Clarke Christine

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children respond positively to the friendly childminder and settle easily in her care. Children interact well with each other overall and smile as a friend gives them a spontaneous cuddle. They recognise the established daily expectations and boundaries that help them feel secure and know what will happen next. For example, they know they need to wash their hands well before eating their meals. The childminder gets to know the children well and provides a broad curriculum of play activities based on their interests. This supports children to make good progress overall.

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The provision is good

Children develop their social skills and learn to use good manners. They start to say please and thank you and generally play with or alongside their friends happily. Children develop a good understanding of the world. For example, the childminder shows them a bee in a flower in the garden. She tells them how the bee collects the pollen from the flower and that eventually this will help them make the honey we eat. Children find snails in the garden and examine its shell. They hold the snail and say, 'It feels sticky' as it sits on their hand. They talk about where the snail might like to go in the garden and decide to put it among the 'blue flowers'.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the childminder has continued to develop her professional knowledge and understanding of children's needs. For example, she has raised her awareness of how children learn to self-regulate and this has helped her use different strategies to help them start to gain this skill. n Children learn about ways to keep fit and healthy through their play. They help the childminder to make foods such as cheese scones, carrot cake or banana bread using healthy ingredients. Children help the childminder grow fruit and vegetables and they like to eat these for their snack. n The childminder includes physical exercise within the daily activities to help children develop good coordination and balance. Children like to go for walks with the childminder around the village or to a nearby farm. They have fun listening to a favourite nursery song and pretending to be sleeping bunnies. They anticipate the actions of the song and when 'the bunnies wake up' they

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need to do better?

enthusiastically jump up and begin to hop around the room. n The childminder praises children frequently and helps them develop positive self- esteem. She encourages them to take turns in their play and to help others. For example, children waited patiently while the childminder filled up their watering cans for them to help her water the plants in the garden. Older children found toys for their younger friends. n The childminder gets to know the children well. She monitors their achievements and identifies what they need to do next. This helps her encourage children's

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need to do better?

19 May 2025 learning well overall. However, at times, she does not always give a clear focus to supporting children's next steps of development through their play consistently well. For example, to fully support children's counting skills and build on their existing knowledge more effectively. n Parents are positive about the childminder and comment that their children love going to see her. They note how appreciative they are of her support and kindness and that their children are making good progress. The childminder encourages parents' involvement in their children's learning and keeps them well informed of their achievements. n Children show curiosity and begin to learn about simple technology through their play. For example, they like to find a favourite toy, such as a soft elephant, and put this into a pop-up box. They know they need to press the lid of the box to release the mechanism and laugh with delight as it suddenly pops open and the

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need to do better?

toy shoots up in the air. n Children start to learn about keeping themselves and others safe and know to stay away from the roadside when walking on the pavement with the childminder. However, the childminder does not always extend children's understanding about safety during some play activities. For example, to help them make sure they use tools such as scissors as safely as possible. n The childminder supports children's communication and language skills well. For example, she reads a story with them and introduces vocabulary such as 'humpback whale'. She talks with children about the stamen and petals on a flower. She praises younger children when they start saying new words and repeats these back to them. She encourages older children to 'use their words' to tell her how they are feeling. They gain confidence to form longer sentences and become more involved in discussions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n strengthen the focus given to children's next steps of development during activities, to help them consistently make the best possible progress in their learning n develop further ways to encourage children's understanding of keeping themselves and others safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 132800 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10398288 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 5 Date of previous inspection 14 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 1999 and lives in Peasedown St John, near Bath. She operates Monday to Thursday from 7.30am to 5.30pm, all year round. The childminder is in receipt of government funding.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and the childminder observed children's interactions in play indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this was having on their learning and development. n The inspector viewed a sample of documentation, such as the childminder's first- aid certificate and safeguarding policies. n The inspector and childminder discussed the curriculum provided and what the childminder wants children to learn. n The inspector took into account the written comments from parents.

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Inspection activities

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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Inspection activities

19 May 2025 19 May 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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