Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY536809 Registered with Ofsted: 19/10/2016 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Strong standard

Children in this setting make excellent progress from their starting points and develop age- appropriate skills across all areas of learning. They demonstrate high levels of confidence when interacting with adults and peers. Behaviour is exemplary, and children show empathy and understanding towards others, including those younger than themselves. At lunch time, they confidently recall which peers have food intolerances and respond with care.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children remain deeply focused on their activities and show excellent creativity as they extend their play. For example, children, in the home corner, plan a tea party for their friends. They choose a healthy menu, count the number of children present and work out how much food and cutlery is needed. They use expressive and purposeful language, including mathematical concepts that are well matched to the activity.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children receive consistent praise, which raises their self-esteem and encourages further creativity. Their enthusiasm for learning is contagious. They motivate one another to engage fully with the rich-learning environment available to them. Children are independent and helpful, collectively tidying up and assisting in setting up for lunch. Children enjoy following instruction guides to assemble new small furniture items and resources. This provides them with perseverance skills and a 'can do' attitude, increasing their engagement with the learning environment and preparing them well for future success.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes an inclusive approach to supporting excellent behaviour, providing children with age-appropriate strategies to manage conflict with kindness and understanding. Children understand the nursery routines, including tidying up between activities and looking after resources. Children of all ages play and learn together. The childminder takes a thoughtful and consistent approach to teaching children how to resolve disagreements. Younger children are supported to avoid taking toys from their peers, while older children are encouraged to show kindness, recognise the developmental needs of younger children and model positive behaviour. This results in highly effective inter-age learning, enabling children to make rapid progress in their development.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate excellent cooperation and turn taking during group activities. This is clearly evident in outdoor sand-tray activities, where children of different ages pretend to scoop ice cream into cones. They help one another, share resources and offer imaginatively flavoured syrups for toppings. As a result, all children remain highly engaged and motivated for sustained periods.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is proactive in promoting punctuality and regular attendance with parents and carers, clearly communicating the benefits for children's learning and development. Children build secure, trusting relationships with the childminder and their peers, laying secure foundations for becoming confident, active learners. Consequently, all children in this setting make rapid progress across all areas of learning and demonstrate high levels of perseverance and resilience.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the importance of establishing secure attachments for new arrivals. He works closely with parents and carers to understand each child's interests and home routines, forming the basis of an effective settling in process. This has a significant impact on children's emotional wellbeing. Parents and carers express their gratitude at how quickly their children settle with this caring childminder.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are fully supported to develop age-appropriate physical independence, from early walkers to older children who confidently manage their self care and personal hygiene. Younger children independently guide the childminder to where their personal belongings are kept at nappy-changing times. Children are taught the importance of privacy using age- appropriate language. Older children use the bathroom independently, informing a trusted adult of where they are going. The childminder responds positively and reassuringly, ensuring children feel safe. Consequently, all children demonstrate high levels of emotional wellbeing and develop secure, trusting relationships with the childminder and their peers.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

There are currently no children on roll who have special educational needs or disabilities, or who face specific disadvantages. However, the childminder is highly skilled in placing effective measures in place so that all children receive consistently high-quality care and learning. Although the local area is relatively affluent, he is acutely aware of pockets of disadvantage within it. He is committed to providing inclusive opportunities for all children, regardless of cultural, social or economic background. As a result, all children benefit from nutritious, home-cooked meals and an excellent learning environment in which they thrive and reach their full potential.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder is highly reflective of his practice and has worked very hard to make substantial improvements to the quality of his curriculum and teaching since the last inspection. As a result, children in his care make excellent progress from their starting points. They show high levels of confidence and curiosity, and demonstrate the ability to pose thoughtful, pertinent questions. For instance, children inquisitively ask visitors about themselves and their jobs. Parents and carers express how well prepared their children are for the next stage of their learning journey. They particularly comment on the excellent communication skills and wide range of vocabulary their children have developed. For example, children use words such as 'ambiguous', accurately and in the correct context, during conversations at home.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder carefully plans his curriculum around children's next steps, using purposeful themes, developed over time to cover all areas of age-appropriate learning. For instance, with holidays approaching, the current theme explores 'family holidays'. Children discuss different modes of transport and develop their understanding of the world by using maps to identify where they have been and where they are going. Mathematical concepts are woven seamlessly into discussions about the distances they may travel. Children also talk about the size of the Earth when viewed from space.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder's philosophy is that children's learning is not restricted to the setting. His curriculum is designed to include parents as equal partners. He shares teaching moments that occur both in the setting and at home, supporting parents with carefully considered ideas to extend learning. Parents describe having allocated storage space at home for the resources and suggestions provided, which further helps to deeply embed children's learning.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is deeply embedded in the setting and reflected across all aspects of children's experiences. This ranges from the diverse foods children learn to enjoy to the confident way they embrace differences in the broadest sense. Parents consistently praise the childminder for broadening children's taste palettes by introducing authentic Mediterranean flavours that children may not otherwise encounter at home. He purposefully uses everyday learning opportunities to teach children about the different types of homes people live in, such as flats or houses, and helps them recognise that families come in varied structures, including single parent and extended family arrangements.

