Brock, Richard William

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2857668 Registered with Ofsted: 17/10/2025 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 Strong standard

Children make strong progress across all areas of the curriculum. They are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning, be it pre-school, nursery or school, when the time comes.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are confident to express their thoughts and wishes. They are developing a wide range of vocabulary and beginning to speak in whole sentences. They already recognise some numbers, colours and shapes. They enjoy expressing themselves through drawing, chalking and painting. For example, they 'roar' as they draw dinosaurs on the easel. They enjoy exploring different ways to make marks on the chalk board outside, developing their large muscle movements. Children show a great interest in the natural world and enjoy learning outdoors. They develop their physical skills and strength as they climb, run and balance on the outdoor equipment.

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Achievement Strong standard

All children demonstrate that they feel secure, safe and content. They are happy and comfortable and have high levels of self-esteem, benefitting from the warm and supportive relationships they have developed at the childminder's setting.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder implements a curriculum that covers all 7 areas of learning and follows the early years foundation stage. He is currently caring for very young children and appropriately identifies key aspects of learning to focus on. For example, he provides excellent support for children to develop their communication and language skills. He understands the importance of speech and understanding to children's future educational outcomes.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder understands what he wants children to learn next and the order in which to teach it. He understands how to sequence children's learning. He has high, age-appropriate expectations for the children. For example, he introduces children to letter sounds to help them remember the names of colours, such as 'r, r, red', but does not expect children to learn phonics at this age.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is consistently fun and effective. Children clearly enjoy the childminder's company and are keen to join in with activities that interest and excite them. The childminder frequently allows the children to lead the play. The childminder takes every opportunity throughout the day to extend children's learning. For example, when a child finds a spider outside, the childminder talks about insects and how to protect them. The childminder makes time for every child and provides them with a wide range of vocabulary to match their play. High-quality conversation is non-stop. The children enjoy reading with the childminder. They name the farm animals such as 'cow' and 'duck' and the childminder introduces 'goose', repeating the word and asking the children to say it so that knowledge is retained.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a calm and gentle role model. He has created a comfortable and caring environment for children. Children clearly enjoy the childminder's company, and trusting relationships have been forged. Children generally behave very well for their age and stage of development. When disputes do arise, the childminder intervenes quickly and consistently. He explains in simple terms why some behaviours, such as snatching toys, are not appropriate. Children are beginning to understand how to play cooperatively, share resources and take turns. Overall, children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. The childminder is aware of the need to continue to develop children's listening and attention skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children's good attendance is promoted within the setting. The childminder monitors attendance to ensure children are safe and benefitting fully from the learning and development opportunities on offer. This is good preparation for when children move on to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder provides well-targeted praise, and the children respond well to this. For example, children beam with delight when he tells them he loves the colours of the magnetic bricks they have chosen. Children are treated with respect and their voices are heard. They have plenty of opportunities to express their ideas and make choices in their play.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has a sound knowledge of the early years foundation stage and makes sure that requirements are met. For example, children's sleeping arrangements are safe. They sleep in appropriate cots and are well supervised when napping. The childminder promotes children's good health well. For example, he talks to the children about good oral health and they practise toothbrushing. Children wash their hands before eating, saying 'all clean'.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy healthy snacks. They eat in suitable highchairs and are safely strapped in. The childminder sits directly in front of the children while they eat, so that he can supervise them carefully. He talks to the children about what they are eating and their favourite fruits. However, throughout the day, including at mealtimes, the childminder does not consistently remind children to use 'please' and 'thank you', which does not reinforce children's understanding of the importance of good manners.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

New starters benefit from bespoke and effective settling-in arrangements. This enables children to gradually increase their hours at the setting. The childminder is very sensitive to the needs of both parents and children at this time, and he makes the transition from home to childminder as smooth as possible.

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Inclusion Expected standard

All children are welcomed into the childminder's inclusive home-from-home setting. The childminder's ethos is that children's needs come first, and this is reflected throughout the setting. He adapts play equipment, activities and outdoor spaces to make sure that all children can access age-appropriate equipment easily and safely. For example, Christmas cooking activities have been adapted in the past to enable children who cannot tolerate gluten to join in.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although the childminder is not currently caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children or children known or previously known to children's social care, he has a sound understanding of child development and recognises emerging needs. He has an appropriate knowledge of the local services available to help children, such as the local authority health team and health visiting service, and he will seek specialist advice and support when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder assesses children's progress routinely and identifies where a bit of extra support is needed. He will then focus extra attention on a specific area of learning, such as speech and language or physical development, to help children catch up with their peers. Progress is carefully monitored to make sure his teaching is having a positive impact. When he is aware that families are facing challenging times, he makes sure to provide whatever support he can.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder takes his role and responsibilities as caregiver and educator seriously. He attends all mandatory training, such as paediatric first-aid training and a course for designated safeguarding leaders. He occasionally attends other professional development opportunities, such as a course on forest school teaching. He is up to date with recent changes to the early years foundation stage.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is ambitious for all children. The ethos of putting the child first is clear throughout all aspects of the childminder's provision. He aims for children to enjoy the best possible start to their childhood at the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reviews the quality of the provision daily. He constantly reflects on the resources children enjoy playing with, their interests and how to move them on in their learning. He is currently adapting the outdoor space to meet the needs of different age groups. However, the childminder does not gather the views of parents to inform his improvement planning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Relationships with parents and children are warm, respectful and supportive. Daily feedback is provided regarding the care of the children and how their day has been. However, parents are not as well informed about their children's development or what the childminder is currently focusing on as their next steps in learning to help support this.

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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 content. They are inquisitive and demonstrate curiosity and confidence at the setting. They clearly enjoy learning through play. They benefit from close bonds with the childminder, who is skilled at positive interactions that boost children's self- confidence and self-belief. All children make sound progress from their starting points across all areas of the curriculum, including any children that may need a bit of extra help and support.

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

Children are well occupied and busy throughout the day. They generally engage well in the wide range of activities provided and frequently invite the childminder into their play. They are very exited to see the lorries and tractors that go past the end of the garden in this rural setting. They go to the top of the 'tower' in the play castle to get a better view. The childminder encourages children's questions and takes every opportunity to talk to them about nature, widening their knowledge of the world around them. Children are treated with great care and respect. They are learning that their views are valid and of value. Although the children attending are young, they are learning, with patient intervention from the childminder, how to play with their peers and form friendships.

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

Children are well cared for and closely supervised. Effective risk assessments ensure that all areas of the home used by the children are safe and secure, including when children arrive and depart from the setting. The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance. Children who are new to the setting are well supported to ensure that transitions are as smooth as possible. Many parents have sent more than one child to the setting, demonstrating how well the childminder supports the varied needs of the families that

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

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About this setting

Local authority: Oxfordshire attend. All of the requirements of the early years foundation stage are met. Children flourish and thrive in the childminder's care.

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Next steps

The childminder should make sure that good manners are consistently promoted and reinforced, especially at mealtimes. The childminder should review partnership working to make sure parents are aware of children's achievements and can support their next steps in learning. The childminder should consider ways to incorporate parents' views into improvement planning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children 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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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. 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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