Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2792446 Registered with Ofsted: 09/07/2024 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 Expected standard

All children, including those facing barriers to their learning, make steady progress from their starting points. Children are developing secure communication and language skills, which means that they are able to build relationships with peers and begin to work collaboratively. Children love to sing and confidently communicate with the childminder which song they would like to sing next. They enthusiastically join in with actions and demonstrate resilience. For example, if they have a minor tumble when dancing, they quickly get back up and continue their fun.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children choose to look at books often. This deepens their understanding of how to use books, for example how to turn pages, and supports their ability to listen to others. Generally, they focus for extended periods when doing this and enjoy finding characteristic features in the pictures.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children are prepared for their next stage of their learning journey. However, at times, the childminder needs to have a more precise focus on young children's personal, social, emotional and physical skills before moving on to other specific elements of the early years curriculum. This would ensure that children are prepared with the knowledge and skills that they require to continue their learning journey with ongoing success.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder's calm nature has established a nurturing environment where children are clear about expectations and understand familiar routines. This helps children to feel secure. The childminder adapts her practice for children facing barriers to their learning when required. For instance, she adjusts daily routines to suit individual needs when appropriate and provides timers so that children know when transition times are coming up. Consequently, children adhere to rules and cooperate well with the childminder and their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder teaches children how to develop positive social behaviours through warm, trusting relationships and gentle guidance. She supports positive interactions through modelling and making suggestions of what children might say or do. For instance, when children quarrel, she asks them to find extra resources to play with, take turns and say sorry to each other if this is suitable. Children generally play comfortably alongside their peers and show kindness through gestures such as offering comfort items when tired.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of consistent routines and regular attendance for children and their families. She shares her approach to attendance with parents from the start and she is rigorous in monitoring this. This ensures children swiftly settle, gain a sense of belonging and build trusting relationships with the childminder and other children at the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder implements policies and procedures that promote children's welfare. She is vigilant when children eat and frequently monitors children as they sleep to ensure their safety. The childminder uses information about children's routines from parents and carers to help her respond to children's individual needs. She observes signals of hunger or tiredness in babies and young children and acts swiftly. The childminder's attentive approach means that children show high levels of wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Generally, children are beginning to learn how to manage their own needs. They learn how to cut their fruit at snack time and how to blow their own noses. The childminder promotes healthy habits through nutritious meals and daily physical activity. The children enjoy time at local parks, where they develop their gross motor skills as well as learning how to be sociable with other children in a variety of places. The childminder ensures her practice is flexible to suit the needs of those facing barriers to their learning and plans to broaden her expertise to further support children's welfare and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Typically, the childminder supports children in managing their own emotions. She knows when to give children space or when to speak calmly to children, asking them how they feel. Children respond well to these consistent practices and feel valued and supported.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a sound understanding of the quality of her curriculum and teaching. She uses observations and assessments to establish what children know and can do and what they need to learn next. The childminder displays a reasonable knowledge of child development and how children learn through play. However, at times, the curriculum does not involve a strong focus on personal, social and emotional development or physical skills. At times, younger children are taught parts of the early years curriculum that are more appropriate for older children. This means that prime areas of learning, which are required to build future knowledge and skills upon, are not consistently in place.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports all other areas of learning and development well. She models ambitious language during play. For instance, when children play an introduction game, saying 'how do you do' and shaking hands, the childminder talks about using 'opposite' hands. The childminder engages children in lots of singing, rhyming and sharing of books. This helps children to learn new words, and they begin to foster a love of language and reading. Mathematics is woven into play, where the childminder includes things such as counting as children build towers with blocks and asks children to find shapes on toys and resources. Children who face barriers to their learning are supported through sensitive adaptations being made to activities and interactions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gets to know children's starting points and individual needs when they start at the setting. She uses information from parents and carers to establish interests, routines and home experiences. This supports children's emotional security and reduces potential barriers to learning. The childminder has a clear understanding of how to support children in receipt of additional funding through extending their experiences, ultimately strengthening their learning. However, young children are not always supported in appreciating their individuality and the differences between themselves and others. Therefore, this does not fully help them to prepare for life in modern Britain.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children. She uses regular assessments to identify any gaps in knowledge or skills and monitors progress carefully. Where emerging concerns are identified, she works in partnership with parents and seeks advice from the local authority and external professionals, such as speech and language therapists. Those facing barriers to learning are supported sensitively and on an individual basis. The childminder uses cues to respond accordingly and offer reassurance or adaptations when required. For instance, she slows her speech to support children experiencing communication and language difficulties to help children understand what is being asked or said. The childminder is currently creating a visual timetable so that children who may find transitions challenging can see what they can expect from their day ahead, and in what order. This ensures that all children can access her provision equally.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder manages her setting effectively and ensures that she offers a consistently high level of care. She engages with parents and carers, actively seeking their feedback. She uses this thoughtfully to enhance her practice and the experiences she offers. This helps to support children's care and progress. Where children face additional challenges and barriers to their learning, the childminder supports parents further and seeks external advice when appropriate. Parents value these positive relationships and the support they receive, and they praise the childminder for the wide range of experiences offered.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands her setting's strengths and areas for development. She is reflective in her practice and welcomes advice from the local authority early years advisers. She uses evaluations to identify priorities for improvement that are in the best interests of the children. For instance, she completes training on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This has helped her to enhance her skills and confidence in offering an inclusive practice. The childminder identifies that further professional development is required to strengthen her understanding of teaching the prime areas of learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is dedicated to working collaboratively with other settings when required to ensure continuity of care for children. She works alongside a network of childminders who support each other and ensure that workloads are manageable.

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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 arrive happy and are welcomed by the warm and nurturing childminder. Positive partnerships with parents and carers are established and children feel at home at the setting. Children separate from parents and carers with ease, remove their shoes and confidently put their belongings where they should go. They freely investigate the wide range of activities and resources and make assured choices about their play. Their interests are catered for, and they have formed secure and caring relationships with the childminder. This has a positive impact on their emotional wellbeing, enabling them to explore with

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About this setting

curiosity and develop their independence. Children demonstrate confidence and enjoy taking part in all activities. For instance, children delight in playing musical instruments while singing familiar nursery rhymes with the childminder in the garden.

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About this setting

Children have a positive attitude to their learning and generally behave well. When experiencing challenges, the childminder supports young children in negotiating these and helps them to settle back into their play relatively swiftly. Children who may face barriers to their learning, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported by the childminder, who adapts her provision and practice. For example, children are provided with quiet spaces when they feel overwhelmed and receive simplified instructions with modelling of appropriate responses. This helps children to regulate their emotions and communicate their needs and wants effectively.

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About this setting

Children are taught to be polite, kind and caring. They benefit from the childminder acting as a positive role model and consequently build secure relationships with their peers. They are taught the importance of turn-taking and sharing, and they do this with just occasional gentle reminders being required. Children happily offer each other books and building blocks and take turns to place pegs into posts. This supports children to be ready for the next stage of their learning journey.

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Next steps

The childminder should access further professional development to strengthen and consistently embed good practice across all areas of the early years foundation stage. The childminder should teach children about the wider world to help prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder, parents, carers 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2792446

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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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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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