James, Deborah Louise

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2789020 Registered with Ofsted: 27/06/2024 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points. They typically communicate using full sentences and confidently repeat complex vocabulary introduced by the childminder, such as 'sphere'. In mathematics, children count to 10 with support and begin to recognise the number that represents their age. Furthermore, they independently begin to connect shape language to their environment. For example, they spontaneously identify that 'the table is a square'.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate increasing physical control and coordination when handling tools. For example, they progress from picking up small pom-poms with their fingers to using tweezers with precision. They generally manage their self-care needs with confidence, independently accessing footwear, washing their hands and managing their personal toileting routines.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, typically display positive attitudes towards learning and embrace new experiences with enthusiasm. They generally express their own ideas through imaginative artwork. Children who were initially unsettled at the setting now securely explore their environment and, with support, continue to grow in confidence with unfamiliar people.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder models positive behaviour and guides children's interactions. She sets clear expectations from the start, prompting children to respond well to her high energy and enthusiasm. Warm and respectful relationships mean children confidently seek reassurance from the childminder when their daily routine changes.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally display positive attitudes to learning and stay focused for long periods during group play. They follow established routines, settling quickly at mealtimes and typically tidying away resources when activities end. When children do forget, the childminder sensitively reminds them of her expectations. For example, children respond well to her reminders about not leaving their dressing-up clothes on the floor and cooperate by returning the items to the box when finished.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder uses inclusive approaches to support children's social development, successfully helping them begin to learn to share and take turns. She encourages them to play together and help one another, which leads children to support each other in finding the correct lids for the paint pens. Children begin to show awareness of how their behaviour impacts others. For example, when children accidentally bump into the childminder, they apologise and offer her a cuddle. The childminder responds with, 'It's ok, it was an accident,' which promotes positive relationships.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents and carers to promote attendance. As a result, children understand their daily routines, which supports their ongoing learning and emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder positively impacts children's overall wellbeing and provides a warm and welcoming setting. She conducts daily safety checks of the environment to keep children safe. The childminder gives clear, age-appropriate explanations for safety boundaries, which encourages children to manage their own safety independently. For example, children confidently strap themselves into their chairs to prevent falls and readily remove their socks before using balancing equipment.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Daily routines successfully protect children's privacy and dignity. During toileting routines, the childminder positions herself discreetly to give children privacy while maintaining full visual oversight of the playroom. She typically remains on hand to assist with clothing if required and supports children to access their individual, colour-coded cloths to wash their hands. The childminder manages safe sleep practices carefully in a dedicated room, completing regular checks to ensure children remain in correct sleeping positions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

To support children as they transition to future settings, the childminder generally prepares progress summaries and seeks parental input to plan for children's individual needs. She works closely with families to establish healthy habits. She asks parents if children visit the local dentist to promote oral health. She sensitively helps them reduce screen time at home by offering reading alternatives. This boosts children's social confidence. Furthermore, she uses feelings books and thoughtful questioning, such as asking, 'Is your tummy hungry?' to help children begin to understand and recognise their own physical feelings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder designs an ambitious curriculum that covers all areas of learning to build children's independence and confidence. Through regular assessments, she tracks what children know and can do to plan their next steps so that they remain ready for their next stage in education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

