Kettleborough, Gail

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2813582 Registered with Ofsted: 26/11/2024 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children learn with confidence and enjoyment. The childminder ensures that all children, including disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, access the curriculum equally. Generally, children achieve well from their starting points. Children who have been identified as requiring additional support receive the support they need.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are developing confident communication skills; they giggle and chat together about their favourite animals. They listen intently to the childminder and their peers as they speak. Children demonstrate good understanding as they eagerly respond to questions when asked. They are excited to share their ideas.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, children develop age- and/or stage-appropriate knowledge and skills. Children's communication and language, physical skills and personal, social and emotional skills are well supported. This enables children to progress through the other areas of the curriculum confidently. Children are motivated and engaged in their learning. They display a growing curiosity as they explore and experiment. Children practise their growing independence skills through everyday tasks and are developing perseverance and resilience when facing new challenges. For example, when experimenting in the mud kitchen, they learn about water and how it can be contained.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have warm, respectful and trusting relationships with the childminder. They are confident to share their thoughts and feelings and ask for support. The childminder has high expectations of behaviour and models this through her practice. As a result, children are kind and caring towards each other during their play. Children who are just learning to share are gently reminded by the childminder, who models how to share with friends. Children are given lots of praise and encouragement for their kind sharing skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have a positive attitude to their learning and often play collaboratively with their friends. Children demonstrate great resilience as they have a go at things that are a little tricky and persevere until they accomplish a task. This is met with lots of praise and encouragement from the childminder. Children beam with pride at their achievements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder knows children well and understands their individual needs and circumstances. Disadvantaged children, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing access the curriculum equally. The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance and actively promotes this with families. Children are happy, safe and secure in their environment.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

All children, including disadvantaged children, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, have developed warm, secure attachments with the childminder. This promotes their sense of belonging and positively promotes their wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are encouraged to become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs. They learn about eating healthy food and the importance of brushing their teeth. Children wash and dry their hands independently before selecting their healthy snack. They serve themselves and their friends. Children have lots of opportunities to get outside for fresh air and exercise. They often visit local parks and play gyms, where they have the chance to meet and socialise with new friends.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents to ensure that she has a thorough understanding of the personal needs of babies and children of all ages. Care practices are tailored effectively to meet children's individual needs. Warm, positive relationships promote children's welfare, wellbeing and emotional security.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have opportunities to get out and about in the local community. They learn about the world around them, different cultures and traditions. Children learn about similarities and differences. For example, children have learned about Portugal and the different types of foods eaten there.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses her knowledge of what children know and can already do to establish starting points and next steps. Children's communication and language, physical skills and personal, social and emotional skills are well supported. This enables children to progress through the other areas of the curriculum confidently. Initial assessment processes are in place. However, processes for ongoing assessment are not yet rigorous. As a result, sometimes gaps in children's learning are missed. The childminder has an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching in her setting and a clear plan to bring about improvement.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is built around children's interests, with a mix of child-led and explicitly taught experiences. For example, although there are opportunities for children to explore mathematical concepts independently throughout the learning environment, the childminder teaches age-appropriate mathematical concepts explicitly. This promotes children's confidence and enjoyment of mathematics and ensures that children develop the skills they need in order to progress through the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is a sharp focus on developing children's language and communication skills. The childminder has recently focused her continued professional development around this. Children have a love of books and access them independently. Children are happy to share their favourite stories with visitors and eagerly point out the different characters on the pages. Children are developing confident communication skills and are excited to share their ideas with visitors. The childminder takes effective action to ensure that all of this includes the needs of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing so that they can access the curriculum equally.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children. This includes disadvantaged children, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. She takes time to find out about what children know and can do before they start at the setting. This includes the daily routines of babies and younger children, enabling her to identify any changing care needs quickly. The childminder works in partnership with parents and other professionals to support children's learning. Typically, any additional support that she provides reduces barriers to children's learning and/or wellbeing. However, processes for ongoing assessment are not yet rigorous. As a result, sometimes gaps in children's learning are missed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children identified as having any potential barriers to their learning are appropriately assessed and receive the support they need to make progress. The childminder provides those children who need additional support with targeted interventions to support their individual learning needs. For example, she works in partnership with local authority coordinators and speech and language therapists to implement targeted strategies that support the development of language and communication. The childminder works in close partnership with parents to ensure that their views and aspirations are included in any decision-making about support for children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses any additional funding to effectively support the achievement and wellbeing of those in receipt of it. For example, additional resources ensure that children can access the learning environment both indoors and outdoors independently. The childminder also uses funding to provide children with learning experiences that support their knowledge of the world around them. For example, they go on trips to the farm, local science museum and strawberry picking.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective of her practice and understands the setting's strengths and areas for further development. She liaises with local authority coordinators for guidance, support and professional development opportunities to enhance her knowledge, understanding and skills. She also networks with other childminders to share good practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear vision for the setting and what she wants children to learn. She is inclusive in her practice and works in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure that all children, especially disadvantaged children, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The childminder has worked hard to develop positive relationships with parents and carers. She actively keeps parents informed about their children's learning and development through daily catch-ups. The childminder offers families support and advice about children's health. For example, she provides useful information about healthy eating and oral hygiene. Parents are very complimentary of the childminder and the care that she provides to their

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

children. They commend the learning opportunities on offer, especially the frequent trips out into the local community.

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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-from-home environment. The childminder has warm, positive relationships with the children in her care. Children actively and confidently seek out the childminder to share ideas and ask for support when needed. The childminder prioritises children's safety while in her care. Children develop a good sense of belonging.

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

Children have impressive social skills, often working collaboratively during play. For example, they take turns and share resources as they make 'leaf soup' in the mud kitchen. They giggle with delight as water splashes on the ground. Children are kind and caring towards each other during play, often passing each other resources, reassuringly saying 'your turn'. This is greeted with lots of praise and encouragement from the childminder. Children beam with pride at the praise received.

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

Children are engaged and focused in their learning. They are encouraged to be independent during play and select resources confidently. Healthy attitudes to exercise are promoted by trips to local parks and other green spaces. Children have lots of opportunities to get out and about in the local community, where they socialise with new friends and learn about the world around them.

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

The childminder's sharp focus on developing children's communication and language skills has had a positive impact on this area of development. Children are becoming confident communicators. They are happy to share their experiences with the childminder and talk enthusiastically with their friends about favourite stories. Children demonstrate keen listening skills as they repeat words, answer questions and communicate with their friends.

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

Strong relationships with parents and close collaboration with other professionals ensure that all children are appropriately supported. Regular attendance helps children build

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 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. confidence and resilience and establish routines, supporting them to make consistent progress.

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Next steps

The childminder should build upon professional development opportunities, particularly in relation to children's ongoing assessment. This is to enhance knowledge, understanding and skills and to ensure that any gaps in children's learning are quickly identified.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and parents 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 is from 6 August 2026

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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. 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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