Clarke, Keeley Louise

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2780800 Registered with Ofsted: 02/04/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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 typically make positive progress from their starting points. Overall, they develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for future learning. Children generally engage well in activities, show curiosity in their play and sustain their interest in learning. For example, they confidently recognise colours, describe textures and use new vocabulary introduced during conversations and play. Children demonstrate increasing independence by putting on their coats and shoes and washing their hands with minimal support. They interact positively with others, take turns and wait patiently to access resources.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their physical skills as they balance on stepping stones and strengthen their hand muscles and coordination through activities such as manipulating play dough and using tools. The childminder's nurturing approach helps children feel safe and valued, enabling them to participate fully in learning and become prepared for their next stage of education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates an organised, calm environment ready for children to learn. She builds positive relationships with all children, and they look forward to coming to the setting. She works closely with the parents to develop an understanding the children's routines at home and provides a supportive settling-in process, helping children to feel safe and secure. The childminder organises her routines well, so parents and children quickly learn what they are. Children take their shoes off when they arrive. They know to wash their hands before mealtimes and sit at the table to eat.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, the childminder supports children's behaviour well. Older children play with younger children, developing their ideas and interests. She provides explanations to help children resolve minor disagreements and reminds children that they need to be kind to one another, share and wait their turn. The childminder encourages children to be patient and wait to enable younger children the time they need to succeed independently. However, sometimes younger children sit for too long for planned and routine activities and they become restless, which impacts on their behaviour and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder knows children well and understands their individual backgrounds and needs. She supports children to manage their emotions, provides reassurance when needed and helps them develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. As a result, children feel safe, settled and confident in her care. Children enjoy playing alongside one another and develop early friendships. The childminder engages with children throughout their play, showing genuine interest in what they are doing and encouraging meaningful back-and-forth conversations.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and shares her policy on safe sleeping to ensure that they understand expectations from the outset. She has suitable procedures in place to promote children's safety and wellbeing, including effective arrangements to supervise children while they sleep.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder generally promotes healthy lifestyles. Children are reminded to cover their mouths when they cough to help prevent the spread of germs. They readily access their water bottles throughout the day and bring healthy packed lunches from home. At snack time, children choose from a selection of fruit and vegetables. The childminder sits with children during mealtimes and supervises them appropriately to support safe eating. However, opportunities to help children understand the benefits of healthy eating and hydration are not always fully promoted. As a result, children do not consistently develop their understanding of how healthy food and drinking water contribute to their wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder designs a curriculum that supports learning across all areas of development. She works collaboratively with other childminders to share ideas and strengthen her practice. A strong emphasis on physical development and personal, social and emotional development helps children gain confidence and develop key skills. Children eagerly practise balancing as they move across stepping stones, showing increasing coordination, physical control and confidence. They engage enthusiastically in activities and demonstrate a generally positive attitude towards learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Regular outings in the local community help broaden children's understanding of the world. Visits to parks, playgroups and places such as the fire station provide meaningful experiences that extend their knowledge beyond the setting. These opportunities encourage children to develop social skills, confidence and an awareness of the wider community.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes communication, language and early mathematical development effectively during play and everyday interactions. She joins in children's play, engages them in purposeful conversation and introduces new vocabulary to extend their understanding. Children enjoy sharing stories, confidently recognise colours, name objects and describe textures. However, the childminder's planned learning does not always build sufficiently on what children already know and can do. Opportunities to extend children's thinking through open-ended questioning and to encourage greater independence in selecting and accessing resources are not consistently embedded.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children benefit from an inclusive environment where they are valued and where they develop a sense of belonging. The childminder knows the children well and adapts the environment to ensure that all children can access learning opportunities and participate meaningfully. She plans experiences that meet children's individual needs and support their development. For example, she adapts activities to enable children with differing physical abilities to participate fully and implements effective strategies to develop their core strength and coordination.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies potential barriers to learning and adjusts routines sensitively to meet children's needs. For instance, she provides quiet time on arrival for children who need support to settle and shares stories with them until they feel confident to join group play. She regularly shares information about children's progress with parents and uses her observations effectively to plan the next steps in children's learning. Parents describe the childminder as supportive and report that their children make progress in communication, confidence and independence, helping to prepare them well for their next stage of learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although there are currently no children attending with special educational needs and/or disabilities or children known to social care, the childminder continues to develop her knowledge through further training. She demonstrates a secure understanding of the importance of inclusive practice and early intervention.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to providing high-quality care and learning experiences for children and their families and acknowledges where further improvements can be made. She regularly meets with other childminders to share ideas, reflect on practice and enhance her knowledge and skills. This helps her keep up to date with current guidance and developments in early years practice. She demonstrates a positive attitude towards professional development and uses what she learns to strengthen the curriculum and improve outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder communicates effectively with other settings that children attend. She shares relevant information, including routines, strategies and children's interests to support their learning and wellbeing. This helps to promote consistency in children's experiences and supports their ongoing progress. Positive partnerships with parents also help to support children's learning and development. The childminder regularly shares information about children's progress and works closely with families to meet children's individual needs. She understands the importance of seeking advice from external professionals when children require additional support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder prepares children appropriately for their transition to school. For example, children enjoy stories about starting school, helping them become familiar with upcoming changes and build confidence. She also shares relevant information with schools to support a smooth transition and continuity in learning. The childminder recognises the importance of broadening children's experiences. Regular visits to the library promote a love of books and early literacy, while nature based and forest school activities encourage curiosity and help children learn about the world around them.

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

Children quickly feel welcome and develop a strong sense of belonging in this warm and nurturing childminding setting. The childminder builds close, caring relationships with each child and responds sensitively to their individual needs. Children confidently seek her out for comfort and reassurance, showing that they feel safe, secure and valued. Her attentive approach helps children develop confidence, resilience and positive relationships. Children happily chat, laugh and play together, creating imaginative games and sharing their ideas with one another.

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

Children enjoy a range of interesting activities that reflect their interests and generally support their development. The childminder adapts experiences so that all children can take part and achieve. She actively joins in children's play, listens carefully and models language effectively. For example, children learn new words, such as 'lava', as they talk about their play and explore their ideas. They strengthen their hand muscles, coordination and pincer control as they use coloured pens and a variety of tools with play dough to roll, squeeze and shape.

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

Children enjoy daily opportunities to play outdoors and explore the local community. Visits to parks, playgroups, soft-play centres and places such as the fire station broaden their experiences and help them learn about the world around them. These experiences support children's physical development, social skills and growing confidence. Overall, children are happy, engaged and developing the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their next stage of learning.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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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Next steps

The childminder should increase opportunities for children to extend their thinking and problem-solving skills. The childminder should adapt her teaching more readily to enable all children to develop positive behaviours. The childminder should ensure that interactions consistently build children's knowledge and skills, especially in relation to healthy lifestyles.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with 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. This data is from 3 September 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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