To promote physical development, children access the outdoor garden, where they use scooters and bikes to practise large-muscle skills. When poor weather prevents outdoor play, the childminder creatively sets up indoor resources such as stepping stones and a large ball so children can climb, balance and explore coordination. To support personal, social and emotional development, planned group activities, such as paint sessions, teach children to share and take turns with resources. During these sessions, the childminder introduces mathematical language when she names shapes and models counting skills. For instance, she supports children to count out dinosaurs during domino games.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's communication and language as she models new vocabulary, such as 'camouflage' and 'wheelchair'. As a result, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, copy these words and begin to understand their meaning. While the childminder typically uses open-ended questions to encourage conversation, she does not always support children to extend their spontaneous ideas during play. For example, during a sensory slime activity where children announce they have a 'fish', or when they point out insects such as bees, she responds warmly but misses natural opportunities to follow their lead. Consequently, she does not expand on these moments to engage them more deeply in their thoughts and fully challenge the most able children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies and reduces barriers to learning so that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, feel fully included within the setting. She draws on her background in educational support to adapt her approach, and she meets individual needs from the start. Through regular observations, developmental trackers and assessments, such as the progress check at age 2, the childminder plans tailored next steps for children. She generally shares these insights with parents and carers to maintain a joint approach to children's development and learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although no children currently receive the early years pupil premium, the childminder knows how to access additional funding to support those who need it. She thoughtfully adapts resources to close gaps in learning and implements targeted support for children who face challenges with their education or wellbeing. For instance, she offers warm reassurance to less-confident children and follows their unique interests to involve them naturally in play. To support early communication, she models language and is ready to refer children for external professional help if required. Furthermore, she helps children feel safe and secure as she establishes clear safety routines and works in partnership with professionals, such as children's social care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children typically learn about diversity and the wider world through a broad, carefully chosen range of inclusive books and discussions. The childminder openly answers children's questions about characters with physical disabilities, which encourages them to understand, value and respect differences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder regularly reflects on her practice and evaluates her provision through daily observations to maintain high standards of care. To ensure the safe and efficient management of her setting, she keeps her essential training up to date, including safeguarding and paediatric first aid. The childminder accesses the local authority's website to keep herself up to date with any local issues that may affect the children in her care. She demonstrates a secure understanding of safer recruitment procedures should she choose to appoint an assistant in the future and has clear knowledge of the requirements for background checks and references.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

To support her own wellbeing and morale, the childminder has established networks with local childminders to share ideas and professional advice. Within this collaborative approach, she typically implements an established self-evaluation process. Through this, she has successfully identified specific training needs. These further support targeted strategies for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, this self- evaluation process is not yet fully utilised to identify and embed continuous professional development that directly focuses on elevating the quality of education. For example, a defined plan for the curriculum is not yet in place to fully extend and challenge the most able children in their learning. Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents highly value the dedication the childminder brings to her work. Consequently, children make steady progress and develop well within

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

the childminder's nurturing and supportive care.

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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 in this welcoming, home-from-home environment that values their individual preferences and decisions. They confidently choose from activities that reflect their current interests, such as play with dolls and prams, which encourages their independence and motivation from the moment they arrive. Children naturally include the childminder and their peers in imaginative play, which supports the development of close, trusting relationships and positive social skills.

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

Children show a love for music and movement. They enjoy dance and sing together, and they display pride when they complete physical balancing challenges across stepping stones. Children develop a passion for art and self-expression. They eagerly use different textured materials to explore creative ideas and share their unique thoughts. Children learn to share and show politeness through everyday opportunities within the setting. As a result, they spontaneously model manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children feel safe and follow routines, such as when they independently sit at the table in their chairs and remind themselves to fasten safety straps before sensory play.

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

Children benefit from a joint approach where their families share individual routines and preferences before they start. This shared understanding ensures that their care aligns closely with home experiences. Children learn to make healthy choices as they enjoy nutritious, home-cooked meals, fresh drinking water and fruit. They explore the outdoor area daily, which supports their physical confidence and their understanding of the natural world through an exploration of garden herbs. Children have their attendance carefully monitored through a register of daily arrivals. They arrive eagerly in the morning, supported by families who understand the importance of regular attendance. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to their learning, flourish in this energetic and nurturing setting. They are well prepared for their next stages in

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Next steps

The childminder should refine teaching strategies to ensure children's spontaneous ideas are used effectively to extend and challenge their thinking. The childminder should strengthen the self-evaluation process to ensure professional development targets and elevates the quality of education for all children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and took into account the views of parents through written feedback 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 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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