Driver, Shannon Mia Olivia

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2799183 Registered with Ofsted: 19/09/2024 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those with inclusion needs, typically make progress in their learning from their individual starting points. Babies begin to make sounds during play, say single words and develop an early understanding of language. They enjoy stories and songs, joining in with musical instruments and dancing in time to a rhythm. Babies develop physical skills, take tentative first steps and grin at the resounding praise given for their effort and achievement. Children use their imaginations and enjoy sensory exploration as they play with toy farm animals during 'edible mud' activities. Children begin to carry out basic tasks for themselves, such as wiping their hands and pouring a drink. They begin to show thought for others and develop an awareness of how their actions may affect one another. Children are generally prepared appropriately for their next stage of education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model, and children enjoy close and warm attachments to her. Babies gleefully accept morning cuddles from her, for example, as they separate from their parents and carers. Children learn to get along and play together, with older children generally being mindful of those who are younger or require more care. For instance, older children kindly pass books to babies as they wait for their snack. The childminder reinforces behavioural expectations, adapting her approach with children's different ages and stages of development in mind. Children generally respond appropriately to instructions and prompts, and typically behave well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is calm and deals with minor disagreements and frustrations appropriately, promoting respect and empathy. Children begin to learn about their feelings and responses. The childminder has appropriate expectations for all children's achievement. She typically encourages children to maintain positive attitudes towards their play. Children generally benefit from familiar routines, supported through regular, prompt attendance. They enjoy regular group sessions, such as at the library and playgroups.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has an appropriate understanding of child development and how to assess what children need to learn. She plans appropriate next steps for children's development and understands how to sequence learning to build on what they already know and can do. The childminder understands how to adapt the curriculum to help children with inclusion needs to make progress. The childminder encourages children to join group activities, developing their social skills. Children learn to manage some basic self-care tasks and begin to understand how their actions might affect others, through the childminder's sensitive discussions and prompts.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

While the childminder plans appropriate activities and experiences and provides suitable resources, her focus is regularly on supervising children and managing everyday tasks, which limits how well she delivers consistently high-quality interactions and teaching. Some interactions support children well, for instance to develop their emerging speech and

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Needs attention

communication skills. The childminder promotes a love of books, linking children's learning to stories and familiar texts, for instance. Children enjoy gathering around the childminder to listen to favourite books, sing and join in with instruments. Children develop large- and small-muscle skills. They climb on indoor and outdoor play equipment and fill and empty containers during water play, for instance. This supports them to learn some mathematical concepts and early counting skills. Children generally make typical progress in their learning and development, in preparation for their next stage of education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates suitable understanding and experience of supporting children with inclusion needs. Although she does not currently have any children on roll who require additional support, she understands how to adapt her provision and practice as needed. The childminder tracks and monitors all children's progress appropriately, to help her identify any gaps in their development and learning. She understands how to assess and address any emerging needs and how to hold early discussions with parents and carers to enable a collaborative approach to support.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has completed some training around supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and is keen to continue this to enhance her knowledge and skills in this area further. She understands how to support children and families facing disadvantage or with challenging circumstances. She knows how to access additional funding to help all children attend regularly and engage fully in the provision. The childminder understands that some children's learning is best measured in smaller steps. She celebrates each effort and achievement, helping all children to make progress from their individual starting points. The childminder understands how and when to seek further advice and support to ensure children receive timely support. She demonstrates a positive approach to inclusion that typically supports all children to thrive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not consider how she organises and uses the learning environments sufficiently, to promote children's health, wellbeing and understanding of safety consistently well. For instance, some activities are unsuitable for the room or for the group, and make floors slippery, posing a risk for children who are new to walking. While the childminder promotes some aspects of health and hygiene, these are not implemented consistently enough to help children form secure habits early on. The childminder does not have current knowledge of guidance around eating, to help her support children, parents and carers with their weaning and food choices. She does generally promote healthy eating for children and understands how to keep them safe around food. The childminder supervises children closely. Therefore, despite weaknesses in practice, they remain safe in her care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder understands how to ensure children are safe as they sleep. She has completed some training on this to support her practice. She understands how to adapt her approach towards supporting children, with their individual needs and circumstances in mind. For instance, she adapts sleep routines to support children's and families' requirements and to align with their routines from home, where possible. Children benefit from close bonds with the childminder and her family, and feel secure enough to express their feelings and emotions in her care and home.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has not kept up to date with sector changes or current guidance to help her promote children's welfare and wellbeing effectively. She has not focused her professional learning on key areas to support her confidence in practice and to help her fulfil her role effectively. For instance, she does not always engage well enough with parents and carers to promote key areas of children's development.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder does demonstrate a generally positive attitude towards advice and ideas to help improve her practice. She completes mandatory training and some additional training, such as around safe sleeping. The childminder engages in relevant discussions with other childminders and has links with her local authority for support. She has plans to source further professional development opportunities to extend her knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder generally builds positive relationships with parents, and they value the bonds and experiences their children have with her. She chats with parents each day and gives them some information about what their children's day has looked like, the activities they have been involved in and what they have enjoyed.

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

The childminder has not kept up to date with some sector changes and guidance to help underpin her practice. This does not support her confidence to fulfil all aspects of her role sufficiently well. For instance, while relationships with parents and carers are generally positive, she does not always support them consistently well to enhance children's development and learning. She does not always organise learning environments and activities well enough to support children's welfare and wellbeing consistently and to high levels.

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

Children enjoy warm relationships with the childminder and her family, and benefit from her calm manner. They enjoy their time with her and learn to play and get along with others. Children typically learn and develop foundational knowledge and skills to support them as they prepare to move on to their next stage in education, whether this is to another setting, a pre-school or school. Children, including those with barriers to learning, are generally supported to make progress across the areas of learning. All children and their families are welcomed, and the childminder tailors routines and makes adaptations where possible to accommodate unique needs and circumstances. For instance, the childminder is flexible with attendance patterns, where possible, to enable children to spend time with other family members while maintaining regular attendance.

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

Children learn and play, both inside and outdoors, at the childminder's home. They also benefit from outings and regular groups, such as to parks and playgroups, where they mix with other childminders and children. They enjoy library sessions, where they sing, dance and engage with stories. The childminder typically knows children well and understands their needs and routines from home. She understands what they need to learn next and generally plans appropriate activities and experiences to help build on what they already know and can do.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

improve the organisation of the learning environments to promote children's health, hygiene and safety effectively, at all times of the day 12/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

focus professional learning to ensure current knowledge of sector changes and guidance, particularly to promote children's welfare and wellbeing effectively 12/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

establish professional relationships with parents and carers, to help support children's development and next steps in learning effectively 12/08/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children, parents and carers 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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About this setting

Operating hours: Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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