Katherine Ann Adams

Katherine Ann Adams

Unique reference number (URN): EY225105 Address: 30 Chilton Field Way, Chilton, DIDCOT, Oxfordshire, OX11 0SZ Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 14/08/2002 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Adams, Katherine Ann

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder provides a nurturing environment. She forms strong bonds with the children and warmly welcomes them into her setting. The childminder consistently uses warm tones of voice when interacting with children. She is kind and patient and talks to children at a level of their understanding. The childminder demonstrates this as she gives them gentle reminders to share and take turns, and sensitively explains that it is important to be kind to their friends. Children engage positively with others. For example, they work alongside each other and share resources during messy play. Through regular praise and encouragement, the childminder helps children develop confidence and positive self-esteem, which is reflected in the affectionate and trusting relationships they form with her. This has a positive impact on their social and emotional development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour. She demonstrates this as she gives children gentle reminders to sit still while eating and explains why. Young children actively show care and empathy for others. For example, when their younger peer slips over, they immediately go and check they are alright.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder shares her policies and procedures clearly with parents so they understand her expectations around children's attendance.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She identifies and assesses children's individual care and learning needs through careful observation, ongoing assessment and detailed discussions with parents from the outset. This enables her to gain a clear understanding of each child's starting points and any additional support required. She proactively seeks expert advice and works closely in partnership with parents, medical teams and multi-agency professionals, such as physiotherapists, to ensure children receive consistent, high-quality and ongoing support. Information-sharing is highly effective, which enables the childminder to plan highly tailored interventions that precisely meet each child's individual needs.

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Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a remarkable understanding of each child. She undertakes targeted training to ensure she provides consistent high levels of individualised support for all children. The childminder uses additional funding remarkably well, such as for equipment and resources that enable all children to take part in activities alongside their peers. This strongly supports children's emotional wellbeing and helps them develop an understanding of empathy and respect for individual differences. Children show high levels of care for their young age. They demonstrate kindness to their peers and ensure their friends have the resources they need to participate in activities.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well and make steady progress from their individual starting points. This includes generally in their communication and language, despite the childminder occasionally not modelling extensive vocabulary for children, to enhance their speaking skills even further. Children with SEND demonstrate increased confidence, independence and engagement in play and learning. They successfully take part in activities alongside their peers and show developing physical and social skills. Very young children explore sensory experiences with confidence. They demonstrate improved coordination and focus when using tools and resources.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show secure early mathematical understanding, such as counting and recognising size, and apply these skills during play. Their social and emotional achievements are particularly evident. Children form positive relationships, show resilience when faced with challenges and demonstrate kindness and empathy towards others. They regulate their emotions well and seek support when needed. All children are developing the skills they need to be ready for their next stage of learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and follows their children's routines at the setting. Children are confident in the childminder's care. They confidently seek comfort and reassurance, contributing to their overall sense of wellbeing and security.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy opportunities to be physically active. They express themselves through dance and movement and practise moving their body in different ways. They learn to negotiate space safely, showing an awareness of others around them. Children are encouraged to take safe risks as they climb and move confidently over indoor equipment. The childminder takes children on walks to local parks and other open spaces to help develop their large muscle strength, balance and coordination. However, she does not consistently make the best use of her own outdoor space to provide children with daily opportunities to take more risks and further challenge their large physical movements outside. She places a strong focus on keeping children safe and teaches them about road safety. The childminder supports children's wellbeing and physical health effectively. She works alongside parents to ensure their children receive a well-balanced diet each day. Children

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

enjoy daily, home-prepared meals that are freshly cooked at the setting, and they are encouraged to drink water regularly throughout the day. Mealtimes are a relaxed and enjoyable social experience, which supports children's developing relationships.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans a broad and varied curriculum. She carries out regular assessments to identify children's individual starting points and confidently plans next steps in learning. She adapts activities and resources where needed so all children can participate. Children show high levels of curiosity. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities express pleasure as they grasp and explore sensory materials. Children demonstrate good concentration and coordination skills as they practise using different tools, with additional support provided when required. This helps develop hand and finger strength.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's social and emotional development effectively. She sensitively encourages kind hands and turn-taking in play. This positively supports children's emotional development. For instance, when younger children knock down a tower that older children are building, they calmly start to build it again.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of communication and language as a foundation for learning. She uses a range of strategies to support communication, including visual aids, gestures and clear explanations, which help children understand and take part in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder narrates play for very young children and introduces some vocabulary, such as mathematical language, as children engage in their activities. However, these opportunities are not always fully extended. At times, the childminder does not consistently model new words to further deepen children's developing vocabulary.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to improving her professional development and developing the skills and knowledge of her assistants. She monitors and supports the work of her assistants effectively and holds regular discussions to reflect on practice and identify areas for improvement. The childminder has attended targeted training to support the medical needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which ensures children receive safe, consistent and responsive care. She works in close partnership with parents and other professionals, including health and medical professionals, to ensure children's needs are consistently met across all aspects of their care. This collaborative approach enables information to be shared effectively and strategies to be implemented consistently, resulting in positive outcomes for children's learning, development and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder regularly reflects on her provision to make improvements that benefit all children. For example, she has recently accessed training on diverse ways of communicating that focused on the importance of narrating children's play, which she applies in practice. She understands she could further develop this aspect of her provision, and she also recognises that there is room for her to enhance the use of her own outdoor space as well. The childminder makes thoughtful adaptations to the environment to meet the needs of all children. This creates a highly inclusive setting that has a positive impact on children's care and welfare needs.

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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

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive in this homely, nurturing environment. The childminder and her assistants form close, warm

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Inspector:

Jane Franks bonds with children, and value each child highly. The childminder works closely with parents right from the start and spends time getting to know children well. She takes time to settle children in and seeks key information about their medical needs, routines, interests and types of comfort they respond to best. This careful approach ensures that all children, including those with SEND, receive consistent, tailored support. Children settle swiftly into the childminder's care and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Resources such as role play and construction are thoughtfully chosen and adapted to reflect children's interests and individual learning needs. This enables children to make confident choices in their play. Activities are broad and balanced, and all children make good progress.

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Inspector:

The childminder provides real-life learning experiences that encourage children to explore and understand the world around them. Outings to the local garden centre, for example, are thoughtfully planned and adapted to ensure children with SEND can take part fully. The childminder considers children's individual needs, adjusting the pace, level of support and structure of outings, and prepares children in advance so they feel confident and secure to take part. Children enjoy visits to the garden centre café, where they are supported to learn how to behave appropriately in different social settings. Cultural events are meaningfully woven into the curriculum. This helps children develop an awareness and appreciation of diversity through everyday play and activities.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen interactions with children to continually support and enhance their language and vocabulary skills. The childminder should make better use of her own outdoor space to provide more daily opportunities for children to take risks and further challenge their large physical movements outside.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistants 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.

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Address:

30 Chilton Field Way Chilton DIDCOT Oxfordshire OX11 0SZ

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 18:00

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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.

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Urgent improvement

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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