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
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.
In line with other reports of this type graded Good.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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Concerns
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No strong criticism found.
Next steps
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- sequence the curriculum to help children build on and practise key steps in their learning and development p.3
- make use of all opportunities to increase and develop children's language and speaking skills p.3
- strengthen information-sharing with parents to help them support children's learning and development at home. p.3
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Communication & language3
“The childminder notices when young children use new words and speech sounds.” p.2
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
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
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p.6
Inspection activities
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p.6
Inspection activities
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p.6
Inspection activities
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p.6
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