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Early years · Childminder inspection (EIF)

Childminder 2734275

Inspected 5 Sept 2025 · URN 2734275

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Summary

What we read, and from where

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  • Inspection date verified

    5 Sept 2025

  • Inspectors verified

    Alison Martin

  • Behaviour and attitudes verified

    Good

  • Leadership and management verified

    Good

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Good

  • Personal development verified

    Good

  • Quality of education verified

    Good

  • Name on report verified

    Childminder report

  • URN verified

    2734275

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • OverallGood
  • Behaviour and attitudesGood
  • Leadership and managementGood
  • Personal developmentGood
  • Quality of educationGood

79% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (17,905 inspections).

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+58Positivemore positive than 31% of reports of this type graded Good
OutstandingGoodRIInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Good.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseenjoythrivestrongnurturingconsistentstrengthshappyeffective
Criticismweakernot always

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingWhat needs to improveAbout the inspection positive critical
  • Findings689w+53
  • Safeguarding20w+50
  • What needs to improve48w0

Strengths

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Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
6
Words of findings
720
about usual (typical 764)
Reading level
Fairly hard
Flesch 55, typical 52
Average sentence
16 words
Next steps
3
typical 2
Hedged sentences
4%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 59%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 4%About the inspection 36%

Full report text

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

p.1

The provision is good

The gentle and nurturing childminder forms strong bonds with children. She is sensitive to the needs of young children who are starting out in her care, and she provides consistent cuddles and soothing words to help them settle. Children respond by staying close to her while they begin to discover the toys and environment.

p.2

The provision is good

Overall, the childminder provides children with a curriculum that meets their needs. She knows what young children need to support their learning and has a wide range of resources available to them. Children demonstrate how they can become deeply involved and focused on activities, such as when they play with dried pasta, bricks and cars. The childminder offers them praise and encouragement as they begin to discover and investigate. She watches how they play and joins in to show them new ways of doing things. For example, children enjoy stacking bricks and knocking them over.

p.2

The provision is good

The childminder helps children begin to understand and value their community and the wider world. For example, she takes them to the park, farms and forest school sessions. Children help her in the garden, where they grow fruits and vegetables. This helps children expand their outlook and supports them in gaining new skills to support their education and life skills.

p.2

need to do better?

n The childminder is calm and composed when settling new children into the setting. They know they can rely on her to provide the emotional security and care they need. For instance, the childminder knows when children need more support to settle to sleep, or when they want a reassuring hand to give them confidence to explore. This provides children with a safe and reassuring foundation from which they can grow and learn. n The childminder knows the children in her care well and thinks about their interests when she plans activities. This provides them with the motivation and desire to explore and play. She notices children's strengths and plans additional opportunities for them to practise these skills, such as by providing push-along toys to stimulate walking or hiding letters and numbers for children to find and name. However, she does not specifically plan for what children need to know and do to develop and strengthen weaker aspects of their learning and

p.2

need to do better?

development. n Children feel secure in the consistent routines the childminder provides. Young children understand cues to support their growing independence, such as helping to tidy up toys, washing their hands and feeding themselves. The childminder maintains a calm atmosphere during mealtimes, which encourages

p.2

need to do better?

5 September 2025 children to relax and enjoy their food. n The childminder notices when young children use new words and speech sounds. She repeats back the sounds and words they say to stimulate and reinforce learning. However, sometimes while children are playing or involved in routines, the childminder does not step in to provide a narrative or introduce key vocabulary to help them learn new words or to develop ideas to help them understand new concepts. n The childminder presents young children with new experiences to help them learn about others and the world. She sensitively encourages them to play alongside one another while sharing resources. For example, while they play with dried pasta shapes, they watch, follow and copy one another. This provides babies and young children with the opportunity to develop their social skills in an age-appropriate way. n The childminder develops good partnerships with parents. They quickly build

p.2

need to do better?

trust and confidence in the childminder, who supports them well while they settle children into the setting. She provides daily updates for parents. Although parents know the children's routines and activities, the childminder does not always provide them specific ideas to promote and accelerate children's learning and development at home. n The childminder is a conscientious practitioner. She continues to learn and regularly updates her own professional skills and knowledge. She networks with other childminders and knows where she can seek additional information to support her practice. She provides a welcoming and happy environment where children blossom and thrive.

p.3

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.

p.3

should:

n sequence the curriculum to help children build on and practise key steps in their learning and development n make use of all opportunities to increase and develop children's language and speaking skills n strengthen information-sharing with parents to help them support children's learning and development at home.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2734275 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10408102 Type of provision Childminder

p.4

Registers

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

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 6 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2023 and lives in Tonbridge, Kent. She works from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round. She provides government- funded places for childcare for children between the ages of nine months and four years. The childminder has a relevant early years qualification at level 3.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The childminder and the inspector discussed how she 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 and assessed the impact that this is having on the children's learning. n The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of documentation on request.

p.4

Inspection activities

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.

p.4

Inspection activities

5 September 2025 5 September 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.

p.4

Inspection activities

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 .

p.6

Inspection activities

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

p.6

Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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