Hamilton, Lydia Jayne

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2853260 Registered with Ofsted: 22/09/2025 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 Expected standard

Children generally make progress from their individual starting points. They develop increasing confidence in communicating. Children join in with familiar songs and rhymes, count, take turns and participate in activities with others. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities typically make progress towards their individual targets. For example, children with language delays make noticeable progress in their communication skills before starting school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with barriers to their learning benefit from targeted interventions and partnership working. This results in clear progress in their communication, independence and self-care skills. Children develop increasing confidence as they participate in familiar songs, rhymes and mathematical activities. They receive encouragement to communicate, count, take turns and join in with actions. Children also make progress in their physical development through regular opportunities to explore the outdoor environment. They develop coordination, balance and confidence as they climb, run, dig and investigate different materials. As a result, children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. They confidently share resources, celebrate one another's achievements and respond well to the childminder's gentle guidance and praise. Children who find sharing more difficult receive support and encouragement. This helps them to understand the behaviours that are valued and develop positive relationships with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder forms warm and secure attachments with children. She responds quickly to children's emotional needs and provides reassurance when required. As a result, children feel safe, settled and emotionally secure. This gives children the confidence to explore their environment and engage fully in play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Daily routines are typically well established and even the youngest children understand them. They know what is expected of them during transitions. For example, children independently return books to the bookshelf and help to tidy away resources. These routines support children's growing independence and provide a sense of security throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and carers from the outset to understand children's individual routines and care needs. This ensures children settle quickly into the provision. She promotes children's attendance effectively through clear expectations and appropriate procedures for following up unexplained absences. As a result, children generally benefit from consistent routines and positive relationships that support their emotional wellbeing and readiness to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder typically promotes children's health, safety and wellbeing effectively throughout the day. Children are generally supported to develop some positive hygiene routines. However, the childminder does not model these consistently, such as handwashing after wiping children's noses. This does not further support children's understanding of healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children receive encouragement to try a range of healthy foods and different textures. This helps them to develop positive attitudes towards eating. The childminder provides fresh and nutritious meals, alongside regular opportunities to access drinking water. This supports children's healthy lifestyles. The childminder understands children's individual dietary and medical needs well. She has detailed support plans in place for children with allergies. The childminder confidently describes the procedures she would follow in the event of an allergic reaction. She uses daily risk assessments of the indoor and outdoor environments to help to identify and remove hazards before children access the provision. This ensures children can play safely and confidently.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from regular opportunities to be physically active through outdoor play. They develop their coordination, strength and confidence. As a result, children are safe, healthy and emotionally secure. Children develop increasing independence in managing their own needs. They confidently explore their environment, knowing they are well supported.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has an understanding of what children know and need to learn next. She typically uses her ongoing assessments to develop a curriculum that builds on children's interests while supporting their communication, physical development and early mathematical understanding. The childminder works closely with her assistants to ensure children's next steps are promoted through everyday play and routines. She adapts the curriculum effectively so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can access the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports the development of children's speech and language skills effectively. For example, she sings songs and rhymes and narrates children's play to extend their range of vocabulary. The childminder provides children with further opportunities to develop their social skills and build friendships during regular weekly outings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder encourages children's thinking, such as by asking what they think will happen before the ball is dropped down the tower. Children eagerly watch the outcome. They giggle with delight as the ball emerges from the bottom. As a result, children begin to understand cause and effect, develop early prediction skills and become motivated to investigate how things work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder weaves mathematical concepts into children's play. For example, while building towers, she encourages children to count the blocks and predict what will happen when the tower is knocked down. The childminder introduces mathematical language, such as 'bigger', 'smaller', 'too big' and 'too small'. She encourages children to think about which objects will fit together. The childminder uses colours, size and shape to extend children's understanding. As a result, children begin to make early links between numbers, quantity, size and shape while developing their problem-solving and thinking skills through play.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children who may require additional support at an early stage. She works effectively with parents and carers and a range of professionals to ensure children receive the help they need. The childminder implements advice from external agencies, including speech and language therapists, paediatric services and play specialists. She typically adapts recommended strategies within her provision. The childminder reflects on the effectiveness of the support she provides. However, the childminder does not consistently embed approaches introduced by external professionals over time before she makes changes. This limits her ability to fully evaluate which strategies have the greatest impact on children's learning and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder weaves children's individual targets into everyday routines and their play. For example, she models language, narrates children's play, encourages cooperative play and uses communication resources, such as core boards. This helps children to express their needs and communicate effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder maintains effective communication with families and other providers to ensure a consistent approach to children's learning and development. She provides parents with guidance on accessing additional support and funding where appropriate. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with emerging developmental needs generally receive targeted support that helps them to make progress from their individual starting points. They develop increasing confidence in communicating with others and are better prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder typically demonstrates effective leadership. She creates a welcoming environment, where children and families are well supported. Effective partnerships with parents and carers begin before children start through a carefully planned settling-in process. The childminder gathers detailed information about children's routines, interests and individual needs. Ongoing communication is effective, with parents receiving regular updates about their children's learning and development. Parents and carers speak highly of the provision, commenting on the excellent communication, the support for children's individual needs and the consistency of care provided.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder accurately identifies areas for development and takes positive steps to improve her practice. She actively engages in professional development through the local authority and external agencies to enhance her knowledge and skills. The childminder provides regular supervision sessions, coaching and professional discussion for her assistants. She provides ongoing guidance throughout the day, alongside planned meetings. This helps to support the assistants' confidence, wellbeing, professional development and workload.

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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 are happy, settled and confident in this welcoming environment. They develop warm and secure relationships with the childminder and any assistants she works with. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their individual needs. From the moment children arrive, they receive a warm greeting and quickly become absorbed in their play. They confidently explore the environment and make their own choices. For example, children independently choose whether to explore the sand, build towers or investigate cause-and-effect toys. They demonstrate confidence in following their own interests.

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Inspector:

Jamie Fitton Children enjoy a curriculum rich in language. The childminder brings stories, songs and rhymes to life for children through expressive interactions, actions and visual prompts. For example, children eagerly join in with familiar songs. They enthusiastically copy actions, count along and identify parts of their body. During story time, the childminder uses expressive intonation and animal sounds to capture children's attention. This encourages even the youngest children to imitate familiar words and sounds.

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Inspector:

Children benefit from an inclusive environment where everyone is valued. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive individualised support that enables them to participate fully in activities alongside their peers. Children also learn about different cultures, religions and family backgrounds through books, celebrations, discussions and resources that reflect the diversity of the wider community. This helps children to develop respect and a sense of belonging from an early age.

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Inspector:

Outdoor play is an important part of children's experiences. They climb, dig, build, investigate and delight in trying new activities. Children receive encouragement to take manageable risks, celebrate one another's successes and develop their physical skills through active play. As a result, children feel safe, valued and motivated to learn. Children enjoy a rich variety of trips, including visits to the local farm, messy play and local playgroups. This helps them to develop their social skills and confidence.

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Next steps

The childminder should implement advice from external professionals consistently over time before reviewing its effectiveness, so children benefit from well-established support that meets their individual needs. The childminder should consistently model positive hygiene practices, so children develop secure personal hygiene routines and benefit from consistently high standards of care.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and her assistant during the inspection. She considered parents' written views.

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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 the 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,Friday : 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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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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