Wilkinson, Gail Elisabeth

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2785798 Registered with Ofsted: 20/06/2024 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of her practice. She knows children exceptionally well and provides calm, responsive care that reflects their individual needs and stages of development. Personal care routines are managed sensitively and respectfully, ensuring children's privacy and dignity are maintained at all times. When children require reassurance or additional support, the childminder responds patiently and thoughtfully, adapting her approach to meet their needs while promoting their confidence and emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's health and safety are promoted consistently throughout the day. Robust hygiene practices are embedded during everyday routines, including after outdoor play and before meals. Mealtimes are relaxed, sociable experiences where the childminder sits with children, models safe eating and supports them to develop independence as they pour drinks, use open cups and practise age-appropriate skills safely. Children benefit from well- established routines that promote healthy lifestyles while enabling them to become increasingly confident in managing their own needs. Safe sleep arrangements are implemented consistently, with careful monitoring, appropriate room conditions and regular checks to ensure children's welfare is maintained.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder gives equal attention to children's welfare beyond the home. Careful risk assessment, effective supervision and clear safety routines enable children to benefit from regular outings and community experiences while remaining safe. She teaches children how to manage risks appropriate to their age, such as using utensils safely at mealtimes and following expectations when out in the community. Her secure safeguarding knowledge underpins every aspect of her practice, ensuring children are protected while enjoying a wide range of experiences that support their physical, social and emotional wellbeing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make positive progress from their individual starting points. They develop increasing confidence, independence, communication and social skills through play, daily routines and experiences in the local community. Children use what they know in everyday situations, including when they manage routines, make choices and interact with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's achievements are reflected in the skills they develop over time. They become increasingly confident communicators, develop greater independence in managing everyday routines and apply new knowledge in their play and conversations. Children make progress in their physical development as their confidence grows when tackling new challenges, while their expanding vocabulary is evident as they confidently use new words, including Spanish colours and numbers inspired by their interests. These achievements prepare children well for the next stage of their learning. Children who need extra help with their learning and development take part in daily routines and experiences alongside their peers. They benefit from adapted activities and support that help them experience success. Children's next steps and progress over time are not always clear enough to show precisely how their learning and support are being built on.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children quickly become familiar with the daily routines and expectations of the setting. They move confidently between activities and transitions, understanding what comes next and responding positively to the childminder's guidance. Familiar routines help children feel secure, giving them the confidence to make choices, take responsibility for small tasks and participate fully throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour and consistently promotes kindness, respect and consideration for others. Children learn to listen carefully, wait for their turn, share resources and use good manners in their everyday interactions. They respond well to gentle reminders and encouragement, enabling them to resolve minor disagreements and return quickly to purposeful play. As a result, children develop positive relationships and show increasing self-control and consideration for those around them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Well-established routines provide children with a clear sense of structure and consistency throughout the day. Children understand what is expected of them during group activities, mealtimes, outings and play, helping transitions to take place calmly and purposefully. Attendance is monitored appropriately. The childminder follows up unexpected absences or late arrivals promptly, which helps support children's safety and wellbeing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children who need additional support with their learning and development are successfully included in these routines through appropriate adaptations and sensitive support. This enables all children to participate alongside their peers and develop the confidence, independence and positive attitudes that prepare them well for the next stage of their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children benefit from a curriculum that reflects their interests, stages of development and everyday experiences. The childminder carefully balances child-led and adult-guided learning, using spontaneous moments alongside planned experiences to build children's knowledge and understanding. Stories, songs, conversations and purposeful play are used throughout the day to extend learning in meaningful ways. For example, when a child's interest in Spanish words emerged, the childminder incorporated Spanish colours into everyday learning, building on the child's curiosity and information shared by parents. This responsive approach helps children make connections between their interests, home experiences and new learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is purposeful and skilfully embedded in children's play. During activities such as construction, ball play and snack times, the childminder introduces mathematical language, counting and spatial concepts naturally through discussion and questioning. When children encounter difficulty, she adapts her teaching to support understanding. For example, she recognised when a child was confidently reciting numbers from memory and modelled touch-counting to help them develop a secure understanding of one-to-one correspondence. As a result, children remain engaged, develop confidence as learners and build secure foundations for future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children are encouraged to express themselves freely through imaginative play and dressing up, while stories celebrating similarities, differences and individuality help them develop respect for themselves and others. These experiences encourage children to become curious, open-minded learners.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is reflective about how she builds on children's learning over time. She recognises that being clearer about what children need to learn next, and sharing this more effectively with parents, would help show how activities build on what children already know and can do.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children experience an environment where they are valued as individuals and included in all aspects of daily life. Strong partnerships with parents give the childminder a secure understanding of children's individual needs, interests and stages of development. This means she can adapt routines, play experiences and interactions to provide appropriate levels of support and challenge, helping children to participate confidently and make progress from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusion is embedded throughout the childminder's practice. She responds thoughtfully to children's differing ages, stages of development and emerging needs, adapting her approach to help children develop confidence, independence and positive relationships. Carefully selected and adapted community experiences ensure children can participate safely, learn alongside others and enjoy the same opportunities as their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children who require additional support benefit from timely adaptations and consistent partnership working with parents and other professionals. This helps children take part in daily routines, play and community experiences alongside their peers. Overall, children develop a strong sense of belonging, feel respected as individuals and are supported to make progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear commitment to providing children with safe, caring and positive experiences. She has an appropriate understanding of the strengths of her provision and has identified priorities to continue improving her practice. She reflects thoughtfully on her work, values professional discussion and responds positively to feedback. The childminder actively seeks advice, guidance and training, recognising the importance of working with others to develop her knowledge and practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains policies, procedures and records to support the running of the setting. She understands her statutory responsibilities and implements these in day-to-day practice. Partnerships with parents support the sharing of information about children's care, learning and development. Where children require additional support, the childminder works with parents and other professionals to help meet their needs. The childminder demonstrates a positive attitude towards continuous improvement. She has identified relevant priorities, including strengthening how she identifies what children need to learn next, how she reviews the impact of improvements and professional development, and how she builds her knowledge of special educational needs and/or disabilities. These priorities help guide the continued development of her setting.

