Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2740263 Registered with Ofsted: 16/08/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Most children, including those who are disadvantaged and who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are achieving well given their starting points. Children who are new to the setting are beginning to demonstrate progress in their development. Children are learning to listen and concentrate, for example, when listening to a story. They are developing a love of books, learning new words and becoming confident communicators.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

The childminder provides targeted support for all children through the implementation of an effective curriculum. Children demonstrate a growing curiosity in their play. They carefully manoeuvre toy cars in, on and around objects. The childminder provides a range of opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. As a result, children are developing appropriate levels of dexterity, precision and control in their small-muscle skills.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Not all children are fully developing into confident, independent learners because at times the childminder completes some self-care tasks for them.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder calmly and patiently supports children's behaviour and feelings. However, sometimes she does not teach children why their behaviour is inappropriate or could be unsafe. The childminder skilfully helps children who struggle to regulate their emotions safely. She provides lots of reassurance, praise and encouragement during children's play and learning. This helps to raise children's self-esteem and confidence as they develop a positive attitude to their learning.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children build secure attachments with the childminder who is kind and caring towards them. They happily receive and give cuddles. As expected for children's ages and stages of development, they often play alone or alongside one another. To support children's developing social skills the childminder encourages them to join together to complete activities.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder implements her procedures to monitor children's attendance to assure their learning. She has informed parents of the importance of children's attendance in developing appropriate routines for their education.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children play and learn in a safe and inviting environment. They settle quickly into the routines, such as enjoying the daily healthy benefits of outdoor play. Children's personal needs are being met well, especially during nappy-changing times. The childminder helps children understand the importance of privacy and sensitivity for one another and children respect this during the routine. This helps children to feel safe and relaxed.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

During some daily tasks and routines around mealtimes and personal care children are not supported as well. For example, routines for self-care, hand washing and getting dressed are completed by the childminder. This prevents children from having the opportunity to do things for themselves.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children learn about how to be healthy. The childminder explains to children how to keep warm when it is cold. She uses a storybook to help children recognise different items of clothing. Children point to shoes and a coat, demonstrating their understanding of how to keep warm and healthy.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children demonstrate a sense of belonging at the setting. They build trusting relationships with the childminder. Children are becoming increasingly confident and independent as they select toys of their choice.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans activities and experiences that promote children's development across all seven areas of learning. She builds on what children enjoy, what they know and can do, and what they need to learn next. She teaches structured and planned activities well. The childminder helps children to extend and build on their knowledge and skills. As children explore toy farm animals, she helps them to recognise the different animal names and the sounds they make. Children eagerly recall their previous learning. They say, 'baa' for a sheep and 'moo' for a cow.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

During daily routines and tasks, the childminder engages with children. The childminder understands the importance of encouraging children to develop a love of books. She helps children to follow along, turning the pages as she tells a story. The childminder creates a relaxing and safe atmosphere. This helps children to concentrate and develop their listening skills as they snuggle up to her and listen.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder sometimes completes tasks for children which they could try to do for themselves. For example, she dresses children, washes their hands for them and peels their fruit. This does not support children to develop their independence skills.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of getting to know the children from when they first start with her. She knows the children she cares for well. The childminder completes regular observations of children during their play and learning. She uses this information to identify any gaps in children's learning and development. The childminder skilfully uses her teaching skills and offers children various experiences to help narrow any gaps in their learning.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with other professionals to understand children's individual needs. She has undertaken specific training to meet children's individual medical needs and understands the need to make reasonable adjustments to ensure children receive the correct care and support to be able to thrive. The childminder understands how to work with parents to decide how to use any additional funding children receive. However, the childminder does not consistently share information with parents about gaps in their child's learning or how they can support this at home so that any barriers to children's learning are swiftly addressed.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder strives to provide and maintain high standards of education and care for all children. She reflects on her practice and provides an inclusive environment. The childminder adapts activities and experiences to support the needs of all children, including those who require extra support.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works appropriately with parents to help their children settle into her setting and to support their individual care needs. However, she does not work with them as fully as she could to understand their child's progress and support their learning at home. Written comments from parents applaud the childminder for the strategies she uses to help children settle and support their emotional needs. Parents also comment on the fresh air and outdoor experiences their children receive, which supports their health and physical development.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder ensures all legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework are met. She keeps her knowledge up to date through various training opportunities and completes additional training to help her meet children's individual needs, such as their medical needs.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.4

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.4

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children settle quickly when they arrive at the childminder's home. They explore the easily accessible toys and activities which have been purposefully planned. The childminder provides resources that the children are interested in. Children are curious and use their small muscles to handle the transport vehicles, pushing and pulling them on and off a track. They build relationships with their friends as they learn to take turns during the activity. The childminder reminds children how important it is to be kind to their friends and children respond by happily sharing. The childminder celebrates children's positive behaviour, acknowledging their kindness.

p.5

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

Children enjoy a wide range of experiences that support all areas of their learning and development. The childminder provides a curriculum that is carefully thought out. She knows what she wants individual children to learn next, given their starting points, and to ensure they are ready for their eventual move to school. Children regularly experience being outdoors in the fresh air. They develop their large muscles as they practice jumping in puddles, squealing with delight as they make the water splash. In the garden, children learn to manoeuvre on different levels of climbing apparatus. They develop balancing and agility skills.

p.5

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

Children are cared for by the attentive childminder who understands how important it is to include all children in the activities. Children, including those who are disadvantaged and who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are starting to achieve, given their starting points. For example, children are supported to extend their range of vocabulary, repeating the word 'horse' as they recognise specific animals. The childminder says, 'Well done, you said horse'. This helps children to reinforce their learning as part of their early speech and language development.

p.5

About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday : 08:30 - 17:30

p.6

About this setting

Local authority: Nottinghamshire County Council

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should use daily routines and tasks to support children's learning and independence skills. The childminder should strengthen strategies for sharing information with parents about their child's learning and development and how they can support this learning at home.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

p.6

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.

p.6

About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection. This data is from 11 November 2025

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.7

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 .

p.8

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8