Hurley, Donna

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2765786 Registered with Ofsted: 03/07/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates a calm, nurturing environment, where children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, feel emotionally secure, confident and ready to explore and learn. She skilfully builds warm, affectionate relationships through meaningful eye contact, gentle reassurance and responsive interactions. Children feel consistently valued, flourish and develop a secure sense of belonging. Responding sensitively to children's individual needs, the childminder adapts routines to support their wellbeing. For example, she recognises when children show signs of hunger and thoughtfully adjusts snack times to meet their needs. Children benefit from time to explore, think and complete tasks at their own pace in an unhurried atmosphere, where they remain deeply engaged in play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder expertly establishes routines that promote children's independence, confidence and understanding of what is expected. Before sleep, she gently prepares children by closing the curtains, speaking quietly and encouraging them to help settle toy characters before saying goodnight. Children recognise these familiar routines, settle calmly and know what comes next. Older children independently collect their shoes and check the weather before preparing to go outdoors, taking increasing responsibility for themselves. Through praise, gentle explanations and respectful role modelling, the childminder consistently reinforces positive behaviour, helping children cooperate, consider others and manage their behaviour successfully. She promotes regular attendance and works closely with parents to emphasise the importance of consistent routines, helping children benefit from continuity in their care, learning and development. Children develop confidence,

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

resilience and a secure sense of responsibility through these nurturing approaches.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder ensures that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take part in the full range of experiences she provides. She carefully tailors her teaching, communication and daily routines to meet children's individual needs and reduce barriers to learning. The childminder adapts experiences, such as caring for animals, so that all children participate alongside one another. She gathers detailed information before children start and works closely with parents and carers. She uses observations to understand children's individual strengths, interests and needs and makes precise adaptations to her practice. She skilfully uses signs and gestures alongside spoken language, interprets children's early communication and adjusts experiences to reflect children's interests and preferred ways of learning. As a result, children participate confidently, develop a secure sense of belonging and achieve well alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder draws on a wealth of experience to adapt her practice for children with a wide range of needs. She works closely with education, health and other professionals to provide coordinated support for children and their families. She is a knowledgeable advocate for families, guiding them through assessment and support processes and seeking additional funding or specialist support when needed. This helps to secure timely support and reduces delays in children accessing the help they need.

