Mirza, Sumia

Mirza, Sumia

Unique reference number (URN): 2828706 Address: Old Baptist Church, London Road, Purfleet-On-Thames, RM19 1QT Type: Childminder without domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 23/06/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Sumia Mirza

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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 suitable progress from their starting points and develop the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of development. Children, including those who face barriers to learning, show sustained focus and positive attitudes to learning when engaging with activities of their choosing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children become increasingly confident in using language to express their needs, share ideas and engage with adults and peers. Through everyday songs, stories and conversations, children build their vocabulary, strengthen their listening skills and develop their ability to follow and join in discussions. However, the lack of a sufficiently focused curriculum for babies and younger children limits the progress and achievements they make.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children benefit from outdoor learning opportunities that support their physical development. Children climb, balance and use ride-on equipment, which strengthens their coordination, confidence and physical skills. Overall, children typically develop well and are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally respond positively to the expectations of the setting and enjoy playing alongside one another. When children find sharing or turn taking difficult, the childminder responds calmly and supports them to manage these situations. She also recognises when children are tired, upset or finding something difficult and responds sensitively to their individual needs. The childminder acts as a positive role model. She demonstrates politeness, such as using 'please' and 'thank you'. The childminder uses specific praise, such as 'thank you' for waiting, to encourage positive behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Familiar routines and clear expectations help children to understand what happens throughout the day. However, there are times during transitions when children are expected to wait for extended periods of time. As a result, children become bored and restless, this has been identified by the childminder, who acknowledges improved planning and purposeful interactions during these times would prevent children becoming disengaged and increase opportunities for teaching and learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of regular attendance in supporting continuity in children's learning and development. If children face barriers to attendance, she works with parents and carers to resolve this and consequently, children attend regularly.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder typically provides a caring and supportive environment where she understands and meets children's individual needs. She does this by gathering information about children's likes and dislikes, routines, dietary requirements, allergies and medical needs before they start at the setting. This means the childminder is well placed to meet children's needs from the start.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder generally promotes healthy lifestyles. During mealtimes, children learn about foods that are good for them, which helps them to make healthy choices. Additionally, children are familiar with self-care routines, such as washing hands before meals and tidying up after themselves. This allows them to practise their independence and build on skills to keep themselves healthy and well.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children access the outdoor spaces daily. Here, they access a variety of resources so they can balance, run, climb and use scooters to build their physical strength and coordination. Children receive support to keep themselves safe. The childminder reminds younger children not to eat non-food items and encourages older children to line up and wait for their peers before heading inside. This helps children to understand ways they can keep themselves safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans a varied curriculum that gives children the knowledge and skills they need to develop across all areas of learning and development. She is clear about what she wants children to learn and why. For example, she places a focus on supporting children's social skills, including turn-taking and being patient. This helps children to practise the skills they need for the next steps in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children benefit from positive interactions that are warm and encouraging. However, the childminder has identified weaknesses in her curriculum for babies. The area designated for the youngest children is not consistently engaging, this sometimes results in younger children becoming bored and unsettled. The childminder is addressing this through further training and redeployment of resources to implement a more interesting and engaging environment to support teaching and learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder encourages physical development through a range of experiences, including using large climbing equipment, balancing beams and playing with balls. Children practise physical skills with support. For example, they learn to throw and catch. Additionally, children receive encouragement to persevere when they drop the ball. This teaches resilience, and, as a result, children have the confidence to continue trying even when initially unsuccessful.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where children's individual needs are identified and supported. She establishes children's starting points when they join and uses observations and discussions with families to identify emerging needs. The childminder seeks advice from other professionals where necessary and signposts parents for support if required. This holistic approach generally means children's needs are identified and addressed promptly, enabling them to receive appropriate support at the earliest opportunity.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder takes appropriate action to reduce barriers to learning. For example, for children who speak English as an additional language, the childminder uses picture reference cards to support communication. This allows children to express their needs and access learning alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates that she considers a wide range of possible barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. For example, she recognises the impact of changing family circumstances and works with parents and carers to identify ways to support children through these transitions. This ensures children typically make steady progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has an accurate understanding of the strengths of her setting and the areas she wants to develop. She has responded positively to advice provided by the local authority, for example, she is taking steps to strengthen the curriculum for babies. She is reviewing and refining her planning to ensure learning experiences are increasingly responsive to babies' individual interests, developmental needs and next steps. This demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has recently employed assistants and has supported them to access relevant statutory training and additional professional development opportunities. They take time to discuss children's progress and next steps. However, although the childminder reviews her assistants' performance through team meetings and peer observations, supervision arrangements are not yet fully embedded. This limits childminders' ability to identify gaps in knowledge. As a result, she cannot be assured that practice remains consistently effective.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is responsive to her assistants' changing needs and recognises when time away from work may be necessary. She places an emphasis on their wellbeing, understanding that they need to be physically and emotionally well in order provide children with consistent, sensitive and responsive care. This supports a stable and nurturing environment where children can thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder frequently communicates with parents and carers regarding their children's routines and progress. Parents acknowledge the positive impact the childminder has on their child with the support and information that she provides. As a result, parents are well informed and can see the progress their children are making.

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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 are happy and settled in the childminder's care. They develop warm and trusting relationships. Children confidently seek cuddles, comfort and reassurance. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Children learn to be kind and considerate towards others. For example, they are encouraged to share and take turns, and the childminder uses positive praise to recognise their efforts. Children generally understand familiar routines, such as helping to tidy away after snack time and following established hygiene routines before mealtimes. The childminder encourages children to take an active role in these routines, helping them to become increasingly independent.

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

Children typically enjoy a varied range of play and learning experiences that reflect their interests and stages of development. Younger children particularly enjoy sensory activities, such as water play, where they scoop, pour and splash while exploring the effects their actions have on the water. The childminder builds on this through identifying concepts and labelling actions to develop children's vocabulary and communication.

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

Children enjoy a well-considered outdoor space, they practise climbing, balancing and negotiating obstacles. This helps them to develop core strength and coordination. Children engage with learning opportunities where they can explore texture and manipulate materials, such as mud and paint. This encourages children's creativity and imagination, as well as the opportunity to practise fine motor skills. Additionally, during this time, children are introduced to mathematical language, such as 'more', 'less', 'full' and 'empty', in addition to counting.

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

Children's individual needs are valued and generally well supported. The childminder works closely with families and seeks external advice when concerns about children's development emerge. Parents and carers speak very positively about their experiences. They describe their children as happy to attend and value the progress they see in their children's development.

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Next steps

The childminder should put more effective supervision arrangements in place for any assistants she works with, to precisely identify areas for improvement and any training required to have a positive impact on the quality of practice. The childminder should further embed the curriculum for younger children by ensuring planned experiences are consistently matched to their developmental stages, interests and learning needs. The childminder should review and adapt transition times so that children remain engaged and purposeful, providing suitable opportunities for learning to reduce periods of waiting boredom and restlessness.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-childminder, assistants, parents and carers 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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Address:

Old Baptist Church London Road Purfleet-On-Thames RM19 1QT

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Address:

Type: Childminder without domestic premises

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Address:

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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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