Knights, Katelyn Leanne

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2779627 Registered with Ofsted: 27/03/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children consistently demonstrate excellent behaviour and have a clear understanding of the expectations within the setting. They show high levels of respect, kindness and consideration towards others, forming very supportive relationships with their peers. Children confidently demonstrate important social skills, including sharing, cooperation and turn-taking. For example, when a child is unable to find a resource, their peers willingly offer support by working together to locate it and show appreciation for each other's help. The childminder notices and celebrates these thoughtful interactions, reinforcing children's understanding of kindness, teamwork and positive behaviour.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has created a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment where children feel safe, valued and respected. She provides a positive example through her own actions, consistently modelling patience, respect and caring interactions, which children naturally reflect in their behaviour. The childminder gathers detailed information about each child before they begin attending, ensuring that she understands their individual needs, interests, routines and experiences. She maintains excellent communication with families and remains aware of any changes that may affect children, enabling her to provide appropriate support. This helps children develop secure attachments, feel confident in their surroundings and build a strong sense of belonging.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance and consistent routines in supporting children's development and learning. She monitors attendance carefully and follows up any periods of non-attendance appropriately, working in partnership with parents to encourage positive attendance habits. This ensures that children benefit from stability and consistent opportunities to engage in experiences that support their progress.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children make effective progress from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge, skills and understanding expected for their age and stage of development. They approach learning with curiosity and enthusiasm, confidently exploring new experiences and sharing their thoughts and ideas. Children are confident communicators who enjoy talking about their experiences, achievements and feelings. They confidently share what has made them happy and talk about their emotions. This supports their emotional wellbeing and helps them to form secure, positive relationships with those around them.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children develop increasing independence and confidence in managing everyday tasks and routines. They take pride in doing things for themselves, such as pouring their own drinks and preparing snacks. Children show determination and perseverance when developing new skills. For example, when putting on their shoes before playing outside, children continue to practise and overcome difficulties with encouragement, developing confidence in their own abilities. These experiences help children build resilience, independence and the skills they need as they move on to the next stage of their learning.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides a warm and nurturing environment where children feel secure, respected and valued. She develops secure attachments with children, which supports their emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging. The childminder typically has an effective understanding of each child's individual needs and works closely with parents to gather detailed information about children's routines, including their sleep patterns, feeding requirements and preferences. This ensures that children experience consistent and responsive care between home and the setting. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported effectively through the childminder's caring and responsive interactions. The childminder provides children with regular encouragement and recognition, which helps to build their self-esteem, resilience and confidence. Children are supported to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas in a safe and supportive environment. As a result,

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

children show increasing confidence in exploring new experiences.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder generally promotes children's understanding of healthy lifestyles and encourages them to develop positive habits from an early age. Children learn about the importance of oral health through stories and engaging activities. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure that children eat healthy and nutritious meals. Children benefit from a wide range of opportunities to develop their physical skills, including yoga and dance, bike rides through forests and daily access to outdoor play. The childminder helps children to understand how to keep themselves safe by encouraging them to recognise risks, make appropriate choices and develop independence. This supports children to become confident, capable and aware of their own wellbeing.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has implemented an ambitious curriculum. She knows children well and uses observations and assessments to identify children's needs. This information is generally used effectively to plan meaningful learning experiences that build progressively on children's existing knowledge and skills. However, at times, she does not always utilise her teaching skills to continually extend children's knowledge and deepen their learning. The childminder is clear about the key skills she wants children to develop before they move on to school. She places a focus on developing children's communication and language, physical and personal, social and emotional development. They have ample opportunities to play outside every day, as well as on outings, and learn how to keep themselves safe. Children typically benefit from a broad range of well-planned, engaging activities that build on their interests and support them to make effective progress. For example, children use

