Collins, Camilla

Collins, Camilla

Unique reference number (URN): EY285735 Address: 18 Robins Way, BICESTER, Oxfordshire, OX26 6XJ Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 08/06/2004 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Collins, Camilla

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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 make good progress because the childminder helps them build on what they already know. She offers a balance of child-led play and adult-led activities that support all 7 areas of learning. The childminder observes children closely, she understands what they can do and what they need to learn next, and she plans activities that help prepare children well for their next stage of learning, including school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy activities that support their communication and language, such as interactive story times where they learn new words, develop early literacy skills and make meaningful connections. For example, when eating the fruit salad they have made, they link the fruits they are tasting to those in the story being read. Although no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) currently attend, the childminder can identify early needs, make appropriate adaptations in line with the graduated approach, and is continuing to develop her SEND knowledge through ongoing training.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm, calm and positive environment, where children feel welcomed and valued. Before children start, she gathers key information from parents to understand each child's starting points. She also dedicates one of her non-working childminding days specifically for settling-in visits, where parents and children spend time together with her to build relationships. These visits help children get to know the childminder and feel comfortable long before they start coming on their own, which helps them settle quickly and confidently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing by being kind, calm and keeping routines adaptable and consistent. Children receive frequent praise and clear, age- appropriate explanations that help them understand what is expected of them. This supports their growing confidence and developing self-control. For example, she gently reminds children to tidy up before moving on to the next activity, promoting responsibility and independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, expectations for behaviour are reinforced well and most behaviours are managed effectively by the childminder. On occasion, there were occasional minor behaviours, such as pushing, which were not always addressed immediately. However, overall expectations are clear and children respond well to the childminder's guidance. The childminder maintains a respectful, nurturing atmosphere, where children feel safe and thrive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are supported through warm, nurturing care that helps them feel secure and confident. The childminder knows the children well and responds sensitively to their needs, offering calm reassurance and adapting routines when necessary. For example, she takes children into the covered area when it is colder, while still allowing those who enjoy outdoor play to continue if appropriate.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of helping children recognise and manage their emotions. She regularly talks to them about how they feel and models calm, regulated behaviour. This helps children feel safe, emotionally secure and confident to seek comfort when needed. Children are supported to develop independence through familiar routines, such as taking off their shoes before entering the covered area and sitting at the table for meals.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The environment is safe, welcoming and thoughtfully organised to promote independent play and exploration. The childminder raises children's awareness of oral health through discussion, and she promotes healthy eating during snack time conversations about food. The childminder provides parents with guidance on keeping children safe online. However, opportunities to help children begin to understand healthy screen habits could be further developed. Overall, hygiene practices are maintained well, the childminder supports children to recognise when they need a tissue and gently reminds them to wash their hands afterwards.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a strong understanding of how to meet children's individual needs and support their ongoing progress. She provides a rich and exciting curriculum with a strong focus on outdoor learning, ensuring children learn across all areas of development. Children benefit from a wide range of meaningful play opportunities that build their skills, spark curiosity and help them make steady progress. At the time of inspection, there were no children on roll with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children explore early mathematical ideas through hands on, practical activities. For example, when using construction resources, they talk about numbers, shapes, size and space, which helps deepen their mathematical understanding. They also learn about volume, capacity and measure as they explore with sand and other natural materials. Creative and sensory experiences further support children's learning. For instance, they explore with dough and make 'biscuits' using a range of dried and fresh herbs, learning new vocabulary, exploring scents and textures. The childminder and her assistant support communication and language through ongoing narrative, purposeful questioning and regular singing and storytelling. Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills by exploring local parks, woodlands and the community. They are, overall, well supported in their social and emotional development, learning to share, take turns and form positive

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

relationships. With consistent guidance from the childminder, children become increasingly independent, manage their feelings better and make confident choices.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder promotes an inclusive environment, where all children are supported and valued. She understands the importance of identifying early signs of additional needs and is familiar with the graduated approach. All children make good progress from their starting points. The childminder knows the children well and uses observations effectively to understand what they can already do and what they need to learn next. This enables her to provide a balanced mix of child-led play and adult-led activities that support learning across all 7 areas of the early years foundation stage. For example, children develop their communication and language skills during interactive story times, where they learn new vocabulary and make meaningful connections between stories and real experiences. When eating the fruit salad they prepared together, children confidently linked the fruits they were tasting to those in the story being shared.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities currently attend, the childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of how to identify early signs of need and adapt activities using the graduated approach. She continues to develop her knowledge through ongoing training to ensure she is well prepared to support any child who may require additional help.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands her responsibilities in providing an inclusive childcare service, where all children can grow and succeed. She has a good awareness of the strengths of her provision and has identified areas where she would like to further develop her skills. She is committed to professional development and keeps her knowledge up to date through regular training and research. The childminder has a suitable range of policies and procedures in place, which she follows well and shares with parents to promote safe practice, including the importance of regular attendance. She is well organised and manages her workload effectively, supporting her own wellbeing. The childminder recognises that staff understanding of some policies could be strengthened to ensure practice is consistently applied.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works well with parents, keeping in regular contact about their children's learning and care. Parents speak very positively about her practice, praising her warm, nurturing approach and the progress their children make. She values partnership working and keeps parents informed about their children's development, sharing photos of the children taking part in activities so parents can see the experiences their children have enjoyed throughout the day. The childminder understands her role in working with other professionals to promote continuity of care.

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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 well supported by this warm and nurturing childminder. They show a strong sense of belonging and confidently separate from their parents with gentle reassurance before engaging in play. Children are settled, content and eager to explore, showing enjoyment and curiosity as they engage in a range of sensory activities. They are warmly welcomed by the childminder and her assistant, and these secure, trusting relationships help children feel safe, emotionally confident and ready to learn.

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Inspector:

Tracy Bartholomew The childminder effectively supports children's developing relationships by encouraging sharing and turn-taking. As an outdoor learning provision, she provides rich opportunities for children to learn outside, explore nature and develop confidence in the natural environment. Children regularly visit local woodland areas and make full use of the surroundings where they live, helping them to understand their community and build meaningful connections with the people in it. Through these outings, children learn to socialise, communicate and work together in real-life situations beyond the home. Families speak positively about the supportive relationships they have with the childminder and recognise the valuable contribution she makes to their child's learning, development and sense of belonging within their wider community.

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Inspector:

The childminder plans activities that match each child's interests and needs, helping them stay involved and make good progress. Her teaching supports their communication, independence and early problem-solving. Children become more confident, develop age- appropriate skills and are well prepared for their next steps. The childminder values strong partnerships with parents, sharing policies and procedures so families understand expectations, including regular attendance. She recognises each child's uniqueness and adapts to different learning styles and needs. Although she currently has no children attending with special educational needs and/or disabilities, she maintains her commitment to ongoing professional development, completing regular training to ensure she is fully prepared to support any child who may need additional help.

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Next steps

The childminder should provide guidance to enhance staff understanding of expected policies and procedures, helping ensure consistent practice and meaningful curriculum delivery. The childminder should enhance her self-evaluation by clearly identifying how she supports children to develop healthy screen time habits.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and her assistant during the inspection and gathered parents' views through available letters left for the inspector.

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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:

18 Robins Way BICESTER Oxfordshire OX26 6XJ

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:00 - 18:15

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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

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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