Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY550832 Registered with Ofsted: 08/09/2017 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 Expected standard

Children typically make steady progress from their starting points, particularly in communication and language. They listen to stories with increasing attention and begin to use new words to describe what they see and do. Children develop confidence when expressing simple ideas and increasingly use language to join play or seek help. Children who face barriers to learning, including those with emerging communication needs or early challenges with emotional regulation, generally make appropriate progress because they experience consistent routines and supportive interactions that build their confidence.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most children strengthen their physical development through daily outdoor play and gain early social skills, such as sharing resources and negotiating turn-taking. Younger children develop independence as they manage simple tasks and explore the environment with curiosity. In the main, children are prepared for their next stage of learning because they develop the foundational knowledge, confidence and social behaviours needed for future success. However, children do not consistently build on their next steps in learning during planned activities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder generally establishes a positive environment where children understand what is expected of them. Routines are calm and predictable, and children respond well to clear and reassuring prompts. Relationships between the childminder and the children are warm and trusting. This helps children to feel secure as they move through the day. Younger children look to the childminder for reassurance, while older children show growing confidence in managing familiar routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children typically learn to collaborate and get along with others. The childminder supports turn-taking, sharing and negotiating roles in play. She helps children to recognise how their actions affect others. These interactions strengthen children's early social understanding and support those who find regulating their emotions more difficult. The childminder takes account of children's age, stage of development and individual needs when guiding behaviour. She adjusts her expectations sensitively, so all children participate successfully. The childminder monitors attendance in the main and checks in with families when children are absent, reinforcing the importance of regular routines for learning and wellbeing. Children usually maintain the expectations of the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder typically meets children's individual needs with sensitivity and careful attention. She adapts sleeping, weaning and feeding routines thoughtfully so that children's individual needs are considered. Older children move confidently through routines because they trust her responses. Children who face barriers to their learning generally receive support that helps them to feel settled and included.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's physical development, personal safety and wellbeing through purposeful daily routines. She teaches children how to handle food safely, wash their hands after contact with animals and move safely around the garden. The childminder involves children in planting pumpkins, harvesting vegetables and collecting eggs. They cook with the ingredients, such as making pumpkin soup. These experiences help children to understand where food comes from and how healthy choices link to the natural world.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to recognise and express their feelings. During sensory activities, children initially hesitate to reach their hand into unfamiliar textures, explaining they feel 'a bit scared', and the childminder gently encourages them to try. Children show growing bravery and pride as they explore, using the language she models to describe their emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder generally understands the strengths and developing areas within her curriculum and uses this knowledge to make gradual improvements. She places appropriate emphasis on daily routines, stories and outdoor play to support children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. In the garden, for example, children explore natural objects, transport materials and notice changes in the environment, which naturally extends their curiosity and confidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder introduces new vocabulary during children's play and models phrases that help children explain their ideas. She routinely describes actions, objects and quantities, which begins to strengthen children's mathematical language within everyday activities. Her approaches support children who are still developing their early communication skills and those who face barriers to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder adapts teaching sensitively. She adjusts expectations for children who need more time to process instructions and makes simple environmental changes, so younger children can access resources independently. These adaptations generally ensure that children at different stages of their development, disadvantaged children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate fully in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In general, the childminder uses observations to understand where children are starting from. However, she does not yet use this information consistently to plan what children should learn next. As a result, learning is not always built on in a clear sequence, which reduces how securely children's knowledge and skills develop over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder typically identifies children's individual needs through ongoing observations and regular discussion with families. She notes early signs of emerging communication needs and adjusts her interactions, so children can participate confidently. The childminder also recognises that living in a rural area limits children's everyday experiences, so she routinely plans visits to nearby towns, libraries and community spaces to broaden children's social understanding and increase their contact with a wider range of people and places.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder largely reduces children's barriers to learning and wellbeing through thoughtful adaptations. She organises resources, so younger children can access materials independently. The childminder adjusts her expectations sensitively when children are learning to manage their emotions or cooperate with others. Her approach generally enables all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to take part fully in daily routines.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress in the main through her conversations with families and reviews of children's development. She contributes to health reviews and follows advice from professionals, including strategies provided by speech and language therapists. The childminder has attended training on sensory differences and assessment, which is beginning to influence her practice. However, she does not yet routinely use assessment to shape precise planning or to implement fully targeted support. This reduces how securely inclusive practice is embedded over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder does not currently receive early years pupil premium funding; however, she demonstrates a clear understanding of how it would be used, working with parents to target support and reduce barriers for disadvantaged children should any become eligible.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands the strengths of her setting and identifies areas that require further development. She reflects on her practice routinely and takes proportionate action to improve aspects of provision, such as reorganising learning spaces and reviewing daily routines. Her decisions typically focus on the best interests of the children, including those who face barriers to learning. However, while she reflects regularly, the childminder does not yet evaluate her practice with the greatest precision to identify all aspects where enhancement could be made.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are generally well established. The childminder exchanges information daily so that she understands children's routines, interests and achievements at home. She encourages parents to share observations and milestones. The childminder offers guidance to help them support learning at home, including ideas for developing their children's language, independence and early social skills. This collaborative approach ensures that families feel informed and involved in their children's development. The childminder engages in ongoing professional development. Recent training in safeguarding, assessment and sensory differences is beginning to influence her approach. She uses this learning to refine aspects of her practice. The childminder contributes to health reviews, follows guidance from professionals and works with families when additional support is required, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

She maintains consistent routines that provide stability for children and supports her role as a sole provider.

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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 settle quickly because they experience warm and consistent relationships with the childminder. Babies seek reassurance during routines, and older children move confidently through the day because they understand what happens next. The childminder uses familiar songs, stories and predictable transitions to help children feel secure.

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

Children enjoy their learning and explore indoors and outdoors with curiosity. They develop imagination, early language and physical skills as they engage with stories, talk about what they notice and explore natural materials in the garden. The childminder introduces new vocabulary through daily play. She encourages children to express ideas, which supports those children who are still developing their early speech and communication. Children living in the rural area have fewer everyday chances to meet a wide range of people, so the childminder plans outings that broaden experiences and help children to become confident in new spaces.

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

Children learn to belong, and the childminder uses calm prompts to help them negotiate, share and recognise their emotions. Children know when to ask for help to navigate conflict and begin to explain their feelings. They show growing confidence when joining group activities. Children respond positively when the childminder celebrates their efforts and achievements.

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

Children thrive because daily routines promote their health, safety and emotional wellbeing. They enjoy nutritious meals, learn healthy food habits and take part in energetic and daily outdoor play. Children practise independence at mealtimes. For instance, they peel fruit, dress for outdoor play and help with simple tasks. The childminder adapts routines sensitively for children who face barriers to their learning, including those with emerging communication needs or find it more tricky to regulate their emotions. These adaptations ensure that children take part fully and make steady progress from their starting points.

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Next steps

The childminder should link planning more closely to her assessments so that she carries through what she wants children to learn next into planned experiences and children can extend their learning further.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday : 07:00 - 18:00

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and interacted with 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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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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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 standard 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 standard 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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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