Hill Susan Lorraine

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 confidently enter the childminder's home, happily waving goodbye to their parents. This shows they feel safe and secure. The childminder plans a curriculum around children's interests and previous learning. For example, following a visit to local woodland, children enjoy using magnifying glasses to look closely at insects. The childminder teaches them about the lifecycle of butterflies, colours and patterns. She supports children to practise their counting skills as they count insects legs. She encourages children to use their imagination. Children pretend to be as tall as trees, blowing around in the wind. They giggle happily as they blow leaves for their friends to catch, proudly recalling the colours they have learned.

p.2

The provision is good

The childminder has high expectations of children's behaviour. Familiar routines help children know what to expect next. For example, when the childminder announces story time, children eagerly gather around. They demonstrate good listening skills as they sit, listen and respond. The childminder engages children with props as she reads. She encourages children to join in with familiar stories and take turns to listen to each other. Children count, compare size and represent numbers on their fingers as they share the story together.

p.2

The provision is good

The childminder promotes children's good health. Children know they have to wear sun hats to protect themselves from the sun. They pick strawberries fresh from the childminder's garden and help prepare healthy snacks. Children are highly active learners. The childminder plans daily opportunities for children to play outdoors in the fresh air. These promote their physical, mental health and well-being.

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need to do better?

n The childminder plans an extensive range of outings. This helps children learn about the world around them and promote their communication and language, physical and social skills. Children enjoy visiting parks, farms, libraries and soft- play settings as well as experiencing steam train rides and fruit picking. The doors to the childminder's well-resourced garden are always open. This enables children to make choices as they play and develop their own interests indoors and outdoors. Children learn to pedal tricycles, climb apparatus and explore sensory play. They use brushes and water to make marks on walls. Children independently problem solve as they play, using stepping stones to enable them to reach areas slightly beyond their reach. n The childminder adapts her practice to support children's individual needs. She works with other agencies and parents to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need. She has

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need to do better?

made some attempts to work in partnership with other settings that children attend. However, these are yet to be fully developed to ensure continuity of care

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need to do better?

26 June 2025 and education for children. n The childminder promotes British values. She sets clear boundaries that children respectfully follow and reminds children to use good manners. Children interact kindly with their peers. The childminder encourages them to share, take turns, listen and follow instructions. She provides children with choices throughout the day, flexibly adapting her provision. Children help tidy away and take care of toys and resources. They learn to do things for themselves, such as washing their hands before eating. They show patience and understanding when their needs cannot be immediately met. n Parents say their children flourish and grow in confidence in the childminder's nurturing, homely provision. They appreciate the emphasis the childminder places on children engaging in hands-on, real-world experiences that are tailored to their children's interests and stages of development. Parents say their children

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need to do better?

wake up excited to attend and describe every day as an adventure. Parents are grateful for the support and guidance the childminder provides, particularly helping children to become increasingly independent with their self-care skills. The experienced childminder monitors children's progress and demonstrates a clear understanding of children's next steps in development. However, she does not always share the focused next steps she has planned with parents. n The childminder proactively seeks additional training to continue to develop her knowledge and skills. She is an active member of a network of childminders who support each other, share resources and go on outings together. This helps to provide a wider social network for children, enabling them to develop their social skills and confidence in larger groups.

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 enhance partnerships with other settings that children attend to further support transitions and continuity of children's learning and development n build on strategies to ensure that all parents are kept fully informed of next steps planned for their children's development to further support children's learning at home and raise children's already good outcomes to an even higher level.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 205066 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10394815 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

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

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 6 Date of previous inspection 26 September 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 1997 and lives in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. She operates from 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder holds an appropriate early years childcare qualification at level 3. She provides funded early years education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how she ensures that they are safe and suitable. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises her early years provision, including the aims and rationale for the early years foundation stage curriculum. n The childminder spoke to the inspector about children's learning and development, with a particular focus on communication and language. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder and the children. n Parents shared their views of the childminder with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

26 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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