Pratten, Elizabeth Louise

Pratten, Elizabeth Louise

Unique reference number (URN): 2751352 Address: 7 St. Marys Close, Ely, CB6 2BY Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 27/10/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Pratten, Elizabeth Louise

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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

The childminder creates a positive, welcoming environment where rules and routines are clear, consistently applied and well embedded. Children know what is happening now and next, which helps them manage changes confidently and independently. For example, children join carpet sessions before mealtimes and know what they need to do before moving to the outdoor area. Babies and younger children receive attentive care, including reassurance and encouragement, promoting secure attachments. This helps them feel safe and settled, supporting their emotional well-being and confidence to explore.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is an excellent role model. She promotes respectful interactions by listening and responding to children in developmentally appropriate ways. As children play and explore, the childminder supports children to interact positively with others, take turns and play cooperatively. When minor disagreements occur, she responds calmly and respectfully, helping children develop their understanding of how to manage their emotions and build positive relationships. The childminder fosters a calm and purposeful atmosphere where children remain deeply engaged in their play. For example, children enjoy stacking blocks together and laugh as they take turns knocking down towers. In the outdoor area, children are supported to help their friends find resources, which builds on their understanding of helping others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance. She has robust attendance plans in place and seeks clarification if children do not arrive as planned. Regular communication with parents and carers helps children to establish and sustain consistent routines. This supports their sense of belonging and continuity in learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the age-appropriate skills and knowledge they need to achieve and progress confidently from one stage of learning to the next. They experience a wide variety of learning opportunities, which contributes to the progress they make, particularly in communication and language. Children enjoy interactive group times, where they hear rhyming words and join in with well-known songs. They learn to listen carefully to clues about their friends, which helps them work out whose turn it is next. Children engage confidently in rich conversations, involve the childminder and any assistants she works with in their play, and describe what they see and do. Outside, they delight in exploring minibeast toys, learning the name of insects and excitedly finding them when hidden under logs.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, make measurable progress from their starting points. During targeted settling-in sessions, children adapt to new situations, build confidence, and develop the skills they need to engage successfully in learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder builds warm, nurturing relationships that help children feel secure and confident. She knows the children well and responds sensitively to their changing needs. For example, when children show signs of tiredness, their needs are swiftly met through reassuring words and being offered a quiet space to rest. When children start at the setting, the childminder gathers information from parents about their interests, development and routines. She uses this knowledge to provide tailored support that meets each child's individual needs. As a result, children are happy and develop strong relationships with their key person.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides healthy snacks and freshly cooked meals. She maintains clear routines, such as handwashing, which children follow confidently. These experiences, to an extent, help children understand good hygiene and healthy lifestyles. The childminder does not consistently promote children's understanding of managing their own hygiene, such as wiping their noses. While some discussions around personal hygiene take place, they are not yet fully developed to help children build skills in managing their personal needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The environment is safe, welcoming and well organised, supporting children's independence and exploration. The childminder teaches children how to stay safe, such as reminding them of the importance of sitting down on a chair, so they do not fall off and hurt themselves. During snack times, the childminder provides children with child-sized knives. She models how to hold and use them safely, helping children develop a clear understanding of safe and proper use. This supports children to build confidence, develop fine motor skills, and learn how to manage risks safely.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder delivers a well-planned curriculum that supports children to build key skills and knowledge over time. She uses regular observations and assessments to understand what children know and can do and differentiates activities and teaching to move children's learning forward. As a result, children make steady progress in their development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to become independent and confident learners through clear modelling and guidance. For example, she teaches children how to use knives safely, pour their own drinks and feed themselves. The childminder provides resources linked to children's interests, such as sharing stories and resources about dinosaurs. Occasionally, she does not allow children time to follow their own curiosity and ideas during play and exploration.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum places a clear focus on supporting children's communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical skills. Language is woven through daily experiences, including singing activities, where children learn early mathematical concepts as they count the ducks in the song. The provision is designed to promote children's physical development. The childminder carefully plans equipment to enable early walkers to move between different areas, building confidence and self-esteem. Planned experiences, such as play dough activities, help children develop the strength and control in their hands.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder fosters an inclusive environment where every child feels welcomed, valued and supported as an individual. She uses ongoing observations to identify each child's needs and provide additional support where required. For example, she adapts routines, adjusts activities and makes changes to the environment. This ensures that all children, including those eligible for early years pupil premium or who may face barriers to learning, make steady progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Effective partnerships with parents provide insight into children's interests, routines and emerging needs. The childminder ensures that she tailors learning experiences to each child's stage of development and emotional wellbeing, preparing them effectively for the next stage of learning, including starting school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is highly reflective and completes ongoing training to support her knowledge and skills. She is clear about when to work with relevant professionals to shape children's learning and recognises that targeted support, combined with close partnership with families, help all children to achieve and thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate about her role and strives to provide a high-quality service for all children and their families. She demonstrates a thoughtful and positive approach to working in partnership with assistants, parents, and other professionals. The childminder continually reflects on and evaluates her practice to ensure that children have the very best experiences. Parents comment positively on the support provided by the childminder, noting how she focuses on children's developmental needs and interests to deliver personalised care. They highlight how she offers guidance on various stages of development, such as establishing sleep routines and weaning. This helps parents feel confident and supported while promoting children's health, wellbeing and development. The childminder values open and effective communication and recognises her role in supporting children's education, care and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder ensures that she and any assistants she works with remain up to date with mandatory training, including first aid and safeguarding courses. They show a strong commitment to professional development and proactively research strategies tailored to individual children. For example, they apply knowledge gained during forest school training to support children in managing risks effectively and to teach them how to climb safely when they show an interest in this skill. This enables children to explore, take measured risks, and develop confidence under careful guidance.

