Miller, Katharine Janet

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2771755 Registered with Ofsted: 06/02/2024 Registers: EYR

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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 usually make excellent progress from their starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They generally develop the knowledge, skills and understanding expected for their age and stage of development and show enthusiasm for learning and exploration. Children are confident communicators, who readily share their ideas, experiences and achievements. For instance, children show excitement as they show what their favourite activities to do are at the setting. They express their needs clearly and demonstrate an increasing understanding of their own and others emotions. This supports their emotional wellbeing and enables them to build secure relationships with the childminder and their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate increasing independence as they manage everyday tasks, such as pouring their own drinks and following appropriate hygiene routines. They show perseverance when faced with challenges. For example, when putting on their shoes before going into the garden, children continue to practise and succeed with encouragement and praise from the childminder. This helps to build their confidence, resilience and independence. As a result, children are generally well prepared well for the next stage of their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a welcoming and positive environment that is a nurturing, home- from-home environment. Children are generally supported to understand the expectations for their behaviour. She considers children's age, stage of development and individual needs when providing consistent support and guidance, helping them to manage their behaviour appropriately. The childminder has established routines that children are familiar with, which help to promote their sense of security and independence. However, these routines are not always consistently reinforced to encourage all children to engage fully. For example, some children are occasionally reluctant to participate in tidy-up routines or group activities. As a result, children's positive attitudes towards learning and participation are not consistently promoted.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children form warm and trusting relationships with the childminder and interact positively with one another. They are encouraged to take turns, share resources and play cooperatively, developing their social skills. Children show curiosity and enthusiasm as they take part in activities. The childminder supports children to understand how their actions and behaviours can impact others. For example, during minor conflicts, she helps children to resolve disagreements, recognise others' feelings and develop kindness and respect. She promotes the importance of regular attendance and punctuality through effective communication with parents, helping to provide consistency and stability for children's learning and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides a welcoming environment, where children feel safe and valued. She has developed secure attachments with children that support their emotional wellbeing, confidence and sense of belonging. The childminder works closely with parents to gain a thorough understanding of children's individual routines, including their sleep and feeding needs. This ensures continuity of care between their home and the setting. She knows children and their families well and remains attentive to any changes in their circumstances, responding promptly and sensitively to ensure children continue to receive the support they need.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's personal, social and emotional development effectively. Children demonstrate respect and consideration for one another as they play cooperatively and develop positive relationships. At times, children do not consistently demonstrate the motivation to help and participate. They respond well to praise and encouragement, which promotes their self-esteem and willingness to persevere with new experiences. The childminder provides a caring and inclusive environment, where children feel safe, valued and listened to. This enables them to express their thoughts and feelings appropriately and supports their emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. The childminder teaches children about the importance of oral hygiene and supports them to brush their teeth after meals. This helps them to establish positive routines from an early age. She works effectively with parents to ensure children enjoy nutritious meals and understand healthy eating habits. Children benefit from a range of opportunities to develop their physical skills through yoga, regular outings and daily access to outdoor play in the garden. The childminder supports children to understand risks, make safe choices and develop confidence in keeping themselves safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear vision for her curriculum and a secure understanding of what she wants children to learn. She plans activities that reflect children's interests, individual needs and stages of development. This helps them to remain motivated and engaged in their learning. The childminder has an excellent knowledge of the early years foundation stage and provides a broad range of enjoyable experiences that support children to make progress from their starting points. She generally ensures the curriculum is implemented effectively. However, at times the childminder does not consistently extend children's learning, particularly in mathematics. For example, during water play, she does not always build on children's understanding of mathematical language, counting or problem-solving. As a result, children's mathematical knowledge and skills are not consistently developed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder places a clear emphasis on supporting children's communication and language development. She models language effectively and introduces a rich range of words and phrases during group activities and stories, which children eagerly imitate. This helps to extend their vocabulary and develop their confidence in communicating. The childminder also supports children's physical, personal, social and emotional development well. She provides a wide range of opportunities for children to explore the local community, including visits to the beach, parks and toddler groups. These experiences help children to develop their physical skills, build positive relationships with others and learn how to keep themselves safe in different environments.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has an effective understanding of how to support all of the children in her care, including those with special educational needs/and or disabilities. She implements thorough induction procedures to ensure she knows where children are within their development and identifies if they need additional support. The childminder completes in- depth assessments and home visits to develop a comprehensive understanding of each child's background, experiences and individual needs. This enables children to settle quickly and feel safe and secure in her care. She works alongside parents to provide targeted support plans for children to target specific areas of development and help them achieve their developmental milestones. The childminder reviews and uses the early years pupil premium funding effectively to help enhance children's learning and development. For instance, she provided more outings and enhanced her garden to support children who may

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and other professionals to ensure continuity in children's care and learning. She shares detailed information with new settings children attend to support smooth transitions and ensure their individual needs are understood from the outset. The childminder uses her extensive knowledge and training to seek timely support from other professionals when needed. She works in partnership with parents, sharing advice and strategies to support children's learning at home, helping to promote positive outcomes for all children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate about providing a nurturing environment that supports children and their families throughout their early years education. She is reflective in her practice and committed to continuous improvement, regularly evaluating her provision to identify strengths and areas for further development. The childminder has undertaken a wide range of training to enhance her knowledge, skills and practice. She ensures her policies and procedures are effectively maintained and reviewed regularly, supporting a safe, well-organised and secure environment where children can thrive. The childminder shows a clear ambition for continuous improvement by engaging with professional networks, sharing best practice and working collaboratively with other early years professionals to further enhance the quality of care and learning she provides.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has developed effective partnerships with parents, which is a key strength of the setting. She maintains excellent communication with families and actively involves them in all aspects of their children's learning and development. Parents consistently comment on how happy their children are to attend and how much they have flourished since joining the setting. They praise the childminder's extensive knowledge and valuable guidance she provides to help them continue supporting their children's learning and development at home.

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

Children benefit from a calm and nurturing, home-from home-environment. They arrive with confidence, separating from their parents with ease and quickly become absorbed in their play and learning experiences. All children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make effective progress from their starting points. They typically develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning and benefit from targeted support that helps them participate fully in the life of the setting. The childminder has designed a curriculum that typically supports children to achieve and thrive through the 7 areas of learning. She supports children to develop a love of books from a young age. They eagerly gather around the childminder to read the story of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' and excitedly take turns to feed the puppet caterpillar food. The childminder skilfully uses open-

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

ended questions to extend children's thinking and enhance their learning. She reads with enthusiasm and captures the children's interests. As a result, children develop increasingly secure early language and literacy skills and a genuine enjoyment of reading. Children develop their imagination and creativity through a range of experiences, such as making potions in the mud kitchen and making 'sand foam'. They confidently explore different ingredients, discuss colours and share their ideas as they play.

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

The childminder has established secure and trusting relationships with children, supporting them to develop a sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing. Children confidently explore their surroundings, make independent choices and build positive relationships with their peers. They generally have positive behaviour and show genuine enjoyment in each other's company. They are eager to engage, communicate and share experiences with others. Children develop a range of skills that support them well in preparation for pre-school. They confidently recognise their names when registering their attendance, supporting their literacy and independence skills. Children regularly attend local groups, where they develop their social skills, confidence and ability to interact with others. The childminder works closely with other settings to support children's transitions, ensuring they are well prepared for their next

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen her teaching skills to ensure all interactions embed mathematics more consistently into the curriculum. The childminder should support children to positively engage with daily routines and understand what is expected of their behaviour during play and learning.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00,Friday : 08:00 - 13:00

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents 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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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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