Dunk, Sarah Jane

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2825555 Registered with Ofsted: 04/04/2025 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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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of her practice. Children feel safe and secure because the childminder knows them well and responds sensitively to their individual needs. She works closely with parents to understand children's routines and circumstances and uses this information to provide consistent care. For example, she supports children through changes in their family circumstances and adapts sleep routines when their needs change. Children who are tired or unsettled receive comfort and reassurance, helping them feel emotionally secure and develop trusting relationships.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop healthy habits through everyday experiences. They wash their hands before eating, learn about healthy food choices and have access to water throughout the day. Children enjoy daily outdoor play and regular visits to places in the local community, supporting their physical development and wellbeing. They become increasingly independent as they make choices, take part in their personal care and manage familiar routines. The childminder also adapts care arrangements when needed and has reviewed her nappy-changing arrangements to protect children's privacy and dignity while maintaining appropriate supervision. This responsive approach helps children feel valued, supports their individual wellbeing and enables them to develop confidence and independence.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress across the areas of learning. They confidently explore their environment, make choices and show curiosity as they investigate resources and experiences. Children develop their physical skills as they paint and use spray bottles to create marks and water plants, building their hand strength, coordination and control. They become increasingly independent as they manage familiar routines, take responsibility for their own care and ask for help when they need it.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of learning. They communicate their needs and ideas confidently and use an increasing range of vocabulary to talk about what they see and do. Children enjoy books, name familiar objects and recall experiences through conversations and play. Parents report positive progress, including significant improvements in their child's speech and language since starting at the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm and caring environment where children feel safe, settled and secure. Children build trusting relationships with her and confidently seek reassurance, share their ideas and communicate their needs. Familiar routines and clear expectations help children understand what happens throughout the day, while choices support their growing confidence and independence. When children find sharing or turn taking difficult, the childminder responds calmly and supports them to manage these situations. She also recognises when children are tired, upset or finding something difficult and responds sensitively to their individual needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally respond positively to the expectations of the setting and enjoy playing alongside one another. The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance and talks with parents about attending consistently, supporting continuity in children's learning and development. She should further support children's self-regulation by helping them recognise the reasons behind expectations for safe behaviour. This will help children develop further self-regulation. She should also make tidying resources part of the daily routine, including with the youngest children. This will help children take increasing responsibility for their environment and develop positive attitudes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows the children well and has a clear understanding of what she wants them to learn. She uses information from parents, alongside her knowledge of children's development, to plan experiences that reflect their interests and needs. She identifies areas where children need further support and provides targeted experiences, such as using colourful resources to help children develop their understanding of colours. This helps children engage confidently in learning that is relevant to them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children benefit from a broad range of experiences indoors and outdoors, covering the 7 areas of learning. Everyday routines are used purposefully to support learning. At snack time, children count pieces of fruit, develop their independence and talk about healthy choices. During play, the childminder introduces vocabulary and encourages children to explore ideas such as size, colour and how things work. Children develop a love of books through regular opportunities to choose and explore them independently, sharing stories with the childminder, and through a home library for parents. Regular outdoor experiences, including farm visits, support children's physical development and understanding of the world.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder follows children's interests and joins their play, using questions and new vocabulary to extend their thinking. Children are encouraged to lead their own play and investigate problems, such as testing whether different objects will fit through a tunnel. However, interactions are not always as effective as they could be. The childminder does not consistently give children sufficient time to think and respond before moving the interaction on. At times, she remains closely involved when children could benefit from more time to develop their own ideas and solve problems independently. Strengthening these interactions will help children develop their communication, language and thinking skills more effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an environment where children are valued, respected and included. She takes time to get to know children and their families before they start, gathering information about their interests, routines, preferences and individual needs. She uses this knowledge to adapt experiences appropriately. For example, she provides resources linked to children's interests and uses these to help them settle, build confidence and engage in play. She also considers children's individual circumstances, such as supporting a child as they prepare to become a brother. This helps children feel understood and ensures that their individual needs are considered from the start.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands that children develop at different rates. Although she has not yet identified any additional developmental needs, she can explain how she would observe a child, discuss concerns with parents and seek advice from relevant professionals where appropriate. She understands the importance of a graduated approach and recognises that she needs to develop her understanding of the integrated review further. This will ensure she identifies emerging needs swiftly and ensures appropriate support is put in place quickly so that children can make progress from their individual starting points. Children see positive representations of difference through books and conversations. The childminder talks with children about differences in people's appearance, such as hair and skin colour, and celebrates different cultures and experiences. She values parents' knowledge and uses this to provide experiences that are meaningful and accessible. As a result, children learn that

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Inclusion Expected standard

differences are valued and develop an early understanding of respect and inclusion.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has an accurate understanding of the strengths of her setting and the areas she wants to develop. She understands her responsibility for the quality of the provision and for ensuring that statutory requirements are met. She regularly reflects on her practice and makes thoughtful changes to improve children's experiences. For example, she reviewed her mealtime arrangements so that she could remain more present and engaged with children. She recognises the value of developing her understanding of the integrated review process so that she can identify and respond to emerging needs more confidently. This reflective approach helps ensure that decisions remain focused on children's individual needs and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains her professional knowledge and expertise through relevant training and webinars. She understands when to seek advice from external agencies. She values her partnership with parents and communicates with them regularly so that children's individual needs and home experiences guide her practice. Parents speak positively about the setting.

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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 enjoy attending this warm and welcoming setting where they quickly feel safe, settled and valued. The childminder takes time to get to know children and their families before they start, helping her to understand their interests, routines and individual needs. Children develop close, trusting relationships with her and confidently seek her support and reassurance. They happily choose what they want to play with, move between familiar routines with confidence and enjoy spending time with the childminder. Parents speak

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About this setting

positively about the setting and value the close relationships she develops with their children.

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About this setting

Children enjoy a range of experiences that reflect their interests and help them learn about the world around them. They have regular opportunities to play outdoors, explore woodland and visit places in the local community. Children enjoy books and develop their communication, language and mathematical skills through everyday play and routines. The childminder follows children's interests, introduces new vocabulary and encourages them to think and talk about what they are doing. Children are increasingly confident and independent as they make choices, help with everyday tasks and manage familiar routines. Children benefit from the childminder's sensitive approach to their individual care and emotional needs. She responds to children when they are tired or upset and adapts routines such as sleep to meet their needs. Children are learning to manage their relationships with others and receive support when they find sharing or turn-taking difficult. The childminder's

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About this setting

warm and responsive care helps children develop confidence, independence and the skills they need for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen interactions by giving children time to think and respond and consistently modelling language. This will support children's communication and language development. The childminder should strengthen support for behaviour by helping children understand why behaviours are unsafe and how to manage their feelings. This will support children's self-regulation.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection and took into account parental views.

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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. Unique reference number (URN): 2825555

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About this inspection

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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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

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 .

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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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