Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY405362 Registered with Ofsted: 11/05/2010 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

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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 consistently sound progress through the well-sequenced curriculum. Communication and language development is particularly strong. Children develop rich vocabularies and express themselves confidently, often using emotional language drawn from stories. Children listen attentively, respond thoughtfully and engage in sustained back- and-forth exchanges that extend their thinking.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children learn to self-regulate at a young age. They persevere with tasks even when faced with challenges, make choices about their play and show pride in completing tasks for themselves. Those who face barriers to learning, including younger children or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive well-targeted support that enables them to access activities alongside their peers.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are very well prepared for the next stage of learning. They demonstrate confidence and empathy. Children learn a variety of skills to support their success in school and beyond.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children flourish in a calm, structured environment where expectations are clear and consistent. The childminder has established well-embedded routines that help children feel secure and confident. From arrival to mealtimes, transitions are smooth and predictable. Even the youngest children know what happens next and what is expected of them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Relationships are warm and respectful. The childminder models kindness and patience. Children mirror this in their interactions. They collaborate naturally, helping one another, offering encouragement and using gentle language such as 'good cleaning'. Behaviour is positive because it is nurtured through clear boundaries, sensitive reminders and meaningful praise. Children take pride in contributing to the setting's order and care. Children show good levels of self-regulation and empathy. The childminder balances nurture with challenge, considering each child's stage of development and temperament when supporting behaviour. Children take turns in activities. They manage most routines independently. However, they do not always have the opportunity to manage their own self-care fully.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are at the heart of this setting. The childminder knows each child very well and responds sensitively to their individual needs and routines. Daily care practices are calm, consistent and rooted in strong relationships that help children feel safe and valued. Attachments are secure, children seek comfort and reassurance when needed and demonstrate trust and affection in return.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Children are encouraged to take an active role in caring for their environment. They wash their hands before mealtimes, feed themselves confidently and understand how to keep themselves safe around pets. The childminder's clear routines, mealtimes and play provide a sense of predictability and security that supports all children. Although there are systems in place to support children to manage their own hygiene, on rare occasions, the organisation of the provision means children cannot access these.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Emotional wellbeing is well promoted. Through rich dialogue and resources, children recognise and articulate feelings confidently. They are supported to manage emotions with empathy and growing self-control. Physical development, healthy eating and positive habits are woven naturally into the day, ensuring children thrive in every sense. Children leave the setting happy, confident and emotionally secure.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the early years foundation stage and uses her knowledge of child development to design a curriculum that is purposeful, balanced and tailored to individual children's needs. Her decisions are grounded in continuous reflection and professional dialogue within her local childminding network. This ensures practice remains current and based on evidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is ambitious overall and rich in real-life experiences. Activities are carefully sequenced so that children build knowledge and skills progressively. Communication and emotional literacy are at the heart of the provision. Through consistent use of story and daily conversation, children develop a wide emotional vocabulary and the confidence to express their feelings. Early mathematics and mark making are integrated naturally into play, supporting cognitive and fine motor development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. She skilfully adapts activities so that every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can participate fully and make progress from their starting points. The childminder uses daily observation effectively to shape learning, adjust challenge and celebrate achievement. Children are motivated, engaged and secure in their learning. In the main, children show curiosity, empathy and growing independence across all areas of development. Assessment is ongoing and informs daily practice. However, it could be refined even further to capture children's progress with even greater precision. There is capacity to extend its ambition to further support children with their independence and curiosity.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has created an inclusive culture where every child is known, understood and supported to participate. However, on rare occasions, the organisation of the provision does not support children to practise their independence skills. Individual needs are identified through close observation and daily dialogue with families. This allows the childminder to adapt activities and environments so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can access learning and succeed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Barriers to learning are reduced through thoughtful, well-planned practice. Emotional literacy work ensures that children can name and manage feelings confidently. Communication skills and physical development are embedded in everyday play. The childminder's calm, nurturing approach supports children to regulate emotions and build confidence alongside their peers. Progress is monitored through continuous observation and reflection, with next steps shared openly with parents. The childminder engages positively with local childminding networks and external professionals to stay informed about good practice.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children known to children's social care, or those who may be vulnerable, are supported sensitively through consistent routines and secure relationships. While there are currently no children eligible for early years pupil premium, the childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of how she would use it to enhance opportunities for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates strong and reflective leadership. She has a clear understanding of her setting's strengths and areas for development. Self-evaluation is embedded in daily routines and supported through ongoing professional dialogue with other childminders and early years professionals. This ensures the provision remains current, compliant and responsive to children's changing needs. Decisions are consistently made in the best interests of children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates deep insight into each child's circumstances and provides additional support where needed to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing. Her practice reflects the inclusive values of the early years foundation stage, ensuring that every child, regardless of background or ability is supported to achieve and thrive. The childminder manages her own workload effectively, maintaining a healthy balance between professional ambition and personal wellbeing. However, professional development is not yet focused with enough precision to swiftly identify the specific and emerging needs of different cohorts. Current training supports practice well, but leadership would be strengthened by mapping future development more closely to patterns in children's progress. This would ensure leadership planning remains proactive and closely aligned to the changing profile of children attending.

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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 thrive in a calm, nurturing environment where they feel secure, valued and understood. From the moment they arrive, they are greeted warmly and settle quickly into well-established routines that help them feel safe and confident. They move purposefully through the day, showing trust in the childminder and a clear understanding of what happens next.

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

Children achieve very well because the curriculum is embedded through play and meaningful conversation. They develop strong independence skills. Children from a very young age feed themselves with spoons competently. They are beginning to manage hygiene routines independently and tidy away resources with pride. The childminder's high expectations encourage children to persevere and have a go. Early language, emotional understanding and fine-motor control are skilfully woven through activities. These include well-chosen books with visual resources to explore emotions, play dough, mark making and story sessions. As a result, children use emotional vocabulary confidently, express ideas clearly and demonstrate early problem-solving skills.

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

Children belong because relationships are warm and mutual. They show affection and empathy towards one another, offering cuddles and encouragement. Children are keen to help their younger peers. The childminder's consistent routines, gentle reminders and focus on manners help children feel respected and valued. They learn social expectations naturally through conversation, shared play and mealtimes enjoyed together.

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

Children thrive because safeguarding practice and routines are strong and embedded. Risks are managed thoughtfully, with pets appropriately supervised and hygiene routines well understood. The environment is calm, organised and emotionally secure. Children are allowed to explore freely while knowing that support is always available. The childminder's reflective practice and commitment to emotional wellbeing underpin every interaction. This ensures children flourish both socially and developmentally.

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

Overall, children are happy, confident and curious learners who experience consistent quality care and education that prepares them well for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

Embed high expectations for children's self-care and strengthen the curriculum to deepen children's independence skills and curiosity. Refine professional development by planning future training more strategically, so it is sharply aligned with the emerging and specific needs of different cohorts of children.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 17:00

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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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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 standards 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 standards 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

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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

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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