Childminder in Kent

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are happy and confident in the childminder's home. The environment is organised for children to play, explore and make their own choices. Children ask for toys that they would like. For example, they request an alphabet puzzle to practise their letters and blocks to count numbers. Children have free-flow access to the child-friendly garden. They access this in all weathers. Outdoors, children zoom up and down the path on ride-on cars and jump to pop bubbles. They check on the cucumbers they are growing and exclaim how big they have grown. Children are very active learners.

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The provision is good

The childminder plans a broad curriculum based on children's interests. She knows the children well and prepares activities that she knows they will enjoy. For example, children practise writing letters from their name in different coloured slime. Children focus on activities for long periods of time. They are enthusiastic learners, who like to explore and investigate. During adult-led activities, generally, children behave well. They are learning to negotiate and share. The childminder encourages children to have good manners. They say please and thank you and ask to get down from the table when they have finished eating.

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need to do better?

n The childminder plans a sequenced curriculum that follows children's interests and next steps in learning. For example, children learn the names of animals and what sounds they make. They then use hammers to rescue animals they have learned about from ice. Children explore new learning in depth while they develop their fine motor skills. n Children enjoy sensory experiences. The childminder takes this into account when planning for their learning. Children show good concentration as they create potions from natural resources. The childminder shows them how to use the spout on a jug to pour the mixture without spilling. The children develop their critical thinking skills as they experiment with how much potion different containers will hold. n Children learn about managing some risks. For example, children practise using safety knives to cut fruit before the childminder shows them how to use a sharper knife. She reminds them to be careful of the point on a skewer as the

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need to do better?

children push their fruit onto the skewer to make a fruit kebab. The childminder provides safe, supervised opportunities for children to take risks. This helps children to learn how to be careful and manage risks as they play. n The childminder takes children on walks to the local river to explore. Children recall with excitement that they caught a river shrimp with their nets. The childminder teaches the children names of insects they see, like 'river boatman'. When children play in the garden, they move a snail that they find on the path

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need to do better?

22 July 2025 onto a plant so that it does not get crushed. These experiences help children to show consideration for the environment. They are respectful of nature. n The childminder supports children's language development well. She initiates conversations and introduces new words to add to those that they already know. For example, the childminder teaches children words, such as 'dill, coriander' and 'mint', as they cut up herbs. Children use these new words as they crush the herbs and describe what they smell like. The childminder exposes children to a wide vocabulary to extend their language skills. n Children learn some behavioural expectations. For example, the childminder encourages them to share popular resources and take turns. However, the childminder does not always provide children with an explanation as to why they need to behave in certain ways. This means they are not fully supported to learn

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need to do better?

the consequences of unwanted behaviour and the impact on others. n The childminder ensures that all mandatory training, such as safeguarding and first aid, remains up to date. She uses various platforms to keep informed about sector updates. However, the childminder does not always fully reflect on ways to enhance her provision or teaching. This means that sometimes she is unsure how to plan precisely for specific children's individual needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n strengthen practice so that children are fully supported to understand behaviour expectations n reflect and enhance teaching to precisely target children's individual needs even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 126347 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10399354 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 11 Date of previous inspection 28 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 1994 and lives in Dartford, Kent. She cares for children Monday to Friday from 7.15am until 6pm, all year round. The childminder works with an assistant and provides government funded childcare places for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The childminder showed the inspector the premises and discussed how she ensures that they are safe and suitable. n The childminder and the inspector discussed how the childminder organises her early years provision, including the aims and rationale for her early years foundation stage curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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Inspection activities

22 July 2025 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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Inspection activities

22 July 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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