Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 261026 Registered with Ofsted: 28/08/2001 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 typically make progress from their individual starting points. They develop their communication, physical skills, early literacy and mathematical knowledge alongside increasing confidence and independence. Children who have attended for some time make considerable progress. For example, children become more confident communicators and develop their physical skills from their starting points. Children increasingly use what they know and can do in different situations. They count during everyday routines, such as climbing the stairs, persevere when fitting shapes onto pegs or threading beads, and independently recreate familiar care experiences within their imaginative play. This shows that children remember previous learning and experiences and increasingly apply these independently.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop useful skills that prepare them for their next stage of learning. They become increasingly independent in managing their personal care, preparing food and looking after their belongings. They learn to communicate their needs, make choices, manage their feelings and persevere when they encounter difficulties. These skills help children become confident and increasingly independent learners.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children do not benefit from consistently high levels of challenge because of weaknesses in teaching. As a result, they do not always deepen their knowledge and thinking as fully as they could.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes clear and consistent expectations that help children behave well and develop positive relationships. She models good manners and encourages children to share, take turns and show consideration for others. When children become upset or frustrated, she responds calmly and sensitively. She helps them understand their feelings, gives them time to calm down and uses clear explanations, distraction and positive encouragement. As a result, children increasingly understand expectations and learn to manage their feelings and behaviour with greater independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes familiar routines that help children know what to expect and develop positive habits. She encourages them to take responsibility for age-appropriate tasks and praises their efforts. She supports children to persevere when they find something difficult rather than completing tasks for them. Consequently, children generally approach experiences positively, keep trying and become increasingly confident and independent.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides opportunities for children to make choices and become absorbed in their play. Children can sustain high levels of engagement when they have the freedom to follow their own ideas. However, the childminder does not consistently recognise when to step back from children's play and sometimes intervenes or redirects them unnecessarily. This interrupts children's concentration and means they have fewer opportunities to make choices, sustain their interests and develop greater ownership of their play and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder typically provides warm and responsive care that supports children's physical and emotional wellbeing. She builds secure relationships with children and responds sensitively when they need comfort or reassurance. She gathers information from families before children start and uses this to understand their routines, interests and care needs. She offers settling-in sessions and welcomes comfort items from home when needed. This helps children settle successfully and develop confidence and emotional security.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's health and wellbeing through well-established daily routines. She supervises children closely when they eat and talks to them about healthy food and the importance of milk for strong bones. She encourages children to brush their teeth and wash and dry their hands thoroughly. She supports children to become increasingly independent with toileting while maintaining appropriate supervision. She gathers information from parents about allergies and ensures that allergens are avoided in the food and activities she provides.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder gives children regular opportunities to develop healthy habits and take increasing responsibility for their own care. She supports them to prepare parts of their snacks safely and provides opportunities for regular physical activity. When outdoor play is not possible, she adapts what she provides so that children remain active indoors. She also uses consistent expectations, reassurance and sensitive support to help children understand and manage their feelings and behaviour. As a result, children are typically well cared for and develop the confidence, independence and healthy habits that support their ongoing wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans experiences around what children know, can do and are interested in. For example, she uses farm-themed play to build on a recent visit to a farm. This helps children recall what they see and do and build on their knowledge through play. She knows what individual children need to learn next and provides opportunities to develop these skills through their everyday experiences. Teaching does not yet consistently extend children's learning as fully as it could. The childminder generally models language correctly and adapts her approach for children of different ages and stages of development. She uses books, songs and everyday routines to support children's communication and introduce new words. For example, she models the correct pronunciation of words when children are learning to talk.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder does not always identify opportunities to introduce richer and more precise vocabulary. Sometimes her questions focus on what children can remember or already know. In addition, she does not always give children enough time to think and respond before providing the answer herself. This means children have fewer opportunities to express their own ideas, use new language and develop their thinking. At times, the childminder also redirects children when they are deeply engaged in their chosen play. This interrupts their concentration and means they have fewer opportunities to explore their ideas, make choices and solve problems independently. The childminder recognises that children learn well when they have time and space to lead their own play and is beginning to reflect on when her involvement will add to their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children are known as individuals and their different circumstances are considered when their care and learning are planned. The childminder understands that disadvantage can affect children's experiences and opportunities. She provides outings, community activities and other experiences that broaden children's understanding of the world and give them opportunities they may not otherwise have. This includes shopping, baking, outdoor activities and community events that help children access experiences beyond those available to them at home. The childminder works closely with families to understand children's individual needs and circumstances. She recognises where children may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing and typically adapts her support and provides additional experiences to help reduce these.

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Inclusion Expected standard

There are currently no children with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and none who are known or previously known to children's social care. The childminder has strengthened her understanding of SEND through recent training and research. She understands the importance of noticing emerging needs, monitoring children's development and involving parents. She can explain how she would provide appropriate support and seek further advice when needed. She is continuing to develop her knowledge so that she can identify emerging needs precisely and secure appropriate support for children at the earliest opportunity.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has taken positive action since the previous inspection. She has completed professional development, undertaken her own research and strengthened her knowledge of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and inclusive practice. In particular, recent training has increased her knowledge and confidence in supporting children who may have SEND. Appropriate suitability checks, insurance and first-aid arrangements are also maintained.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective and receptive to feedback. Recent professional learning is not yet consistently reflected in the quality of teaching. In particular, the childminder's developing understanding of when to step back, extend children's thinking and introduce new language is not embedded consistently enough to have the greatest impact on children's learning. The childminder considered this during the inspection. She understands that training needs to influence what she does in practice rather than simply being completed. The childminder intends to continue developing her professional knowledge and skills to improve her practice and ensure that the children she looks after receive the best levels of care and education. This demonstrates a willingness to reflect on what she sees and make changes to her practice. The childminder has established trusting relationships with parents. Parents appreciate how

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

well she knows their children, the support and opportunities she provides, and the regular information she shares about children's experiences and development.

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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, confident and secure in the childminder's care. They have warm relationships with her and readily seek comfort, reassurance and interaction. They confidently involve others in their play and show kindness towards each other, for example helping to fetch one another's belongings. Children learn to share, take turns and manage their feelings with sensitive adult support. They understand familiar expectations and increasingly regulate their behaviour and emotions.

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

Children enjoy experiences that reflect their interests and build on what they already know. For example, they recall a recent farm visit as they play with animals, sing familiar songs and talk about what they saw. They enjoy books, rhymes and imaginative play and develop early communication, mathematical and physical skills. Children persevere when things are difficult, such as manipulating shapes and threading resources, and increasingly apply what they have learned independently in their play. At times, children have fewer opportunities to sustain their play or think, respond and develop their own ideas because adults intervene or provide answers too quickly. Children make progress from their individual starting points. They become increasingly confident communicators and develop their physical skills, early literacy and mathematical understanding. The childminder knows what children need to learn next and works with parents to support continuity between home and the setting.

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

Children develop the independence and self-care skills they need for their next stage of learning, including preparing food, clearing away, managing handwashing, toothbrushing and aspects of toileting. They learn about healthy lifestyles and enjoy regular physical activity.

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

Children are safe and well supervised. They learn about staying safe through everyday experiences and outings. Children whose circumstances may limit their opportunities benefit from visits, outdoor experiences and involvement in their local community. These broaden their experiences and help reduce potential barriers to their learning and wellbeing.

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Next steps

The childminder should extend children's learning more consistently so that they have time to think, develop their language and build on what they already know and can do. The childminder should give children more opportunities to lead their own play so that they can develop their ideas, solve problems and become more independent learners.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and reviewed the comments of parents 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 06:45 - 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

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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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