Roffey, Heather-Leigh

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2841479 Registered with Ofsted: 05/06/2025 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children show, through what they say and do, that they typically make progress through the curriculum from their starting points. They use new words, for example repeating food names such as 'tomato' and 'pepper' and signing words such as 'please' and 'thank you'. Younger children babble and copy sounds. Older children speak confidently, make choices and try to explain what they are doing, such as when they make pretend tea for their friends or talk about their drawings.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress through the things they do each day. They develop strength and coordination as they ride bikes, squeeze wet sponges, pour water, jump for bubbles and dance to music. Children build fine motor skills as they draw, handle books and explore resources. They learn independence, such as washing their hands and putting on their shoes. Generally, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. They confidently learn routines, develop independence, build friendships and gain the confidence to try new experiences.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has established a positive, calm environment where children understand familiar routines and expectations. Children typically arrive happily, put away their belongings, move into play, and help tidy resources because adults consistently model and reinforce expectations. The childminder and any assistants that work with her generally use warm relationships, gentle reminders and praise to support children's behaviour. Children seek cuddles and reassurance when they need it, then return to play confidently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children well to collaborate and get along with others. Children typically share water-play resources, take turns pouring between containers, help one another find shoes and respond positively when adults encourage kindness. The childminder considers children's young ages, stages of development and individual circumstances when supporting behaviour. For example, helping children experiencing changes at home to recognise feelings and learn kind ways to interact with friends. This supports children's emotional security and social development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder appropriately promotes punctuality and attendance. She records attendance, recognises the importance of regular attendance and contacts parents or emergency contacts promptly if a child does not arrive as expected. Children benefit from routines that are well-embedded and consistent throughout the day, including arrival, snack time, outdoor play, and getting ready to go outside. These routines help children feel secure, behave well and develop independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder and any assistants that work with her meet children's individual care needs well. They know children's routines, preferences and family circumstances and respond sensitively when children need comfort or reassurance. Children form secure attachments with adults. They seek cuddles when upset, settle quickly and return to play with confidence. Parents feedback that children are happy to attend and that the childminder keeps them well informed about care, progress and routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Care practices typically support children's health, physical development and personal safety. Adults complete daily risk checks indoors and outdoors and supervise children closely during play, outings, snack, and personal care to help keep children safe. Children learn healthy routines as they wash their hands before eating, drink water regularly, spend time outdoors each day and eat nutritious snacks, including fruit, vegetables and crackers. The childminder meets individual dietary needs, such as providing suitable food for children who are vegetarian.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Generally, children are supported to recognise, express and manage emotions in age- appropriate ways. The childminder typically helps children who experience changes at home to talk about their feelings, understand their situation and learn kind ways to interact with friends. Sleep and feeding routines effectively support children's needs. Safer sleep arrangements are in place, including good ventilation, room thermometers, movement monitoring and regular checks. Nappy changing takes place with privacy and supervision.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands the strengths of her curriculum and designs experiences around children's ages, interests and stages of development. Her curriculum meets the learning and development requirements and gives appropriate priority to communication, personal, social and emotional development, physical development and independence. She uses themes, such as under the sea, alongside local walks, outdoor play, books, music, art and home routines to help children explore the wider world and build curiosity.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum has a clear impact on what children know and can do. Children strengthen their balance and coordination as they walk on grass and beaches, ride bikes, jump for bubbles and pour water. They develop fine motor control as they squeeze sponges, draw and complete puzzles. They build independence as they find their belongings, help friends, tidy resources and follow familiar routines. These experiences also help children develop confidence, concentration and social skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses half-termly assessment to check children's progress and plan next steps. She adapts care and teaching to children's needs and understands how she would seek support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to children's social care or those facing barriers to learning. The childminder and any assistants that work with her support language development through calm interactions, songs, book reading and sign language. They introduce early mathematics through counting, colours, patterns and routines. Teaching is suitable overall, but the childminder does not consistently use interactions to extend children's thinking, vocabulary and communication skills even further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has created an inclusive environment where children are welcomed, valued, and supported in feeling secure. Typically, she knows children and their families well and responds sensitively to children's individual circumstances, including changes at home that may affect their emotional wellbeing. Children are supported to develop confidence, communicate their needs and take part in the full range of activities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder checks children's development every half term and uses this information to identify next steps. She understands how to respond if children's progress is not as expected and confidently explains how she would record concerns. The childminder speaks with families and seeks support from external professionals, including health visitors, speech and language therapy and local authority services if necessary. She and any assistants that work with her have relevant experience and have undertaken focused training that supports their understanding of inclusive practice.

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Inclusion Expected standard

No children currently receive additional funding, have special educational needs and/or disabilities or are known or previously known to children's social care. However, the childminder confidently explains how she would use additional funding to reduce barriers, such as providing resources and training, and how she would work with families and agencies to support children's learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder leads a small home-based setting with assistants. She understands the main strengths of the provision, including the nurturing, home-from-home environment, positive focus on personal, social and emotional development, outdoor learning and positive parent relationships. She regularly reflects on practice and uses parent feedback, assessment information, and discussions with any assistants that work with her to make decisions that support children's care and learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leadership decisions are in children's best interests. The childminder has secure procedures for safer recruitment, paediatric first aid, risk assessment, attendance monitoring and safeguarding. She understands how to seek support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those known to children's social care or those who face barriers to learning or wellbeing. No children currently receive additional funding, have SEND or are known to children's social care, but the childminder can explain how she would use funding, training and external advice to reduce barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder manages workload and wellbeing appropriately. She checks in with any assistants that work with her, shares responsibilities and supports day-to-day communication. Professional development has a positive impact. The childminder and any assistants that work with her complete training, read updates and use childminding networks to keep knowledge current. However, the childminder does not establish regular contact with any other settings that children attend, so that information about children's learning, progress and needs supports continuity in their curriculum and care.

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

Children enjoy warm, nurturing care with this childminder and any assistants that work with her. They arrive happily, separate from parents calmly and quickly settle into familiar routines. The childminder and any assistants that work with her know children well and respond sensitively when children need reassurance, including when family circumstances change. This helps children feel safe, valued and ready to learn.

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

Children achieve well from their different starting points. Young children who are becoming confident walkers explore walking on grass, beaches and other outdoor surfaces to build balance and confidence. Children who are developing early communication skills name colours like 'yellow' and 'blue', repeat new words and communicate using signs for words like 'please' and 'thank you'. Older children build independence as they help friends, tidy resources and follow routines without repeated adult direction.

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

Children show a sense of belonging and the childminder includes them in all parts of the day, valuing their individual needs. They learn alongside peers in a small, sociable group. Young children eagerly share resources, take turns with items in the water play area, help one another and enjoy positive relationships with the childminder and other children. The childminder adapts care to individual needs, such as supporting a child's dietary requirements and helping them manage their emotions. Children thrive through daily outdoor experiences and local walks where they build balance and coordination. They explore creative play as they draw and paint. Children develop a love of books as they eagerly listen to the childminder read stories. Young children engage and smile as they explore the current under-the-sea theme through water play, sea-themed resources and visits linked to the wider curriculum.

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

The childminder understands how to seek support, work with families, and reduce barriers when children's needs change, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children's uniqueness is valued through calm relationships, flexible comfort arrangements and care that reflects each child's stage of development.

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Next steps

The childminder should enhance interactions by using more purposeful questioning, discussion and vocabulary during play and routines, so children's thinking, communication and language understanding are extended further. The childminder should strengthen communication with any other settings children attend, so that information about children's learning, progress and needs is shared and used to support continuity in their care and curriculum.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants 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

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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