Ferguson, Ashleigh

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2860513 Registered with Ofsted: 07/11/2025 Registers: EYR

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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 thrive in a nurturing environment where they feel safe and valued. Children, including those with gaps in their development, progress steadily across all areas of learning. Children gain confidence in making their own choices about their play with age- appropriate resources. Their language and communication skills progress clearly in a language-rich environment. For example, the youngest children are encouraged to use colour names when sticking pieces of felt. Older children express their needs and feelings with increasing confidence, such as excitedly sharing news of using the 'grown-up' toilet.

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Achievement Expected standard

Babies are curious and keen to explore their environment. For example, they take turns sharing craft resources at a table. Children gain skills for the future, such as independence. Older children select and feed themselves during lunch and begin to manage their self-care. For example, children wash their hands and wipe their faces after lunch and use cutlery to eat, supporting readiness for school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a calm environment where children thrive and achieve. The team work together well and have high expectations of children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. The childminder understands her role in promoting attendance. She works alongside families to support a foundation for regular attendance as children move on to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder sets up inviting play spaces, indoors and outdoors, with resources that encourage children to explore, try new things and take measured risks in a safe and supportive way. Children receive generous praise in recognition for the positive behaviours they display. The childminder recognises children's age and stage of development, both when considering their expectations and through the planning, ensuring inclusivity.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The team develop nurturing relationships with children, helping them to confidently follow the embedded routines. Children develop clear bonds with adults and learn how to interact and play alongside others. The childminder and assistants are positive role models and, as a result, children are well behaved and have a strong sense of belonging. For instance, they politely include new adults in their play by saying, 'You hit it into Spidey now' when sharing the vehicles.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder shows a caring approach towards children, which helps them to feel safe and secure. She builds positive relationships with both children and families. The childminder is responsive to the children's care needs and ensures she is available to support their emotional wellbeing. For example, she names emotions when children feel them. She works closely with parents and carers to align routines from home and offer support with eating routines, toilet training and sleep patterns. Careful consideration is given to settling children. The childminder focuses on giving children a calm and positive early experience. For example, if children become upset at separation, the childminder, or her assistants, offer cuddles. They support children's emotional wellbeing by offering reassurance and typically help them to begin to recognise and express their feelings. Parents express confidence in the team, noting that they

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

understand their child's routines, preferences and needs. The childminder promotes personal safety in the routines, and children respond positively to this, particularly when accessing play outside. For example, children negotiate climbing and sliding on equipment with care and awareness of younger children around them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles for children and recognises the importance of this. Children's dietary needs are managed effectively. The childminder and her team talk positively about healthy eating, for instance, when sharing fruit at snack time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has an accurate knowledge and understanding of the children's starting points. This ensures curriculum design remains focused across all areas of learning. The childminder offers a range of experiences and trips to ensure children get varied and high- quality opportunities that enrich the curriculum offer. For example, a recent picnic in the local area gave children a valuable real-life experience to link to their teddy bears' picnic activity. The childminder identifies next steps and shares these with families, and this ensures children progress well. The team follow children's interests and understand what piques their curiosity.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans for cross-curricular opportunities, for instance, counting out and matching fruit in a tuff tray activity while promoting the importance of healthy eating. The childminder should offer staff supervisions to allow for additional professional development opportunities to be highlighted and ensure consistency of knowledge and understanding for all staff.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children engage well as the childminding team model clear communication and language that is adapted to the age and stage of the children involved. For example, younger children use words such as 'fast' and 'push', and older children use extended language such as 'Look at me, I'm going down here.'

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates her commitment to ensuring inclusive practice for all children. The childminder considers children individually and makes adaptations to the curriculum to best support each child in her care. Clear next steps provide tailored support. For example, children's physical development and school readiness are promoted by encouraging them to cut their own fruit at snack time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those known or previously known to social care. The childminder demonstrates awareness of child development, generally speaking about individual children's needs and how support is implemented. The childminder is quick to identify children's individual needs and any gaps in learning through clear assessment processes.

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Needs attention

Overall, the childminder ensures this is understood. However, additional training identified through staff supervisions would help to strengthen knowledge and implementation.

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Needs attention

The childminder works closely with families. She knows each child's next steps well and adapts activities so that children can take part and succeed. For example, hand–eye coordination is a focus in a craft activity. This knowledge builds solid relationships where children feel safe and are confident to try new things.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

While the childminder has a broad overview of the strengths and areas to prioritise, she is not swift to act on these in her leadership role. She does not yet fully understand the importance of putting staff supervision processes in place. She is not monitoring the effectiveness of training provided during the induction process or offering regular opportunities to discuss professional development or offer feedback, for example. The assistants feel comfortable to speak with the childminder about workload and wellbeing, and they feel valued in their roles.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is passionate about providing a safe and engaging environment where all children can achieve. She ensures she works collaboratively with families, which supports children to thrive in a home-from-home setting. The childminder supports families with toilet training and has engaged in conversations to support speech development. Family engagement is highly positive. Families strongly praise the childminder's care and love for their children. For example, many say how happy their child is to attend and name the childminder as a 'reliable, nurturing and fun childcare setting'. Families also state that the communication from the childminder is excellent and they always feel well informed.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has created a warm and welcoming space where children achieve well. She has embedded routines that allow children to feel safe and comfortable, giving them a real sense of belonging. The childminder is beginning to discuss ways to support transitions for the oldest children in her care by liaising with schools.

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

Children are happy, feel safe and are well cared for in the nurturing environment the childminder has created. This means children build positive relationships quickly, which supports them to have a secure sense of belonging. They play cooperatively with other children, and minor disputes are managed thoughtfully with kindness and care. The childminder is reflective and purposeful in her approach to teaching and learning. Children learn through a fun and engaging curriculum that links closely to their unique interests. Children are valued as individuals and their interests are celebrated through activities that pique their curiosity. This means children achieve well. Continued professional development identified through supervisions will ensure knowledge and understanding remains relevant.

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

Children access a range of age-appropriate resources. They are excited to explore and have a positive attitude to learning. Children show an enthusiasm for books and take them to adults to be read. Opportunities for promoting children's communication and language skills are clear. For example, children ask for toys in the playroom and, where they are developing their speech, the childminder purposefully models language back to support them.

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

Children benefit from additional support if they need it by a team who are inclusive and supportive. The childminder speaks with families and works alongside them and knows where to access further support should it be required. Parents speak fondly of the childminder and team, commenting on the range of new experiences on offer and how well the children's physical development is promoted. Children are comforted in a home-from- home environment, and daily updates are welcomed by families who say their child thrives in the care provided.

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

This dedication by the childminder results in a setting where all children build independence and achieve through routines that are well embedded.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure effective supervisions are established to offer support, coaching and training for assistants and promote the best interests of the children. 29/05/2026

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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 setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:30

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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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18

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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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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