Chambers, Holly

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2815203 Registered with Ofsted: 17/12/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder sets very high standards, which are clearly understood by children and seen in their actions. Children behave extremely well. The childminder has built a caring and trusting relationship with children, who benefit from her clear expectations. The childminder has high expectations for children's attendance. Consequently, regular attendance and punctuality result in children engaging in a broad range of tailored activities in order to support their progress. The childminder acts as an excellent role model.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children learn to be polite, well mannered and caring. These positive routines support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to be best prepared for future transitions, including school. The childminder has a warm and nurturing approach to children. This is reflected in the kindness and respect children demonstrate. Children show the utmost positivity to their learning. They approach activities with joy and curiosity. Children demonstrate how they feel safe and secure with the childminder through the harmonious and respectful environment she provides.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder places an incredibly high priority on helping children to manage their own feelings and those of others. Her highly committed approach to developing respectful relationships is strengthened through her role modelling. As a result, children show kindness, empathy and concern for others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder has extremely positive and warm relationships with families and their children. She is highly considerate of routines to support children's health and welfare. The childminder constantly promotes healthy habits and shares these with parents and carers. She provides a wide range of delicious and extremely nutritious meals and snacks. The childminder caters for children's alternative diets and considers eating times. This helps her to accommodate children's preferences and adapt support during mealtimes. Children feel happy to be themselves and form secure and caring bonds and attachments with the childminder, which are built around trust. This supports children to thrive from their starting points. The childminder teaches children positive hygiene routines to ensure individual personal needs are met. Consequently, babies and toddlers quickly learn to wash their hands, eat independently, sit, concentrate and listen.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder instils well-structured routines that support children to develop healthy habits and learning behaviours. Children who wear nappies learn to wash their hands after changing. This introduces children to developing hygiene and independence. The childminder knows children well and adjusts routines to meet children's individual needs when required. She supports children to develop healthy lifestyle choices, providing freshly cooked, nutritious meals for children that support their healthy growth and development

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder's consistent approach supports children to develop long-lasting healthy habits and flourish. She supports children to adopt healthy lifestyles, prioritising children's

