Stokes, Jane

Stokes, Jane

Unique reference number (URN): 140780 Address: 16 Turnfurlong Lane, AYLESBURY, Buckinghamshire, HP21 7PJ Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 08/11/2000 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Stokes, Jane

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Strong standard

Children make rapid and sustained progress from their starting points. They become deeply engaged in learning and confidently explain what they know, understand and can do. They confidently talk about the skills they are developing and demonstrate increasing independence as they develop positive attitudes to learning.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children apply knowledge securely across the curriculum. They recall previous experiences, connect ideas and use rich, precise vocabulary to describe their thinking. They sustain concentration, persevere when challenged and show curiosity as they explore and investigate. Children collaborate effectively, listen to one another and demonstrate empathy and respect.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children gain important life skills. They prepare ingredients, peel and chop vegetables and cook lunch with growing dexterity and control. They care for plants, understand composting and explain how they can help protect the environment. They show pride in taking responsibility for daily routines and tasks.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, make meaningful progress. They enjoy learning, develop a broad vocabulary and develop the skills and understanding they need to thrive. Children are exceptionally well prepared for their next stages of education. They demonstrate confidence, resilience and secure early literacy, mathematical and problem-solving skills.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children experience a harmonious and nurturing environment where they feel safe, secure and valued. They form warm, trusting relationships with the childminder and demonstrate high levels of emotional security throughout the day. Children show exemplary behaviour. They understand clear expectations and consistently demonstrate respect, kindness and cooperation towards others.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children move confidently through their day because they understand and follow well- established routines. They transition smoothly between activities, manage change calmly and take responsibility for their actions. Their secure grasp of routines strengthens their independence and enables them to make purposeful choices about their learning. Children play alongside each other with maturity and intent. They collaborate effectively, share ideas and sustain imaginative role play with ease. They show positive attitudes to learning, eagerly explore new concepts and display resilience when tasks feel challenging. Children take pride in their efforts and show increasing confidence when attempting new experiences.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children attend regularly and arrive prepared to learn. They show enthusiasm for the day ahead and benefit from consistent access to the full curriculum. Those who face barriers to attendance demonstrate improving patterns over time and develop greater confidence and security within the environment. Children's highly positive behaviour, attitudes and relationships contribute strongly to the calm, purposeful and joyful atmosphere across the setting.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children show high levels of emotional security and wellbeing. They form strong, trusting attachments and demonstrate confidence in seeking comfort, reassurance and connection when they need it. These secure relationships enable children to explore their environment with curiosity and to express their emotions openly and safely. Children talk about their feelings, use strategies that help them regulate and show increasing awareness of how emotions affect themselves and others.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children follow well-established routines that support their welfare and promote healthy, long-lasting habits. They make thoughtful choices about food, exercise and rest throughout the day. Children understand the importance of balanced nutrition and demonstrate this by preparing and enjoying healthy snacks, often using produce they have grown themselves. They recognise times when they feel tired, when they need fresh air and when their bodies need movement.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children show a secure knowledge of staying healthy. They talk confidently about hygiene, handwashing and ways to keep themselves safe and well. Physical development features strongly in their day. Children walk across varied terrains, climb, dig, garden and practise both fine and gross motor skills with increasing control. They take pride in developing their strength, coordination and stamina. Children's secure wellbeing and healthy routines contribute to their positive attitudes and confident engagement across the day.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder teaches children through a consistent, high quality and inclusive curriculum. The curriculum builds on what children already know and can do and helps children to develop the skills they need for future learning. The childminder plans meaningful and exciting experiences that link to previous learning. She swiftly identifies any gaps in children's learning and takes highly effective action to address them. This approach is firmly embedded within the setting. The childminder also takes part in research projects to continuously refine and strengthen her curriculum.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children understand the childminder's high expectations, and this is evident throughout the day. They confidently develop their physical skills by running in the woods and climbing on the 'ants' nest'. They talk openly about their feelings, and the childminder supports them by sensitively and calmly encouraging them to talk about their emotions. The childminder's warm, predictable approach helps children to feel safe, secure and ready to learn.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's communication and language development is a priority for the childminder. She provides high-quality teaching and interactions at every moment. Children use a rich and varied vocabulary in their play. Stories sit at the heart of the curriculum. Children share books, retell familiar stories and use their imagination to act out the stories during woodland play.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is able to swiftly identify any barriers to learning that the children in her care have and make skilful adjustments. The childminder creates personalised support plans for those children, supporting them to access opportunities that make a sustained difference in their lives. The childminder monitors progress of children through a rigorous process of assess, plan and review. The childminder measures their progress and adapts her practice to ensure that there is a positive impact for children. This helps children to make exceptional progress from their starting points. The impact is extremely clear across the setting and the children know their own personalised targets. The childminder engages in purposeful training to deepen her knowledge of inclusion further. This helps to strengthen her offer further for the children. The childminder works alongside other professionals and implements advice from specialist agencies to support those children with special

