Hill Melanie Jane

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 are happy and secure in the care of the friendly childminder and her nurturing staff team, who build supportive relationships with them. The childminder delivers a well-planned curriculum, tailored to each child's interests and learning goals. She provides a good balance of adult-led activities, such as daily circle time and story sessions, alongside opportunities for child-initiated play. Children are confident and develop a love of learning. They explore and practise new skills in an engaging environment.

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The provision is good

Children are confident and motivated learners, who make good progress across all areas of learning. The childminder supports children effectively to build good physical skills and solve problems. For example, during outdoor play children balance and develop their coordination as they navigate stepping stones and stack small tyres to build towers. The childminder and her staff actively promote empathy, guiding children to look out for their younger friends and to be gentle when stroking the pet dogs. Children display an awareness of others' needs and are kind and respectful towards their friends. They initiate small-group games, such as playing catch or chasing one another. Consistent routines help children understand the childminder's high expectations and build their independence. Children line up calmly at the door, remove their shoes and wash their hands after outdoor play. The youngest children grow in confidence as the childminder gently

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The provision is good

models how to take off their shoes and encourages them to try for themselves.

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need to do better?

n The childminder and her staff work well together, with a clear understanding of their designated roles and responsibilities. The childminder monitors staffs' performance effectively and holds regular meetings to discuss their well-being and ongoing professional development. Training is targeted to meet the needs of both staff and children. For example, after recent training on communication, staff successfully applied their learning, introducing simple sign language to further support children's speech and understanding. n The childminder has established partnerships with local childminders. They meet frequently to share ideas to drive ongoing improvements at the setting. The childminder provides written transition documents to schools, helping teachers support each child's learning and development from the outset. However, she has not yet established consistent partnerships with all other settings that

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need to do better?

children attend to share information and offer a continuous and complementary approach to their learning and development. n Partnerships with parents are strong. The childminder shares information with them in a variety of ways, including verbal discussions, digital messages and online learning records. She builds on what children learn at home, seeking

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need to do better?

25 June 2025 information from parents about their achievements and experiences. Parent feedback is consistently positive. They report that their children thrive at the setting and that they feel well informed about both their children's care needs and learning. Parents describe the childminder and her staff team as an asset to the community. n The childminder and her staff know the children well. They regularly observe children's play and complete termly assessments to monitor their progress. The childminder and staff plan for children's next steps in learning, which are shared with parents. However, some children's next steps in learning are not always precise enough, or consistently used by the childminder or her staff during interactions to fully support them to make even better progress. n Children are developing a love of books and enjoy group story times led by staff. All children are eager to participate because the childminder provides them with

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need to do better?

age-appropriate props and meaningful discussions. Children remain focused and confidently talk about story characters, sharing their ideas about how the characters might be feeling. They demonstrate good mathematical skills. For example, children count beyond 15 together as a group and proudly point out that the trolls in the story can only count to four. Older children apply their understanding of quantity and correctly identify whether numbers are more or less than a given number. n The childminder and her staff promote children's health and well-being effectively. At mealtimes, they engage children in discussions about the food in their lunch boxes and its benefits for their bodies. Older children explain that cheese makes their bones strong and that chocolate is unhealthy and can cause 'sugar monsters' in their teeth. Care practices for the youngest children are good. They sleep in safe, comfortable surroundings, with the childminder using

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need to do better?

monitors and carrying out regular visual checks to ensure they rest safely and peacefully.

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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 partnerships with other settings children attend to promote greater continuity and consistency in their learning and development n provide children with more precise next steps in learning and consistently build upon these during interactions to support them to make the best possible progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY315487 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10399493 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 9 Number of children on roll 31 Date of previous inspection 4 December 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2005 and lives in the Hardwicke area of Gloucester. She operates Monday to Thursday from 7.45am to 5.30pm, all year round. The childminder employs four part-time assistants. She has a relevant qualification at level 3. The childminder receives government funding for the provision of early education for children aged nine months to four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises their early years provision, including the aims and rationale for their early years foundation stage curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the childminder. 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 Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

25 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

25 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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