Katherine Ruth Schofield

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2809804 Registered with Ofsted: 18/11/2024 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 Strong standard

Children make excellent progress from their individual starting points across all areas of the early years curriculum. They develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding, giving them a secure foundation for future learning. Children achieve highly because the childminder's inclusive approach enables every child to build on their strengths, interests and starting points. They are confident, independent and resilient learners who show enthusiasm, motivation and a consistent excitement for discovering more.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learning is deeply embedded in children's daily experiences. They confidently access resources, make links to previous learning and use their ideas to extend play. For example, children transfer skills they have learned from planting potatoes at home into their play, using tools to sieve sand, remove stones and exploring changes in materials. After sharing the story 'Goodnight Tractor', children recalled seeing fields being harvested. This inspired further exploration as they used their imagination to recreate harvesting experiences using ride-on vehicles, developing their understanding of the world, creativity and problem-solving skills.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children communicate confidently through conversations, songs, rhymes and books. They ask questions, use new vocabulary and create their own narratives through play. They develop mathematical understanding by counting, comparing and solving problems in meaningful situations. Through connected experiences, children develop essential skills, knowledge and positive attitudes to learning, ensuring they are well prepared, confident and resilient for the next stage of their learning journey.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates a wonderfully warm, homely and nurturing environment where children feel safe, secure, valued and develop a strong sense of belonging. She establishes clear expectations and consistent routines, enabling children to understand what is expected and respond positively. Children confidently follow routines and show growing independence. For example, children sit together at the table during snack times, helping to clear and clean the table afterwards and taking pride in caring for their environment. They understand expectations around safety, independently collecting and putting on their sun hats before going outside. Children wait patiently for their turn outdoors and settle quickly into activities, showing confidence and self-control.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for behaviour and knows each child exceptionally well. She consistently responds to children's individual personalities, interests and developmental needs. Her inclusive approach ensures every child feels valued and secure and has a strong sense of belonging. She adapts experiences to children's unique starting points, providing appropriate challenge and support that build confidence, independence and motivation. Through responsive interactions and effective strategies, she removes barriers to learning and enables every child to participate fully and make progress. Children form secure and affectionate relationships with her, confidently seeking support and showing they feel respected, listened to and emotionally secure. They show kindness towards others, learning to share, take turns and cooperate. Children demonstrate highly positive attitudes towards learning. They are enthusiastic,

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

curious and motivated to explore new ideas. Following a story about space, children designed and built rocket ships using construction materials ready to 'blast off to the moon'. They excitedly discussed fuel, shared resources, listened to ideas, solved problems and celebrated their creations. The childminder works highly effectively with families to promote regular attendance, supporting children to feel secure and ready to build on what they know and can do with confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children demonstrate extremely high levels of wellbeing in the care of this experienced, knowledgeable and inclusive childminder. They are consistently happy, secure and valued, developing a strong sense of belonging in her warm and nurturing environment. The childminder knows each child extremely well and provides highly responsive care that reflects their personalities, interests, routines and developmental needs. Before children start, she gathers detailed information from families to ensure continuity from home and support confident settling in.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder builds warm, caring and trusting relationships with children. They explore the environment happily and confidently, showing they feel safe and emotionally supported. She prioritises safety through attentive supervision, consistent routines and careful consideration of individual needs. She regularly reviews her practice to ensure children's safety, including adapting safe sleeping arrangements and promoting safe eating practices. She encourages independence where appropriate. For example, older children confidently wash their hands and recognise when they are warm, independently removing a layer of clothing to support their comfort. She responds sensitively to children's care needs and supports key transitions, including toilet training, with a reassuring approach that builds confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates highly effective leadership of children's welfare through close partnerships with families and ongoing professional development. She continually strengthens her knowledge and practice to remain responsive. She celebrates children's individuality and adapts routines, experiences and support to reflect their starting points, ensuring every child's voice and preferences are valued. Children develop confidence and independence in managing their wellbeing. At snack time, they confidently select fruit they would like to eat and peel their own bananas and oranges. They make unique choices, develop high self-esteem and learn to respect the choices of others.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder designs an ambitious, carefully sequenced curriculum that reflects children's interests, developmental stages, starting points and readiness to learn. She has a secure understanding of how children learn and uses this knowledge to plan experiences that build effectively on what children already know and can do.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Through highly effective ongoing assessment, she identifies children's learning, checks their understanding and evaluates the impact of her teaching. She uses this information to adapt experiences and interactions, ensuring learning is purposeful, challenging and well matched to each child's development. Children show genuine enthusiasm for learning because the childminder knows them well and provides experiences that reflect their strengths and interests. They take pride in their achievements, encourage one another and confidently develop their own ideas through play. The childminder skilfully combines adult-led teaching with opportunities for children to explore, investigate and lead their own learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder consistently delivers high-quality teaching through meaningful interactions, open-ended questioning, two-way conversations and responsive support. She gives children focused attention and powerful opportunities to develop their thinking, explain their ideas and deepen their understanding. She adapts her approach using strategies such as gestures, real-life experiences and practical objects to enable every child to participate. Mathematics is taught clearly and reinforced through play. During construction, children design roads and barriers and compare shape, size and position. Children recognise when objects are 'too big', test solutions and adapt their designs, developing strong reasoning and problem-solving skills. The childminder extends children's language through carefully chosen experiences and books. Children confidently use advanced vocabulary, including 'telehandler', 'caterpillar tracks' and 'combine harvester', showing a deep understanding of