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Expected standard

physical development. The childminder takes children out for walks and visits to local parks and the library. Children know that physical activity is important.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder fosters a deeply embedded culture of inclusion. She identifies, accurately assesses and proactively supports each child's needs swiftly. The childminder rigorously monitors and reviews children's progress to ensure that her support remains precisely and consistently effective. Her reflective and systematic approach reduces barriers to children's learning and promotes their overall wellbeing. Children receive timely and targeted interventions by the childminder and support from external agencies. They benefit from high- quality and focused support, particularly in their speech and language, which enables them to participate fully and make sustained progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is mindful to adapt areas around children's individual needs. She liaises with parents and carers, and all those involved with children's care, to ensure children receive a highly consistent approach. The childminder identifies gaps in children's learning swiftly and closes these in preparation for school. The childminder encourages children to bring things from home to share. This can be a photo or a song about other languages or cultures. As a result, children feel their uniqueness valued, develop a sense of belonging and grow in independence. Seamless collaboration and proactive partnership with families ensure that tailored plans are consistently implemented.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder's decisions are underpinned by her daily observations, robust assessments of how additional funding is being used to support children's learning experiences and in- depth knowledge of each child. Through her passionate, inclusive practice, all children, regardless of their background, needs or circumstances, benefit from bespoke interactions and meaningful opportunities.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points because they experience a calm and well-organised environment. They explore, practise new skills and build their confidence. Children enjoy activities that develop communication and language skills, such as painting, role play and shared conversations. Children strengthen their understanding and expressive language. Children name colours and shapes and demonstrate mathematical skills in readiness for their next stage in learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children play together in harmony and share, take turns and follow routines with increasing independence. Children, including those who may face barriers to learning, develop physical strength by climbing steps on a slide and listen attentively to instructions. Babies enjoy looking at books, talking about what they see and turning the pages. Children develop fine motor control and hold mark-making tools, talking confidently about the marks they have made. Younger children show their excitement when they successfully put on a coat, which is an activity that has been tricky in previous attempts. Children are motivated and enjoy exploring new experiences. However, sometimes, children do not have consistent opportunities to deepen their knowledge and engagement.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has high aspirations for children to become confident, independent and curious learners. She uses daily routines, play and conversations with families to build an accurate picture of what children know and can do. This helps her shape a curriculum that reflects children's interests and emerging needs, including tailored learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children develop and gain broad experiences that will help them to be ready for the next stage of their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's teaching is warm and purposeful and rooted in relationships. She models language, narrates children's actions and introduces new vocabulary during play. This supports children's communication. The childminder weaves mathematical ideas into activities, such as counting, matching shapes and comparing sizes during shared experiences. Children develop their physical skills through daily routines and active play. Typically, children are stimulated and excited in their learning. However, there are occasions when the childminder's learning intention is general rather than specific. This means, sometimes, children's learning is not precisely planned for or built upon. That said, children have a positive view of themselves and are proud of their achievements.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses observations to check children's progress. She adapts experiences for those children who need additional support. The childminder seeks advice from external professionals when concerns arise. She has strategies in place to support children who have additional funding and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is an experienced early years practitioner who demonstrates a secure understanding of her role. She is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment. The childminder maintains positive relationships with families. She communicates effectively about children's progress and daily experiences. Parents and carers speak highly of the childminder and the progress their children make, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder extends her knowledge of how children learn by undertaking relevant training. This includes developing her understanding of different learning styles and enhancing her skills in supporting early communication. For example, the childminder's training in the use of visual timetables and flashcards has strengthened her ability to support children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to express themselves from an early age.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shares detailed information with parents and carers about children's care and learning and how funding has been effectively used to meet children's needs. She offers guidance when needed, such as with weaning and potty training. Parents use this information to continue children's learning at home. This helps children to develop the skills they need as they progress towards moving on to school. The childminder continues to build on her well-established practice, which has a positive impact on children's development. The childminder responds to any suggestions for improvement and is reflecting on plans to enhance her curriculum further. The childminder is flexible to work alongside the individual needs of families to ensure children have regular attendance.

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

Children are flourishing in the childminder's home-from-home environment, where they feel safe and secure. They demonstrate they are happy. Babies eagerly attempt to join in with songs. They show enthusiasm and curiosity as they explore a wide range of activities and experiences. The childminder is very attentive to children's needs. Children enjoy cuddles and demonstrate they feel confident to explore the environment and make choices in their play. The childminder provides an ambitious and exciting curriculum for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She builds on children's interests across all areas of learning. For example, children learn to count and show persistence using tools to fill cones in the role-play area. Children independently mix paints to create shades of blue to match the ocean. These activities help children to play with materials and identify colours.

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

Children who are new to the setting, including those who speak English as an additional language, settle very quickly. The childminder takes a proactive approach by gathering information about each child from parents and carers before they begin. Children particularly enjoy story time and playing outdoors, where they extend themselves physically. Babies show determination as they learn to keep their balance on apparatus in the garden. The childminder identifies gaps in children's learning swiftly and accesses multi-agency support when appropriate. She monitors additional funding carefully to ensure it has a positive impact on each child's progress.

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

The childminder has high expectations for all children, including their behaviour. She gives gentle reminders and helps children to learn about their feelings. As a result, children behave, listen well, have excellent attendance, develop an understanding of healthy habits and show a positive attitude to their learning. The childminder supports older children to learn the importance of road safety. She extends their knowledge of the environment on the walk home from nursery.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 18:00

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About this setting

Local authority: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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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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Next steps

The childminder should plan learning intentions more precisely to take account of the specific skills and knowledge that children need to learn next.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents, carers and children 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

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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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