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

From the moment they arrive, children settle quickly into familiar routines and confidently choose from the activities and resources available. They feel safe, secure and emotionally settled because they have warm, trusting relationships with the childminder, who knows them exceptionally well and responds sensitively to their individual needs. Throughout the day, opportunities to talk, listen, sing, share stories and play alongside the childminder help children develop their communication, language and early mathematical understanding in meaningful, everyday situations. Learning reflects their interests and experiences, keeping them engaged, curious and eager to explore.

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

Daily routines encourage increasing independence. Whether washing their hands, helping to prepare for snack and lunch, pouring drinks, using open cups or making choices about their play, children take pride in doing more for themselves and grow in confidence as a result. Regular visits to parks, libraries, playgroups and other community activities broaden children's experiences beyond the home. These outings help them develop friendships, build confidence in different environments and gain a growing understanding of the world around them, while supporting their physical, social and emotional development.

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

Warm interactions and consistent expectations help children learn to share, take turns, wait patiently and use good manners. Those with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities experience the same rich opportunities as their peers because activities, routines and community experiences are adapted to meet their individual needs. Parents describe their children as happy, settled and making good progress in their confidence, communication, independence and social skills. Overall, children leave each day feeling secure, valued and well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen how she identifies what children need to learn next, so that activities build more consistently on what children already know and can do, and

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data is from 16 July 2026 parents understand children's next steps in learning. The childminder should continue to build her knowledge and confidence in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to enable her to plan, review and evaluate support as children's needs develop and change. The childminder should strengthen how she reviews the impact of improvements and professional development on children's experiences, to help her identify priorities for further development.

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

This inspection was carried out 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

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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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