Fitzpatrick, Rachael Ann

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2840899 Registered with Ofsted: 31/07/2025 Registers: EYR

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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 flourish within this provision as their interests and stages of development are identified and celebrated. Children achieve consistently well as the childminder provides a robust monitoring system to identify and support any emerging gaps in learning. Children are confident and independent as they achieve consistently throughout provision, using their natural curiosity to try new things. They interact and play with purpose, using their skills to enhance their experiences further. Younger children participate in turn-taking games, and babies practise their crawling to catch balls rolled by the childminder. Babies laugh as they observe where the ball went before using their gross motor skills to retrieve it. Babies hand the ball back and bounce with excitement to initiate the game again.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are extremely well prepared for transitions as the childminder promotes independence, confidence and communication. Children develop the ability to express their needs and ask for help when required, showing their confidence in being listened to. Children develop a really positive attitude towards learning as they are encouraged to 'have a go' and to take risks. Children feel proud of their achievements as they are consistently praised and therefore develop a real sense of their strengths and abilities. For example, children laugh as they dance along to musical toys. As children develop the awareness to press the buttons to make the music continue, the childminder celebrates and children clap and smile with pride.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder's routines and opportunities are carefully considered to celebrate and enhance each child's unique personality. Children feel extremely settled and secure as they benefit from the home-from-home environment. As a result, children feel a real sense of belonging and are comfortable to learn and explore. Through carefully considered settling-in sessions and monitoring procedures, the childminder has a comprehensive knowledge of all children. This influences the childminder to ensure resources are age appropriate as well as engaging for children. The childminder uses a variety of different experiences to support children's wellbeing. She prioritises lots of outdoor play and adventures to visit local parks, shops and playgroups within the community. When children express that they feel tired, they access cosy spaces within the provision to relax. The childminder acts swiftly to support children's needs and so children feel fulfilled and valued. Children access safe and

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

comfortable sleeping spaces as the childminder supports the importance of children feeling rested.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children feel secure through the use of appropriate and structured routines. These provide stability for children, especially for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as they know what to expect and are comfortable throughout transitional times. Children are equipped to make healthy choices independently as they engage in mealtimes, discussing their favourite foods, naming healthy foods and saying why our bodies need these.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children attend this nurturing provision with a positive attitude to learn. Children are excited to explore and use their natural curiosity to explore the provision. As babies show an interest to explore rolling balls, the childminder encourages their curiosity as she provides a ball pool to offer more balls. As a result, children enjoy developing their confidence and gross motor skills as they climb in and out of the ball pool. Babies excitedly roll the balls across the floor at a fast speed as they develop their fine motor skills. The childminder does not always use opportunities to further extend learning by introducing children to other areas of play. For example, children play with particular toys for a period of time, which sometimes leads to less engagement from children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children feel safe and secure as they form trusting and warm bonds with the childminder. The childminder establishes a secure environment where children, parents and families support the importance of good attendance. Parents work collaboratively with the childminder, and they develop close bonds of support. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning, welcome the structured routines as the consistency enables them to feel secure and demonstrate positive behaviours. The childminder sets high expectations for children. Children initiate playful experiences and thrive from interactions with the childminder and their peers. They turn take and play harmoniously, encouraged by consistent praise from the childminder.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder follows a clear and inclusive curriculum, with a focus on promoting children's independence and confidence. The childminder ensures teaching is age appropriate and is typically delivered well. Swift adaptations by the childminder to enhance her teaching provide opportunities for children, including those with additional needs or who face barriers to their learning, to learn and achieve. As children progress with their physical development, the childminder is proactive in providing time and resources to enhance their walking skills and confidence. For example, she holds their hands and helps children steadily cruise around the provision.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder models new language for children to hear and repeat. As babies say 'uh oh', the childminder repeats 'Oh no, where has it gone?', teaching children how to speak in sentences, as well as giving actions a meaning. Teaching is typically of an appropriate quality as the childminder follows children's interests to provide experiences that promote children's focus and attention. However, the childminder does not consistently use every interaction with children as an opportunity to teach. The childminder promotes a love of singing as she engages with babies and younger children to sing familiar nursery rhymes and songs. Babies bounce along, clapping their hands as they enjoy the music. Babies are clearly settled and secure in their environment, which enables them to feel safe to learn and explore with confidence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides an environment where children's uniqueness is valued and celebrated. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported through carefully considered adaptations, such as additional settling-in sessions. This provides an opportunity for the childminder to really understand and know children's individual needs. As a result, children with SEND express themselves with confidence, knowing their needs and emotions are supported. This promotes their sense of belonging as children, parents and families trust the childminder and feel part of the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses clear monitoring and assessing systems that identify any emerging gaps in children's learning and development. The childminder acts swiftly to receive advice and support from appropriate professionals as well as communicating with parents to share information. As a result, all children flourish from this proactive approach as the childminder skilfully adapts practice and routines to ensure children are benefiting. For example, the childminder implemented visual aids to support children with SEND to acknowledge their behaviour and recognise their emotions. The childminder shows a happy face when children are demonstrating positive behaviour and/or achieving something. Children respond to these aids to seek gratification and understand their actions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective within her role and acknowledges the importance of developing her professional knowledge through training opportunities. She strives to provide professional and high-quality care, and she welcomes feedback from parents and families to help her continually develop her provision. As a result, a culture of continuous improvement and professional development is apparent throughout, improving the overall quality of practice. The childminder knows her strengths and areas for improvement as she sets realistic and achievable goals for the development of her setting. While not all teaching is consistently of high quality, the childminder strives to develop her strategies as she actively seeks training opportunities to support her. The childminder confidently and effectively uses other agencies for advice and guidance when required, and this is demonstrated through her knowledge and careful use of interventions to support children with special educational

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents express their gratitude for the childminder's dedication to helping them and offer of support. The childminder forms close parent partnerships as she shares her expertise and advice to create trusting relationships. As a result, the childminder achieves positive attendance as parents want their children to attend to learn, play and develop new skills. The childminder is clearly passionate and committed to her role in teaching and caring for children, which creates a fun and nurturing environment for children to attend.

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

Children settle into this warm and nurturing provision with confidence and ease. Children feel welcomed and valued as the childminder asks questions about their weekend, using her extensive knowledge to include personalised information. Children enjoy the childminder's chatty and engaging tones as they listen, experiencing new language consistently. Babies babble back to the children initiating conversation and enjoy receiving and copying facial expressions. Children thrive within this provision as the childminder really focuses on children's stages of development and their next steps. As the childminder observes children's progression from crawling to cruising around furniture, she adapts the environment to include low-level furniture. This allows children to cruise and walk with confidence. Children use their natural curiosity to explore and initiate playful interactions as they roll balls and crawl to chase. Children smile and laugh as they feel a real sense of

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

belonging as the childminder carefully plans experiences to enhance their learning based on their interests.

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

Children enjoy exploring their community as they visit a variety of local provisions such as playgroups, parks and dance classes. As a result, children consistently develop their social and language skills. Children use these opportunities to meet new people and to widen their experiences. Children love to explore different environments with confidence but feel secure to retreat back to the childminder as their safe person to seek reassurance. The childminder consistently uses praise and positive reinforcements to acknowledge children's achievements. She encourages children to take safe risks, promoting a 'can-do' approach to learning as they experiment with different ways to complete activities, such as when climbing on play equipment. Children are happy and confident individuals who love to learn.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to ensure that all interactions with children are consistently used as an opportunity for teaching.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and 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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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

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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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