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Expected standard

The childminder adapts the way she communicates, organises experiences and responds to children's individual needs so that all children, including children with SEND, learn and play together. She shares information effectively with parents, other providers and professionals to provide continuity in children's care, learning and development. Her highly inclusive approach ensures children and families receive consistent support, barriers to learning are minimised and children are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally make appropriate progress from their starting points. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for their age and stage of development. They continue to develop across the areas of learning and development. The childminder adapts her teaching and communication so that all children participate fully and make progress from their individual starting points. Children use an expanding range of vocabulary, recall previous experiences and express their ideas with growing confidence. Children who need additional support benefit from the use of signs and gestures alongside spoken language to help them communicate with increasing confidence. They make independent choices and confidently explore their environment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are typically well prepared for their next stage of learning. They approach learning with positive attitudes and the confidence needed to engage in new experiences and continue their learning. Children sustain their concentration during creative and sensory experiences and confidently make choices about their play, helping them build the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for future learning. These experiences help all children develop the knowledge, confidence and independence they need for their next stage of learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's health and wellbeing. She adapts her practice to meet the individual welfare needs of all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to learning. She involves children in preparing nutritious snacks and drinks and encourages them to choose between healthy options. Children share these with their friends, making snack times positive social experiences that help them develop healthy eating habits and growing independence. The childminder adapts snacks to meet children's dietary requirements, ensuring they continue to enjoy nutritious food alongside their peers. She promotes oral health by supporting children to brush their teeth each day. She explains why this is important and establishes positive oral health habits from an early age, including for babies. She works with parents and carers to encourage these routines at home.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages children to lead healthy, active lifestyles through daily walks within the local community and regular opportunities to use equipment, such as slides. She adapts these experiences so children with SEND and those who face barriers to learning participate alongside their peers. These experiences typically support children's physical development, coordination and enjoyment of being active. The childminder is not yet consistently intentional in planning experiences that challenge and extend children's physical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder designs a curriculum that helps children build their knowledge and skills in the right order. She uses this knowledge to plan children's next steps in learning and provide experiences that build on what they already know and can do.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder adapts her teaching to reflect children's individual stages of development, interests and to reduce any barriers that may affect their learning. She models new skills and adapts activities and resources to remove barriers to learning, for example, by introducing trains into a painting activity to engage children and help them succeed. She judges carefully when to observe and when to intervene, giving children time to think, explore and solve problems before offering support. The childminder demonstrates techniques and provides the right level of support, when children encounter barriers to learning, helping them to succeed. She weaves stories, songs and rhymes naturally throughout the day and uses practical resources effectively to bring books to life, extending children's language and understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically builds children's knowledge and skills progressively across the areas of learning. However, she plans opportunities for children to develop large-muscle movements, core strength and physical independence less intentionally and consistently than other areas of the curriculum. As a result, children do not receive the same progressive level of physical challenge as they do in other areas of learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder leads her provision effectively and fulfils her statutory responsibilities. She regularly reviews her procedures and documentation to ensure they remain purposeful and support the effective running of her provision. She also reviews her administrative systems, removing unnecessary paperwork where this does not improve outcomes for children, while continuing to meet statutory requirements. The childminder has thorough systems for identifying and reducing risks within the home, which help to keep children safe.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder establishes positive partnerships with parents and carers through daily communication, regular assessment summaries and information-sharing. She actively seeks and values parents' feedback to support the ongoing development of her provision. She shares procedures during the settling-in process so that expectations are understood from the outset. The childminder works collaboratively with local authority professionals, network groups and other providers to coordinate support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, contributing to continuity in children's care, learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and is committed to continually improving her provision. She undertakes a wide range of professional development and actively develops her knowledge and skills. She identifies areas she would like to develop. She is not yet consistently precise in evaluating which improvements will have the greatest impact on children's learning and experiences. As a result, improvements to the curriculum, including physical development, are not always prioritised effectively.

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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 and settled in the childminder's home. They develop secure relationships with the childminder, who knows them well and responds sensitively to their individual needs, interests and routines. Children feel safe, valued and emotionally secure. Families are welcomed into the setting and the childminder values the information they share about their children. This helps children settle quickly and supports continuity between home and the setting.

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

Children confidently explore an environment that is organised with their needs and interests in mind. Resources are accessible, enabling children to make independent choices about their play. They sustain their concentration as they enjoy creative experiences, sensory activities and regular visits within the local community. They enjoy outings, including to parks and wildlife areas, and opportunities to care for animals. These experiences broaden children's knowledge and encourage their curiosity about the world around them.

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

Children persevere with activities and remain engaged in play for sustained periods. They grow in confidence as they make choices, tidy away, wash their hands and develop increasing independence through everyday routines. Calm, consistent expectations help children behave well, develop positive relationships and enjoy learning. Children with emerging or identified barriers to their learning are included well in daily experiences. The childminder adapts interactions and works with parents and other professionals, where appropriate, to help children participate and make progress from their starting points.

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

Children's communication develops well through meaningful conversations, songs and everyday interactions. The childminder introduces new vocabulary naturally and uses signs and gestures alongside spoken language to support children's understanding and participation. Children are supported to communicate and participate fully in daily experiences. The childminder promotes regular attendance and works closely with parents to help children benefit from consistent routines and learning opportunities. Parents speak positively about the nurturing care and varied experiences their children receive and appreciate being involved in their children's learning. Children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for the next stage in their learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen the evaluation of the quality of the provision, so that improvement priorities focus on what will make the greatest difference to children's learning and experiences. The childminder should refine the curriculum for physical development, so that planned learning consistently builds on what children already know and can do.

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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

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,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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Our grades explained

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

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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