Medhurst, Claire Louise

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2837929 Registered with Ofsted: 31/07/2025 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 steady progress from their starting points. Babies and younger children are curious and engaged. They explore toys independently and respond to familiar words. Babies show that they are beginning to anticipate daily routines. As they settle, children gain confidence to move around the environment. They watch others and gradually join in with play alongside their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop early skills that support their next stage of learning. They practise self-care through routines, such as handwashing, feeding and toothbrushing. This shows improving coordination and independence. Children's growing emotional security supports their willingness to try new experiences, sustain attention and interact positively with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who have experienced barriers to their development make steady progress. Overall, children typically develop the foundational skills they need for future learning. However, learning experiences do not always build precisely on what children already know and can do, which limits the progress that some children make.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has established a calm and nurturing environment where children feel emotionally secure and understand familiar routines. Babies and younger children respond positively to consistent care and reassurance. This supports their developing emotional regulation. Expectations are appropriate to children's ages and stages, which helps them to cooperate during daily routines. Babies and younger children show engagement and interests in the activities that are available to them. For example, babies show enjoyment when exploring and playing with the musical instruments.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop positive social behaviours through warm relationships and gentle guidance. They play comfortably alongside peers, share resources and show kindness. For instance, they swap toys during play. When children need support, the childminder responds sensitively. This helps children manage feelings and encourages positive interactions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of predictable routines for children and families. Attendance and punctuality are promoted through regular communication with parents. Individual circumstances are considered carefully, particularly for babies and new starters. As a result, children feel secure and develop positive behaviours and attitudes that reflect their developmental stage.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Care practices are effective and meet children's individual needs. The childminder uses information from parents to follow familiar routines for sleeping, feeding and nappy changing. Daily routines, including mealtimes and sleep, are used to support children's learning and wellbeing. Feeding arrangements reflect children's usual patterns and preferences, helping babies feel emotionally secure. Nappy changes are carried out discreetly and respectfully, with calm explanations to support understanding. Hygiene routines promote children's dignity and health. Children begin to develop an early understanding of personal safety through routines, such as washing hands before eating and following clear hygiene expectations.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Secure and responsive relationships are evident, particularly for babies and younger children. Children seek reassurance when needed and are comforted sensitively. The childminder responds promptly to children's cues. She offers physical comfort, verbal reassurance or quiet space as appropriate. The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing. For example, she recognises changes in mood and responds calmly. Young children independently seek out a quiet space and take time to relax before re-engaging with the stimulating environment. This helps them develop trust and confidence. Care routines reflect children's ages, stages and individual needs, particularly for those settling into the setting. These practices help children feel secure, valued and supported.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure knowledge of child development. She has designed a curriculum that reflects children's ages, stages and individual routines, with consideration given to babies and younger children. The curriculum supports all areas of learning, with a particular focus on personal, social and emotional development, communication and physical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Babies explore cause-and-effect toys. The childminder models actions and offers simple commentary to help them link actions with outcomes. However, the use of rich language and vocabulary during some activities is not always consistent. At times, interactions focus more on supervision rather than on extending children's learning through sustained dialogue, which impacts on some children's progress in this area.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children develop early mathematical understanding during construction games. They stack cups and develop coordination and gross motor skills. Teaching is caring and responsive. The childminder supports children's emotional security and adaptations reflect children's home routines. For example, the childminder encourages children to achieve their aims. She provides them with affection and praise as they accomplish them. However, the childminder does not consistently consider children's individual next steps when providing activities for development. She does not clearly identify learning intentions of planned activities in advance.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs when they start at the setting. She completes close observation and regular discussion with families. The childminder uses information about children's routines, interests and home experiences. This helps to support emotional security and reduce barriers to learning. This is particularly relevant for babies and younger children settling into the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder makes adjustments to help children feel safe and included. This includes care routines, such as sleeping, feeding and nappy changing. The childminder adapts her practices to reflect familiar home practices. This helps children to feel comfortable and secure. She sensitively supports babies and younger children by responding to individual cues. The childminder offers calming reassurance when needed. This supports children's engagement in play and daily routines.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress through ongoing observation and discussion with parents. She works in partnership with families and seeks advice from external professionals as appropriate when any concerns are identified. The childminder demonstrates an effective understanding of the importance of early identification and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she offers support for children with identified speech and language delay. The childminder adapts care sensitively and knows children well. This knowledge is used to identify clear learning intentions for individual children. As a result, the childminder plans activities to further reduce barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. She reflects regularly on practice and evaluates her setting to identify priorities that are in the best interests of children. The childminder makes decisions through her experience and knowledge of the children. This is particularly relevant when supporting transitions, care routines and emotional wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is especially mindful of the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and uses professional development opportunities effectively and appropriately to enhance what she offers children. For example, the childminder engages in extra training to keep her knowledge up to date, including extended child development training and that which supports those with SEND. She uses the learning from training to inform day-to-day care and practices.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works positively with parents and values open communication. She shares information daily through discussion and messages. This helps to support communication between home and the setting. Where children face additional challenges, she works with families and seeks external advice when needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is mindful of workload and keeps systems manageable, using professional judgement to balance paperwork with direct work with children. This supports the childminder's organised and clear approach to her provision and practice.

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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 arrive at the setting, eager to explore the inviting environment. They are warmly welcomed by the nurturing childminder. They show excitement to explore the varied range of resources and activities that reflect each child's unique interest. Children experience a calm and relaxed environment. They show that they feel emotionally secure and well cared for throughout the day. Children benefit from ample time and the freedom to confidently make independent choices. Babies are soothed using familiar routines and supported to sleep in ways that meet their individual needs. They have their needs met and are responded to sensitively by the childminder. Babies' individual care routines are adapted to reflect their home experiences.

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

Children develop a strong sense of belonging through warm, responsive relationships and consistent daily routines. These help children feel secure. Children engage positively in play and learning and attend the setting regularly. They play comfortably alongside their peers and show growing confidence in social interactions. For example, children share resources during play and pass toys to one another.

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

Children enjoy a range of play-based experiences that support exploration and early learning. Babies investigate cause-and-effect toys with interest. They shake rattles, press buttons and explore objects independently. Children develop their early understanding and attention during interactions with the childminder. These interactions help children begin to support early communication and curiosity.

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

Children develop early independence through everyday routines. At mealtimes, younger children practise holding spoons and forks while being supported to eat. This helps them to build confidence and coordination. Care routines, such as nappy changing and handwashing and toothbrushing, are calm, respectful and predictable. This supports children's emotional wellbeing. As a result, children feel secure and valued. They make steady progress from their starting points, particularly in confidence, communication and early independence.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen the consistency of using rich language and vocabulary for all children, particularly the youngest, so they are supported to make the best possible progress. The childminder should consider a robust planning system that takes account of children's individual next steps, so that children's development is extended.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, the childminder's assistant, parents 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 - 17:00

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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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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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