p.4

Inclusion Strong standard

He has carefully considered effective strategies for supporting children who speak English as an additional language, beginning with key vocabulary from their home language. Children also access storybooks in other languages, strengthening their awareness of different written scripts. Activities are thoughtfully designed so that children of all ages can access them equally and gain maximum age-appropriate learning. For example, the sand tray is equipped with appropriately sized tools that support younger children while also challenging older children to extend their skills. This equips them with key essential skills of empathy, kindness and respect to help them develop deeper understanding of inclusion.

p.4

Inclusion Strong standard

There are currently no children in receipt of early years pupil premium funding. However, the childminder demonstrates secure understanding of how he would use this funding to provide targeted resources and experiences that reduce barriers to learning. His highly inclusive approach consistently removes obstacles and enables children of all ages to participate safely and successfully in learning opportunities, resulting in excellent progress in their development.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly reflective and has made significant improvements since the last inspection. He has met his identified next steps and embedded them within the culture of the setting. Observations and assessments clearly inform children's next steps in learning, which are seamlessly woven through daily provision and planned activities. He runs the provision with a collaborative approach and utilises colleagues expertise well. Parental agreements at admission outline this collaborative approach and parents and carers praise the warm, caring practice. They note that children form secure, trusting relationships. They value the high quality of home-cooked meals and the variety of foods children experience. The childminder uses early years pupil premium funding effectively, to remove barriers to children's learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is proactive in keeping up with developments in the early years sector. The childminder supports any assistants he may work with, for example, to complete professional development in safe sleeping and eating statutory requirements. These practices are firmly embedded. Weekly team meetings with assistants and focus on each child's next steps and any reasonable adjustments needed to routines or activities. This ensures all children make excellent progress in their age-related achievements.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder seeks feedback from parents and uses this to set priorities for the provision. Parents are central to the setting's approach. The childminder provides daily feedback and shares progress checks and transition reports promptly. Parents feel highly involved in this holistic approach to their children's development. They understand their children's next steps and receive ideas for activities and resources to extend learning at home. As a result, children's learning and development is very well supported.

p.5

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children's achievements are visible to all and clearly mapped from their starting points to their readiness for school. They settle quickly with support from the caring and empathetic childminder. The youngest children show high levels of confidence, safely navigating the environment alongside older children and accessing learning to maximum benefit. This stems from a well thought out plan that prioritises new children's emotional wellbeing alongside their physical independence. Older children are purposefully included in this process, helping them build essential social skills such as kindness and empathy. As a result, new children quickly form secure bonds with the childminder and their peers.

p.6

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

Children develop a wide range of communication skills, from early non-verbal babbling to emerging language that leads to a breadth of expressive vocabulary. They are exposed to rich language throughout daily routines, which stretches their learning to higher levels. Parents and carers report older children using complex words, such as 'ambiguous', in the correct context. Mathematical language is seamlessly woven into daily routines and planned activities. Children count while washing their hands, compare the sizes of large and small toys, and problem-solve during role play, such as preparing for a tea party when there is not enough cake for everyone. When exploring books, they confidently compare patterns on different animals and recognise varied shapes in buildings.

p.6

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

Learning and development in this setting is holistic, extending across the provision and children's home environments. The childminder emphasises punctuality and attendance to help families establish routines that support long term success. He plans his curriculum around children's next steps, using purposeful themes and adapting activities to remove barriers so all children thrive. Parents are well informed and encouraged to extend learning at home by borrowing or creating resources. Children show a strong love of learning and high levels of curiosity, asking thoughtful questions that receive clear explanations. As a result, learning is deeply embedded and children make rapid progress.

p.6

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

Children learn about the world around them through meaningful experiences, such as visiting the local fire station to learn about firefighters' roles. Community police officers visit the setting to talk about police dogs. Children explore different communities in the local area, learning about foods, clothing and festivals.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should sustain the setting's successful work, and continue to build his knowledge, creating a transformational impact on the learning and development outcomes of all children.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

12

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.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.8

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9