Pope, Elaine Suzannah

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY415121 Registered with Ofsted: 15/09/2010 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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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 calm and highly positive environment where expectations for behaviour are clear and securely embedded in daily routines. She promotes a clear culture of kindness, care and respect across the setting. Children consistently behave considerately towards one another and show a secure understanding of expectations. For example, they wait patiently for their turn during cooking activities and listen carefully to reminders about safety, such as being careful around hot food or when exploring near the pond. These well- established routines help children feel secure, confident and settled in the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children form warm and trusting relationships with the childminder. They approach her confidently for reassurance, conversation and support. The childminder thoughtfully considers children's ages, stages of development and individual personalities when guiding behaviour. For example, she gives quieter children time to observe and join activities at their own pace while encouraging more confident children to support others during shared play. She offers clear explanations, praise and encouragement, which are embedded in her practice and consistently support children to understand expectations and manage their own behaviour effectively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children cooperate exceptionally well and demonstrate very positive attitudes to learning. They share resources, take turns and actively encourage one another during play. For example, children praise their friends by saying 'good job' and remind each other about sharing. Children attend regularly, settle quickly into daily routines and arrive eager to take part in activities. These embedded routines and positive relationships support children to develop confidence, self-regulation and highly positive behaviour.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides care that supports children's individual needs and helps them feel very safe and secure in the setting. She knows the children well and responds to their routines and preferences throughout the day. For example, during mealtimes she encourages children to make simple choices about their food and talk about healthy options. This helps children begin to understand the importance of healthy eating and develop confidence in managing their own routines. The childminder also follows children's individual care routines with great care. For example, children sleep in line with their own routines agreed with parents, which helps them feel comfortable and well rested.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop very warm and secure relationships with the childminder. They approach her confidently for reassurance, conversation and support. The childminder listens carefully and helps children recognise and express their feelings. For example, when children talk about experiences that have made them feel happy or worried, she responds calmly and helps them talk through their emotions. This support helps children feel secure and develop an extremely positive sense of emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder consistently supports children's understanding of physical development, personal safety and wellbeing during everyday experiences. When out in the community, she reminds children to stay close and hold hands when walking near roads and explains

