Lever, Rachel Natalie

Lever, Rachel Natalie

Unique reference number (URN): 2739686 Address: 8 Church Lane, Highbridge, TA9 3PJ Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 23/08/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Lever, Rachel Natalie

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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

Children flourish in an atmosphere of calm, respect and genuine warmth. The childminder creates a culture where expectations for behaviour are understood and lived out in every part of the day. Interactions are consistently nurturing, and children learn how to recognise and express their feelings with confidence because the childminder responds with sensitivity and attunement. When children become unsettled, her steady and compassionate approach helps them feel secure and ready to rejoin their play, which strengthens their emotional resilience over time.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Positive behaviour is modelled with clarity and intention. Children learn to be thoughtful with one another because the childminder notices kindness in the moment and names it, helping children understand the impact of their actions. The childminder reflects this approach by giving children time to process their emotions and encouraging cooperation in shared activities. As a result, children collaborate with increasing ease, show empathy and develop habits that support strong relationships. Routines are well established, predictable and contribute meaningfully to children's sense of security. The childminder monitors attendance closely and works with families to support regular patterns, ensuring that children experience continuity in their learning and care. Children thrive in an environment where emotional development, self-regulation and positive attitudes are promoted with consistency and purpose.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children experience consistently attentive and responsive care that helps them feel secure, confident and ready to take part in their learning. The childminder knows children extremely well and anticipates their needs with sensitivity, responding promptly when they seek reassurance so that they feel safe and understood. Children enjoy healthy, home-cooked food and develop independence by serving themselves, pouring drinks and laying the table, all with careful supervision that keeps them safe. Hygiene routines and self-care are woven naturally through the day, which helps children build lasting habits that support their health and physical development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Across the day, the childminder shows attuned responses to children's emotional needs. When children become upset, such as when leaving the park, the childminder gives them time to express their feelings and provides calm reassurance, helping them regulate and feel safe again before rejoining the group. This sensitive approach ensures children feel understood and supported, and that their wellbeing remains central to the rhythm of the day. The consistency of these responses builds strong emotional resilience, enabling children to approach new situations with confidence and trust in the adults who care for them.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make secure progress across the areas of learning and show increasing confidence in what they can do. They develop well in their communication and language skills as they take part in rich conversations during everyday experiences, such as listening for birds on winter walks or describing the feel of frost on cobwebs. They join in songs and stories with growing attention and respond eagerly to new vocabulary. Children become more independent as they practise small steps throughout the day, including lifting their sleeves for handwashing or putting on their boots, and repeat these actions until they can manage them with greater control. Children who are learning to manage their feelings settle quickly with calm reassurance and rejoin play with others, showing progress in their social skills. Across the day, children develop secure personal, social, emotional and communication foundations that prepare them well for their next stage of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is broad and purposeful. It builds securely on what children know and can do and provides rich experiences across all areas of learning. Children explore early mathematical ideas through everyday activities, such as measuring items with string and comparing the size of objects while the childminder introduces accurate mathematical language to support reasoning and conversation. There is a clear and persistent focus on communication and language. Throughout the day, the childminder uses rich vocabulary, songs and stories to sustain attention and create an atmosphere where children enjoy listening, talking and early reading.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder gives priority to children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. Daily walks and time outdoors support growing stamina and confidence. Shared play, turn-taking and gentle guidance nurture empathy and cooperation, while sensitive responses when children become upset help them learn to manage emotions and rejoin activities at their own pace. Teaching is thoughtful and responsive. The childminder observes closely and uses assessment to shape what she teaches next, adjusting activities when children need more practice or direct modelling. Sensory experiences such as exploring cornflour mixtures encourage early mark making and imaginative play. Any assistants the childminder may work with occasionally supervise rather than participate, which reduces the richness of talk and interaction children receive during some routines.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's needs quickly and accurately through ongoing assessment, using a clear process to capture developmental milestones and plan meaningful next steps. She reviews progress regularly and adapts support when children need more focused teaching. For example, she breaks tasks into small, manageable steps to build children's confidence and independence. When children require additional support, the childminder makes appropriate adjustments to their experiences so that barriers to their learning and wellbeing are reduced and they continue to access a broad curriculum. She works closely with parents to understand concerns and gather information, and she engages effectively with external agencies to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time. The childminder uses funding information appropriately and signposts families to support so that children can benefit from additional resources. These approaches

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Inclusion Expected standard

demonstrate an inclusive culture where children are understood as individuals and where their needs are met so they can make secure progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective and committed to providing high-quality education and care for all children. She draws effectively on her previous professional experience, which strengthens her understanding of safeguarding, assessment and partnership working. She reviews her practice regularly and takes action where improvements are needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The curriculum is shaped by the childminder's thoughtful approach to children's development and the relationships she builds with families. She reflects on her own learning and actively considers how to use new knowledge to strengthen her practice. For example, she is refining how she applies recent training and ideas to develop a clearer and more consistent vision for the outdoor environment. She has invested time and creativity in developing the outdoor environment, introducing a wide range of ideas to enrich children's play. However, because these ideas are numerous, they are not yet brought together in a fully coherent way. As a result, children's outdoor experiences do not always have the same sharp focus as those seen indoors. The childminder recognises this and is refining how she uses her learning to build a clear and consistent vision for outdoor learning so that children benefit from the same high level of intentional teaching across all areas of the provision.

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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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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children experience warm, responsive relationships and rich learning across the day. They achieve well because the childminder notices and build on their interests. For instance, they name winter birds on local walks or explore the sounds and textures of frost-covered cobwebs. The youngest children are supported to make progress as the childminder talks with them and positions buggies so they can see and hear what others are exploring, helping them take part in shared experiences and develop early communication.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children also have a sense of belonging because they are known as individuals. The childminder responds sensitively to their emotions, such as soothing children who become upset at lunchtimes and helping them return calmly to eat. Children cooperate with one another. For example, they take turns when holding a ladybird, and they show kindness as a result of consistent modelling. The childminder values partnerships with parents and provides guidance, such as signposting them to local services to support the individual needs of children and their families. She promotes good attendance by working closely with families and reinforcing the importance of consistent routines.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children thrive in an environment that keeps them safe, nurtures their confidence and builds secure routines. Children serve themselves food, pour drinks and help lay the table, developing independence and positive attitudes to learning. Through everyday interactions and carefully planned experiences, children flourish socially, emotionally and educationally.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen teaching interactions even further so those working with children consistently engage at children's level and turn every routine into opportunities for children to excel in their learning and development. The childminder should continue to further define and implement her outdoor learning vision that secures a high focus learning environment that promotes excellence for all children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and 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:

Registered person: Lever, Rachel Natalie

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 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. 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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