Smith, Kerrie-Anne

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2802531 Registered with Ofsted: 16/09/2025 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

Babies are developing their muscles and movement. For instance, they confidently crawl and reach for objects of interest, which helps strengthen their core muscles for later walking. Children typically develop early independence and self-care skills. They take their shoes off and know to wash their hands before mealtimes. Most children are developing their early language skills. Babies turn the pages of books and babble along while the childminder reads. They listen intently to the childminder and offer their ideas through gestures and sounds. This helps children become confident communicators. Children play cooperatively and share their ideas with one another. For instance, when using the mud kitchen, they pass their friends the different herbs ready for their potions. Children gain the key skills in readiness for their next stage of education. All children, including children who may face barriers in their learning, are prepared well for their next stage of learning, including school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations of children's behaviour. She is kind and caring in her interactions and encourages cooperative behaviour. Children mirror these actions, for example, as they take turns as they use scissors to cut various herbs for their imitative play. Older children gently pass babies soft items to explore from the wooden basket. These warm and trusting interactions enable children to feel secure and confident to learn. This establishes clear expectations of children's behaviour and supports them to develop consistent routines, further enhancing their wellbeing and readiness to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder ensures that children are settled and understand the routine of the day. Children generally benefit from these routines. They know to wash their hands before mealtimes and confidently push the soap. The childminder does not consistently develop their independence. For instance, she tends to wipe children's faces and put their coats on, rather than teaching children. This means children do not continue to practise their self-care for later learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has systems in place to record children's attendance and promotes the importance of regular attendance with parents from the outset. She has procedures in place should a child not attend when expected. This helps keep children safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports babies' health very well. She gathers ongoing information about the stages of weaning babies are at and also their sleeping patterns. The childminder is vigilant and monitors babies' feeding and sleeping well. She supports children's emotional development effectively through the use of stories, songs and daily interactions, which help children to recognise, express and manage their emotions. The childminder talks to children about what they are eating and ensures that they are appropriately seated to eat. She also reminds children to eat slowly to keep themselves safe. Healthy routines, such as handwashing and tidying up, help children develop an understanding of healthy habits for later life. The childminder skilfully plans her environment to help children develop their physical skills. For instance, she ensures that babies can access various resources that interest them. She

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

places the resources around a soft mat. This encourages babies to crawl and further their physical development. Older children show great skill as they negotiate space and move around the childminder's home. They have ample opportunity to play outside and benefit from the daily fresh air and exercise.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a thorough knowledge of early childhood development. She generally plans a broad and balanced curriculum that covers all areas of learning. She uses effective systems to observe and assess children's learning and development. The childminder gathers detailed information to meet each child's individual needs and to support their personal, social and emotional development. This generally helps to build on children's next steps of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically models language and narrates in children's play. She introduces the names of herbs, such as mint and parsley. This helps older children to develop their vocabulary. Babies babble as they wiggle to songs. However, during planned activities, the childminder does not consistently adapt her interactions to support younger children's speech and language. This means younger children do not consistently benefit from interactions that support and extend their developing speech and language. The childminder promotes physical development effectively. Children gain confidence as they learn to use one-handed tools, toddlers pinch herbs with their fingers as they use their senses to smell the different herbs. The childminder weaves in counting at all opportunities. This helps children develop their early mathematics.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although there are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children from disadvantaged backgrounds or children known to children's social care attending, the childminder demonstrates an understanding of inclusive practice. The childminder takes time to get to know the children and families she cares for. She uses observations and regular assessments to monitor for any gaps in children's learning and development. The childminder has worked with the children's parents and other professionals. This helps her signpost children to early support, such as speech and language services. This two-way approach helped her to make adaptations to ensure that children were fully included in her setting. This helps children have a consistent approach to their care and learning. Parents report on the childminder's guidance, which supports their children when they may face barriers to their learning. The childminder knows how to ensure

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Inclusion Expected standard

that children access any additional funding that they may be entitled to. This helps children make progress in their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is reflective about her setting. She demonstrates a secure understanding of her strengths and areas for development. The childminder has secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This generally helps her plan for children's next steps in their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder promotes continuous professional development and ensures that any assistants she works with also complete targeted training, so as to offer the same high- quality care and education. For example, they have furthered their knowledge of screen time and online safety, which the childminder has shared with parents. Assistants speak positively of their role and say they are well supported by the professional childminder through supervision meetings. They comment that they thoroughly enjoy working as a part of the small team.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has developed effective partnerships with parents. The childminder shares regular updates, support and advice, including how parents can extend their children's learning at home. She knows how to work with other professionals. This ensures that there is a coordinated approach for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder has developed relationships with the local pre-school and shares transition reports when children move to their next stage of education. This helps her to share information in readiness for children's eventual move to 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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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are happy, and they thrive in the care of this nurturing childminder. From the outset, the childminder gathers a wealth of information from parents. This helps her to adapt and plan children's care routines to reflect the same as home. Babies are settled and form close relationships with the childminder. They are curious and engaged in the well-planned stimulating environment. The childminder is responsive to the care of babies and their unique needs. This helps all children, including children who may need some additional support, to feel safe and secure.

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

Children develop their physical skills as they explore the well-planned garden. Children use spray bottles with coloured water to create magic potions. They stir in leaves as they mix in the water. Babies reach out and grasp soft materials from a wooden basket. This helps children develop the small muscles in their hands for later learning. Older children are skilled as they use their large muscles on the ride-on cars. Babies are learning to crawl and are very settled.

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

Children are cared for by a childminder and her staff who know them well. Children show an interest in songs and stories. Older children speak with confidence, and generally all children benefit from the daily interactions in their play. Children count within their play. They learn about shapes and how many sides they have. Children benefit from planned regular outings to the local shops, attractions, parks and toddler groups. These experiences help children understand their community and the wider world.

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

Children learn about diversity from an early age. They access resources that reflect different cultures and family backgrounds, including books in their home languages. As a result, children see themselves positively represented within the setting and develop a strong sense of belonging while learning to respect and celebrate the differences in others. The childminder ensures that children's attendance is monitored. This helps keep children safe and helps children benefit from consistent care and learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen how she adapts her interactions to consistently support younger children's communication and language development. The childminder should continue to strengthen children's independence, so they increasingly develop their self-care skills with minimal adult support.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and the childminder's assistants 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 : 07:30 - 18:00

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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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