder does not always support children's growing independence skills or develop their resilience, when they find something tricky.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Overall, the childminder sets clear behaviour expectations for all children. However, the agreed rules are not yet promoted consistently throughout the day. For example, expectations around sharing are not always reinforced in a consistent manner. The childminder has established friendly and professional partnerships with parents and carers. She shares information daily about the children's care routines, achievements and learning. Parents value the end-of-term updates about their children's progress and next steps. They speak highly of the childminder and the support their children receive. For example, the childminder has shared information about how to support transitions into school. Children benefit from this collaborative approach.

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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 happy and settled in the care of this warm and caring childminder. When they arrive, they quickly settle into familiar routines, demonstrating a sense of belonging. Children form trusting relationships with the childminder, speaking openly about their home life. For example, sharing stories about their siblings or parents. This supports the children to feel emotionally secure and understood.

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

Children independently select resources throughout the day. They have a range of opportunities to make choices and lead their own learning. The childminder knows the children well and responds sensitively to their interests and ideas. For example, when making pretend ice creams, the childminder encourages them to choose the resources they need, such as selecting pom-poms to use as sprinkles. This approach supports children's decision-making and confidence in expressing their ideas. Children benefit from a range of activities that spark their curiosity and deepen their imaginative play. They feel confident sharing their ideas. When exploring role-play activities, such as dressing up in the fire engine costume, children discuss the actions they need to take as part of their pretend play. These opportunities enable children to show their growing creativity and communication skills.

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

Mealtimes are social occasions that provide opportunities for conversation and learning about healthy lifestyles. Daily routines help children understand what will happen next and contribute to a sense of security and belonging. Children are treated with respect during personal care routines. When children need additional support, the childminder is willing to work with families and other professionals to help meet their needs.

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

In general, children collaborate well and form friendships. During quieter times of the day, children explore the book corner with genuine interest. They look at books together and

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Operating hours:

Local authority: Croydon comment on what they see. This helps them regulate and enjoy meaningful peer to peer conversations. The childminder promotes children's attendance and helps them to build positive life-long habits. This supports children to be prepared for the next stage of their learning, including starting school.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure clear boundaries are implemented consistently across the day, so that children understand expectations and experience predictable boundaries. The childminder should enrich daily routines to consistently allow children to practise their independence before providing support, so that they learn to do things for themselves

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parent 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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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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