Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY243095 Registered with Ofsted: 04/04/2003 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.2

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.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established a highly positive and well-structured environment where expectations for behaviour are consistently understood and upheld. Children's behaviour is excellent. They respond immediately to the childminder's calm direction and benefit from routines that are securely embedded and predictable. This creates an atmosphere that is purposeful, respectful and highly conducive to learning.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Relationships between the childminder and children are exceptionally warm and nurturing, and this secure attachment underpins children's positive conduct throughout the day. Children collaborate well, share resources patiently and show care for one another. When small disagreements arise, the childminder's sensitive and well-timed explanations help children understand their feelings, regulate their emotions and restore harmony quickly. This promotes high levels of empathy and cooperation.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder gives clear priority to regular attendance and works closely with families to support consistent routines. She skilfully adapts her expectations according to each child's age, stage of development and individual needs, ensuring all children can meet behavioural expectations successfully. Her calm, confident guidance and understanding of child development help children build secure emotional foundations and positive attitudes, as well as the social readiness needed for future learning.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady and positive progress across the curriculum because they experience a calm, purposeful environment that supports communication, confidence and curiosity. They develop language through stories, imaginative play and daily conversations, and their physical development progresses well through outdoor activities, such as balance bikes and ball games. Children engage well in healthy routines and respond calmly to clear expectations during mealtimes and play. Children who face barriers to their learning, including those who may be disadvantaged, also make secure progress from their starting points. Children develop confidence, social skills and early learning foundations, preparing them well for their next stage of development, including the transition to nursery or school. However, at times, support is more adult led during routines, which limits how often children can practise important early independence skills. This means that some children take longer

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

to build confidence in simple self-care tasks, such as putting on coats, accessing resources themselves or helping with small jobs during the day.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides thoughtful and effective care that meets children's individual needs well. She understands their home routines, preferences and personalities and adapts her approach sensitively so that children feel secure and settled throughout the day. Daily care practices are calm, predictable and reassuring, which helps children develop confidence and a strong sense of emotional security. The childminder's responsive interactions ensure that all children are included and supported, whatever their background or needs.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children establish warm, trusting relationships with the childminder. They are comfortable seeking reassurance when needed. Children are supported to understand and manage their emotions through gentle explanations, which helps restore calm when small disagreements occur. This enables children to build empathy, self-regulation and secure emotional well- being.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes health and personal safety effectively. She encourages healthy eating habits, provides milk or water throughout the day and supports children's physical development through regular outdoor play. She checks the garden before use and guides children to behave calmly when the family dogs move through the home, helping them learn to keep themselves safe in everyday situations. The childminder adapts feeding and mealtime routines to suit individual children. This ensures that children experience routines that feel familiar and reassuring.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the strengths of her curriculum and how her daily decisions shape children's learning. She reflects openly on her practice and considers how routines and experiences can best support children's development. She talks confidently about using themes, such as the seasons, to introduce new vocabulary and link learning across different areas. This reflective attitude helps her continually refine the quality of teaching.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum offers children a broad range of purposeful experiences that meet their learning and development needs. Children listen to stories, manipulate play dough, engage in imaginative play and enjoy outdoor activities that promote language, early literacy, early mathematical knowledge, physical development and social skills. The childminder gives priority to physical, personal and emotional development, offering calm routines, healthy mealtimes and opportunities for children to build confidence in movement and self-care.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder tailors learning effectively, using her observations and daily interactions to understand what children know and can do and to shape what she offers next. She adapts the curriculum sensitively for disadvantaged children, ensuring that any emerging gaps in learning are identified early and supported through well-matched experiences. While children are confident and willing to try things, opportunities for them to become independent are not always promoted during daily routines. This means their confidence in managing small tasks develops more gradually.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm and inclusive environment where all children feel welcome, valued and able to take part fully in daily experiences. She gets to know each child well through close observation and regular conversations with families, enabling her to identify individual needs at an early stage. This helps her recognise where children may need additional support or encouragement, such as trying new foods or developing independence in their routines. The childminder adapts activities sensitively so that every child can access learning at their own level. She undertakes regular training to strengthen her knowledge and reflects on how this informs her daily practice.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses calm, positive interactions to support children's confidence and adapts routines naturally to ensure that they are included and settled. She monitors children's progress through daily interactions and play-based assessments, adjusting her support when needed to overcome any barriers. The childminder engages warmly with parents, who value the regular updates they receive and the clear progress they see in their children. Partnership working with some early years settings is developing, although links with all providers children attend are not yet established, which reduces the coherence of shared support.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Children are supported to develop an early understanding of diversity through age- appropriate conversations and stories that introduce them to similarities and differences in positive ways. The childminder uses inclusive resources to reinforce these ideas and adapts her provision with thoughtful consideration for children's individual backgrounds and emerging needs.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides steady and well-organised leadership that supports the smooth running of the setting each day. She understands the strengths of her practice, particularly in maintaining a calm, nurturing environment where children feel safe and secure. She is reflective and recognises where improvements would further improve children's experiences, including building stronger partnership links with all early years settings children attend and developing children's independence. Since the last inspection, the childminder has increased her engagement in professional development and strengthened the ways she gathers parents' views.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Decisions are taken in the best interests of children, with careful attention given to safety, well-being and consistency in routines. The childminder adapts her approach sensitively to meet individual needs and reduce potential barriers to participation. She manages her workload effectively and makes decisions that are sustainable and supportive of children's development. Professional development is used purposefully. In addition to undertaking mandatory training, the childminder seeks further training to extend her knowledge and reflect on how new learning enhances practice. The childminder engages positively with feedback and shows commitment to maintaining high standards for children and families.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

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

p.5

Register

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

p.5

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 feel safe, settled and warmly welcomed in this calm and nurturing home-from-home environment. They demonstrate emotional security as they begin the day confidently engaged in their play. The childminder knows their interests well and interacts with them sensitively, helping them feel valued, listened to and supported. Children develop a sense of belonging and behave with kindness and cooperate with others.

p.5

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

Children achieve well because they experience a broad and thoughtfully planned range of activities. Indoors, they explore familiar traditional tales, such as 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears', experiment with dough as they talk about the shapes, characters and patterns they create, and enjoy imaginative play that builds their communication and early literacy skills. Outdoors, they develop physical confidence as they ride balance bikes, wait for their turn to throw balls into the small basketball hoop, and create their own pretend games in the treehouse. Mealtimes are calm and sociable, and children respond positively to healthy routines, showing growing confidence and independence in their daily experiences.

p.6

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

This orderly, calm and clearly structured environment enables children to feel secure and confident in their play. The childminder teaches children how to behave calmly and respectfully around the family dogs when they move around the home, helping them develop confidence and awareness. She encourages positive behaviour and helps children to resolve small disagreements calmly. Her gentle, predictable approach enables them to explore freely, build secure attachments and make steady progress, whatever their background or stage of development. The childminder takes thoughtful action to reduce barriers to learning and well-being. She works with parents to help them understand the importance of regular attendance in preparing children for school.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder must ensure that children build the skills to attempt simple self-care tasks, such as putting on coats or selecting resources, to strengthen confidence and independence. The childminder must establish regular information-sharing with other early years settings, where children attend more than one, to ensure continuity in learning.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector/inspectors spoke with the childminder 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 setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:30

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.7

Exceptional

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

p.8

Strong standard

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

p.8

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.8

Needs attention

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

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

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.

p.8

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