Amancio da Silva, Raquel

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2811583 Registered with Ofsted: 02/05/2025 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 at this setting make typical progress, broadly in line with their peers of a similar age. They demonstrate confidence, independence and a delightful curiosity throughout their time with the childminder. Children develop their concentration and focus well. For example, children play with magnetic 3D shapes made from different coloured plastic. They concentrate as they build their creations and confidently name the different shapes and colour to adults and each other. When they finish, they proudly show their completed creations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop increasing independence in their daily routines and their ability to acquire English. For example, they help to prepare the table for snack, select their own cups when they need a drink and explain what they need when they require support or reassurance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally benefit from the childminder's clear, simple routines and warm demeanour. This sets a positive tone and clear expectations for their time at the setting. Children are encouraged to work together, share and play alongside each other. Over time, this helps them develop the social skills and secure relationships they will need as they move on to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder shares relevant information with parents and carers and works closely with them and other professionals. She shares and mirrors effective strategies and approaches to promote consistency between the setting, children's homes and other provisions they attend. Attendance and punctuality are promoted well. The childminder provides clear expectations around collection times, helping children understand when and at what time they will be collected. This contributes to children's sense of safety and security. Children know what is happening next and understand when their day is coming to an end.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Routines are generally well embedded, and children know what they need to do. However, on occasion, children do not help to tidy away resources after use. They appear accustomed to the childminder taking the lead in this. To strengthen teaching and learning further, the childminder should establish clearer expectations around tidying up. This would provide children with greater opportunities to develop their independence, responsibility and awareness of the routines they follow.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder carefully considers the emotional and physical needs of the children in her care. When children begin to feel tired or unhappy, she adapts the provision to provide them with a safe, warm space to relax and recharge.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder uses stories and songs effectively to support transitions and help children understand and express their emotions. For example, she reads a story about a sad duckling and uses this to encourage children to talk about what they can do when they feel sad. The childminder supports children's transitions between home and the setting by gathering information from parents and carers about children's likes, dislikes and individual needs. This helps children to settle and feel secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children generally understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They know that they need to wash their hands before eating their snack and lunch to 'keep germs away'. Children practise brushing their teeth in the role-play area, which reinforces routines they experience in the bathroom at the childminder's home. They confidently use cutlery, pour their own drinks and help to set the table for snack and lunch. The childminder follows safer eating guidance effectively, and children understand the expectations around mealtimes.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Some children are still transitioning away from needing a daytime nap. The childminder is aware and follows the recent changes to guidance around sleep and is working closely with parents and carers to support children to gradually reduce their daytime sleep where appropriate. This helps children develop routines that will support their transition to school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands what children need to learn through the carefully planned curriculum. She uses topics, such as 'All About Me', to provide meaningful activities and stories that help children develop their understanding of themselves. She extends children's learning through thoughtful questioning and by narrating their play. For example, children used small mirrors to study their own faces. They then cut out facial features and attached these to a blank silhouette. The childminder shared the link between shapes and the facial features incorporating maths into the activity. The childminder consistently used the correct vocabulary to name each part of the face. Children repeated the words, helping them to develop their understanding and use of new English vocabulary.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are generally well supported. The childminder skilfully switches between children's home language and English to maximise their understanding. This is particularly effective during activities, including role play and outdoor learning. When sharing more complex stories, children continue to rely on explanations in their home language to understand the meaning and subtleties of the story. The childminder should now sharpen the focus on explicitly teaching and developing children's English throughout the session. This will help children to increasingly understand and use English independently and ensure that, when they are ready to start school, their communication and language skills are in line with those of their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies barriers to learning for the children in her care and maintains open communication with parents and carers to discuss and address these effectively. Some children share their care across the week with another childminder. The childminders communicate regularly and share successful strategies, promoting consistency and continuity for the children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder liaises with the local authority when she needs additional advice or strategies to support inclusion. She shares effective strategies with other professionals and parents and carers through her weekly newsletters. She is proactive in accessing training and professional development to strengthen her knowledge of inclusion. She adapts activities thoughtfully to ensure that all children can participate. For example, she provides hula hoops in different sizes so that children can join in at a level that is appropriate for them.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has adapted her home and outdoor environment well so that children can independently access the resources and equipment they need. This includes low tables for eating, child-friendly cutlery to encourage independence and exploratory trays positioned at ground level outdoors so that all children can access the contents. As a result, children can participate fully in activities, develop their independence and build a strong sense of belonging.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children who have English as an Additional Language (EAL) develop their English through everyday opportunities. They practise their language skills during routines, conversations and through stories and rhymes. Further consideration of how English is explicitly taught will help children to develop the language skills they need for a successful transition to school. This will support them to communicate confidently and effectively alongside their peers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder meets the needs of the children in her setting well. She has established effective partnerships with parents and carers. She shares children's next steps with them each week, alongside photographs that demonstrate their progress. She encourages parents to follow up at home with the learning and development priorities she is working on in the setting. For example, she shares strategies with parents to help reduce children's mid- afternoon naps, supporting them to transition away from daytime sleep before they start school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is proactive in seeking out training and professional development that will benefit both herself and the setting. She maintains effective links with the local authority and other childminders and attends training that deepens her understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly in relation to special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has a clear understanding of the setting's areas for development and is taking effective steps to address these. For example, she understands the importance of children developing the skills they need to access the Reception curriculum and is ensuring that children in her care have regular opportunities to develop their early literacy skills in preparation for school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder prioritises her own well-being and recognises the importance of maintaining a well-organised setting. Effective organisation enables her to respond consistently to children's needs and provide high-quality care and learning experiences throughout the day.

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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 form warm, trusting relationships with the childminder in this well-organised, home- from-home setting. They feel safe and secure and confidently seek reassurance when needed. Children invite the childminder into their play and clearly value the positive relationships they have developed.

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

Children have access to a wide range of activities and experiences, both within the setting and in the local community. They enjoy regular trips to the park and library and meet with other childminders and their children. These experiences provide valuable opportunities for

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Inspector:

Gareth Cotterell children to develop their social skills, build friendships and learn to play cooperatively with others. Children are confident and inquisitive learners. They independently access activities and frequently adapt these to develop their own ideas and games. For example, following role play about visiting the dentist and learning the word 'cavities', children moved on to hanging out washing, using their fine motor skills to carefully peg up clothes.

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Inspector:

Overall, children who speak English as an additional language are supported to develop their communication skills. They practise new English vocabulary with the childminder and with friends they have made at the setting. This helps them to develop their confidence in communicating and joining in with others.

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Inspector:

Children have daily opportunities to play outdoors. They enjoy riding bikes and using hula hoops, which support the development of their large motor skills. Through their play, children learn to count, share resources, wait for their turn and negotiate space safely and calmly. Simple routines support children to become increasingly independent. They confidently pour their own drinks and manage their personal hygiene. The childminder responds sensitively to children's individual moods and emotions. She is skilled at recognising children's emotional cues and adapting her approach accordingly. As a result, children feel secure, happy to attend and confident to explore, play and learn.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure a sharper, more explicit focus on supporting children who speak English as an additional language, consistently throughout the day, to further build on their vocabulary and understanding. The childminder should develop her teaching even further, by knowing when to step back and let children learn or tidy independently, and when to step in to support their learning and understanding.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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