Gabrielle Samson

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY563403 Registered with Ofsted: 23/10/2018 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 achieve highly across all areas of learning from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge and confidence they need for future success. They achieve particularly well in communication and language, confidently expressing their ideas, recalling previous learning and using an increasingly wide vocabulary during conversations, stories and play.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children consistently demonstrate sustained concentration, curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, enabling them to build securely on what they already know and can do. They successfully apply confident early mathematical understanding and problem-solving skills as they use appropriate language in meaningful contexts, such as 'big, small, more' and 'less', during play and snack preparation.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children become increasingly independent, resilient and confident as they manage personal care routines, solve problems and persevere with new challenges. Those who have experienced temporary barriers to their learning or development receive effective, personalised support tailored to their needs that enables them to continue making consistent progress alongside their peers. Consequently, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning because they acquire the essential, age-appropriate skills and positive attitudes they need to thrive, both now and in the future.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established a calm, nurturing and highly inclusive environment, where children understand the expectations for behaviour and routines and respond positively to the consistent guidance they receive. Warm, respectful relationships underpin children's experiences, enabling them to feel emotionally secure, valued and confident to explore their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder consistently models kindness, respect and good manners throughout the day, helping children to develop empathy, consideration and positive relationships with one another. Children collaborate well, willingly share resources, wait patiently for their turn and celebrate each other's achievements. They demonstrate consistently positive attitudes to learning, sustaining high levels of concentration, curiosity and motivation as they participate in activities and follow their interests.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Daily routines are well established and support children to develop increasing independence, such as persevering when putting on dressing-up clothes, cutting their own fruit, tidying away resources and carrying their plates to the kitchen. The childminder responds sensitively to children's individual ages, stages of development and personal circumstances, adapting her expectations and support to ensure every child succeeds. She works closely with parents to promote regular attendance and maintain consistent routines, recognising the importance of children attending regularly to benefit fully from the curriculum and build secure relationships. As a result, children behave exceptionally well, develop strong social skills and demonstrate the confidence, resilience and self-regulation needed for their next stage of learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of her practice, ensuring they feel safe, secure and emotionally supported throughout the day. Very positive, responsive relationships enable children to develop a secure sense of belonging and confidence to explore, learn and express their feelings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder knows each child well and provides individualised care that responds effectively to their changing needs, including children who experience temporary barriers to their learning or physical development. Children are supported to understand and manage their emotions through sensitive guidance and consistent reassurance, helping them to develop resilience, self-confidence and positive relationships with others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles well. Children learn about good hygiene through established and consistent routines, they enjoy nutritious snacks, are encouraged to keep hydrated and are supported to eat safely while developing increasing independence at mealtimes. Physical development is promoted through daily outdoor play, visits within the community and opportunities to develop strength, coordination and balance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children learn how to keep themselves safe through clear routines, gentle reminders and well-managed experiences that encourage them to assess appropriate risks while exploring confidently. Close partnerships with parents ensure children's individual care, health and wellbeing needs are understood and consistently met. As a result, all children, regardless of their background or individual circumstances, thrive in a caring, inclusive environment, where their welfare and emotional wellbeing are given high priority.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder delivers an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that enables children to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need across all areas of learning. She has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn and uses her secure knowledge of each child's interests, starting points and stage of development to adapt teaching and provide appropriate challenge. There is a particularly strong focus on developing children's communication and language. For example, the childminder consistently models rich vocabulary, asks well-considered questions and encourages children to think, recall, predict and explain their ideas, enabling them to become confident and articulate communicators from a young age.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Mathematical learning is woven naturally into everyday experiences as the childminder supports children to count, recognise numerals, compare size, identify patterns and use mathematical language during play, routines and activities. Ongoing assessment is used effectively to identify what children know, can do and need to learn next, ensuring teaching remains responsive to individual needs and supports children to make continuous and highly effective progress.

