Searle, Patrick Robert

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2823775 Registered with Ofsted: 12/03/2025 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 Strong standard

Children make consistent progress from their individual starting points because the childminder knows them exceptionally well and provides learning experiences that build successfully on what they already know and can do.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop excellent communication skills. Younger children rapidly increase their vocabulary through rich conversations, songs, stories and purposeful interactions, while older children confidently explain their thinking, answer questions and engage in sustained conversations. Children experience targeted strategies, such as daily phonics activities. These individualised strategies have significantly improved communication and language outcomes for children requiring additional support.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children encounter mathematical concepts as part of their daily routines and play experiences, helping them to build a strong foundation for future learning. They use counting skills for a variety of purposes, notice similarities and differences in quantity, explore shapes and patterns, and develop an understanding of position and direction through practical experiences. Children are encouraged to test their ideas, make decisions and find solutions. This promotes their independent thinking.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate high levels of concentration and enthusiasm as they explore a rich variety of activities. They eagerly investigate sensory resources, design and adapt intricate train track layouts, draw upon past experiences to enhance their play, and actively participate in favourite stories, rhymes and songs. Their imaginative ideas, determination to overcome challenges, and ability to remain focused for extended periods reflect the positive learning behaviours that support ongoing development and future success. Children leave the setting as confident, capable learners who are well prepared for their transition to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate extremely positive attitudes because routines are well established and consistently reinforced by caring adults who have high expectations for behaviour. Children understand daily routines and move confidently between activities. They listen attentively, follow instructions promptly and cooperate extremely well during group experiences, transitions and mealtimes. Even the youngest children participate successfully because the childminder provides sensitive support while maintaining consistent expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Behaviour is excellent. Children share resources willingly, take turns, use good manners naturally and demonstrate genuine kindness towards one another. The childminder consistently models respectful relationships and encourages children to consider how their actions affect others. For example, when an older child helps a younger one, they comment, 'I helped her.' The childminder replies, 'You did help her. How do you think that made her feel?' This helps children develop empathy alongside a secure understanding of the positive impact their actions can have on others. Children demonstrate increasing resilience and perseverance. The childminder encourages children to keep trying when tasks become challenging, offering carefully judged support that enables children to experience success independently. This approach develops children's confidence and willingness to tackle new experiences. The calm, purposeful

