Priddle, Sophie Natasha

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2781451 Registered with Ofsted: 08/04/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides clear rules and routines for children to follow. She has high expectations for children's behaviour. The childminder has a clear idea of how to adapt these for the individual stages of children's development. She encourages all children to think about the consequences of their behaviour on others. She reminds them that they need to share and act kindly. This helps children to understand what is expected of them and supports the building of positive relationships between children. The childminder reinforces kindness through her attentive interactions with children. She builds secure and caring relationships with children, who go to her for comfort and cuddles. Older children learn to help tidy away toys and understand that this is important to keep everyone safe. Children develop a shared sense of responsibility in the childminder's home.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of routines for children, especially new children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Although she is not implementing effective sleep times for some children, other routines are well established and encourage children to know what to expect during the day. The childminder works with parents to support children's regular attendance. This helps to ensure that children benefit from the full curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has systems in place to assess children's development. She finds out what children can do from parents and carers before they start with her and observes them regularly. The childminder puts a progressive curriculum in place which is based on children's individual needs and interests. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive interventions, however, these are not consistently targeted towards their individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder focuses on children developing important skills to provide a solid foundation for their learning and development. She prioritises building children's physical abilities. For example, the childminder plans regular outings to local parks and outdoor attractions where children can climb, run and balance. Children learn to think of others and play positively together. For example, they work together to find items in woodlands until they have ticked all the items on a list.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's ability to communicate and know the names of objects around them. Babies learn colours, names of fruits, animals and types of transport. The childminder introduces ambitious vocabulary to older children, such as 'blossom' and 'wingspan'. She weaves mathematical learning into activities she knows children will enjoy. The childminder teaches children number songs and models counting on her fingers. She encourages children to count accurately and link groups of objects in nature with numbers. Children use what they have learned in their play. For example, they accurately count how many toys can fit into spaces.

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Achievement Needs attention

Typically, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress, but for some of these children, this is not as rapid as it could be. Overall, children benefit from a well-planned curriculum that supports their skills and development for future learning. Children develop a love of books and confidence in their communication skills. They learn to repeat familiar phrases from well-known stories and develop clear pronunciation of words. Children are confident to ask for what they want and to say how they feel. Babies point and say simple words to show what they want to play with. Toddlers use short sentences, such as asking for more banana at snack time.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children learn how to do things for themselves and to develop independence skills. They put on their own shoes and coats and learn how to use a knife and fork at mealtimes. The practical skills and confidence that children gain support them in the next stages of their learning, including starting nurseries and schools.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently ensure that all children develop effective sleep routines. She does not share information and advice to all parents and carers to promote their understanding of developing sleep habits. As a result, some children are tired and not able to fully engage with planned learning. Nevertheless, the childminder tries to adapt and follow children's home routines to accommodate each child's needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder builds effective and caring relationships with all children. Children learn positive ways to express how they feel. For example, babies shake their heads to show 'no', and older children use their words. The childminder creates a safe and welcoming environment. She teaches children how to assess risks for themselves. For example, the childminder encourages children to think about the consequences of their actions and what dangers they can see on walks in the local community. Children benefit from regular and targeted physical activity in the fresh air. The childminder encourages a positive attitude to outside learning by planning activities that she is confident children will enjoy, based on their interests. She also follows children's choices on where they would like to go.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder supports children to make healthy choices about food. She shares healthy lunch-box ideas with parents and makes it clear that she expects only healthy foods in the setting. The childminder provides nutritional snacks and widens the types of foods children eat. Mealtimes are organised to encourage discussions and social interactions. The childminder adapts the seating so babies, toddlers and older children can eat together. Younger children benefit from learning positive habits, such as sitting to eat, from their older friends. Older children build a sense of responsibility and independence by helping to prepare snacks. The childminder builds children's understanding of hygiene practices, such as why they need to wash their hands and blow their noses.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Overall, the childminder has systems in place to effectively identify gaps in children's learning and development. She monitors closely and quickly sees when children are facing barriers to learning. She has also identified some areas to develop and improve her support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder has selected relevant training to attend. For instance, she plans to further develop her ability to meet children's individual needs based on what they need to learn next and gaps in their learning and development. However, she is inconsistent in the information provided to parents. Therefore, parents do not always have the information to provide appropriate support for their child at home or to determine whether they want to seek support from other specialists. This means, although children make progress and support is put in place by the childminder, children do not always receive early intervention and targeted support from experts. As a

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Inclusion Needs attention

result, progress is not as quick as it could be at all times. The childminder has given some thought to enhance this. For example, she has identified that regular face-to-face progress meetings with parents would enhance the partnership working and improve the impact of the support she provides.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder uses her knowledge of children's preferences and next steps to provide activities that are of interest. However, due to inconsistent sleep routines, some children are too tired to engage well and so are not fully included.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Although the childminder has an awareness of some of the priorities required, improvements are not always swiftly put in place. For example, the childminder has identified that she needs to develop the quality of her information-sharing and conversations about children's development with parents and carers. She has selected training to support her practice in this area, but this has not yet been fully completed. As a result, the effectiveness of partnerships with parents is not consistent. Despite this, she has some systems in place to build relationships with parents before children start at the setting. She gathers important information about children's routines, weaning progress, allergy and medication needs. The childminder also provides regular updates to parents verbally and through an online app. She informs parents of activities children have taken part in, the progress they make during the day, and care information such as toileting and sleep times.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder regularly reflects on her curriculum and interactions with children. She works with other childminders and early years professionals to build her knowledge and gather ideas for how to support children's progress across the early years curriculum. She regularly updates her mandatory training and on occasions selects training to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she has researched how to support children with speech and language delays and implemented strategies that reduced gaps for children. This is an area where changes are still being embedded into practice.

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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

Overall, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support and make progress from their starting points, However, at times, this is not as swift as it could be. In addition, the childminder has not established effective sleep routines for some children. At times, this impacts on children's ability to settle and to engage in learning. Children benefit from the childminder's attentive care. They build warm and respectful relationships with her and with their peers. The childminder focuses on developing attachments with children when they start so they feel safe and secure. She models and encourages children to develop positive relationships. For example, the childminder reminds children to use 'kind hands'. Children are confident to approach the childminder for cuddles and to include everyone in their play. The childminder celebrates and values children's individual personalities and

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

skills. Children enjoy hearing the childminder tell them how well they are doing. For example, with her encouragement they smile and keep stacking items even when it is tricky. This supports children's ability to remain calm and builds their resilience.

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

Children learn to be independent. For instance, they use pictures of rainbows to place their shoes on the correct feet as they learn the curve of the rainbow matches the curve of the shoes. Children learn to make their own choices and select what they would like to play with. They benefit from a curriculum that focuses on developing the foundations for future learning, including starting school. For instance, children build the confidence to interact with a wider range of adults and children at local community and toddler groups. The childminder knows children well and adapts activities and care to meet their needs. For instance, she supports children to complete essential courses of medication so they can attend when they are fit enough to return to the setting after illness. She also works with parents and carers to promote children's regular attendance.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

implement more consistently effective systems to share information, and work with parents and carers and other professionals, to support children's individual needs and quickly close gaps in learning and development 24/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

work with parents to ensure children build effective sleep routines 24/04/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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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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