Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2805098 Registered with Ofsted: 21/11/2024 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 make steady progress from their individual starting points and develop into confident, increasingly independent learners. They show curiosity and enthusiasm as they explore their environment and readily try new experiences. Children confidently access the outdoor area and make choices about how they want to play and learn. Children are happy and settled and sustain their engagement in activities for extended periods. They explore resources with interest and develop increasing independence as they manage aspects of their play and everyday experiences. Younger children build confidence as they practise new skills and respond positively to encouragement from adults.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children who face additional barriers to learning receive support that helps them participate and make progress. They develop the confidence to communicate their needs and engage with others. Children develop the skills and learning behaviours needed for their next stage. They are increasingly independent, willing to try new things and able to become deeply involved in their play. These foundations support their continued learning and prepare them for future transitions, including starting school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are happy, settled and develop positive attitudes towards their learning and play. They respond well to the calm and consistent expectations of the adults and are encouraged to persevere with new experiences. Regular praise for their efforts helps children to feel valued and builds their confidence. Children form warm and secure relationships with the adults who care for them. They experience kindness, care and respect, and learn to treat others in the same way. Children develop an understanding of sharing, turn-taking and cooperation. For example, when completing a puzzle together, children follow the adults' modelling of taking turns and waiting for others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children understand the routines and expectations within the setting and are supported to follow these at a pace that reflects their individual needs. For example, children who need more time to understand the lunchtime routine are supported to go last. This gives them time to watch what others do before having their turn, and helps them to participate with increasing confidence. Children respond positively to the consistent approach of the adults. They are increasingly able to manage everyday routines, cooperate with others and remain engaged in their play. The inclusive approach helps children to develop confidence, consideration for others and positive attitudes towards learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder monitors attendance effectively and works closely with parents and carers to promote punctuality and consistent routines for children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are consistently prioritised. They benefit from warm, responsive relationships with the childminder and assistant, and confidently seek adults for comfort, reassurance and support. Adults respond sensitively to children's cues and praise their efforts. This helps children feel secure and develop confidence in their abilities. Children learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Adults explain the reasons behind expectations, helping children understand rather than simply follow instructions. Children are happy, content, and emotionally secure, and confidently try new experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Care routines are organised around individual needs. For example, children have their nappies changed individually, which ensures privacy and respectful care. A low-level drinking station allows children to fill their own water bottles and access drinks independently. Sleep arrangements are also adapted appropriately, with the youngest sleeping in a cot. Calming music supports children to settle. Children develop practical self- care skills from an early age. They are encouraged to wipe their faces, wash their hands and remove their shoes and coats. Adults give children time to attempt these tasks themselves before providing support. This helps children to develop increasing independence, confidence and a sense of achievement. Children's emotional and physical needs are met thoughtfully, which enables them to feel safe, valued and ready to learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the quality of the curriculum and has created a well-planned environment where children can explore, investigate and learn independently. Resources are readily accessible, which enables children to make choices and confidently follow their interests. The childminder prioritises communication and language. She speaks clearly, models new vocabulary and encourages children to repeat words and join in with familiar songs. The childminder follows children's interests to make learning meaningful. For example, when children play with farm animals, she sings related songs. She deliberately leaves out words for children to complete and encourages them to make animal sounds. She uses books effectively and encourages younger children to turn pages, listen to familiar stories and repeat known words.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children benefit from plentiful opportunities to develop their gross and fine motor skills, alongside opportunities to build independence and confidence. The childminder knows children's individual starting points. She identifies gaps and sets appropriate next steps. She adapts her approach and works with parents and carers, and professionals when children need additional support.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides purposeful teaching that builds on children's interests, developmental stages and emerging skills. She uses everyday experiences to extend children's learning and introduces new vocabulary naturally through conversation, songs and books. The childminder skilfully adapts her interactions to encourage children to participate, for example, by pausing during familiar songs so children can contribute words or sounds. She gives children time to explore and respond, which allows them to develop their ideas and practise new skills. Her warm and responsive interactions help children to remain engaged and make connections in their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder knows the children very well. She uses this knowledge to ensure all children can participate fully in learning and play. The childminder identifies emerging needs promptly and takes decisive action to secure appropriate support. For example, she makes referrals to speech and language services when needed and works closely with parents and carers to help them develop children's communication skills at home. The childminder shares practical strategies to encourage more talk and interaction, creating consistency between home and the setting.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder carefully considers the barriers individual children may face and makes thoughtful adaptations to help them feel secure and ready to learn. She uses funding thoughtfully to reduce barriers to children's participation and wellbeing. For example, she has used funding to purchase emotion cards and create a quiet, safe space within the setting to support children who may find transitions or arrival difficult. She reviews the impact of these resources and adapts or reduces support as children become more confident and their needs change. This demonstrates that she considers how funding can have a meaningful impact on children's individual experiences. She does not simply provide additional resources without evaluating their purpose or effectiveness. The childminder monitors children's progress and adjusts support when required. She also works proactively with external professionals and ensures children and families receive timely help.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has employed staff, increasing the number of children she is able to care for and providing additional capacity within the setting. She works closely with staff, providing clear guidance, support and direction as they develop their practice. Staff are motivated to develop their skills and knowledge, and the childminder supports them to access relevant training and professional development opportunities. Staff have developed warm, caring relationships with the children and consistently reflect the childminder's attentive and nurturing approach. This provides children with continuity and ensures that they experience consistent, responsive care from all adults in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and identifies appropriate areas for development. For example, she plans to create a covered area in the garden so children can continue to benefit from outdoor learning during wetter months. She recognises the significant enjoyment and learning children gain from regular access to the garden.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder makes decisions based on children's individual needs and is proactive in seeking additional support when required. She works with services, such as the inclusion team, and makes referrals for speech and language support. She also considers staff workload thoughtfully. Responsibilities, such as nappy changing, are shared between adults to ensure demands are manageable. The childminder remains available to answer questions, discuss practice and support her assistants' development. She keeps her own knowledge current through local authority training and professional networks, and ensures her assistant completes relevant training.

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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 at this setting feel safe, welcomed and valued. They are happy, busy and deeply engaged in their play, with plenty of time and freedom to explore their interests and develop their skills. Children spend much of their morning outdoors, where they enthusiastically join in with water play, messy activities and a wide range of hands-on experiences. Children have many opportunities to explore and investigate through play. They fill containers with water and use different utensils to scoop, pour and transfer it. They use scales to weigh lentils and develop their fine motor skills as they use spoons and tweezers to scoop and

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30 gather dry pasta. Children confidently push wheelbarrows and enjoy opportunities to develop their physical strength and coordination.

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About this setting

Children are encouraged to explore their creativity and express themselves in different ways. They use spray bottles to create paint marks on easels and coloured chalk to make marks on the ground. Indoors, children enjoy puzzles and talk with adults about what they can see, including discussing colours. Children are given the time, space and resources to follow their interests and are able to become fully absorbed in their play. There is a sense of enjoyment and purpose as children explore, experiment, communicate and practise new skills. Children are active participants in their learning and clearly enjoy coming to the setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, staff 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. Local authority: North Northamptonshire

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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. 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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