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

atmosphere enables children to concentrate for sustained periods, collaborate successfully with their peers and enjoy learning together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works in close partnership with parents to promote consistently good attendance, helping families understand the importance of regular participation in children's learning and development. As a result, children attend regularly, settle quickly into familiar routines and benefit from the continuity of experiences that supports their progress.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's emotional wellbeing is at the heart of the provision. Warm, affectionate relationships ensure children feel safe, secure and valued from the moment they arrive. Children's health and wellbeing are central to everyday practice. They learn about healthy lifestyles, hydration and staying safe in the sun through practical experiences that help them understand how to care for themselves. When children need reassurance, the childminder responds immediately with warmth and sensitivity, helping them quickly regain confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder knows children exceptionally well and responds quickly to their individual emotional needs. Children who become unsettled receive calm reassurance and nurturing support that enables them to regain confidence before returning happily to play and learning. The childminder is highly attuned to children's cues and adapts his approach sensitively according to individual needs. For example, when a child is on the edge of the water play, the childminder knows without the child showing any signs of discomfort that they are not enjoying the activity. Once they are moved away and singing songs with them, the child is soon laughing and smiling.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Healthy lifestyles are promoted consistently throughout the day. Children learn about hydration, sun safety, healthy eating and physical activity through practical experiences and meaningful conversations. Opportunities to grow vegetables encourage children to develop positive attitudes towards healthy foods while understanding where food comes from.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The outdoor environment is thoughtfully designed to promote physical development while enabling children to assess and manage appropriate risks safely. Children climb, balance, ride, explore and investigate with confidence because adults have created an environment that is both stimulating and secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop an exceptionally strong sense of belonging. They confidently approach the childminder, his assistants and visitors to share their ideas, demonstrating the trusting relationships they have formed. Every child is known, valued and celebrated as an individual, enabling them to flourish emotionally, socially and physically.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is ambitious and well considered. Learning is carefully woven into children's play through purposeful interactions. Communication and language underpin every aspect of teaching. The childminder introduces ambitious vocabulary naturally, encouraging children to use new words such as 'reflection' when using a mirror to check if they have successfully cleaned their face after snack and 'magnet' when looking at how the toy trains connect together when creating and playing with the train track. Skilled questioning extends children's thinking while allowing conversations to develop according to children's own interests and ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder successfully follows children's interests to extend learning. Children interested in transport explore counting, shape, colour, direction and positional language through train tracks and vehicles. Favourite songs are incorporated into group experiences, increasing children's confidence while promoting rhythm, language and social interaction.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Sensory experiences are exceptionally well planned. Children investigate texture, movement, colour and change through activities involving foam, water and malleable materials. The childminder models descriptive language, encourages prediction and supports children to explain what they notice, promoting scientific thinking from an early age.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Mathematics is successfully integrated throughout the curriculum. Children compare sizes, identify shapes, count objects, recognise patterns and solve practical problems during meaningful play experiences. The childminder revisits previous learning and encourages children to recall earlier experiences before extending their understanding further.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is characterised by warm relationships, shared thinking and genuine enjoyment. The childminder listens attentively, values children's contributions and provides sensitive encouragement that enables children to persevere when faced with challenge. As a result, children remain highly engaged and develop positive attitudes towards learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is embedded throughout every aspect of the provision. Every child is valued as an individual and experiences a genuine sense of belonging. The childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of children's individual circumstances and adapts his practice sensitively to meet differing needs. Children experiencing emotional difficulties receive calm, responsive one-to-one support that enables them to regulate successfully before rejoining their friends. The childminder responds quickly to children's changing emotional needs while maintaining a calm and reassuring environment for everyone.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children with medical, dietary and cultural needs participate fully in all aspects of the provision. Mealtimes are carefully organised so children with allergies remain safe without feeling separated from their peers. Menus are thoughtfully adapted to meet religious and cultural requirements while ensuring children continue to share the same experiences as their friends.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Mixed-age learning is a particular strength. Older children naturally model kindness, cooperation and independence, while younger children benefit from observing these behaviours. The childminder skilfully adapts activities so children of different ages and stages of development participate successfully together. For example, when tabletop activities are provided, different seating and standing options are provided so all children are able to experience the full activity. Activities are designed with all ages and stages of development in mind. Sensory activities incorporate the tactile learning experience for the youngest children with colour mixing and counting for the older children. The childminder is clear on the children's current development and next steps, which means one activity can be personalised to each child's current stage.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children's interests, family experiences and individual personalities are celebrated throughout the curriculum. Favourite songs, familiar routines and meaningful conversations ensure every child feels recognised, listened to and valued.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder provides purposeful and reflective leadership that places children's welfare, learning and inclusion at the centre of every decision. He has established a nurturing culture where he and his assistants work as a cohesive team, sharing high expectations for children's development and wellbeing. The childminder describes his assistants as an extension of the family.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder carefully evaluates risks and adapts provision to meet children's changing needs. For example, when children with allergies attend, adjustments are made to the seating arrangements at mealtimes. Children with allergies sit with the childminder on one side and an older child on the other. This ensures that children remain included but risks are minimised. The childminder is thoughtful about which foods are offered so that no child feels different.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Professional relationships with families are a significant strength. The childminder has an excellent understanding of children's lives beyond the setting, discussing recent family events, celebrations, interests and achievements confidently. This strong partnership enables adults to respond sensitively to children's emotional needs and ensures learning builds effectively from children's experiences at home.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Resources and experiences are carefully considered to ensure every child and family feels represented and respected. For example, all types of families are spoken about when talking about the children's home lives. Decisions are thoughtful and purposeful, reflecting the childminder's commitment to helping children develop an understanding of the wider world from an early age.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder continually reflects on practice and successfully creates a culture where children's happiness, safety and development remain the shared responsibility of the whole team. This thorough oversight supports the childminder and his assistants to access training that is specific to the needs of the children who attend. This ensures all children are extremely well supported to make consistent progress.

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

Children eagerly enter this inviting, supportive childcare environment. They are met by the childminder, who understands the children thoroughly and deeply respects their distinct individuality. Warm, trusting relationships help children feel emotionally secure, enabling them to confidently share their ideas, experiences and feelings, knowing that adults will listen with interest and respond thoughtfully.

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

Children enjoy a rich range of experiences that reflect their interests and encourage them to explore, investigate and learn through play. They delight in sensory activities, imaginative play, music, stories, construction, gardening and outdoor adventures. Adults join in enthusiastically, extending children's thinking through meaningful conversations while ensuring learning remains fun and engaging. The setting is filled with laughter, singing and purposeful play, creating a happy and stimulating environment.

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

Children develop confidence and independence from an early age. They are encouraged to make choices, help with daily routines, tidy resources and care for their environment. Older children take pride in supporting younger friends, creating a caring community where everyone feels included and valued.

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

Children communicate confidently because adults make every interaction count. Rich conversations, new vocabulary and skilful questioning encourage children to express themselves, solve problems and develop their thinking. Adults also help children understand their emotions and consider the feelings of others. As a result, children show kindness, patience and empathy, take turns willingly and demonstrate excellent behaviour throughout the day.

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

Every child has a strong sense of belonging. Their families, cultures, interests and achievements are celebrated, ensuring they feel respected, included and proud to be part of this happy childminding community. Families are well supported by the childminder to understand the importance of regular attendance.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to promote high-quality professional development among all assistants to further enhance their expertise in implementing the curriculum.

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About this inspection

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

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00

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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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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. 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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