Cayless, Laura Jane

Cayless, Laura Jane

Unique reference number (URN): 2753608 Address: 8 Peacock Close, Greenhithe, DA9 9YE Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 01/11/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Cayless, Laura Jane

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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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children arrive at the childminder's home confidently and happily. They approach the childminder for reassurance and comfort and are quick to respond to her words of encouragement and cuddles. The childminder provides a calm and nurturing environment where children feel safe. Children feel comfortable to explore both indoors and outdoors, confidently finding the resources they enjoy.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder talks with parents to ensure that she follows similar routines from home to support the children's wellbeing. She is responsive to children's changing needs and emotions and adapts routines, such as sleeping, if the child's needs are different that day. The childminder is mindful of children who are settling in, welcoming the use of home comforters and supporting parents with extended settling-in periods when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's understanding of hygiene practices and encourages independence. Children are keen to wash their own hands and put their shoes on for the garden. Children enjoy healthy foods and explore different fruit names with wooden toys. The childminder takes children on daily walks for exercise, where they also learn about road safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are supported to begin to understand their own emotions. The childminder helps children to take the time to stop and think about their actions and how others feel. She understands the importance of giving children time to think and respond when they are ready. The childminder supports children to recognise when their friend is sad and how they could make it better. For example, children know to hand back toys that belong to their friends.

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Achievement Needs attention

While children do generally make progress, this is more incidental, rather than through targeted, intentional teaching taking place. The childminder does not ensure that all children receive high-quality learning experiences appropriate to their individual stage of development. This means that, on occasions, children occupy themselves for long periods of time and are not making the progress they are capable of.

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Achievement Needs attention

Where barriers to achievement are identified, such as with speech, the childminder does not deeply explore ways to support and close the gap in learning. While she talks to parents, she does not offer further advice or seek appropriate support from professionals. Despite these weaknesses, children do make some progress across the areas of learning. They are becoming more independent with tasks, such as feeding themselves, putting their shoes on and selecting their own resources. Children are beginning to understand how to make friendships and be kind to their peers. They have an understanding of ways to keep themselves safe, such as washing their hands before eating and using the bikes safely outside. Children are gradually building their social skills and confidence in different environments.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder provides a safe and welcoming environment where she models positive behaviour. At times, children focus well on activities, such as listening to stories. However, weaknesses in the curriculum mean that children are not consistently taught to have highly positive attitudes to their learning. Activities are set out to occupy children and provide something they enjoy, rather than being suitably focused to give them an exciting learning intention that they are keen to achieve. At times when children choose not to engage with adult-led learning, they are not consistently encouraged to take part and are left to occupy themselves.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Overall, the childminder sets appropriate expectations for children's behaviour and has clear routines that children follow. For example, children know that they need to wash their hands before snack time and then wait patiently to be seated at the table. The childminder gently reminds children of her expectations with clear explanations, such as not throwing sand, so it does not get in their friends' eyes. The children have close attachments to the childminder and often come to her for reassurance throughout the day. The childminder encourages the children to think about each other. For example, she supports children to take turns and share resources. She often praises children to encourage good behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

The childminder understands the significance of children's attendance and how it supports their safety and their learning and development.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder understands the importance of teaching children skills across all areas of the curriculum. However, she does not use precise assessment of what children need to learn next to inform her planning. This means that while the childminder provides resources and activities that children enjoy, they are not linked to what children need to learn or build on their existing skills. The childminder provides general activities for all children and does not consistently tailor her teaching to address the needs of each individual child at their current age and stage of learning. Her teaching is not always adapted to support all children to be included and involved.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder knows the importance of supporting children's early communication and language. She ensures that she reads regularly with the children and gives them times to finish familiar sentences. The childminder uses rhyming stories to encourage children to take part and hear the different sounds in language. Children enjoy taking part in music and singing activities, where they are encouraged to copy new vocabulary. The childminder introduces some simple mathematical vocabulary, such as colour names. The childminder supports children's personal, social and emotional development. She encourages them to build empathy and understanding of others. The childminder models kindness and praises children to build their self-esteem. Children have daily access to a well-resourced outdoor area. They enjoy a range of physical activities, such as riding bikes and using the slide. Furthermore, they enjoy daily walks to the local park or the woods.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is able to identify some needs and assess barriers to learning for the children who attend. For example, she has highlighted some possible speech difficulties and settling issues and has shared this information with parents. However, she does not prioritise accurate assessment of children's needs or take precise action to quickly address and reduce these barriers to learning. The childminder is not fully aware of how to access advice and support from other professionals regarding children's progress and development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not always consider the different ages and stages of learning for children effectively. Sometimes, she does not consider how to adapt activities to allow all children to take part. At times, this means some children are left to occupy themselves and are not included. Weaknesses in the quality of the curriculum and teaching means that the childminder does not accurately monitor children's progress and, as a result, she is not able to precisely assess the impact of any support she does offer.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is aware of additional funding and how she would directly support children's needs if they were entitled to it.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has a broad awareness of the setting's strengths, but is less able to identify areas for development. Where she has identified needs in children, such as speech, she does not take precise enough action to address these quickly. The childminder does engage with parents, but this is not targeted appropriately to address any identified areas of need effectively. She is keen to follow the advice of any professionals already involved in the care of children that attend her setting, but lacks the knowledge of where to reach out to for further advice on her practice and children's progress.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder ensures that she completes all mandatory training and does attend some further relevant training, but this is overly generic. It is not precisely targeted to support her own learning and development needs and improve the overall quality of her setting to a higher standard.

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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 provides some teaching and learning for the children who attend. However, a lack of thorough assessment and planning means that this is often too general and does not meet the individual learning needs of each child. The childminder is aware of children's needs and can identify some barriers to learning, but she does not take quick and precise enough action to reduce these barriers. Consequently, not all children are accessing a high- quality curriculum and children are not consistently making the progress they are capable of. Children enjoy being at the childminder's setting and have fun playing with the resources and exploring the indoor and outdoor environment.

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

The childminder communicates with parents daily. She lets them know what their children have done and informs them about their wellbeing. While parents appreciate this, they are not well informed of how their children are progressing, including what the childminder is working on with them. This prevents joined-up working towards the same goals and limits the progress children make.

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

The childminder takes time to get to know each child and builds close and trusting relationships with them. Children feel confident to go to her for reassurance and to ask for help when they need it. The childminder is attentive and caring to children's physical needs and helps them to feel safe and settled. Children have comforters from home and follow home routines, such as sleeping, where possible to support their wellbeing. Children are supported to become increasingly independent, confidently washing their own hands and using the toilet.

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About this setting

Children are supported to build their social skills. They eagerly wait for their friends to arrive in the morning and are keen to play together throughout the day. Children enjoy taking part in various groups outside of the house, such as toddler groups, and take part in daily walks outside.

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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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Action Completion Date

design and implement an effective curriculum to meet the needs of all children attending 30/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure thorough assessment and planning to precisely target what children need to learn next, to help them make sustained progress 30/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

work more closely with parents to enable a deeper two- way flow of communication and ensure that children's learning and individual needs are met 10/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

identify and access advice and support from appropriate professionals to support those children who may face barriers to their learning more effectively. 10/04/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, the children and the 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2753608

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 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

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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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