Blackburn, Carla

Blackburn, Carla

Unique reference number (URN): EY395546 Address: 8 Chatfield Way, BASILDON, Essex, SS13 2BN Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 16/07/2009 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Blackburn, Carla

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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 Strong standard

Children make rapid and sustained progress from their starting points because they experience rich, meaningful and carefully planned learning opportunities. For example, they quickly learn how to engage in vertical painting using a wide range of materials, such as sprays, mud, sticks and paintbrushes, which encourages creativity and discovery. This learning is skilfully extended into horizontal painting to further strengthen children's hand– eye coordination and develop the gross motor skills needed for early writing.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's communication and language skills develop extremely well. Through high-quality interactions with the childminder and their peers, they confidently use a wide vocabulary and engage in purposeful conversations.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children who face barriers to learning also make significant strides in their development. They show enthusiasm, curiosity and a strong willingness to engage in the full range of learning experiences on offer. As a result, all children acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become resilient, motivated learners, who transition successfully through each stage of education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children build warm, secure and positive relationships with the childminder, who sets clear and consistent expectations for behaviour. As a result, children behave remarkably well and show a strong understanding of the setting's boundaries.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is an excellent role model. She gently guides children to be considerate, share resources and take turns. Consequently, children collaborate effectively with their peers. During the vertical painting activity in the woods, they work together to prepare the 'canvas'; younger children gather small sticks to mix mud and water, while older children support by collecting larger sticks. These shared experiences strengthen children's social skills and help them form positive, meaningful relationships.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder also has robust systems in place for recording and monitoring children's attendance to promote punctuality. She works closely with parents to help all children establish positive, consistent routines that support their wellbeing and readiness to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder creates a stimulating and welcoming environment in which children feel safe, valued and confident. She establishes clear routines that children follow with ease. Children thoroughly enjoy exploring both the indoor and outdoor environments, making independent choices about the activities that interest them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder actively promotes a healthy and active lifestyle. For example, on their way to the woods, children walk safely and steadily, following her clear instructions. Once there, they run freely and navigate natural obstacles with confidence, paying close attention to the wonders of the natural world around them. When returning from the woods, children independently wash their hands, demonstrating their understanding of the setting's hygiene practices. These experiences support children's gross motor development and deepen their understanding of the world.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder offers consistent praise and recognition for children's efforts. She sensitively guides them to understand and express their feelings and emotions, providing comfort and reassurance whenever needed. The childminder ensures that children who face barriers to learning are equally supported and guided to build on their emotional resilience. As a result, children develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing and confidence in managing their emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder is highly experienced and holds ambitious expectations of what she wants children to learn, based on their needs, interests and abilities. She designs an ambitious, inclusive and well-sequenced curriculum that is firmly embedded across all areas of learning. It is carefully tailored so that children who face barriers to learning benefit equally from rich, meaningful experiences. Her consistent and perceptive assessment of what children know and can do ensures that the curriculum is implemented effectively to meet individual needs and secure strong progress from children's starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder nurtures children's love of reading. As children become absorbed in their favourite story about going on a hunt, she engages them in thoughtful conversations about the characters and events. She skilfully introduces new vocabulary, such as 'squelch' and 'squeeze', to broaden their language skills. The childminder also prompts children to count and learn new shapes, such as 'rectangle' and 'triangle', to further develop their mathematical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's emotional wellbeing is a clear priority. The childminder creates a calm, warm and nurturing environment, where children build secure and trusting relationships. She gently teaches them how to understand, express and manage their feelings, helping them develop emotional resilience. The childminder also provides meaningful opportunities for children to strengthen their gross motor skills, balance and coordination. For example, as children confidently jump up and down in puddles, they express excitement and curiosity, deepening their understanding of the world as they explore the wonder of nature.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is highly skilled and knowledgeable. She uses effective strategies to identify children's emerging needs and responds quickly to address them. The childminder demonstrates robust knowledge and understanding of the graduated approach and how to implement it effectively at her setting to benefit children's outcomes. She works closely with other professionals, including health visitors and speech and language therapists, to ensure that every child receives well-rounded support from the outset. For example, she organises daily outings that provide rich outdoor learning experiences, ensuring that children who may have limited access to such opportunities at home are fully engaged and included. The childminder consistently provides learning experiences that are carefully tailored to each child's individual needs. She records and monitors progress regularly, with particular focus on children who require additional support. This information is shared clearly with

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Inclusion Strong standard

parents, so they can remain fully involved in their children's learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is ambitious and reflective, demonstrating a strong commitment to giving children the very best start to their early education. She has a clear understanding of her setting's strengths and promotes a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has established robust and effective partnerships with parents, who speak highly of the care and education their children receive. Parents comment positively on the inspirational trips and outings she regularly provides, recognising the enriching experiences these offer their children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Strong links with other childminders and the wider community further enhance the effectiveness of the provision. The childminder engages in ongoing professional development to keep her knowledge current and practice up to date to benefit children's learning. For example, following the completion of specific training, she introduces a programme that ensures all children, including those who might not otherwise have the opportunity, visit the library regularly. Children will benefit from exploring a greater variety of books to further develop their love of reading. Her proactive and positive approach ensures that all children, including those who face barriers to learning, receive tailored support and thrive in this inclusive environment.

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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 at the heart of this unique and warm setting. The nurturing childminder welcomes them with smiles and gentle cuddles, helping them separate confidently from their parents. The childminder offers a very stimulating environment. She carefully considers children's interests, starting points and preferences, when organising meaningful activities and learning experiences for all children. The childminder adapts her teaching and interactions and ensures that all children, including those facing some barriers to learning, are fully engaged and thoroughly supported to make remarkable progress.

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

The childminder offers children opportunities to make their own informed decisions of what they would like to explore next, to support their independence. For example, older children enjoy exploring loose-parts resources to create large shapes on the floor to practise and enhance their mathematical skills. This helps children feel valued and involved during their time at this setting.

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

The childminder forms nurturing and warm relationships with all children. She has high expectations of children, and they rise to the challenge with confidence and ease. The childminder is very attentive and intuitive to all children's needs and promptly responds to them. She fosters children's social skills by modelling and encouraging peer collaboration and positive interactions. For example, older children are eager and enthusiastic to show younger children how to make bubbles. Younger children follow their lead, exercising patience, determination and turn taking. As a result, children develop a positive attitude to learning that supports their emotional resilience. Furthermore, the childminder places high priority on children's attendance and implements effective strategies to ensure that children do not miss out on inclusive and fascinating learning.

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Address:

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

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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 learners, those with SEND, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and children 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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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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