Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2796145 Registered with Ofsted: 22/07/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are given the utmost priority through secure relationships and thoughtful daily practice. The childminder responds sensitively to children's emotional and physical needs. She recognises when children need reassurance, adapting her approach to ensure each child feels safe. For example, when children become frustrated because they want the same toy as their friends, she speaks to them gently and individually, helping them to manage their feelings. The childminder anticipates potential difficulties and responds proactively, helping children consider the feelings of others and understand how their actions affect others. For instance, children who initially want the same balloon gradually learn to play cooperatively. They enjoy each other's company as they try hard to keep the balloons in the air, laughing and celebrating each other's attempts and successes.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Healthy lifestyles are promoted consistently through discussions about nutritious food choices and hydration, alongside opportunities for physical activity and managing their personal hygiene. These practices are successfully mirrored by parents and carers, helping children embed healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children demonstrate a secure sense of belonging because the childminder recognises and celebrates their individuality. Their achievements, interests, families and cultures are welcomed and reflected in daily experiences. Open discussions explore similarities and differences between children's ways of life and those of their friends. For instance, children from different cultural backgrounds learn about traditional foods they eat with their families. This helps them develop respect for different ways of life and feel comfortable asking questions about people they meet in the local community. Experiences such as these broaden children's understanding of the diverse world and help them recognise and appreciate differences.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children experience an inclusive learning environment where everyone is valued, welcomed and supported to succeed. The childminder gathers detailed information from the outset, including through home visits. This gives her a thorough understanding of children's personalities, interests and family circumstances. This enables her to respond promptly to children's emotional needs and tailor support effectively. For example, for children who arrive at the setting speaking English as an additional language, the childminder learns about their home language and culture, and discusses family celebrations with parents and carers. She also asks parents to share their children's favourite songs in their home language. Children beam with delight and bounce up and down when these songs are played, demonstrating how effectively the childminder helps them feel recognised and valued.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children who require adaptations to support their acquisition of English benefit from carefully considered strategies. During play, the childminder uses words from children's home language before giving the English equivalent. This enables children make meaningful connections between languages and, over time, develop their ability to communicate in simple English phrases and sentences. The approach also helps children to understand and

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Expected standard

participate in familiar routines. For example, children confidently follow the handwashing routine at the portable sink by singing a familiar song.

