Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2804345 Registered with Ofsted: 21/05/2025 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 Strong standard

Children are prepared for the next stage in their development by leaders. Mathematics is woven into planned activities at the setting. An example of this is children listening to a book about counting during a carpet session or when singing counting rhymes.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's learning is reinforced by leaders regularly, including those who are disadvantaged or previously known to social care. Mathematics songs are used to encourage counting and identify shapes. Older children count to 10 and beyond, while younger children enjoy joining in with number rhymes. Children complete shape puzzles and enjoy finding shapes within different objects around the room. They quickly find shapes and identify them, with younger children being supported by leaders to find shapes and to name them. This helps them to develop mathematical knowledge to get them ready for the next stage in their development, including school.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are provided with different writing instruments to support mark making. Children are supported to paint pictures of frogs, with older children expected to write their names on their picture. This helps to develop their pencil grip to support letter formation.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders continually improve their personal development to support children's behaviour and learning in a positive way. They have regular discussions with the owner of the setting about positive ways to support children's behaviour. Leaders form meaningful relationships with the children. Children feel confident to ask leaders for support whenever it is needed. This encourages them to have positive attitudes to their learning, allowing them to make progress for the next stage in their development. Leaders foster good attitudes to children's learning. Leaders have embedded routines that promote good habits. They monitor attendance, and any absences are recorded in an attendance register.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders consistently promote independence at the setting. Leaders ensure that routines, such as children putting their coats and shoes away, are well established. When children go outside, they put their own coats on. Younger children are supported to manage this independently. Children help tidy up between activities and are supported to put resources in the right places. Younger children put books away. Leaders address any absences that are recorded on a day of absences. Leaders tackle barriers to attendance by having a flexible starting time and supporting parents and carers where possible. Children are offered different fruits at snack time. Plastic fruits are used to support children's choices. This gives children a chance to identify the fruit and to learn their names. Children are reminded to use their cutlery to eat their fruits, supporting their hand-eye coordination. Healthy habits are promoted by leaders during both snack and lunchtimes by ensuring children have water with

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

their meals. Children's meals are enhanced by providing them with vegetables. This is to support the packed lunches that children bring from home on a daily basis, further promoting healthy eating and habits. Leaders and staff sit with children during this time and talk to them about what they are eating.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have good knowledge of children in their setting and form warm relationships with them. They quickly respond to the needs of the children, such as supporting children to meet milestones in their development. This helps to support children's emotional security. Appropriate funding is used to buy resources to support children with barriers to their learning, including those who are disadvantaged. Children enjoy talking to staff about their families and their favourite toys. Children feel comfortable and safe, allowing them to move between activities happily. They start their day with a circle-time activity and sing songs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff support children to wash their hands before lunch and sit with them while they eat. They talk to children about what they are eating as they enjoy the sociable time with their friends. Leaders ensure children have used the toilet or have their nappies changed before nap time. Leaders have established a robust sleeping arrangement that children adhere to. Children follow this routine, finding their sleep mats, lying down and listening to calming music to aid their sleeping. Leaders ensure that the environment is relaxing, and staff follow procedures for safe sleeping. Leaders or a member of staff are present in the room at all times. Staff use this quieter time to support older children, through one-to-one activities, to prepare them for their move on to school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have good knowledge of the children and plan the curriculum based on this. Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum to promote children's language. They think about the language they want children to learn and consistently use simple signs to help them learn vocabulary related to topics. For example, when leaders and staff read children a book about a frog, they sign the names of the animals in the book. Children join in with the signs after they have been modelled. Older children identify the animals by the sign, and younger children enjoy signing along as the book is read. This helps children to remember and begin to use any new words they come across. Children learn more about animals and dual habitats, such as frogs. Leaders adapt planned activities where possible to meet the needs of children. For example, they provide children with resources to allow them to extend their learning while making a model of a frog. Leaders consistently review the language that