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a highly effective commitment to inclusion for all children. She has an in-depth understanding of child development and uses this knowledge to recognise and respond to each child's individual strengths, needs and circumstances. She builds on what children already know and can do, providing carefully matched support and challenge that helps them make strong progress. She adapts the curriculum and uses effective strategies to reduce barriers to learning for disadvantaged children, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who are known or previously known to children's social care, and those who face other barriers to their learning or wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

She keeps her knowledge up to date through ongoing professional development, ensuring her practice reflects current guidance and enabling her to meet the needs of every child. She applies a graduated approach naturally throughout the day, adapting experiences, routines and teaching to match children's development, interests and readiness to learn. For example, she breaks learning into manageable steps that are precisely matched to each child's stage of development, giving children the confidence to succeed. She also uses visual prompts, gestures, language modelling, repetition and open-ended questions purposefully to support communication, deepen understanding and encourage participation. As a result, children make strong progress from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge, skills, confidence, independence and resilience they need for the next stage of learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder identifies emerging needs through accurate ongoing assessment and a secure understanding of child development. She understands referral processes and knows when to seek advice, make referrals and work with parents, professionals and other agencies to secure the right support. She reviews the impact of her teaching and adapts her provision whenever needed to ensure every child continues to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates highly effective leadership through her clear vision, commitment and passion for improving children's experiences. She continually evaluates her setting's strengths and identifies areas for development through reflection, research and professional knowledge. Since registration, she has reviewed her interactions, teaching and environment, making thoughtful improvements that enhance children's learning. For example, she has introduced open-ended resources that encourage children to explore ideas, make choices, solve problems and develop creativity. As a result, children become confident, imaginative and increasingly independent learners.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a thorough understanding of her statutory duties and carries out her responsibilities with care and rigour. Safeguarding, children's welfare and safety are central to her practice. She maintains effective systems, including risk assessments, safety checks and accurate records, ensuring children are protected while having the confidence to explore and learn. Children are at the heart of every decision the childminder makes. Through her inclusive and individualised approach, she uses her knowledge of child development, assessment and strong partnerships with families to provide experiences that reflect children's needs, interests and starting points. She is committed to identifying and supporting individual needs, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may have other barriers to learning. She adapts her teaching and environment to ensure all children can participate, achieve and make ongoing progress.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder continually develops her expertise through training in safeguarding, paediatric first aid, early years education, pre-writing skills, and loose parts and open-ended play. She applies this learning to strengthen her practice, enrich children's experiences and improve outcomes. She values professional networks, childminder forums and local authority support to reflect on and enhance her provision. Parents highly value her nurturing approach and recognise the positive impact on children's confidence, independence and development.

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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 warm, nurturing and highly inclusive setting where they feel safe, secure and valued. They demonstrate this through trusting relationships, confidence in familiar routines and eagerness to explore, play and learn. Children arrive happily and show secure attachments to the childminder, providing a strong foundation for their emotional wellbeing, confidence and independence. Children who were previously less secure when separating from parents have made significant progress through the childminder's consistent support, sensitive reassurance and predictable approaches. As a result, children develop confidence, resilience and a strong sense of belonging, enabling them to participate fully in experiences and learning.

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

Children's individuality is recognised and celebrated. The childminder adapts teaching, experiences and support to reflect children's strengths, interests, development and starting points. Children receive the right support and challenge to make sustained progress while their personalities and experiences are valued. They develop strong friendships and show kindness, respect and consideration towards others. Children listen to each other, negotiate during play and build on one another's ideas. For example, children work together to create platforms to make a road for their play. With sensitive support from the childminder, they sequence colours, share ideas and make adjustments to develop their designs. Through this shared play, children learn to cooperate, solve problems and value each other's contributions.

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

Children show high levels of curiosity, imagination and enjoyment in their learning. They use resources creatively to extend their ideas, such as collecting picnic equipment to develop pretend play and using 'sparkly' gems as stars for their rocket ships to collect as they 'blast off' into space. Children remain engaged for sustained periods, proudly share their ideas

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00 and celebrate their achievements. They develop independence and responsibility as they organise resources, care for their environment and support others, such as kindly helping friends fasten their sandals before going outside.

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About this setting

Parents feel welcomed, listened to and valued. Their knowledge of their children helps shape experiences and support progress. Regular communication about achievements, interests and next steps ensures consistent encouragement. As a result, children develop a strong sense of belonging, make excellent progress from their individual starting points and flourish as confident, curious and capable learners.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children, including those who may face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and carers and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 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. Local authority: Westmorland and Furness

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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. 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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