West, Lisa

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2835114 Registered with Ofsted: 10/07/2025 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 make typically expected progress in their learning and development. They independently engage with different activities, invite adults to join in their play and are active learners. Children generally make their needs known and are steadily building the skills they need to communicate with others. Children who are at the first stages of language are able to use gestures and single words to communicate, as they gain confidence in their initial language skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children have opportunities to develop new skills across all areas of learning. They build their physical skills when employing different tools to scoop sand and through their enthusiastic use of paintbrushes to paint a picture. Children have lots of opportunities to recap on prior learning and practise newfound skills. They enjoy engaging in role play and act out making a cup of tea before saying 'ahhh' as they take a drink. Children who are not yet verbal are learning how sounds and language are used in context. Children are generally building the age- and stage-appropriate skills for future learning, including the move on to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model and promotes positive behaviour well. She generally encourages children to share and to communicate their needs, and gives consistent clear messages. This allows children to understand expectations and boundaries. Generally, children listen well and can carry out simple instructions. For example, children help to tidy away resources after they have played with them and are able to locate their bag hanging up on nearby hooks. Children show positive attitudes to engaging with activities and taking part in established routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have built warm attachments to the childminder. They independently go to her for reassurance or if they need a warm hug. They delight in involving her in their play as they act out mixing something in a bowl, before using a pretend teapot to make a cup of tea. Children are encouraged to get along with each other through role play and games. Children build an understanding of routines. For example, the childminder teaches children they must wash their hands before eating and put an apron on before enjoying messy play. The childminder generally considers children's age and stage of development when supporting them to understand expectations and positive behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is aware of the importance of promoting attendance. If children do not arrive as expected she will telephone the child's home to ensure that all is well. The childminder liaises with parents to ensure that children attend regularly and get the maximum benefit of attending the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works typically well with parents to understand children's individual needs and is very alert to their care needs. She is vigilant in ensuring noses are wiped, nappies are changed as appropriate, and children are kept regularly hydrated. She gives gentle reminders to children to wash their hands before eating, and holds their hands as they climb steps into the garden area. This supports children to begin to understand personal safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have built warm attachments to the childminder and demonstrate that they are happy and settled in her care. Younger children lean against her as they stand at a low table and explore using blocks to make different shapes. They smile as the childminder talks to them and laugh as she says 'all fall down'. The childminder teaches children to understand their feelings and the effect of their behaviour on others. Children are independent, active learners who make their needs known.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy lots of activities in the local community, including visits to the beach, local park, aquarium and farm. The childminder ensures that all outings are inclusive for all children. For example, she is able to take 4 younger children out at once as she has purchased a 4-seater pushchair. This ensures that all children are able to access outings that they may not have experienced previously.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder offers a flexible curriculum, which adapts to meet the interests and needs of the children in her care. Typically, children's learning is extended as they engage and show an interest in a learning opportunity. For example, children enjoy role playing with baby dolls, as one of them experiences having a new baby at home. This learning extends to the outdoor area, where children have the opportunity to bathe their 'babies' and care for them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder offers opportunities for children to learn through all areas of the early years foundation stage. For example, children enjoy using their imaginations as they wear hard hats and use pretend tools on a work bench. They start to appreciate early mathematics as the childminder uses positional language in context, such as 'up' and 'down' and counts out loud. The childminder promotes children's language skills. She provides a running commentary for children throughout their day and asks them questions. The childminder effectively models two-way communication, even though children are at the early stages of communicating through speech.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder places a focus on promoting children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. She encourages children to be active, share resources and play co- operatively with one another. She adapts teaching to support children who may face barriers to their learning. For example, she uses visual prompts to support children's understanding, such as holding up a child's nappy to show each child that it is changing time. The childminder adapts the curriculum to support children's development and to address any gaps in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder generally identifies and understands children's individual needs well. She appreciates that all children have different characters and preferences. For example, she understands that some children need time to adjust to transitions throughout the day. She talks with children about 'what we are doing now' and 'what we are going to do next'. This helps children prepare for change and supports their emotional wellbeing. The childminder assesses children's progress and evaluates their development to ensure they are engaging in learning and establishing new skills. The childminder understands that some children may need additional support to understand behaviour expectations. She offers consistent praise and uses distraction techniques for younger children, while explaining things to older children who show further understanding.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of working alongside other professionals and typically works well alongside parents. The childminder understands the importance of spending any funding that children receive, in order to have an ongoing positive impact on children's learning and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is not currently caring for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or any children who speak English as an additional language. She shows effective understanding of how she would adapt the curriculum to support the needs of all children, so that all learning opportunities were accessible and every child felt included.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder endeavours to offer quality childcare in a home-from-home environment. She invites parents into the setting when children initially start, to learn about children's unique individual needs. However, strategies to engage parents in home learning are not fully established.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works with an assistant and provides support through regular supervision meetings. She takes into account wellbeing and workload and adapts things to support the smooth operation of the setting. They both attend mandatory training and keep themselves updated with new requirements. The childminder has recently attended training on 'safer sleeping', which has resulted in new beds and bedding being purchased to support children's safety as they sleep.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder undertakes some reflection and evaluation. She generally considers how she can develop and improve activities for children to help them in their learning and development. However, she does not consistently identify targeted and focussed areas to further improve her practice and provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder typically works with other professionals as required. She liaises with local authority advisors for support and guidance. However, partnerships with school at times of transition are not in place. This means that children are not as well supported by all their carers during transitions, as information about their needs is not shared with local schools. Developing partnerships would allow the childminder to provide a consistent approach across the setting, home and school.

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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

The childminder supports children's care and typically promotes children's learning and development well. The childminder considers her curriculum and ensures that it engages children to become active and inquisitive learners. Children demonstrate that they feel secure, are confident making their needs known, and can make independent choices as they play. The childminder considers potential barriers to children's learning and ensures that funding is spent appropriately, to directly support children and provide experiences they may not otherwise have had. The childminder offers opportunities to recap on prior skills, so

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Inspector:

that children become confident in their abilities and are eager to try new things. Children establish new skills and generally build the key skills they need for the next stage of their learning.

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Inspector:

Children enjoy taking part in cooperative play and play well alongside each other. They enthusiastically take part in a music and movement session and giggle with delight as they throw scarves in the air and try to catch them. They explore resources with different textures and enjoy painting their hands and making marks on paper. The childminder supports children's emotional needs at all times. For example, she understands that children may need a little bit more reassurance when a new sibling is born or when they prepare to start school. The childminder incorporates children's natural interests into activities which gives children a feeling of security and a sense of belonging.

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Inspector:

The childminder promotes attendance and shares regular information about children's progress with parents and carers. However, consistently promoting home learning would provide even more consistency for children. Children show they feel safe, secure and happy in the childminder's care. They independently involve her in their play and enjoy the warm attachments they have made. The childminder understands that each child is unique and adapts her provision accordingly to meet children's needs. Children are generally supported well and flourish in the care of the childminder.

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Next steps

The childminder should further develop partnerships with parents and consistently promote home learning, in order to support children's learning and development between the setting and home. The childminder should undertake more precise evaluation, to identify key priorities, in order to further improve outcomes for children's learning and development. The childminder should establish links with local schools and share information about children's development needs, in order to support children as they transition to school.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, other adults who work 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. Elisia Lee

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30

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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

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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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