Backhouse, Leanne

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2847529 Registered with Ofsted: 01/09/2025 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is a positive role model for children and has consistently high expectations for their behaviour. This is an area of focus in the curriculum, and the childminder prioritises developing children's personal, social and emotional skills. For example, young children show high levels of confidence and self-esteem. They thrive on the praise from the childminder and are enthusiastic to share their skills and knowledge. Children thoroughly enjoy taking part in all activities and experiences, particularly the ones in which they are familiar with and are part of their daily routine, such as the 'dough disco' and story-themed sensory tray. This helps them to demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children benefit from well-established and embedded routines which promote their independence and self-care skills. For example, each morning, children sit together to sing the 'hello song'. The childminder models the actions and provides clear, consistent instructions. Children join in with the song and then sit down at the end to prepare to brush their teeth. The childminder sensitively supports children who are newer to the group as they begin to familiarise themselves with the expectations. Children are supported effectively to build healthy, positive routines which prepare them well for the future. For example, the childminder talks to parents about the importance of attending regularly. She carefully monitors children who attend fewer weekly sessions to ensure there is no impact on their emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children have exceptionally strong bonds with the childminder and benefit from the home- from-home environment she creates. Parents are particularly happy with the relationships they have with the childminder. They say the childminder keeps their children happy and safe, the communication is amazing, and the childminder 'has wonderful relationships with the children'. Children, including those who are new to the setting, demonstrate they feel safe and secure with the childminder. The childminder gathers detailed information from families when children first start, and this helps her to understand how to meet their specific care needs. She ensures that she maintains effective levels of communication with parents, to help her become aware of any changes in children's circumstances, which might become a barrier to their learning and wellbeing. For example, some children require more frequent nappy changes and the childminder monitors this to ensure they stay dry and comfortable at

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children begin to build healthy habits for the future from a very young age. The childminder teaches them why, and how, to wash their hands and some young children do this independently. They show an interest in beginning to use the toilet and show pride when they receive praise for this. Children sit at the table together with the childminder and have lunch and healthy snacks, which they chop into small pieces for safety. They discuss the healthy melon and how they gain energy from the rice cake. They show an understanding of how vitamins will help them to grow big and strong and proudly show off their muscles. The childminder provides a quiet, safe space for children to rest each day. They begin to relax as she reads them a story and eventually fall asleep.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses her wealth of experience to ensure every child is supported and can access the curriculum fully. She has a robust understanding of child development and uses her baseline assessment, information from parents and observations to help her understand precisely where children are in their developmental journey. This enables her to plan individual next steps for every child from the start and identify any areas of focus for their learning. On entry, the childminder asks parents if they have any concerns about children and uses early intervention strategies to focus on this. For example, she uses clear, single words and simple language to encourage children to develop their vocabulary. She has enhanced the curriculum to include trips out to toddler groups to build children's confidence in unfamiliar places. This has had a positive impact on children's progress and closed the gaps in their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has sensitive discussions with parents to prepare them for the possibility of making referrals to other professionals, providing guidance and reassurance consistently. Parents say they feel very grateful for this and are happy to receive support if needed. This enables the childminder to refer swiftly if appropriate. Young children learn about other people, places and their own community as they go on regular trips and visits with the childminder. This helps them to understand the world around them and begins to build respect and an awareness of difference and diversity.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly skilled and experienced in working with children. She continually updates and refreshes her knowledge and skills in the early years. For example, she recently completed an accredited training course to enhance and refresh her skills to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has a thorough understanding of how to identify, refer and support children who have gaps in their learning and recognises signs of need. This has a positive impact on children's progress. The childminder is aware of changes to the requirements of the early years foundation stage and is proactive in making adjustments. For instance, she prepared children to use safe-sleep mats before this became a requirement.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents and other professionals are positive. For example, the childminder regularly shares updates about children's development with parents. She provides them with guidance on how they can support their children's next steps in learning. This helps parents to feel included and valued as educators and promotes continuity for children. The childminder regularly meets with other childminders in the local area. They share best practice and are a network of support. This helps the childminder to support her own positive wellbeing and enhance her provision.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder regularly gathers feedback to help her make continual improvements and consider parents' wishes. For example, she has added further detail to daily communication to ensure that parents know exactly what children have eaten. Recently, the childminder has

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Expected standard

obtained an allotment to continue to further develop children's awareness of being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make positive progress across every area of their learning, but particularly in their communication, physical development and social development. For example, children who had very little language when they joined the childminder's setting are now more confident communicators and have made rapid progress to close potential gaps in their learning. They begin to show confidence as they interact with others and take part in activities at the toddler group they attend. This successful early intervention means a referral to other professionals is no longer needed.

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Achievement Expected standard

Currently, children who attend are all aged between one- and two-years-old. They benefit from a focus on the crucial areas of learning to help them build secure foundations for the future. For example, children make progress in all aspects of their physical development. They learn to jump, climb and dance, and show enjoyment as they explore outdoors. However, children who attend less often are not as engaged in purposeful learning and the progress they make is not as steady.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children. She provides a balanced and sequenced curriculum which builds on children's skills and knowledge. For example, children build their finger strength as they play with dough. The childminder models how to squash and squeeze the dough, and children copy her. This helps them to develop their fine-motor skills to enable them to use writing resources in the future. The childminder consistently focuses on developing children's communication and language skills. This is a strength of the curriculum and an area in which some children excel. For example, young children use sentences and extended vocabulary to hold conversations about their interests. They develop a love of books from an early age and can retell parts of their favourite story.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder prepares the environment indoors and outdoors with activities and experiences to help children make progress towards their individual learning goals. For example, she has clear next steps for each child and typically adjusts the level of support and challenge according to their needs. However, young children, that attend less regularly, wander between experiences, and learning is not always purposeful. On occasion, the childminder does not consistently provide encouragement to help them engage more deeply or encourage them to stay focused a little longer.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder regularly takes children to different groups in the local area. Children are proud of the skills they learn here and practise them in the setting. For example, children thoroughly enjoy singing and dancing, and call 'freeze' before they start to dance. Children develop self-confidence, positive social skills and learn about the world around them. They are well prepared for the next stages in their learning, including starting school.

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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 develop a sense of belonging and show they feel safe and secure with the childminder. They benefit from the warm, caring environment and have strong bonds with the childminder and her family. Parents describe the childminder as 'amazing' and say that

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Inspector:

Michelle Lorains she 'genuinely cares about every child'. They enjoy being part of the community she has created. For example, families come along to the new allotment and help the childminder to prepare this for children to use together. These effective partnerships help children and families to feel valued and included.

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Inspector:

Children thrive in their learning and development, and as individuals. They are confident, self-assured and are developing their individual characters. The childminder consistently praises children and supports them to try new activities and experiences which broaden their skills and knowledge. Young children are very independent and have excellent social skills. They benefit from attending a range of different group sessions in the community with the childminder. Children demonstrate the new skills they learn from the groups and have positive levels of self-confidence. For example, they enthusiastically dance to familiar music and engage well when the disco lights come on. They continue to develop their physical skills to music and copy the childminder's actions using the dough to develop finger strength.

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Inspector:

All children typically develop secure foundations for future learning. The childminder generally adapts her teaching to help every child make suitable progress and focuses on closing any potential gaps in their development. Although the current group of children who attend are aged between one- and two-years-old, they begin to develop the key skills they need in preparation to start school. For instance, they begin to take an active part in their self-care and show enthusiasm in learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should provide children, who attend fewer sessions, with more guidance and support, to help them engage more deeply in experiences and ignite their interest in purposeful learning.

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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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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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