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

children are taught at the setting. Leaders ask children questions about a minibeast they observe during a walk in the communal garden. This prompts children to remember what they have learned about them and review key vocabulary, such as 'whorl'.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders provide children with activities to promote their coordination and control, such as using tools with play dough. Staff encourage children to mould play dough by using language such as 'squash' and 'rolling', allowing children to build on their fine motor skills in readiness for early writing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders promptly identify those with barriers to learning, including disadvantaged children and those who are known (or previously known) to social care when they first come into the setting. Leaders work closely with outside agencies from the borough to support children's language development. Leaders work in collaboration with families to support children at home with targeted activities to aid their progress and reach different milestones. They use funding for resources such as an attention time box, which helps children to focus their attention during circle-time activities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure all children can access planned activities. For example, they provide different instruments that children can use to mould and shape play dough. Children make use of the outside garden area on a daily basis to extend their learning. The communal garden is used to assist children's physical development and to enrich their learning on current topics. Leaders interact with the children during activities. The interactions are of a high standard and help to reinforce children's learning. Leaders teach language based on planned topics, allowing children to make good progress from their starting points, including children with barriers to their learning. Children feel safe and secure at the setting. Leaders encourage respectful behaviour from all children, allowing them to form positive relationships.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders consistently focus on the wellbeing of children at the setting. Policies, procedures and practices are reviewed and logged in a supervision log book. Leaders promote positive care practices. They set time aside for children to brush their teeth every afternoon, either using their own toothbrushes or a model. Leaders plan activities that support all children's next stage in development. For example, they plan the rich range of vocabulary to be covered during topics to support children's language development. This is further enhanced by the 'sign-along' resource. Leaders liaise with the borough to implement this initiative. They ensure older children reach appropriate levels in their language development, to support the next stage in their learning. For instance, children identify sounds in their name after tracing it.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Children's care needs are consistently promoted by encouraging them to wash their hands after outdoor play and before lunch. Leaders regularly monitor children's packed lunches and support parents where possible. Leaders provide a healthy breakfast and offer children choices. Leaders ensure that communication between the setting is done through an app or a messaging group. This helps to build strong relationships with parents as they know they can work in partnership with the setting. Leaders regularly liaise with the borough about new initiatives or other services to help support the children at the setting.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders ensure that all training is kept up to date and that relevant courses are undertaken. Communication between the setting and families is managed via online platforms, where parents and carers get up-to-date information about their children's progress. Leaders also speak to parents at drop-off and collection times. Parents value that their children have settled well, are happy and make secure progress. Leaders regularly liaise with the borough about new initiatives or other services, to help support children at the setting. Leaders continuously monitor staff's practice and development, fostering a culture of using feedback to make improvements.

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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 positive relationships with leaders and staff, who welcome each child warmly into the setting followed by a welcome song to start their day. Children are keen to take part in planned activities, move between activities confidently and are well prepared for the next stage in their development, including school. Leaders identify any barriers quickly and work with outside agencies to support children. They have high expectations of children and consistently plan inspiring activities to promote children's language development, for instance. Leaders have a thorough knowledge of each child and use this knowledge to help

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2804345 them flourish with targeted interventions used to support them at every opportunity. Children share resources well during circle-time activities, learning how to share and turn take, such as passing around a box of animals. Children feel safe at the setting and interact well with each other and with adults. Children develop independence and extend their own learning. For example, they confidently paint frogs based on their topic and explore animals that live in two habitats. Children enjoy daily use of outside areas and gardens, learning through activities or during walks. Staff reinforce language, such as 'whorl', when referring to the pattern on a snail's shell. Children develop their motor skills and build on previous learning. Parents are encouraged to share simple phrases in their home language with the setting to support their children.

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About this setting

Children are kind and respectful to each other. Songs are used to reinforce the use of please and thank you during mealtimes and throughout the day. Leaders enable flexible starting times and have positive relationships with parents and carers, which helps with consistency in children's attendance, progress and wellbeing. Children attend regularly, and leaders monitor this closely.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children, parents and carers 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

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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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