King, Alison

King, Alison

Unique reference number (URN): EY224437 Address: 56 Whisperwood Drive, Balby, Doncaster, DN4 8SA Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 01/08/2002 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: King, Alison

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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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Achievement Expected standard

Children attain age- and stage-appropriate development across all 7 areas of learning found in the early years foundation stage framework. Children achieve well from their starting points and are well supported by the childminder to meet their developmental milestones. Older children can put on their own shoes and coats. They hold a pencil using a pincer grip and confidently express themselves to adults. Children proudly point out their names on the wall, showing that they recognise them. Children have good communication and language skills and confidently converse with the childminder and peers. Children make progress across all areas of learning, securing a good foundation for them to build on through their education. The childminder supports children so that they are ready for their transition to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well. They know what is expected of them and follow the routine of the setting. Children show empathy by giving cuddles to dolls and noticing when other children are upset and explaining why. The childminder sets high expectations and is a good role model, using manners and encouraging children to do so. The childminder understands each child's individual needs and circumstances and easily spots cues if children need to regulate their feelings.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children play together as they take turns doing jigsaws, for instance. They share toys with their friends and help to tidy away after activities. This shows a sound understanding of routine and that they are learning to take pride in their environment. The childminder asks questions to extend learning and supports speaking and listening skills. Children are confident to engage in conversation about their play. The childminder understands the importance of punctuality and attendance, and this is shared with parents and carers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum in place for all children. The curriculum focuses on building children's confidence and independence in order to help them transition to school. Children are encouraged to put their own shoes and coats on and to drink from open-top cups. The childminder has a clear understanding of the importance of communication and language and uses effective conversation and nursery rhymes to extend children's vocabulary. The childminder knows children well and has clear next steps in place. She understands how to support children to reach their individual goals. The childminder is patient and encourages children to try if they find something difficult. For example, the childminder demonstrated different ways of wrapping a pipe cleaner around their finger when they struggled with an activity. She encouraged children to have a go. Children demonstrate resilience.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder introduces mathematical language and concepts to support children's early understanding. Children enjoy playing games together, such as taking turns at matching

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Needs attention

games. This supports children's social development as they learn about pairs and sequences and build conversational skills. The childminder works hard to reduce barriers to learning for those children who need additional support. She understands their cues and responds appropriately.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder's practice around mealtimes and children's personal care is not sufficiently consistent to promote children's welfare and wellbeing. For instance, the childminder does not always help children to wash their hands effectively or help them to understand why this is important. Children are not always given adequate privacy during personal care routines. The childminder has an understanding of managing risks to children's welfare. However, these are not always identified effectively or managed sufficiently well to promote children's wellbeing. For example, the childminder does not place high chairs where all children can be adequately supervised during meal times and does not check that children have finished eating before they are placed on the floor to play. The childminder does understand the importance of this and has the capacity to be more vigilant.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder provides a bright and welcoming environment where children enjoy play and social activities and have access to outdoor learning. Children with barriers to learning are supported well in the setting, and their needs are catered for. Children are happy and build secure attachments with the childminder, which promotes their emotional wellbeing. The childminder supports children to understand and manage their emotions by discussing the importance of sharing, turn-taking and being mindful of other children's feelings.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is unclear on the process to make referrals using the local partnership strategies. This affects the timeliness of sourcing additional support for children's progress and transitions to the next stage of their learning. However, the childminder is passionate about supporting children with barriers to their learning. She identifies children who require extra support and makes adaptations to reduce barriers to support their progress. She provides families with advice and directs them to other services for support. The childminder has high expectations for all children.

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Inclusion Needs attention

While the childminder builds positive relationships with parents and children, she does not adequately build relationships with other professionals working with children, such as others with shared care or health professionals. Therefore, the childminder does not gain a holistic view of the child. The childminder recognises the importance of completing training to help her support children's individual needs. She understands that any additional funding received should be spent to support each individual child's needs.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder does not always engage with other professionals in a way that supports children's development and care. She works in partnership with parents to understand children's starting points and shares children's development and next steps so they can work together to support children to reach their goals. Children with barriers to learning are well supported in the childminder's home, and the childminder builds excellent parent partnerships. She signposts parents to local resources to gain support. The childminder, however, does not fully or actively follow local partnership strategies to fulfil her duty to ensure the best expert support is given to children. For example, she does not always make referrals to or build relationships with other professionals, such as those with shared care of a child or health visitors. The childminder understands the importance of her own professional development and keeps all of her mandatory training current. She has

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

accessed some training to enhance her knowledge. However, she does not routinely evaluate her practice to identify where she has gaps.

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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

Children are happy and settled while in the care of this caring childminder. However, sometimes children's welfare requirements are not met, especially during mealtimes and intimate care routines. Children develop secure attachments with the childminder, and the childminder understands each individual child's needs. These secure relationships ensure children's confidence and resilience are well developed. This is demonstrated as children rush to greet visitors and tell them their name and excitedly name the dinosaurs that they play with.

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

The childminder does not ensure that appropriate referrals are completed in order to provide children with further appropriate professional support. This does not allow the childminder to have a holistic view of the child to help them reach their full potential, but children do make positive levels of progress. The childminder does support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities with her own strategies and has an understanding of their needs. Children are given the opportunity to develop in all areas of learning, both inside and outside in the garden. They are delighted as they watch the squirrels through the window eating the nuts that they had put out for them that morning. This helps to support children's understanding of the world around them. Children behave well and understand what is expected of them. They play games cooperatively and show concern for others' feelings, as

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

they recognise if another child is upset and offer a hug. The childminder understands each individual child's needs and barriers to learning. The childminder has an ambitious curriculum in place, which she uses to ensure that all children are making progress. Children are encouraged to be independent.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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mealtimes

provide children with privacy during intimate care routines 30/01/2026

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recognise key areas for professional development and take

appropriate action to focus improvement. 30/01/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder during 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. A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection. Unique reference number (URN): EY224437

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Address:

56 Whisperwood Drive Balby Doncaster DN4 8SA

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:30

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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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