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Expected standard

The curriculum is inclusive and accessible, enabling all children to participate successfully and achieve extremely well, including those who experience temporary barriers to their learning or development. High-quality interactions sustain children's curiosity, concentration and motivation to learn, while carefully planned experiences build on prior learning and prepare children successfully for their next stage of education, including school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Overall, the childminder has established an inclusive environment, where children are known well as individuals and their differing needs, interests and starting points are typically considered, when planning learning and care. Effective assessment procedures enable the childminder to identify children, who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, at an early stage and to adapt experiences accordingly. Although there are currently no children in receipt of additional funding, with special educational needs and/or disabilities or known to children's social care, the childminder demonstrates an appropriate understanding of the processes for identifying concerns, reducing barriers and seeking timely support from external professionals.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents to share information about children's achievements, wellbeing and next steps, helping to provide consistency between home and the setting. Children are treated with kindness and respect, and the childminder promotes an inclusive ethos, where everyone is valued. She encourages children to understand that people may have different backgrounds, experiences and needs. However, opportunities to deepen children's understanding of their own identities, similarities and differences, and what makes themselves and others unique are not yet fully embedded within the curriculum. Nevertheless, children benefit from an inclusive approach that supports them to feel safe, valued and fully involved in the life of the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children who experience temporary barriers to their development are supported effectively through personalised next steps and close partnership working with parents, enabling them to make continuous progress from their starting points. Regular observations, ongoing assessment and open communication with families ensure that children's changing needs are monitored and responded to promptly.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear commitment to providing high-quality care and education and has generally established effective systems to monitor the quality of the provision. She typically reflects on her practice, seeks the views of parents and children, and uses this information to make improvements that positively enhance children's experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains the required knowledge and training to fulfil her roles and responsibilities and implements robust procedures to promote children's safety, health and wellbeing. She demonstrates a positive attitude towards her own professional development and undertakes relevant mandatory training to support her knowledge and practice. However, she has not fully identified priorities for targeting and strengthening her expertise and wider professional development opportunities to embed the culture of continuous improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of the curriculum and children's individual needs, enabling her to evaluate the progress children make and adapt experiences to support their continued development. She works closely with parents and, where required, other professionals to ensure children receive consistent support and that any emerging concerns are identified and addressed promptly. Overall, leadership is effective in ensuring that children are safe, included and make consistent progress from their starting points.

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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 flourish in this warm, nurturing and welcoming setting, where they develop secure relationships with the childminder and feel safe, valued and included. They demonstrate a positive sense of belonging because the childminder knows the children and families really well. She responds thoughtfully to their individual interests, personalities and stages of development.

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

Children are confident to make choices throughout the day, selecting resources independently, choosing stories they would like to hear and deciding whether to join adult- led experiences or continue with their own play. High-quality interactions consistently enrich children's learning. The childminder skilfully extends conversations, introduces ambitious vocabulary and encourages children to think, predict, recall and solve problems through meaningful play and shared discussions. Children develop particularly strong communication and language skills as they confidently express their ideas, talk about their experiences and eagerly participate in conversations. They sustain high levels of engagement during stories, interactive games and practical activities, showing curiosity, motivation and enjoyment in learning.

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

Children benefit from a broad range of experiences that support all areas of learning, including regular visits within the local community, outdoor play, music groups and opportunities to explore the wider world. They develop secure early mathematical understanding as they count, compare size, recognise numerals and patterns and use mathematical language naturally throughout the day.

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

Children become increasingly independent as they prepare their snack, practise self-care routines, tidy away resources and confidently manage age-appropriate tasks. They learn to be kind, respectful and considerate, sharing resources, waiting patiently for their turn and celebrating one another's achievements. Children respond positively to the high expectations for their behaviour, and consistently demonstrate empathy, resilience and positive attitudes to learning.

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

Children are supported to develop healthy lifestyles, understand personal hygiene and keep themselves safe. They make notable progress from their starting points, including those who have experienced temporary barriers to their learning or development, and gain the confidence, knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of learning, including school.

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Next steps

The childminder should support children to further develop their knowledge and understanding of their similarities and differences and what makes them unique. The childminder should make more effective use of reflective practice to prioritise wider professional development opportunities, strengthening expertise and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and reviewed parent's feedback 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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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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