Fox, Richard

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2845045 Registered with Ofsted: 23/06/2025 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

In-depth and robust policies promote children's wellbeing. Children's emotional health and secure relationships are promoted from the very beginning through a vigorous settling in procedure that includes home visits and an abundance of information gathering.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Hygiene practices are embedded in children's learning. For example, children clean their hands before meals without being prompted and share that they are washing away 'germs and nasties'. Children make their own healthy choices. For example, older children choose to lay down and rest after lunch, spending time looking at books to help them relax. The childminder shares information with parents and carers, and has a robust healthy eating policy in place. This means that parents provide well-balanced and nutritious meals for their children every day. Children learn about healthy foods growing vegetables from seeds and harvesting crops for example. They develop a clear understanding about where food has come from and the benefits it has on their bodies. This consistent approach means children learn to make their own healthy choices with regards to rest, exercise and diet.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder talks to children throughout their mealtimes and recognises their feelings and emotions. For example, he asks, 'how are you feeling today?' Children confidently share their feeling, such as, 'happy' and 'tired'. This well embedded practice means that children can confidently communicate and give reasons for each of their emotions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their physical skills. They take part in a range of gross motor activities, such as riding scooters, making sandcastles and balancing along stepping stones. Children demonstrate great strength and balance as they negotiate the space around them, climb steps and avoid obstacles. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to make progress in all areas of learning and overcome barriers to their learning swiftly. Occasionally, children can lack engagement, due to waiting too long for activities to begin. This can impact on the learning taking place.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children become increasingly independent. For example, they wash their own hands, use the toilet and get dressed by themselves. Furthermore, older children support their younger peers to get ready for outdoors. They help put on their shoes and are very proud of themselves, demonstrating their sense of worth. Children develop a love of reading. They spend time listening to stories and choose their own books to look at independently. Additionally, children share books with family members when they take them home to read. This promotes the importance of reading as well as supporting children's continuous progress in literacy. Children are developing the skills needed ready for school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally have a positive attitude towards their play and learning. They are excited to begin reading a story in a small group and are eager to get outside to join in with a range of play opportunities. Learning opportunities are planned based on children's interests. This supports children's engagement and concentration skills well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Routine attendance is promoted. This supports children's learning and development, and consequently, children begin to understand the rules and boundaries in place at the setting. For example, they understand they must sit at the table during mealtimes and change their shoes ready to go outdoors. The childminder is swift to address any minor disagreements between children. He clearly reminds children to share or take turns. He uses these opportunities to teach children about their emotions, helping them to understand the impact of their actions. Typically, children learn about their feelings and those of others. This helps to develop their emotional wellbeing and understanding effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder generally monitors children's learning closely to prioritise learning opportunities. He reads to children with a focus on developing children's speech and language skills. For example, he repeats key words and phrases and names pictures they can see. He tailors his teaching effectively to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are facing barriers to their learning. Additionally, the childminder promotes children's love of reading as he brings stories to life. Children enjoy participating in a bear hunt, whilst listening to the story. They explore a range of textures with their feet, including mud and water. The childminder extends children's vocabulary, using and repeating words from the story, such as 'oozy mud' and 'splish splosh'. Children talk about the texture they feel, using words like 'cold', 'wet' and 'soggy'.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

At times, the childminder's organisation of transitions between activities can impact children's engagement. For example, when children wait too long to start an activity, they quickly loose interest or become distracted. The childminder has designed a curriculum that enables all children to achieve and learn. He typically teaches children early mathematical language, including counting and representing numbers on fingers. Children confidently counting to 10 in English and attempt to repeat this in their home language too. When children build sandcastles, the childminder models mathematical language such as 'big', 'more',' full' and 'empty'. This helps children to begin to develop mathematical awareness and understanding.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress and plans next steps in learning. This is particularly relevant for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. He highlights any concerns and discusses these with parents and carers, sharing clear information. Typically, the childminder and parents work in partnership to support children and to reduce barriers to their learning. He contacts other professionals to ensure children receive the additional help they need, such as occupational therapist and speech and language therapists. The childminder works collaboratively with other professionals to extend his knowledge and understanding of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Additionally, he has attended training to build on his own professional development. This generally enables him to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who may be facing

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Inclusion Expected standard

barriers to their learning, effectively. The childminder has an understanding of how to use additional funding effectively for children. For instance, he plans to spend funding on resources and experiences that support children's continued development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shares relevant information with parents and carers to ensure they are kept up to date with children's learning and achievements. Parents comment on the detailed next steps that are shared and this helps to support children's progress. Furthermore, the childminder shares resources with families that support children's continued learning at home. Partnership working with other professionals generally supports children's learning, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder refers children to relevant specialists. He follows advice and guidance to support children's learning within the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective of his practice and identifies areas for improvement. He attends regular training to keep his knowledge and skills up to date and to extend and improve his practice. For example, numerous opportunities to develop his safeguarding knowledge enables him to recognise the signs of abuse and act swiftly if he has concerns for children's safety. Other training opportunities, such as developing children's physical skills or mathematical knowledge, extend on his teaching skills and the opportunities he offers for children. Typically, these additional professional development opportunities are specific to the needs of the children attending the setting.

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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 thrive at this welcoming setting. They gain essential skills that support their continued progress in learning. For instance, they learn to talk from a young age, speaking in short sentences and interact with peers. Children build friendships and seek out their friends to join their play. They are kind to each other and share resources well. Children's physical skills progress. Young toddlers begin to develop their core strength and balance as they balance on scooters. Older children refine these skills as they balance across stepping stones. They negotiate space around them as they run, jump and move in a variety of ways.

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

Children's personal and emotional skills are prioritised. For example, children learn to recognise, name and talk about their emotions. They are confident to discuss how they are feeling with a trusted adult and give reasons for this. For instance, they share they are feeling tired and need a rest. Children who face barriers to their learning are supported to make continued progress and overcome these barriers effectively. For example, the childminder ensures additional help and support is provided from other professionals. Partnership working with parents and carers also provides continuous learning opportunities for children, both at the setting and at home. Children share books and resources with their families. which promotes their love of reading. Routine attendance is promoted to support children's continued progress and learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop his organisational skills to ensure transitions between activities are swift and do not impact on children's behaviours.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:00,Friday : 08:00 - 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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, co-childminder, children 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.

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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

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

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