Dunmore, Sophie Margaret Phyllis

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2828457 Registered with Ofsted: 30/03/2025 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

All children, including those who initially had some barriers to their learning, achieve particularly well from their individual starting points. Children make especially good progress in their language skills. They hear new words as they play and explore new activities. They thoroughly enjoy listening to stories and this helps to broaden the range of words they regularly hear. Children communicate their needs clearly. This includes children who need extra help with their language when they first joined. They benefit from highly focused, targeted support and this means any gaps in their development close rapidly.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children become confident, independent learners. From a young age, they learn to try and solve problems independently before seeking adult support. For instance, when children try to complete challenging puzzles, they show a determination to succeed. When children achieve something they set out to do, they beam with pride and say 'I did it.' This helps to build their confidence and prepares them well for future learning.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate a strong awareness of simple mathematical concepts as these are woven seamlessly into all activities. They count as they play and compare different colours and shapes during routines. They confidently apply these skills while constructing, sorting, exploring and problem-solving with their friends. For example, when 2-year-olds build with magnetic tiles, they show real thought in how to make the structure secure and which tiles to use to achieve this.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave well. Despite their young age, they fully understand the childminder's simple rules and daily routines. The childminder sets simple boundaries so that children clearly understand what is expected of them. For instance, when children want more resources out, they know they have to put some of the existing toys away so they can make more space. Children join in with the tidy-up routine willingly as they know they can then play with new resources. The childminder is consistent in her approach and uses her knowledge of the children's developmental stages to set simple rules she knows they will understand and be able to follow.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Routines are followed consistently throughout the day and this helps children to feel safe and secure. The childminder plans her day around the different children's needs, taking full account of mealtimes, outings, activities and nap times. This means children follow familiar routines each day and understand the flow of the day so they know what happens next.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children develop positive relationships with others. They regularly meet other children to play with and this helps to build their social skills with a larger group of children. Children willingly share, take turns and wait patiently for their turn. The childminder praises children highly. She celebrates their achievements and helps to create a very happy, harmonious and positive environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents to help them understand the importance of regular attendance. Children attend regularly and benefit from the full programme of learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's wellbeing is promoted exceptionally well. The childminder helps children form secure, trusting relationships with her and she offers them plenty of comfort when needed. The childminder is highly responsive to children's emotional and physical needs. She recognises when children require reassurance, adapting her approach sensitively to ensure every child feels safe, understood and valued.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop an excellent sense of belonging. The childminder actively celebrates each child's unique character and individuality. She recognises some children need a little extra support and provides for this throughout the day. Children become confident individuals, who develop at their own pace.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is exceedingly vigilant in supporting children's health and welfare needs. She works closely with parents to fully understand each child's health, dietary and welfare needs. Comprehensive care plans are in place for every child who needs some extra support, so that the childminder can offer a very personalised service that meets every child's needs. Sleep routines are managed exceedingly well. The childminder follows all recommended guidance in relation to safer sleeping and shares this information with parents to help ensure children's safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Healthy lifestyles are promoted consistently through discussions around nutritious food choices, staying hydrated, physical activity and keeping safe in different weather conditions. Children enjoy daily opportunities to develop their physical skills in the childminder's garden and through frequent visits to different parks and playgrounds.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has created a well-structured curriculum that is appropriately sequenced and builds on children's knowledge and interests. She is a highly skilled and experienced teacher, who has an excellent knowledge of how children learn and develop through play. Every activity is planned in meticulous detail and adapted skilfully so that every child can take part. The childminder knows how each child prefers to learn and what their current interests are. She plans for this exceedingly well and uses play and practical activities to teach children new concepts. For example, coloured beanbags are used to play simple games with children to develop their colour matching skills. The childminder recognises the importance of developing children's hand muscles in preparation for later learning. She plans for this well by offering children squeezy bottles filled with water for them to practise squeezing. To develop this further, she adds small pipettes to the water tray to add another

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder monitors the delivery of her curriculum extremely well. She makes sure it gives children a strong start to their learning and provides the foundations for future learning. For instance, the childminder focuses strongly on building children's emotional awareness. She helps children to understand how different emotions feel and empowers them to articulate their feelings in greater detail when needed. This supports children's emotional resilience and prepares them well for more challenging situations, such as starting school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder welcomes all children and families into her care. She takes time to get to know every child's personal needs so that she can provide for these easily. She works closely with parents and carers from the start to accurately identify what each child can already do and what they need to learn next. This precise and meticulous assessment means that the childminder quickly identifies if there are any gaps in children's development. When needed, she supports parents in working with other professionals, so that children receive the targeted specialist help they need at an early stage. This helps to reduce any barriers to children's learning and means that children get the specialist help they need as soon as possible.

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Inclusion Strong standard

All children achieve well. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who have other barriers to their learning. Teaching is matched precisely to what every child needs. The childminder shares her attention skilfully between children so they all benefit from high-quality teaching.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder values every child as a unique individual. She celebrates their personal qualities and helps children to feel good about themselves. She supports children in making their own choices and respects their different ideas and interests. For instance, when children choose their favourite songs to sing, the choices range from 'Rasputin' to 'The Wheels on the Bus'. Each song is celebrated and this helps children recognise their ideas and wishes are important and valued.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder always places the child at the centre of all she sets out to achieve. She uses her expert knowledge of how children learn and develop to deliver a curriculum that is broad, balanced and enriching. She adapts this skilfully to continually meet the needs of every child who attends.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder's meticulous assessment process means children's progress from their individual starting points is tracked precisely and monitored closely. This means that if any gaps are emerging she can take prompt and swift action to address this.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is fully committed towards her own professional development. Since registration, she has completed a comprehensive programme of training and enhanced learning. This has enabled her to update her knowledge and skills and be able to network with a wider selection of other professionals. It also highly effectively supports the delivery of her teaching and programme for children's learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder forms extremely strong partnerships with parents and carers. She shares information on a daily basis about children's activities and routines, but also shares more formal information about the curriculum and proposed programme of learning every half term. This ensures parents and carers feel fully included in their children's learning journey. The childminder ensures she takes care of her own wellbeing and has created a good support network around her. She regularly meets with other childminders and attends groups to make sure children have the broadest range of play and learning experiences.

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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 are extremely happy and settled. They settle into the childminder's welcoming, nurturing home quickly as she takes time to really get to know each child's individual

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Inspector:

Jo Caswell characters. Children show how comfortable, safe and secure they feel. They approach the childminder for cuddles and comfort, when needed, and she responds willingly.

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Inspector:

Children follow their own interests and play choices. They share their ideas willingly and learn to share, take turns and build relationships with others from a young age. Children are kind and courteous to one another. They understand some children need a bit more help than others and are patient, tolerant and show compassion for others. This helps to create the happy, relaxed environment that is evident throughout the childminder's home.

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Inspector:

Children approach activities with excitement and great enthusiasm. For instance, when children play in the garden, they delight in using squeezy bottles to water the plants. Other children initiate a game in the playhouse creating 'lunch' for the 'big bad wolf'. They squeal with excitement as they use shells and leaves to create something special and stay engaged in their imaginative play for long periods.

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Inspector:

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who face other potential barriers to their learning, achieve well. They flourish within the setting as they feel valued, included and understood. This means children develop an excellent range of skills and knowledge that prepare them well for future learning and starting school.

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Inspector:

Children attend regularly because the childminder works closely with parents and carers to make sure any barriers to attendance are identified. This means children benefit from the full programme of learning and this has a very positive impact on their learning, and the rates of progress every child makes.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to plan her service to make a transformational difference to children who may face potential barriers to their learning and development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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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About this setting

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

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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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