Phelps, Victoria

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2824043 Registered with Ofsted: 27/02/2025 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 the childminder's nurturing and supportive approach, which has a significant impact on their development across all areas of learning. Children are confident, motivated learners who make excellent progress from their starting points. Children are interested, focused and motivated learners, who benefit from a rich and stimulating curriculum. They develop communication and language skills through engaging stories, interactive discussions and skilful questioning. For example, children confidently join in with familiar phrases during story time and recall information about animals and the natural world. Children show secure physical development as they eagerly explore the outdoor environment, climb, run and take part in regular walks in the local community.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop excellent levels of independence. They confidently put on their own shoes, pour water during play and help to feed and care for animals. A wealth of opportunities to explore nature, investigate colours and materials and learn through first-hand experiences broadens children's understanding of the world. Children develop the confidence, curiosity and independence needed to support their future success and transition to the next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children benefit from a calm, consistent and nurturing environment. The childminder promotes positive behaviour through close relationships and clear expectations. She acts as a positive role model, encouraging children to use positive manners, share resources and take turns. As a result, children are settled, cooperative and considerate of others. For example, children willingly help to tidy away resources before story time and take responsibility for their environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave very well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They sustain concentration and become deeply involved in activities that reflect their interests and developmental needs. For example, children remain engaged in water play for an extended period as they explore coloured water, use pipettes and investigate what happens when colours mix. Children demonstrate growing resilience and determination when faced with trickier tasks. They persist with activities that require concentration and problem-solving and take pride in their achievements when they accomplish tasks independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes effective routines that help children to feel secure and understand expectations. Children confidently collect their shoes before outdoor play, wash their hands after being outside and remain seated during mealtimes. During story time, they enthusiastically join in with familiar phrases and demonstrate their understanding of established routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder uses an inclusive approach to behaviour management. She helps children to recognise and talk about their feelings, develop empathy and resolve minor disagreements positively. The childminder's caring approach provides comfort and reassurance, while helping children learn to regulate their emotions. Positive relationships with families and engaging experiences support children's regular attendance and active participation in the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from highly effective care that places their welfare and wellbeing at the heart of the setting. The childminder creates a warm and respectful environment where children feel secure and valued. She knows children exceptionally well and adapts her practice to meet their individual needs. This helps children to develop confidence and emotional security.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop positive attitudes and excellent social skills because the childminder consistently models kindness, respect and cooperation. She supports children to understand and manage their feelings through sensitive interactions and positive relationships. For example, the childminder helps children identify emotions, consider the feelings of others and find solutions to disagreements. Her use of 'time in', where children have calm time with the childminder, provides reassurance and support when children need help regulating their emotions. As a result, children behave very well and show empathy and consideration for others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder promotes children's health and safety effectively through well-established routines and thoughtful practice. For example, children wash their hands thoroughly after outdoor play while joining in with a familiar handwashing song. They also learn about healthy lifestyles through everyday discussions about healthy foods and routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop increasing independence through everyday experiences. They choose their plates and cups and serve their own snack with support when needed. These meaningful opportunities help children to become confident, responsible and increasingly capable in managing their own needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children benefit from a thoughtfully designed curriculum that reflects the childminder's ambition for them to become confident, curious and independent learners. The childminder uses her deep knowledge of children's interests, experiences and next steps to ensure learning builds progressively over time and supports positive outcomes for all children.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children engage in meaningful learning experiences that connect new knowledge to what they already know. For example, following a visit to a local duck pond, children explore books about ducks and learn about caring for animals and feeding them safely. The childminder extends this learning through opportunities for children to care for animals in the setting and during visits to see her horse. As a result, children develop an excellent understanding of the world through first-hand experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder embeds high-quality teaching throughout daily routines and children's play. She skilfully extends learning through spontaneous opportunities, such as discussing planes flying overhead or introducing mathematical language during play-dough activities. For example, the childminder encourages children to compare size and length and introduces shape vocabulary, including the word 'cube'. She also uses practical experiences, such as

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Expected standard

baking, to promote children's communication, early mathematical skills and understanding of healthy lifestyles.

