Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 303527 Registered with Ofsted: 10/10/1997 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 make progress from their starting points across the curriculum. Younger children begin to use single words and gestures to communicate their needs effectively, while older children develop early counting skills and recall key events from familiar stories. Children with identified gaps in their learning catch up with their peers in their speaking and listening skills. As a result, children are well prepared for their next steps in learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

During their play, children express what they enjoy doing while at the setting and identify the childminder as the person who they go to for support and comfort. They demonstrate independence in self-care, such as feeding themselves and putting on their own shoes and coats. Children develop the essential social skills, such as turn taking and sharing, needed for their next stage in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder sets high expectations for every child, while sensitively adjusting routines to meet their individual needs. This ensures that all children feel emotionally secure and successfully take part in group activities. The childminder builds trusting relationships with the children, who respect her guidance and look to her for reassurance, often seeking her out for cuddles and comfort. She supports children to play together. For instance, older children invite younger peers to join their play, sharing resources such as books considerately. This positive environment is reflected in the children's overall behaviour. They behave kindly towards one another and demonstrate politeness and good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children demonstrate increasing independence in daily routines. For example, they carry their own plates and fruit to the table at snack time. The childminder promotes the importance of attendance and punctuality through accurate daily

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

registers and a robust 'first day calling' procedure to ensure children's safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's welfare and safety. She follows safe sleep practices and adapts established sleeping arrangements to meet children's individual needs. The childminder builds deeply secure and responsive relationships. Children naturally seek her out to share play ideas, creating a secure foundation of confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to understand their physical health and safety. For instance, she uses resources, such as large model teeth, to make oral hygiene engaging and meaningful, including discussions about healthy food. The childminder encourages children's understanding of physical development by providing activities that help them to manage risks, such as balancing on logs in the woods.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder places a high priority on children's emotional wellbeing, helping children to recognise and manage their feelings. Notably, she sensitively supports less-confident children by allowing them to sit on her knee for comfort until they feel ready to join in. The childminder adapts care routines to children's individual needs, with established mealtimes that promote social interaction and independence. This ensures that every child feels safe and valued.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder designs an ambitious curriculum that covers all areas of learning, with a focus on nature, independence and respect. For example, she encourages children to use manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you', during interactions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's language skills by introducing rich vocabulary, such as 'lavender' and 'seeds' during sensory play. She explains complex concepts, such as disability, during stories. The childminder weaves mathematical knowledge into activities, encouraging children to count and sort shapes during construction play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's physical development. She ensures that children refine their gross motor skills, such as through planting and riding bicycles. The childminder encourages children to manipulate magnetic shapes and use felt-tip pens to develop their fine motor skills. She supports children's personal, social and emotional development through daily woodland walks and her nurturing approach to children's self-regulation.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses assessment effectively to identify children's starting points and adapts teaching to overcome barriers to learning. This ensures that every child can engage fully with the activities on offer. However, while the childminder tailors activities to children's interests, she does not yet consistently use her assessments to plan consistent experiences that extend the most able children's learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder conducts accurate assessments, including the progress check when children are between the ages of 2 and 3 years. She uses this information to swiftly identify children with emerging needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, especially in their communication and language. The childminder stays up to date by regularly sharing ideas with her coordinators and other childminders. She draws on this shared expertise to skilfully combine gestures and visual cues with spoken words, reducing children's barriers to learning effectively. By adapting her practice, the childminder ensures that all children participate. She uses patient and targeted questioning to build the confidence of quieter children. The childminder closely monitors the impact of this support. For example, she has monitored how modelling short sentences has helped children to progress from using no words to speaking

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Inclusion Expected standard

confidently. Although no children are currently eligible for additional funding, the childminder understands the purpose of early years pupil premium and how to access it. The childminder partners with parents and carers and engages with other professionals, such as health visitors. She shares specific strategies, such as using visual supports or reading techniques, to ensure that children receive consistent and high-quality support at home and in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is a reflective leader who understands the setting's strengths and takes action to improve. She uses professional networks and community groups to share good practice. The childminder makes decisions that prioritise the interests of children, particularly those with barriers to their learning. For instance, she uses information shared by parents and carers effectively to seek targeted professional development that supports children's communication and social development. Parents feel the childminder puts the needs of the children first and children are safe and happy in her care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder prioritises her professional development, keeping her statutory training in safeguarding and first aid up to date. She implements effective risk assessments to ensure that the premises remain secure and to keep children safe.

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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 this nurturing and home-from-home environment, where they feel happy and secure. They build close bonds with the childminder and frequently seek her out for reassurance and cuddles. This creates a deep sense of belonging for children. Children demonstrate high levels of confidence. For example, they clearly understand that they stay in a safe 'bubble' when on outings. Children explain that if they stray too far, 'the bubble will pop', showing they fully grasp these boundaries. This security empowers children to explore the wider world, such as on bus trips to the library and community allotments, with curiosity and confidence.

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

The childminder works closely with parents and carers to ensure that she knows every child well. She gathers detailed information about children's home routines and backgrounds, which ensures that care is consistent and tailored to their needs. This secure foundation supports children's physical wellbeing, such as with nutritious snacks and daily fresh air in the woods. Children learn to manage their own hygiene independently, practising toothbrushing and handwashing with increasing skill. Children behave kindly towards one another, consistently following rules such as using 'kind hands' and sharing resources respectfully.

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

Children are enthusiastic learners who love sharing books and singing rhymes. This builds their vocabulary effectively. For instance, older children confidently finish sentences during story time. The childminder skilfully supports children's communication, allowing them to express themselves using signs and gestures alongside single words. As a result, children develop the independence and social confidence they need to be ready for school.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

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Next steps

The childminder should identify and plan more consistent opportunities to extend the most able children's learning and development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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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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