Martin, Louise Mary

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2745777 Registered with Ofsted: 12/04/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes clear, consistent, and age-appropriate routines that children follow with confidence and independence. Children are settled, secure, and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging within the setting. They form warm and positive relationships with the nurturing childminder and behave exceptionally well. Children show high levels of respect, kindness, and consideration towards both their peers and adults. They are happy, engaged, and respond positively to the childminder's guidance and expectations. For example, before mealtimes, children independently wash their hands and willingly take on responsibilities, such as helping to distribute bowls and forks to their friends. This demonstrates their secure understanding of routines, expectations, and the importance of contributing to the setting community.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is kind, patient, and highly supportive, providing an excellent role model for children. She consistently promotes positive behaviour through her calm interactions and clear expectations. The childminder encourages children to share resources, take turns, and support one another during activities. For example, she gently encourages older children to demonstrate to younger peers how to safely carry and use buckets of water. These opportunities help children to develop empathy, cooperation, and positive social skills, while also strengthening their confidence and relationships with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder places a strong emphasis on promoting regular attendance and punctuality. She works closely with families to build positive and trusting relationships, enabling a shared understanding of the importance of consistent attendance and established routines. As a result, children benefit from regular participation in meaningful learning experiences and develop the confidence, independence, and positive learning behaviours that prepare them well for the next stage of their education.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder creates a warm, welcoming, and stimulating environment where children are happy, settled, and feel safe and valued. Clear and consistent routines help children develop a secure sense of security and confidence, and they follow these routines with ease. For example, children benefit from dedicated quiet times and comfortable spaces to share stories with adults. These opportunities support children to relax, self-regulate, and enjoy meaningful interactions, which contribute positively to their emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder actively promotes healthy lifestyles and encourages children to develop independence through everyday experiences. Children enjoy a range of nutritious snacks, including melon, banana, apple, and yoghurt, while developing their fine motor skills as they carefully thread pieces of fruit onto sticks. The childminder also provides opportunities for physical development and safe risk-taking. For example, she supports younger children to confidently operate a ride-on train, while engaging older children in conversations about holidays and travel. These experiences extend children's understanding of the world around them, promote personal safety awareness, and foster growing independence and decision- making skills.

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Expected standard

Children receive consistent praise and encouragement for their efforts and achievements. The childminder is attentive to children's emotional needs and sensitively supports them to manage feelings such as frustration or disappointment. She provides comfort, reassurance, and gentle guidance to help children recognise, understand, and express their emotions appropriately. As a result, children develop secure emotional wellbeing, increasing self- confidence, and a growing ability to regulate their feelings and interactions with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally develop well and make steady progress from their individual starting points. As a result of the childminder's support, gaps in learning are narrowing over time. However, there are occasions when children's learning is not extended sufficiently to deepen their understanding and thinking. Consequently, some children are not consistently challenged to sustain their engagement, concentration, and involvement in activities for longer periods.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children steadily acquire the knowledge and skills they need to move successfully to the next stage of their education. They develop a growing vocabulary through meaningful interactions, learning and using words such as 'melon' and 'squishy'. Children also build their early mathematical understanding by learning concepts such as 'tall' and 'small'. Children strengthen their fine motor skills and hand-to-eye coordination when engaging in mark-making activities and sensory activities such as sand play. This is further enhanced when children skilfully use plastic knives to cut up their bananas. Overall, these experiences broaden children's understanding of the world and encourage deeper thinking.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear vision for what she wants children to achieve and has designed a broad, ambitious curriculum that encompasses all areas of learning and is thoughtfully sequenced to build on children's existing knowledge and skills. She aims to support children to become confident, articulate, and independent learners who are well prepared for their next stage of education. The childminder regularly assesses children's progress and shares this information with parents. She uses her assessments effectively to plan purposeful learning experiences that build on children's interests and support their individual next steps.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides meaningful opportunities for children to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, while children explore the water wall, she encourages them to operate the taps independently and investigate how water flows through the system. She sensitively guides them to fill and empty containers while engaging them in purposeful conversations about drainpipes and their function. The childminder also encourages children to identify and name objects, such as sailing boats, helping to extend their communication and language skills. However, at times, the childminder does not further challenge children's thinking to sustain their engagement in activities, which limits the depth of their learning. The childminder supports children's early mathematical development through everyday play experiences, encouraging them to count aloud and recognise colours. She also helps