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Expected standard

why these rules are important. Children also learn about safety when exploring the outdoor environment, such as listening to reminders to be careful near the pond. The childminder also supports children to use technology safely, for example when they ask a voice- activated device to play music during group activities. These experiences help children develop confidence and begin to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children typically make steady progress from their starting points and develop skills across the areas of learning. They generally communicate confidently during play and daily routines. These conversations help build confidence in speaking and extend vocabulary. Children develop their understanding of the world through practical experiences. During imaginative play, they create stories and act out ideas using small-world resources, developing creativity and communication. Children with different levels of confidence take part, with some contributing verbally and others engaging through their actions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop positive social skills. They cooperate, share resources and take part in group experiences, such as music and action songs. Children with different needs are included, with some leading play and others joining at their own pace. Children develop independence through routines. They manage tasks such as using the toilet and putting on shoes. Regular outings support familiarity with new environments and readiness for school. As a result, children develop the confidence and independence needed for their next stage of learning, although some children are less confident in expressing themselves due to developing communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a curriculum that supports children's learning across the areas of development set out in the early years foundation stage. She reflects on the activities she provides and plans experiences that build on what children already know and can do. For example, children take part in cooking activities where they follow simple recipes, peel bananas and mix ingredients. Through these experiences, the childminder supports children to develop independence while also encouraging communication and early mathematical understanding as they talk about quantities and take turns.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's language development throughout daily activities. She encourages children to talk about what they are doing and introduces new vocabulary during play. For example, during dough activities she models words such as 'pinch', 'tear' and 'separate'. During cooking activities, children name ingredients, describe smells and talk about what they are doing. The childminder also encourages mathematical language by supporting children to count, recognise quantities and share items equally.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development through everyday routines and play. Children learn to share resources, take turns and encourage one another during activities. She uses observation and assessment to understand what children know and can do. However, she does not consistently use this information to plan and follow through what children need next to address identified gaps in learning. As a result, some opportunities to build more quickly on children's development, particularly in communication and language, are missed. Children show increasing independence during routines such as carrying their plates carefully and putting on their shoes, demonstrating steady progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where children feel safe, valued and able to take part in daily activities. She knows the children well and identifies their needs through regular observation and interaction. She plans activities that reflect children's interests so that they remain engaged in shared experiences. For example, she created a dinosaur play area and arranged a theatre visit linked to this interest. These experiences help children with different levels of confidence take part and learn together.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder adapts activities so that all children can participate. For example, children explore the outdoor area together, searching for insects with magnifying glasses and checking the bug hotel they created. These shared experiences help children learn alongside their peers and encourage cooperation and curiosity.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's development through observation and reflection and uses this information to support their progress. She recognises the importance of working in partnership with parents and other professionals and understands how to seek additional support when needed. However, she does not consistently share her developmental observations and emerging concerns with parents in a timely way or apply her knowledge to identify and respond to emerging needs early. As a result, there are delays in working together to identify and address areas where children may need additional support, including in communication and language development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Overall, the childminder promotes an inclusive approach that helps children feel that they belong and supports them to take part confidently in the experiences provided.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides effective leadership of the setting and creates a stable environment that supports children's education and care. She understands the strengths of her provision, particularly the secure relationships she builds with children and families and the routines that help children feel safe and settled. Parents speak positively about the care their children receive and value the nurturing environment the childminder provides. These positive relationships help children feel confident and secure in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder knows the children and their families well and takes their individual circumstances into account when planning activities and daily routines. She communicates with parents about children's daily experiences in the setting. However, she does not consistently ensure that important developmental information and emerging concerns are shared with parents in a timely way. This means that decisions about how best to support children, particularly those who may face barriers to learning or communication, are not always made as early as possible. As a result, there are delays in putting support in place to meet children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge up to date through training and professional reading. This professional development supports the quality of education and care children receive. Although there are currently no children attending who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or are known to children's social care, the childminder understands how she would work with parents and other professionals if additional support were needed.

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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 feel safe, happy and valued in this warm and welcoming setting. They build secure relationships with the childminder and develop positive friendships with one another. Children confidently talk about their experiences and share their ideas during play and everyday routines. The childminder listens carefully and responds sensitively, which helps children feel understood and emotionally secure. Parents say their children feel safe and settled here and value the nurturing relationships the childminder builds with them.

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

Children develop a clear sense of belonging. They see their ideas, interests and experiences reflected in the activities they take part in each day. For example, children share recipes from home, choose music to dance to and talk about their families and experiences. These opportunities help children feel included and valued within the setting. Children play cooperatively together, share resources and support one another during activities. They learn to be kind and respectful and follow the expectations of the setting confidently. Parents comment that the childminder consistently promotes kindness, respect and positive behaviour.

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

Children achieve well through engaging and meaningful experiences. They explore the natural environment in the garden and during visits to local parks and woods. Children observe frogspawn and tadpoles in the pond, search for insects using magnifying glasses and collect natural materials during walks. These experiences encourage curiosity and help children develop their knowledge of the world around them. Activities such as cooking, creative play and music support children's communication, physical development and early mathematical understanding as they count, share resources and solve problems together.

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

Children thrive because they feel confident to try new things and develop independence. They put on their own shoes, carry their plates carefully and help tidy away resources. Children take pride in completing these tasks themselves. Through these everyday experiences, children develop confidence, resilience and the skills they need for their next stage of learning, including starting school.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen leadership practice by sharing observations about children's development with parents promptly so that any barriers to learning can be identified and addressed early. The childminder should use observations of children's development to plan what they need next so that all children make consistent progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder.

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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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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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