Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2817336 Registered with Ofsted: 22/05/2025 Registers: EYR

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 Expected standard

Children are making progress across all areas of learning. They are typically ready for the next stage of their learning. Children maintain concentration for periods of time, and the childminder is skilled at adapting activities. For example, during story time, the childminder uses visual prompts for the younger children to hold. By doing so, the children remain engaged in the story. Children communicate well and express their wants. For example, when outside, children ask if they can go inside to get a drink, showing an awareness of their own needs.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children are keen to be independent. Older children help the younger children by passing them their drinks, further developing their social skills. Children's development is continuously tracked and shared with parents. At age 2, the childminder completes the 2- year progress check. This is shared with parents and carers, and they are encouraged to share this with the health visitor.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes clear boundaries, so children are clear about what is expected of them. Children behave typically well. Any disagreements between children are quickly resolved, with age-appropriate reminders given to the children. The childminder promotes attendance with the families and follows up on any non-attendance promptly.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have a positive attitude and show determination towards their learning. At lunchtime, when taking the lids off their yogurt pots, children are given the opportunity to do this themselves. Children persist in doing this, and the childminder celebrates their achievements with lots of praise. As the children wait for snack, they pretend to prepare their own snack in the play kitchen. Children are encouraged to share and take turns. The childminder uses consistent praise with the children to develop their self-esteem.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children work well together as a team. The childminder goes through a tunnel and pretends to get stuck, calling for help. The children rush to her and work together to help pull her out, laughing as they do so. This encourages children's social and problem-solving skills. Older children know the routine of the setting well. The children come inside for snack time, and know they need to wash their hands. However, waiting periods during routine changes are sometimes prolonged. This leads to distraction in the younger children as they lose focus during waiting periods. Children confidently talk about the process they follow when they wash their hands and correct each other when a step is missed out.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have a sense of belonging. The childminder offers children comfort and support if needed. She has a thorough settling-in process for children to ensure that they feel secure at the setting and to allow time to develop relationships with parents. The childminder works in partnership with parents and carers to ensure she is supporting routines and development stages from home, for example, support with toilet training. Hygiene practices are well embedded, and children talk through the processes of handwashing. They are excited to talk about the individual towels they have for drying their hands. Children benefit from daily outdoor play, as well as outings to the local community.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are offered healthy, home-cooked food, and they all sit together to eat in a calm environment. The childminder talks about the children's favourite foods as they are eating. The childminder typically role models the use of manners by saying 'thank you' when she gives the children something. Children are encouraged to feed themselves, and younger children are encouraged to use their forks to eat. Children are offered the option to rest after meals, and safe sleep procedures are followed. This promotes a healthy lifestyle.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear vision of her curriculum and what she would like the children to know and learn before they leave the setting. Teaching is typically delivered at an age- appropriate level and adapted to meet the needs of individual children. The childminder knows children well, and she uses their interests to engage them in learning. When shown a bug by one of the children, she uses the opportunity to talk about the number of legs and body parts that it has. Children then excitedly share their learning with the co-childminder.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Parents and carers are fully informed of children's learning and next steps. The childminder also shares children's development information when they move settings. This ensures collaboration when working with others and continuity of care for children. Children have a positive attitude to learning and are excited to share their experiences with others. When looking at a book, they excitedly show others the big caterpillar, then the butterfly it turns into. The childminder uses these opportunities to introduce mathematical language to the children, such as big and small, and encourages them to count the items.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children have access to the outdoors every day and often go into the local community to explore. They plant plants in the garden and develop their understanding of the natural world, and the childminder teaches older children about the plants needing water to live. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They confidently walk down the steps into the garden. Older children persevere when balancing on the stepping stones, while younger children hold out their hand towards the childminder, indicating they need support. This helps the children become resilient.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder typically has a clear understanding of children's starting points and the progress they are making. She builds secure relationships with parents and carers during settling-in sessions. The childminder ensures parents are kept up to date with their children's learning and next steps. She makes sure children are making steady progress. The childminder works with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to support children's development. She adapts activities to meet the different ages of the children, for example, moving the step-stones closer on the obstacle course to ensure the younger children can join in.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder teaches children that everyone is different, and this is celebrated. For instance, children are given the opportunity to taste foods from different cultures. This supports their understanding of others attending the setting. Some children who attend the childminder's setting speak English as an additional language. The childminder adapts the way she communicates with these children. She models simpler words and phrases, encouraging children to repeat these words. This helps children to develop their communication skills.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder typically has a clear oversight of the setting and understands her role and responsibilities. She ensures her knowledge is kept up to date by accessing local authority training, as well as other training platforms. The childminder regularly reflects on her practice. She speaks with other childminders to share knowledge and further develop her skills.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder knows the children and their families very well. She has developed effective relationships in which she has open and honest 2-way communication. The childminder shares relevant information with parents and carers. They speak very highly of the childminder, stating that they feel well supported and know what their children are working on for their next steps. The childminder has a robust tracking system in place to ensure that all children are making progress. Due to the positive relationships developed with the parents, the childminder is confident in speaking to parents and external agencies if she has concerns about a child's development. The childminder maintains appropriate records on the children. She monitors and follows up on children's absences.

p.4

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

The childminder offers children a secure homely environment in which they can build the independence and skills they need for the next stage of learning. Children have access to the outdoors daily, where they can develop their physical skills. They confidently use the steps to enter the garden and access the array of ride-on toys, developing their gross motor skills. Children are very sociable. They engage in a wide range of activities that help build on their knowledge and skills. Children show a positive attitude towards learning. The childminder has high expectations of the children's behaviour, and older children are encouraged to help younger ones. At mealtimes, the older children help get the bibs ready and hand them to the younger children, developing secure social skills.

p.4

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

Children work together well. They play in the pretend kitchen preparing their own snack and share this with their friends. The childminder questions them about the fruit and they talk

p.4

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:15 - 17:30 about the fruits they like. Younger children join in developing fine motor skills as they pick up the wooden fruit and place it onto plates. The childminder has development tracking systems in place to ensure that all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face other barriers to their learning, achieve well and make progress from their starting points. Children are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning.

p.5

About this setting

The childminder has built positive relationships with families. They have open 2-way communication, and this ensures that they work collaboratively. Parents and carers feel fully informed of their children's learning. Children's attendance at the setting is closely monitored and any non-attendance is followed up, ensuring that children are familiar with routine.

p.5

Next steps

The childminder should further enhance routines to reduce waiting times between transition periods, to ensure children remain focused.

p.5

About this inspection

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

p.5

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. Local authority: Wakefield

p.5

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.6

Exceptional

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

p.6

Strong standard

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

p.6

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.6

Needs attention

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

p.6

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.

p.6

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.7

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.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7