Hardie, Nicola

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

The childminder forms her curriculum carefully and effectively. Her main aims are to build children's self-confidence and help prepare them for their move on to school. She builds strong relationships with children and understands the beneficial impact this has on their confidence and ability to progress their skills. She supports them closely, shows genuine care for them and they enjoy her company and being in her provision. She also supports children's other relationships. Children share toys and take turns well. They learn to give each other time to speak and to discuss their needs, negotiate and resolve issues between themselves. Children learn to respect each other, build good friendships and develop their social skills very effectively.

p.2

The provision is good

The childminder beneficially sets out resources to link to children's current interests, such as transport. Children develop their dexterity, creating wonderful pictures. They independently select items from the art trolley, using vehicle stickers and making circular marks with pens for wheels. Children spend considerable time imaginatively playing with toy trains and building the track. They solve problems as they persevere to attach tricky track pieces together, connect and construct small buildings and use tools to attach pieces to larger vehicles. Children show positive attitudes to challenges and are keen to succeed; they gain useful skills for their future learning.

p.2

need to do better?

n The childminder builds children's listening and attention skills, and they enjoy listening to the stories she reads. She develops their communication very effectively. Children share their knowledge, answer and ask questions and are learning to take turns in conversation fluently. The childminder is skilled in supporting their language and thinking. She encourages children to think of other descriptive words they can use, and they knowledgeably offer enormous and huge instead of big. n The childminder offers interesting activities to inspire and challenge children to develop their skills. Children count, estimate and subitise as they actively join in with well-known stories. The childminder then offers them practical ways to recap and explore maths concepts further. Children estimate, and then check the number of items of fruit at snack time, working out how many more they will need to reach the number they want.

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need to do better?

n The childminder builds strong relationships with parents. She shares lots of information with them. Parents say they are very grateful for the childminder's practical advice about key areas of children's development, such as toilet training and supporting children's communication at home. They say they find these helpful and feel incredibly supported as a result.

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need to do better?

6 June 2025 n The childminder observes children to assess their development. She outlines clear next steps in their learning. She liaises directly with some of the other settings that children attend. However, she has not developed links with all of them, to help support joint working and a consistent approach for all the children. n Children enjoy being active in the childminder's garden, developing their physical skills and confidence using balls and other sport equipment. They use the swing and have lots of fun imaginatively playing together. They ride their balance bikes along the pavement when coming back from dropping the older children at school with the childminder. They show very good understanding of road safety and learn from her reminders and clear explanations. They adjust their speed well, are mindful of each other and stop to wait for her. n The childminder shows dedication to the children and families that use her

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need to do better?

provision. She undertakes training, links with local authority advisors and undertakes online research to refresh and extend her knowledge, using this to evaluate and improve her practice further. n Children develop their independence skills. They persevere to cut up their fruit at snack time and they get their shoes on themselves. However, at times, the childminder does not develop children's sense of responsibility as much as possible, such as to help them understand health and hygiene practices and follow these independently. n The childminder takes children out on interesting, fun and educational trips in the local and wider area. Children visit farms, learning to feed and care for animals, and planting and growing produce. They learn about nature during forest school sessions. They find out about their community as they visit the library and join the childminder as she takes and collects the older children from

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need to do better?

school. They also develop their social skills attending play-based groups, where they build their confidence among larger groups of children.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n extend partnership working, developing close links with all the other settings children attend and supporting a consistent approach for children n enhance the support for children to understand health and hygiene practices and follow these independently, developing their sense of responsibility as much as possible.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY234962 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 10398698 Type of provision Childminder

p.4

Registers

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

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 20 Date of previous inspection 6 November 2019

p.4

Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2002 and lives in the Grange Park area of Swindon, Wiltshire. She operates 7.15am to 4.30pm, Tuesday to Friday, all year round. The childminder holds an appropriate qualification at level 3. The childminder provides government-funded places.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the areas used for childminding and discussed with the childminder how she implements the educational programmes for the children. n The childminder and the inspector evaluated the effectiveness of an activity together. n The inspector observed the children and the childminder, and spoke with them at appropriate times during the inspection. n Parents shared their views of the childminder's provision with the inspector. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including suitability checks and paediatric first-aid qualifications, and the childminder discussed her procedures for safeguarding the children.

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Inspection activities

6 June 2025 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

6 June 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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