p.4

Inclusion Strong standard

educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder has created an inclusive environment through implementing clear routines and structure for children to follow. The childminder uses additional funding to secure suitable resources, such as a canopy area to create an outdoor space to ensure continuous access to the outdoors.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates strong, purposeful leadership and responds swiftly to the changing needs of the setting. She adapts her practice effectively as children's needs evolve, ensuring that the environment remains highly inclusive and focused on removing barriers to learning. She takes decisive actions when required, enabling all children to access the full curriculum and make sustained progress.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder engages actively with a supportive network of professionals. Involvement in research projects strengthens her impressive knowledge and skills further. Professional learning is prioritised and ongoing, resulting in continuous improvements that positively influence the quality of the provision.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents are consistently effective and highly valued by parents. They describe the setting as nurturing, professional and enriching. They also appreciate the breadth of hands-on experiences and the life skills their children gain. Communication is very effective, enabling parents to remain fully informed about routines, learning experiences and any upcoming plans. The childminder shares information thoughtfully to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have smooth access to activities and learning experiences.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Children experience well-planned transitions and are exceptionally well prepared for their next stages. They leave the setting confident, independent and equipped with the skills needed for future learning.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children who attend this eco friendly childminding setting are exceptionally well cared for. They benefit from clearly embedded routines and consistently high expectations that help them feel safe, confident and ready to learn. Children demonstrate remarkable levels of independence for their age. They skilfully prepare their own snacks using age-appropriate tools, such as graters and knives, and talk knowledgeably about where their vegetables have come from. Many proudly recall growing their own rainbow carrots at the allotment, showing a deep understanding of nature and the world around them.

p.5

About this setting

The childminder provides a rich curriculum that extends beyond the setting. Children enjoy exciting educational trips, including regular visits to the forest where they squelch in mud, jump in puddles and strengthen their physical skills. Their imaginations flourish as they search for fir trees cross the 'rickety bridge' and hide from 'the troll'. Story experiences come alive, with children eagerly re-enacting tales, such as hiding from the 'big, bad wolf'. Trips further afield, including train rides and a visit to a museum about Roald Dahl, offer memorable experiences that deepen friendships and build vital life skills. Cooking meals together gives children further opportunities to collaborate, share ideas and become increasingly self-sufficient.

p.6

About this setting

Children show exceptionally high levels of engagement and curiosity. They are captivated when the postman delivers a letter decorated with fruit images. Conversations flow as children compare the sourness of gooseberries with lemons and limes and excitedly discuss new fruits they wish to try next. The childminder's skilled, well-informed interactions introduce children to a rich vocabulary and encourage meaningful conversations that support language development and secure friendships. Partnerships with parents are highly effective. The childminder is flexible, supportive and an important part of each family's network. As a result, children settle quickly, feel at home and thrive in this nurturing, inspiring environment.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant during the inspection.

p.6

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. Unique reference number (URN): 140780

p.6

Address:

16 Turnfurlong Lane AYLESBURY Buckinghamshire HP21 7PJ

p.7

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8