Smith, Carmen Louise

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2801453 Registered with Ofsted: 09/09/2024 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a nurturing, responsive and secure environment that prioritises children's physical and emotional wellbeing. Routines to support children's physical health are consistently well embedded. Children independently recognise the need for hygiene. They wash their hands and face thoroughly after mealtimes. Older children spontaneously declare the need to wash their hands after sticky play dough activities. Fresh drinking water is accessible, which allows children to independently hydrate. The childminder works to embed positive oral health habits. Children participate enthusiastically in practical floss activities with model teeth and learn that oral care keeps teeth shiny and clean. Healthy eating is consistently promoted. The childminder provides nutritious, home-cooked evening meals. She also offers clear support to parents regarding healthy lunch box choices. She shares visual resources and nutritional guidance digitally.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder prioritises children's safety and gives them clear reasons for safety routines. For example, she explains that we cut small fruit in half to avoid choking hazards. The childminder provides bright rainbow clothing on outings to ensure she can spot children easily within the community.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder protects children's privacy and dignity. During personal care and toileting routines, she responds with warmth and sensitivity, which ensures children feel comfortable and secure. She utilises targeted books about feelings and specific emotion words to support children, including those who face barriers to their learning. For example, she asks questions such as 'Are you feeling sad?' to help children begin to understand their feelings and manage emotions.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a commitment to inclusive practice. She identifies, assesses and meets the individual needs of all children. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to their learning. She gathers information from parents and carers before children start at the setting. This information includes developmental starting points, dietary requirements, likes, dislikes and interests. The childminder regularly tracks and reviews milestone progress, including the completion of the progress check at age 2 to assess development. This helps to identify any potential barriers to learning early.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is consistently considered as part of the environment and daily routines. For instance, a step sits at the sink to allow younger children to reach the tap independently. The childminder is trained to use signs, gestures and communication techniques to support children. She consistently interprets gestures or sounds from children, such as a request for help.

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Inclusion Strong standard

When the childminder identifies potential developmental gaps, such as speech and language concerns, she acts with sensitivity and professional curiosity. She provides tailored, targeted support within the setting. She models accurate language and sentences, repeating words back correctly to children when needed. She collaborates closely with

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Expected standard

parents and external professionals, such as local schoolteachers. This ensures that appropriate long-term support is secure.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress across the areas of learning and development. They typically gain the essential knowledge and skills required for their future success and transition to school. Children demonstrate developing communication skills. Younger children accurately repeat words to be sociable. Older children confidently recall complex information. For example, they describe a country they visited and know it sits within another part of the world.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop mathematical foundations. They count items in real time. Older children independently use a finger to point and count 6 objects accurately. Children generally develop their physical skills across the setting. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to their learning. Children demonstrate precision in their fine motor skills when they independently use knives to slice fruit at snack time. They also use keys to manipulate toy locks.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show a deep love for books. They confidently recite familiar storylines, such as text from a story about a bear hunt. Younger children also identify objects in pictures with support, such as balls and toys.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes clear boundaries that help children understand daily expectations and feel secure. Children understand the routine of the day. The childminder supports children to anticipate what will happen next. For example, she explains that they will wash hands after breakfast and then play. Children typically demonstrate kind, considerate behaviour. For example, they move over on chairs to make space for their friends or remind peers to take a blanket during play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes the importance of consistent attendance to parents. She tracks daily attendance through a dedicated digital app to secure stable routines for children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder continues to develop her strategies to support positive attitudes to learning when minor challenges occur. Children sometimes find it difficult to manage their behaviour when tasks become complex. They can become frustrated or show signs of defeat rather than persist with a challenge. Additionally, minor conflicts arise during play, such as when children assert ownership over resources, which momentarily interrupts their focus. The childminder consistently intervenes to redirect behaviour calmly and reminds children that it is kind to share. She typically works to help children build resilience and navigate turn-taking independently, although the impact of these approaches varies. As a result, children do not yet consistently maintain positive attitudes to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder designs an ambitious curriculum. She uses her assessments and observations of children to find out what they know and what they need to learn next. The curriculum is generally led by the children and covers all areas of learning. The childminder focuses on children's personal, social and emotional development. She typically supports children to take turns and share during activities. For example, children generally cooperate and share resources when they dress dolls together.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports communication and language through stories. Children learn new vocabulary from books. For example, children learn the word 'wheelchair' and discuss why a character needs one due to a poorly foot. Children show curiosity about body parts, learning words such as 'spine'. They also learn descriptive terms such as 'bumpy'. Mathematics is woven naturally into play. The childminder encourages children to count how many candles sit on a play dough cake. Children develop fine motor skills when they use their hands to roll out dough. The childminder uses these moments to expand mathematical language. She guides children to notice when their play dough becomes 'longer' or when they build a cake 'taller'. The childminder arranges weekly forest school sessions, swimming lessons and music classes. These regular outings give children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to their learning, opportunities to

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

explore nature, develop their large movements and socialise within wider peer groups.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder seeks to continuously develop her setting to meet the needs and interests of children. She establishes positive partnerships with parents, who value the nurturing and caring environment she creates. Children are happy and excited to tell their parents about their day. To support this partnership, the childminder communicates about children's progress and shares next steps regularly. She uses digital platforms and face-to-face morning handovers. The childminder ensures parents and extended family members remain informed about children's development and their daily activities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

To maintain a secure environment, the childminder follows guidance on safe sleeping and completes training in safeguarding and paediatric first aid. She continues to refine her professional learning and expertise to support her ongoing development. The childminder recently completed a Level 4 childcare qualification and is awaiting her accreditation. She engages in regular self-reflection. However, her established self-evaluation processes have not yet identified the need for further training in managing children's behaviour to support the current cohort. As a result, children are not consistently supported to manage their own behaviour and to fully understand the impact this has on others.

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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 benefit from an inviting and well-organised, home-from-home environment. Resources are readily available to support children's independent choices. For example, children select dolls in prams during play. They snuggle in a cosy tepee to share books. Children enjoy their learning and demonstrate sustained concentration. They develop warm, secure attachments to the childminder and her family. Children confidently seek comfort from the childminder when tired. They participate enthusiastically in creative colouring

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About this setting

activities. Children independently select pictures of interest, such as tractors, unicorns and dinosaurs, and they mark-make with pride.

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About this setting

Children achieve well from their unique starting points. They gain from a language-rich environment. Children are engaged in open-ended questions that encourage independent problem-solving. For example, children talk about a baby doll on holiday. They are prompted by the childminder to think about what the baby needs to protect its head in the sun. This successfully encourages children to suggest a sun hat. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to their learning and wellbeing receive tailored support to reduce gaps in learning. They learn alongside their peers. Children are fully included in all aspects of the setting, with individual adjustments made to ensure they can thrive.

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About this setting

Children and their families share photos from a 'travelling teddy' holiday initiative. This builds communication skills and keeps parents and extended family members actively involved in their children's learning. Children develop social skills and typically display kind, considerate behaviour. Their confidence grows, supported by regular attendance and a familiar routine. Children engage in consistent learning opportunities, which help prepare them for their future learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should refine strategies to support children to consistently develop positive attitudes to learning. The childminder must strengthen self-evaluation to target professional development that helps her to consistently support children's behaviour.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and took into account the views of parents via 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2801453

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 18:00,Friday : 07:30 - 15:30

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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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