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Expected standard

The childminder makes thoughtful use of the mixed-age environment to enrich children's experiences. Younger children learn by observing and interacting with older peers, while older children develop empathy, patience and leadership skills. As a result, children learn to care for one another, strengthening their sense of belonging and developing valuable social skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically children's knowledge, skills and understanding are in line with age and stage expectations. This gives them an appropriate foundation for their next stage in education. However, due to inconsistencies in planning activities more precisely and the childminder covering too many concepts in one go, children do not fully meet their full potential.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children's early mathematical and literacy understanding knowledge develops well. They count small quantities of objects in sequence, demonstrate a suitable grasp of shape and explore capacity and volume through play. Children demonstrate a genuine enjoyment of books. They choose books independently and regularly bring them to the childminder to share. Younger children point to pictures and name objects in illustrations, while older children recall repetitive phrases from their favourite stories. This shows children are keen to share what have learnt.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are keen and increasingly independent learners. They manage daily tasks with confidence, such as tidying away toys, moving to the portable sink to wash their hands and waiting patiently at the table for mealtimes. Older children demonstrate familiarity with the setting's routines and take on small responsibilities willingly. For example, without prompting, they pass socks to younger children to help them prepare to go into the garden.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and understand the childminder's expectations, supported by well- established routines, reminders and praise. For example, they remain seated while eating and remain at the table for others to finish. The childminder prompts children to use manners when asking or receiving something, helping them develop respectful social behaviours.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children's social skills develop through regular experiences in the local community. They go on nature walks and visit the library, where they encounter people from different walks of life. Children readily ask the childminder questions when they notice something they do not understand. This demonstrates children's inquisitive natures and eagerness to learn about the world around them. Typically, children show curiosity, engagement and enthusiasm throughout the day. During stories, songs and outdoor play, little direction is needed. However, there are occasions when the childminder intervenes unnecessarily during children's independent play by asking a series of questions. This interrupts children's train of thought and affects their ability to follow their explorative play to completion. Consequently, children's ability to sustain their focus and attention during self-directed play is not always fully supported.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. She has appropriate procedures in place for parents and carers to inform her if their children will be absent or late. This helps to support children's regular participation in the setting.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder provides a broad curriculum, with particular emphasis on communication and language skills, as well as personal, social and emotional development. For example, during water play, the childminder introduces 'sink' when a boat fills with water and settles to the bottom and 'float' when the water is emptied and the boat sits on the surface.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, teaching is responsive and purposeful, extending children's knowledge and skills. For instance, when children notice that one magnifying glass is missing, the childminder turns this into a game. Children suggest a 'bird' has taken it and, together, they use other magnifying glasses to search for the bird. This sustains children's engagement and encourages them to think about possible solutions. However, at times, the childminder's interactions do not sufficiently extend children's problem-solving skills and creative thinking further. She sometimes introduces too many concepts at once, resulting in children losing focus and becoming distracted. Consequently, teaching does not consistently deepen children's reasoning This does not consistently strengthen children's reasoning across the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder introduces early mathematical concepts through children's play and everyday experiences. Children are encouraged to count during indoor and outdoor activities, use shape vocabulary when sharing books and explore capacity during water play. She nurtures children's love for books, further supported through regular library visits. Daily trips in the local community help to promote children's understanding of nature and the world around them.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder leads her setting with passion and commitment, placing children's best interests at the centre of her decisions. She reflects on her provision and has a sound understanding of its strengths, including working closely with parents to share behaviour strategies. This promotes continuity in children's care and support. The childminder has a vision for what she wants children to experience and achieve. For example, she wants all children to feel happy and valued, as well as be independent and confident before they move onto school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective. Overall, she pursues professional development to enhance the areas where children need support. For example, she has developed her knowledge of supporting children who start at the setting who speak English as an additional language. However, she does not yet evaluate her own practice precisely enough to further refine her interactions for better outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

From the outset, the childminder gathers detailed information about children's backgrounds, routines and interests. This two-way exchange of information continues throughout children's time at the setting. She uses this knowledge to tailor children's care routines and mirror familiar experiences at home. For example, the childminder works closely with parents and carers to support children's toilet training, ensuring that adults follow similar approaches. This provides children with continuity in helps them develop their self-care skills successfully.

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

Children feel emotionally secure and confident to explore, ask questions and express themselves. They develop a solid sense of belonging, as they show genuine interest in learning about each other's home lives and family experiences. Each child is highly valued and welcomed from before they start at this nurturing setting. Children learn to play happily together, with older children naturally supporting younger friend, such as when filling the same container with their own utensils. They attend regularly and arrive on time, benefiting from a reliable daily routine that helps them feel safe and thrive.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2796145 All children are active, inquisitive learners who readily engage in experiences that reflect their interests and inspire new ones. They investigate sensory materials, sing favourite songs, create imaginative worlds and explore the outdoors with enthusiasm. For instance, while waiting for others to finish their snack, younger children in the early stages of language development gesture actions from a favourite nursery rhyme. This is promptly recognised and responded to by singing the song, supporting children to communicate and enjoy familiar experiences. Each child's individual needs are well understood, and any barriers to learning are identified and swiftly addressed. For example, children who speak English as an additional language learn new words in context and, over time progress to expressing themselves using increasingly developed phrases and sentences.

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About this setting

Children develop independence and perseverance as they take growing responsibility for themselves and their environment. They help prepare and choose activities, tidy resources, wash their hands independently and contribute enthusiastically to daily routines. For instance, children eagerly sweep with a dust pan and brush. In addition, they demonstrate perseverance when they try hard to put on their coats independently before going into the garden. Children develop a deep sense of pride in what they accomplish. When children leave the setting, they feel valued, included and look forward returning.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen her interactions, particularly during children's self- directed play, recognising when to intervene so that children have greater opportunities to sustain exploration, develop problem-solving and extend learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children, and read parent written feedback 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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