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

children to identify and express their emotions, supporting the development of their emotional resilience and self-awareness. In addition, children benefit from a wide range of physical activities that promote their gross motor development, balance, and coordination, contributing positively to their overall health and wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children and is committed to ensuring that every child is supported to achieve their full potential. She uses effective systems to identify emerging needs at an early stage and demonstrates a secure understanding of how to adapt the environment and provision to meet individual requirements. The childminder understands the importance of taking a graduated, step-by-step approach when supporting children who may face barriers to learning. She engages in regular professional development to strengthen her knowledge and skills. However, she has not embedded this training more consistently into practice to further enhance children's learning experiences and outcomes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder develops positive and effective partnerships with other professionals, including inclusion specialists, working collaboratively to ensure children receive appropriate support. She also recognises the importance of building relationships with parents and carers, enabling information to be shared effectively and intervention strategies to be implemented successfully. This collaborative approach helps children make progress towards their next steps in learning in a timely manner.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder maintains detailed records of children's progress and development. She shares this information regularly with parents and, where appropriate, with other professionals, such as health visitors. This ensures that children benefit from a coordinated and holistic approach to support, helping to promote their wellbeing, development, and learning outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear and accurate understanding of the strengths of her setting, as well as the areas that require further development. She demonstrates a reflective approach to her practice and is committed to continuous improvement. Through regular self- evaluation, she identifies priorities for development and actively seeks opportunities to enhance her knowledge and skills. She is ambitious for the children in her care and strives to provide a high-quality learning environment that gives them the best possible start to their early education.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has established effective partnerships with the local community and a range of external professionals, including local authority advisers and support services. She works closely and collaboratively with her co-childminder, sharing ideas, reflecting on practice, and identifying creative ways to enhance the quality of the provision. The childminder is proactive in seeking guidance and advice regarding professional development opportunities and carefully considers training that will strengthen her expertise and support children's development. However, she has not yet implemented this into practice at her setting to benefit children's learning and outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are a particular strength of the setting. The childminder has developed positive, trusting relationships with families and maintains regular, effective communication. Parents speak highly of the care, support, and education their children receive and value being kept informed about their child's experiences, progress, and achievements. They appreciate the childminder's nurturing approach and recognise the positive impact she has on their children's development, including the progress they make towards important learning milestones. These robust partnerships contribute to a collaborative approach to supporting children's learning and wellbeing.

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

Children are happy, settled, and enjoy attending this setting. They attend regularly, supported by the childminder's effective systems for monitoring attendance and establishing consistent routines. Children benefit from a stimulating and well-planned environment that reflects their individual needs and interests. They enjoy exploring a wide range of meaningful learning experiences that promote their curiosity, independence, and overall development. As a result, children make steady progress and develop the skills needed for successful transitions to the next stage of their education.

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

The childminder is warm, nurturing, and supportive. She encourages children to make independent choices about their play and learning. For example, when children choose to use the stepping stones in the garden, she gently guides them to move carefully and confidently, helping to develop their balance and coordination. The childminder also encourages children to take turns while using the stepping stones, which supports the development of their social skills, cooperation, and understanding of others.

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

Children form warm and trusting relationships with the childminder, who is highly attentive and responsive to their individual needs. She provides comfort and reassurance when required, helping children to feel safe, secure, and valued. The childminder sensitively supports children to recognise, understand, and express their emotions, laying robust foundations for emotional resilience and wellbeing. Through consistent encouragement, praise, and recognition of their achievements, children develop positive self-esteem, confidence, and a sense of belonging within the setting.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 18:30,Wednesday,Friday : 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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Next steps

The childminder should continue to enrich her interactions with the children and extend their learning further to support children's participation for extended periods. The childminder should continue to engage in professional development to further develop skills and expertise to benefit all children's learning and outcomes.

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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. This data is from 2 July 2026

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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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