McPate, Helen Louise

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2837686 Registered with Ofsted: 07/05/2025 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 Expected standard

Children access an inclusive learning environment and are typically well prepared for the next stage in their learning journey. Children develop a secure knowledge of where food comes from and how it grows. They visit an allotment where they plant, tend and harvest crops, which they then enjoy eating. The childminder actively supports children's interest in books and stories, such as through her lending-library scheme. Children take home a different book daily and also bring along books from home to share. The childminder fully engages children in reading books, such as asking them well-timed questions to enable them to join in and share their knowledge. Children take great delight in guessing what is hiding behind the flaps and then lifting them to see if they were right. These opportunities help children to make secure progress in their communication and language development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children settle well in the childminder's care and show they are resilient. They are keen to join in the activities the childminder plans, but they can equally lead their own play and make independent choices. The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour and reinforces this through her calm manner. Children learn about mutual respect through the childminder's effective role modelling, such as asking children permission before attending to their personal care. Children have a positive attitude towards learning and are motivated to learn more.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children take great delight in their achievements, grinning with pride as the childminder offers effective praise. For example, the childminder congratulates children for using words in English and their home language during discussions about family members. This helps boost their self-esteem and sense of belonging. The childminder typically supports children's regular and prompt attendance with parents and carers. This contributes to the progress children make in their development. Children build secure and trusting relationships with the childminder and have regular opportunities to develop friendships with other children. This helps children learn about the needs of others and to play together.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's understanding of the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles. She speaks directly with children about foods that are healthy, and children share information about food and drinks their family members like or enjoy. The childminder provides a safe and welcoming environment for children, where there is a clear focus on enabling them to be confident and independent. She encourages children to do tasks for themselves, such as preparing fruit for snack time. Children receive clear guidance about the rules for safety, such as sitting when eating and the correct use of safety knives. This enables them to develop a secure understanding of their own safety and that of others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder understands children's individual care needs and recognises when children need to rest. She has a clear knowledge of safe-sleeping practices and the importance of making frequent and physical checks on children while they sleep. The childminder is always on hand to offer the support children need to learn about and understand their own needs. Children develop typically effective concentration skills and focus on activities for lengthy periods, supporting their engagement and enjoyment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has clear intentions for her inclusive curriculum and for the experiences she plans to support what children need to learn next. She ensures that children develop confidence and independence and intends for all children to leave her setting with happy memories, having had fun while learning. The childminder is generally reflective of her curriculum and learning environment, enabling her to make worthwhile changes. For example, training in simple signing has supported young children's language development, giving them alternative ways to communicate. The childminder incorporates mathematical concepts into activities, such as introducing positional language as children place figures in the playhouse. However, the childminder does not always focus her professional development to enhance her teaching skills further. This means that, at times, children's learning experiences are not fully consistent.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans activities that she bases on children's next steps in development, while incorporating their interests. For example, children explore a coloured cornflour and water mix, supporting their small-muscle development, experimenting with textures and making marks. The childminder actively demonstrates to children to encourage them to become engrossed in exploring how the mixture feels to touch and squeeze. She introduces new vocabulary, such as 'liquid' and 'solid', and talks about the 'marble effect' created when they mix the colours together.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides parents and carers with daily updates about their children's engagement in activities and experiences and the impact on their learning. She completes the required progress checks for children aged between 2 and 3 years. This provides parents with a summary of their children's developmental progress and gives clear detail of any emerging gaps in learning and what they need to learn next. She recognises how to make the most effective use of any additional funding children may receive to support the next steps in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses clear and effective systems for observing and assessing children's levels of development when they start attending. She generally uses this information well to plan activities and experiences, depending on children's personalities, learning needs and styles and to devise next steps in learning. She understands that there may be barriers to children's learning and that further adaptations may be needed. She recognises how to ensure effective communication between her setting, parents and carers, and any other professionals or agencies involved in children's care and education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder builds and maintains effective partnerships with parents from the outset. She gathers a wealth of information about children's care, routines, likes and dislikes. This enables her to provide appropriate care and education from the start. The childminder actively supports children who are learning more than one language. She makes sure that resources are available, such as books written in their home language. Children repeat words in their home language and in English, supporting their speech development while embracing their home languages.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the quality of her provision. She maintains a commitment to keeping her knowledge of the early years foundation stage up to date. Since registration, the childminder has attended some training. She is generally reflective and recognises that more focus on aspects to improve her knowledge and enhance her curriculum would enhance her provision for children and families further. The childminder ensures that any assistants she works with are familiar with her procedures. However, working with assistants is a recent change to her provision and she has not yet extended learning opportunities to further enhance their professionalism and knowledge. This does not help to further enhance the learning outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds secure relationships with parents and carers, who report that their children feel comfortable and safe in her care. The childminder shares photos and updates on a daily basis, and parents comment that a highlight of their day is receiving the daily communications. She exchanges developmental information, verbally and online with parents, and through written progress assessments. The childminder supports parents to continue to promote their children's learning at home, such as sharing suggestions and asking for photos of family members to help children settle. The childminder gathers a wealth of information from parents and carers when children first start attending her setting. She learns about children's interests, routines and any potential barriers to learning. This information enables her to understand each child's background and supports effective planning to meet their individual needs.

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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 have secure relationships with the childminder and know that they can approach her for reassurance, which she gives willingly. Those who need more time to settle receive this without hesitation and in full consultation with parents and carers. Children enjoy the closeness of cuddles with the childminder, respond well to her calm and kind approach and thrive in her care. Children feel secure and freely explore the child-centred learning environment at their own pace. They attend regularly, which helps to further support the trusting bonds that are clearly evident.

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

All children, including those with barriers to their learning, make typical progress from their starting points, as the childminder sets high expectations. Children receive consistent praise and encouragement for their efforts and achievements. This strengthens their sense of pride and builds self-esteem and confidence. Children have many opportunities to socialise with peers at the childminder's home and on outings that she plans. For instance, they learn how to introduce themselves to others at toddler groups to initiate play and conversations. They embed this skill in readiness for their move on to pre-school or school.

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

Children are keen to join the activities the childminder plans, but they can also lead their own play and make independent choices. Children demonstrate independence skills, including managing their self-care needs. They develop effective small-muscle control, enabling them to use safety knives to chop produce, and they show that this is a skill that has been learned and embedded. The childminder is highly supportive and also gives children time to do things for themselves.

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About this setting

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

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Next steps

The childminder should focus professional development programmes to enhance her curriculum and learning outcomes for children. The childminder should extend learning opportunities to any assistants she may work with to further enhance their professional understanding and knowledge.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants and children during the inspection and took account of parents' views through written feedback.

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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 18 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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