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Expected standard

The curriculum is inclusive and adapted effectively to meet individual needs. For example, children practise pouring drinks and using cutlery safely to develop independence. The childminder also carefully selects books linked to children's interests and introduces different texts to broaden children's understanding of different cultures and communities. As a result, children enjoy engaging learning experiences and make rapid progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs when they start at the setting through close observation and discussion with families. She uses information about children's routines, interests and home experiences to support children's emotional security and reduce barriers to learning, particularly for babies and younger children settling into the setting. For example, the childminder has created an 'all about me' document for parents and carers to fill in as part of her induction process.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder communicates well with parents and other settings children attend to help ensure that information is shared. This has a positive impact on the children in her care. The childminder encourages children to make their own choices, for example, as they play and contribute their ideas. She generally identifies children's changing needs and adapts activities to help support them to join in. The childminder typically knows what to do if children are showing possible signs of special educational needs and/or disabilities. She uses additional funding effectively to provide specific resources, such as fine motor games and funding trips, supporting their development and wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder pays attention to children's communication and social development. She models language throughout the day, narrates on children's play and encourages children to express themselves.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder leads the setting with clear purpose and ensures that children benefit from an organised and stimulating environment. She evaluates her practice regularly and identifies opportunities to refine activities, routines and planning. This helps children to remain engaged and make progress over time. She uses observation to adapt resources and interactions, enabling children to explore, experiment and develop independence through meaningful experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate about outdoor learning. She makes highly effective use of her rural environment to provide rich and exciting experiences for children. This helps children to develop their understanding of the world and physical skills. The childminder is committed to providing a caring and stable environment and completes necessary training, including safeguarding and first aid. This helps her to keep her statutory knowledge up to date. The childminder reflects on guidance from the local early years team and uses this to strengthen her practice. The childminder has plans to focus her professional learning on children's individual needs. For example, she has met with the local early years team to explore professional development opportunities. However, these plans are not yet fully embedded.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has built effective relationships with parents and carers. She keeps them updated daily, alongside providing parents with weekly updates and pictures through individual online journals. The childminder uses this platform to provide guidance and information to support parents at home. For example, she offers guidance on healthy eating and discusses ideas for healthy lunch boxes. Parents value the childminder's home-from- home environment. They state that their children have developed tremendously in her care. Parents report that their children are happy, safe, and well supported.

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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 feel safe, valued and secure in this warm and nurturing setting. Children form trusting relationships with the childminder. They know that she responds sensitively to their individual needs. For example, children who are initially shy now confidently seek reassurance and comfort when needed. This reflects the secure attachments children form. Children develop a sense of belonging because the childminder knows them exceptionally well and values their individual personalities and interests. Families play an active role in children's learning and development through regular communication and the sharing of information. This helps children to experience continuity between home and the setting.

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

Children benefit from a rich and highly stimulating curriculum that provides a wealth of exciting opportunities for learning. They show enthusiasm, curiosity and sustained concentration as they explore activities closely matched to their interests and developmental needs. For example, during story time, children confidently join in with familiar phrases from a story. They count chickens and identify animals in the book, and learn new vocabulary, including learning that baby goats are called 'kids'. Children enjoy abundant opportunities to explore outdoors. They eagerly show visitors the chickens they help care for and confidently identify animals, including a cockerel in the garden. Visits to local countryside locations and community groups broaden children's experiences and inspire their curiosity about the wider world.

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

Children achieve well and make significant progress from their starting points. They develop increasing independence by collecting their own shoes, attempting to put them on and confidently accessing resources. Children also develop resilience and problem-solving skills. For example, children persevere when connecting a trailer to a tractor. They experience immense pride after successfully completing the task independently.

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

Children thrive in this stimulating rural environment. There are abundant opportunities for children to explore outdoors, care for animals and engage with the local community. This helps to foster children's confidence, curiosity and a sense of responsibility. They share resources, take turns and show kindness towards others. During snack time, children fasten their own chair straps, choose their plates and cups and pour their own drinks. Children behave exceptionally well, feel safe and flourish through the rich, engaging and enriching experiences the childminder provides.

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Next steps

The childminder should implement her plan for professional learning and expertise opportunities, to match the needs of the children in her setting.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:30 - 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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and considered written feedback from 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.

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

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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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