Challis, Shannon Kelly

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2801174 Registered with Ofsted: 02/10/2024 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 typically make appropriate progress from their starting points across the curriculum. The childminder uses observations, assessments and developmental guidance to identify gaps, plan next steps and address concerns promptly. Children make clear progress in communication and language. Frequent conversations, stories, songs and rhymes broaden vocabulary. Children learning English develop confidence, follow instructions and use a growing range of words.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face other barriers to learning receive support adapted for their individual needs. For example, additional safety equipment and calm spaces help children to regulate their behaviour and continue learning alongside their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop independence, confidence, social skills and positive attitudes that prepare them for their next stage of learning. The childminder shares assessments and next steps with parents, nurseries and schools, using communication books to support continuity during transitions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a positive, calm environment in which children understand routines and expectations. She sets clear boundaries, explains why they matter and gives gentle reminders about safety, hygiene and behaviour. Children typically respond readily because she knows them well and has established warm, trusting relationships. She notices their efforts and celebrates achievements, big and small, such as using the potty independently. She builds their confidence through specific praise.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children learn to collaborate through shared play, mealtimes and regular opportunities to socialise in the community. The childminder models kindness, encourages 'kind hands' and supports children to take turns and enjoy one another's company. Children typically behave well, show positive attitudes to learning and settle happily alongside their peers, including those they do not see at every session. The childminder adapts her expectations to children's age, stage, individual needs and circumstances. She introduces calm routines, chooses suitable outings and adjusts experiences so that every child can participate safely.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

She promotes regular, punctual attendance through clear communication with parents, follows up absences promptly and offers flexibility where places allow, helping families maintain continuity of care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder places children's happiness and individual needs at the heart of her care. She knows their home lives, preferences and emerging needs well, then gently adapts experiences, so every child feels included. Calm spaces, suitable equipment and carefully chosen outdoor activities help children who face barriers to join in safely without missing valuable experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children form warm, secure relationships with the childminder. They seek her reassurance, involve her in their play and respond happily to her encouragement. She notices and celebrates their efforts, helping them feel confident and valued. Her knowledge of emotional literacy supports children in naming, expressing and managing their feelings. Through stories, role play and everyday conversations, she helps them make sense of changes at home and develop emotional security.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder uses daily routines to help children be healthy, safe and increasingly independent. She patiently supports handwashing, potty training and mealtimes, offering praise when children try for themselves. Outdoor play develops movement and confidence. She explains hazards simply, supervises closely and records accidents promptly. Sleeping and feeding arrangements follow each child's routine in line with statutory guidance. She checks and cuts food carefully, maintains a nut-free environment and works sensitively with parents on healthy drinks, oral health, toileting and eating needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands the strengths of her curriculum and where teaching needs adapting. She designs a broad curriculum that meets the early years learning and development requirements, drawing on 'Development Matters', observations, assessments and discussions with parents. This helps her check what children know and can do, then tailor teaching to individual starting points, needs and stages of development. At times, the intended learning becomes less clear as activities incorporate several areas of learning. Consequently, teaching does not always focus precisely enough on the particular knowledge or skills children need to learn next.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

She purposefully develops communication and English vocabulary across the curriculum through conversation, stories, songs, rhymes, clear explanations and modelling. She teaches early mathematics sequentially through routines and play, introducing counting objects, singing number songs and using mathematical language in age-appropriate ways. She gives equal priority to physical development and children's personal, social and emotional development. Outdoor visits build large-muscle strength, while cutting, sensory play and creative experiences strengthen coordination, confidence and self-regulation.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows children well and adapts teaching for those who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She supports children who speak English as an additional language through repeated vocabulary and visual prompts. Practical adjustments, including quieter routines, adapted sensory experiences and carefully selected outdoor spaces enable children to participate safely.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs through observations, discussions with parents, developmental guidance, assessments and the progress check at age 2 years. She uses children's starting points and ongoing assessments to monitor progress, review support and evaluate its impact. She removes barriers through sensitive, practical adjustments. For example, she provides quiet time with preferred toys before lunch, selects secure parks, uses harnesses near roads and adapts messy play. Regular conversation, stories and rhymes develop the English of children who speak an additional language. Pictures help families understand safety advice.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works collaboratively with parents, nurseries, schools, health visitors, the local authority early years team and safeguarding services. She shares assessments and next steps, seeks advice promptly, then encourages families to access professional support where concerns arise. Her previous work with children with special educational needs and/or other barriers to learning informs her understanding of how to best support children. Planned language training will extend her practice. No children currently receive early years pupil premium funding or are known, or previously known, to children's social care. She understands how to target future funding and coordinate support with families and relevant professionals.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of her provision's strengths and priorities for improvement. She reflects on children's experiences, seeks advice and identifies relevant professional development. She keeps her knowledge current through local authority updates, training and links with other childminders. Her professional learning has strengthened how she supports children's emotional wellbeing, oral health and safe eating while maintaining secure safeguarding knowledge. She has appropriately identified early language as her next priority for professional development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

She makes decisions with children's best interests at the centre of her care. She adapts settling-in arrangements, routines, activities and outings to children's starting points, home circumstances and emerging needs. Her approach enables children who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face other barriers to participate safely and benefit from new experiences, such as visits to the fire station and workshops in the local community.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder manages her workload effectively while balancing the needs of her own family. She organises records, policies and assessments so that they support her work without reducing the time she spends with children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

She maintains clear communication with parents, who speak positively about the care their children receive. She also works collaboratively with nurseries, schools, the local authority early years team, safeguarding services, the library and a network of childminders. These partnerships support continuity, broaden children's experiences and help her seek timely advice.

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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 settle happily in this calm, welcoming setting. They form warm, secure relationships, seek reassurance when needed and confidently involve the childminder in their play. Familiar routines and clear expectations help them feel safe, known and valued.

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

Children make appropriate progress from their individual starting points. Sharing books, rhymes, singing, role play and everyday conversations develop their communication, imagination and vocabulary. Children learning English gain confidence, follow instructions

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Inspector:

Fiona Procter and use a growing range of words. Through routines and play, they also build early mathematical knowledge and positive attitudes to learning.

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Inspector:

Children enjoy memorable experiences within the local community. They visit the fire station, attend Blue Light Vehicle Day and join workshops that contribute to the town's 'Ride a Cock Horse' display, which they are always excited to see in the town centre. Visits to community events, farms, soft-play centres and local parks, alongside exploring the surrounding area, broaden their understanding of the world and their place within it. At home, creative, cutting and sensory activities strengthen coordination, physical skills and self-regulation.

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Inspector:

Children learn to recognise and manage their feelings, use 'kind hands', take turns and enjoy playing alongside others. Their efforts and achievements are celebrated, building confidence and self-esteem. Experiences reflect their home lives, languages, preferences and individual circumstances, so every child feels respected, included and able to belong.

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Inspector:

Children learn simple ways to keep themselves safe and become increasingly independent with handwashing, toileting and mealtimes. Those with emerging needs or other barriers participate alongside their peers, supported by calm spaces, visual prompts, suitable equipment and adapted experiences. Consistent care routines and smooth transitions help every child flourish, whatever their background, language or individual needs, and prepare them confidently for their next stage. The childminder works with parents to promote regular attendance and follows up on children's absences promptly.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen curriculum planning by identifying learning intentions for activities, so that teaching focuses clearly on the specific knowledge or skill children need to develop.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the 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 : 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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