Thorn, Abigail Lucy

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2820239 Registered with Ofsted: 15/04/2025 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 benefit from a very positive start to their learning. They gain the essential skills needed to become successful learners. They show sustained interest and a natural inquisitiveness to find out more. Children aged under 3-years-old listen attentively. They have strong relationships with the childminder and focus clearly on what she is saying and what she is telling them. For instance, when she is explaining new information to them, children are enthralled to listen and absorb the information. This thirst for taking in new knowledge supports children's learning extremely well.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop a strong sense of self. They are confident to share their views and know that the childminder will listen to them and acknowledge what they say. Children develop strong levels of resilience. They persevere to achieve their chosen outcome and show pride in their achievements. This 'can-do' approach supports children well in their learning and progression on to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is a very positive role model. She is calm and gentle in her interactions with children. She shows kindness and empathy, and validates how children are feeling which helps children to understand their changing emotions. Children talk about their feelings and this helps them to explain how different situations may make them feel.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations of all children. She intervenes sensitively when there are minor disputes and helps young children learn about waiting, taking turns and sharing resources in an age-appropriate way. These consistent strategies help younger children recognise what is expected of them and this helps them to form positive relationships with the other children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder praises children highly. She celebrates their achievements and promotes a very positive environment. This helps to build children's self-esteem and helps them to feel good about themselves.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children show how secure they feel within the consistent routine. The childminder and her co-minder plan this carefully to offer plenty of time for activities, outings, mealtimes and rest periods. Every child's care and learning needs are considered carefully in the planning of each day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder recognises the importance of promoting regular and punctual attendance to provide consistency and to enable children to benefit fully from the learning opportunities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from very secure attachments with the childminder and her co-minder. This significantly enhances their emotional wellbeing. Children are calm and settled and demonstrate a strong sense of security in the childminder's care. There are many opportunities throughout the routine for children to become independent. Children know where their labelled water bottles are, and help themselves to drinks when they are thirsty. A timer is used to make sure this is more frequent during the extreme weather conditions. After mealtimes, children aged under 3-years-old scrape their plates, pop them in the washing-up bowl and help to clear the table. Toilet training routines are instigated once parents and the childminder agree the child is ready, and these are followed diligently to help ensure every child is fully supported.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is very vigilant in ensuring children's healthy development. She plans a routine that includes plenty of time each day for fresh air and physical activity. This is carefully balanced with time set aside each day for more calming activities, such as yoga and mindfulness. Although the children are young, the childminder can see the positive impact of these sessions on children's ability to re-focus and calm the mind.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses her comprehensive knowledge of each child's unique learning needs to precisely target her teaching. She is particularly skilled at creating activities that capture children's imagination and make learning fun. Together with her co-minder, she has carefully created a curriculum that has clear intentions and equips children with the skills they need to become confident, competent learners. There is strong promotion of building children's independence and resilience. This is reflected clearly in the way in which children approach activities with real enthusiasm, anticipation and curiosity.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Mathematics is deeply woven into all activities. For instance, the childminder introduces children to numbers from a young age. They count out items throughout the daily routine and show well-developed number skills. When the children ask the childminder to draw a spider, she uses the opportunity to help 2-year-olds count out eight legs. These practical, daily experiences help to embed children's awareness of number and understand its value.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The promotion of children's language is given high priority. The childminder gently narrates what children are doing. She introduces new vocabulary during activities and helps children use their words when they want to explain something. She uses clear pronunciation and enables children to hear a wide range of words which they repeat in their play and interactions with others. This early focus on supporting children's language skills mean children become confident, competent communicators from a young age.

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Inclusion Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face other barriers to their learning, are warmly welcomed and fully included in the planning of all activities and outings.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is highly effective in supporting all children's needs. The childminder and her co-minder know each of the children and their families exceedingly well. They take time to fully understand each child's character, learning styles and unique qualities, so they can provide for these within their setting. This helps to ensure consistency and familiarity for children and helps them to settle quickly. The childminder has a gentle, caring nature that means every child feels listened to and valued. She shares her attention equally between all children and is highly skilled in adapting her teaching to take account of each child's levels of understanding, ability, and interest. Children feel listened to and this helps to build their self-esteem.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder monitors children's progress extremely closely to identify any gaps in learning. Together with her co-minder, she completes detailed assessments when children first start to give her an accurate view of what each child can and cannot yet do. This helps her to plan precisely and focus her teaching on areas where children may need more support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is proactive in her approach and is dedicated towards making a difference to all the children and their families. She accurately reflects on her practice and makes changes both she and her co-minder consider will benefit children and the quality of provision they offer. The childminder is highly reflective and continually looks for ways to improve outcomes for all children in her care, including those who may face barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is particularly committed towards completing ongoing training and carrying out additional research to keep her skills and knowledge up to date. She has recently been reading about the science of the brain and how this supports children's learning and development. This has supported her in planning for this more purposefully in her teaching.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder forms professional relationships with parents. She shares relevant information with them about what their child is learning and the progress they are making. Parents commend the childminder for the positive difference she makes to children and the progress they make. The childminder works sensitively, when needed, with parents to understand any issues that families may be facing so that she can refer them appropriately to relevant support services.

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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, secure and thriving in the childminder's warm and attentive care. They experience a nurturing environment where their safety and wellbeing are always given the highest priority. Children fully understand what is expected of them as daily routines are well established and followed consistently. For instance, children aged under 3-years-old know exactly what to do to prepare for snack and mealtimes, and they confidently help themselves to cups, plates and cutlery and sit at the table.

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

Children enjoy rich and varied experiences that extend far beyond the home environment. The childminder and her co-minder take them to places of interest, such as the beach. They visit the library regularly and explore the local farmland to hunt for insects. These outings provide meaningful opportunities for children to deepen their understanding of the world and their love of learning.

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

Children show immense curiosity through a curriculum that encourages exploration. They show a keen interest in learning in this highly positive and joyful setting. For example, they listen intently as the childminder uses a reference book to share information with the children about the nutritional value of the different fruits they eat at snack time. Children aged under 3-years-old listen attentively and demonstrate a deep understanding of what they are being taught. This is reflected in the responses they make and their own reflections about what which foods are good for them.

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

Children demonstrate extremely well-developed social skills. They play cooperatively together and build secure friendships. The childminder's positive modelling and sensitive guidance help children understand simple expectations and consider the feelings of others.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

As a result, children develop confidence, independence and strong self-esteem from a very young age. This supports them well for future learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-minder and the 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 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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