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

bricks to construct homes for animals. As they build, they confidently count the bricks they use and discuss how to make the structures strong and sturdy to protect the animals from the rain. This supports children's mathematical thinking, problem-solving skills and understanding of the world.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's communication and language development well. Children are confident speakers and enjoy sharing their thoughts and ideas as they listen to stories and sing songs. She consistently gives children time to think and respond to her questions, helping them to develop their confidence and express themselves clearly. Mathematics is embedded effectively throughout the curriculum and is naturally incorporated into children's everyday play and routines. For example, children confidently count as they scoop food into bowls during snack time. In the mud kitchen, they use a water pump to make drinks, counting each pump and exploring concepts such as quantity, capacity and measurement as they fill and compare different-sized cups.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder generally has a clear understanding of how to support children's individual needs. She gathers comprehensive information about children and their families before they start. This enables her to build positive relationships and gain an effective understanding of their backgrounds, interests, developmental needs and whether other professionals are involved in their care. There are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) attending the setting. However, the childminder monitors children's learning and development effectively to identify any emerging concerns and understands the importance of seeking additional support promptly when needed. She works closely with parents to ensure that they are aware of funding and support available to them, helping to remove barriers to children's learning and development.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder typically understands the importance of working in partnership with other professionals to promote positive outcomes for children. She knows who to contact if she has concerns about a child's development, including making referrals to services such as speech and language therapy to further support children's communication and language skills. However, partnerships with schools during children's transition are not yet fully embedded. As a result, opportunities to share detailed information about children's learning, development and individual needs are not fully maximised to support continuity in their learning and care.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works effectively in partnership with a co-childminder. She demonstrates a clear commitment to providing children with a positive learning experience. The childminder is dedicated to supporting children's care, education and development, offering experiences that are tailored to their individual interests, abilities and needs. She regularly reflects on the quality of her provision and identifies ways to further enhance children's experiences. The childminder uses her knowledge of children's progress to adapt her approach, ensuring that children are supported to develop confidence, independence and the skills required for the next stage of their learning. She completes mandatory training to maintain her professional development. However, she does not always seek further opportunities to enhance her knowledge or apply new learning to consistently strengthen her teaching practice and extend children's learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has developed effective partnerships with parents. She maintains excellent communication with families and actively involves them in all aspects of their children's learning and development. Parents comment that the childminder has made a significant positive impact on their children's development and wellbeing and are very grateful for the care, dedication and professionalism she shows. They discussed that their children make excellent progress and have developed the skills to be confident and happy for when they go to school.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children enjoy attending this nurturing, home-from-home setting. They are provided with a warm, welcoming and well-resourced environment where they are supported to grow, develop and make effective progress in their learning. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and happy in the childminder's care and readily seek her out for reassurance and involvement in their play. They have excellent behaviour and treat their peers with kindness and respect. Well-established daily routines provide children with a compelling sense of security and predictability. As a result, they confidently anticipate what comes next, supporting their emotional wellbeing, independence and ability to settle quickly into the day.

p.5

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

The children explore a well-planned curriculum that supports them to make effective progress across the 7 areas of learning. They confidently engage in both the indoor and outdoor learning environments. Children show enthusiasm and enjoyment as they engage in a wide range of stimulating activities and experiences. For example, children become deeply engaged in the sensory café, where they play purposefully for sustained periods. They eagerly explore a range of sensory resources, including tea bags and cocoa powder, as they create their own imaginative drinks. Children confidently count as they scoop and measure the ingredients, developing their mathematical skills while experimenting, mixing and exploring through play. They develop their communication and language skills well through meaningful interactions.

p.6

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

Children confidently share their thoughts and feelings during group activities and listen with interest to stories, eagerly offering ideas and predictions about what might happen next. They are encouraged to develop their independence from an early age. Children confidently manage everyday tasks, such as preparing their own snacks, washing their hands, tidying away resources and putting on their shoes before going outside. These valuable skills and experiences help children to develop confidence, self-care abilities and the independence they need as they prepare for school.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should strengthen partnerships with other professionals to further enhance information-sharing, ensuring seamless transitions and continuity of care for children. The childminder should further develop her professional development opportunities to enhance teaching practice and maximise learning opportunities for all children.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-childminder and the children during the inspection.

p.6

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.

p.6

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8