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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

The childminder creates a welcoming and calm environment where children feel safe and secure. From the start of their care, children form strong attachments with their key person, which supports their emotional well-being and helps them settle quickly. The childminder actively promotes regular attendance with families to support consistent learning. Parents contribute positively through strong partnerships and regular information sharing. As a result of these partnerships, the childminder knows the children well. She recognises when children may require extra support and responds promptly, offering reassurance, encouragement and guidance. These interactions help children develop confidence and feel valued, while encouraging them to engage more fully in activities, explore new experiences and gradually build independence at their own pace.

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

The childminder carefully plans resources and activities to reflect each child's next steps and interests, promoting choice and curiosity. For example, young children who are building confidence in early walking, are provided with activities on low-level surfaces. The childminder encourages them to stand, strengthening their leg muscles in preparation for walking. Older children enjoy exploring play dough. They use their small-muscle skills to roll, pinch and squeeze the dough. The childminder's knowledge of each child ensures that activities are engaging and stimulating, fostering their love of learning. All children, including those with barriers to learning, are supported effectively to build on what they already know and can do, helping them make meaningful progress over time.

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

Well-established routines support children's personal, social, and emotional development. The childminder supports children in age-appropriate ways to build confidence, form positive

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Address:

Registration date: 27/10/2023 relationships and manage their emotions and behaviour. During group time, children learn to take turns as they select toys from the song bag. They join in as they sing familiar songs and talk about how they are feeling that day. These experiences encourage children to express themselves, listen to others and develop social skills in a supportive environment. During regular outings, children learn about their local community. They visit shops where they learn about everyday tasks, wider social interactions and how to navigate public spaces safely. On visits to the church garden, they talk about nature and explore blossoms as they fall from the trees. As a result, children deepen their understanding of the world around them and gain confidence in engaging with both familiar and new experiences.

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Next steps

The childminder should further strengthen the teaching of self-care skills to deepen children's understanding of managing their own personal hygiene needs. The childminder should strengthen opportunities to recognise and act upon spontaneous moments during activities to enhance and extend children's learning further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants and parents 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. Registered person: Pratten, Elizabeth Louise

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,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.

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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

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

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