Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY472881 Registered with Ofsted: 24/02/2014 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

All children achieve well through the curriculum and are well prepared for school, with secure foundations in communication, problem-solving and social understanding. Children progress in communication and language with support of the childminder's purposeful teaching, modelling and use of open-ended questioning. For example, during story sessions, children identify different animals, and when children say 'monkey,' the childminder extends this by explaining that a chimpanzee is a type of monkey. Children build their vocabulary, understanding and confidence in speaking.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop early mathematical and literacy skills through routines and during their play. For example, they compare sizes of worms as they play and talk about the shapes of their sandwiches as they eat lunch. This enables children to develop the foundational knowledge needed for future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has recently attended training on supporting children to understand their feelings and emotions. She has introduced strategies, such as calm spaces and emotion cards, which are having a positive impact on children's ability to talk about their feelings. When incidents of unwanted behaviour occur, such as children throwing toys or refusing to tidy, the childminder responds calmly, helping children to move on quickly. However, at times, the childminder does not consistently apply consequences for unwanted behaviour, in order to maintain a harmonious environment. As a result, there are opportunities to further support children in understanding expectations and making positive choices in their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes the importance of attendance to families. At the start of their placement, the childminder collects information from parents and carers about their children's home routines, care and learning. Using this information, she builds warm, trusting and respectful relationships with children. Despite these positive approaches, the childminder has not yet fully implemented decisive action to address barriers to attendance, and some children do not attend consistently. This limits opportunities to improve children's consistency in accessing the setting and fully prepare them for starting school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder actively promotes children's manners and social skills throughout daily routines and activities. During mealtimes, she encourages children to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Children learn to take turns and engage in polite conversation. For example, children wait their turn during board games and listen while others are speaking. This supports the development of positive social interactions. It also helps to reinforce respect for others and consideration of different perspectives. The childminder models courteous behaviour and praises children when they demonstrate kindness, cooperation or helpfulness. This helps children to develop the social skills and the manners needed to interact confidently with others, fostering positive relationships and supports their overall personal, social and emotional development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop independence and practical skills safely. For example, she guides children to climb on stools to look over the fence when they are curious of the Christmas decorations in the garden. Children show excitement and curiosity, and they learn how to manage these emotions appropriately. Children practise chopping vegetables using child-safe knives, with the childminder modelling safe-handling technique. These approaches help children to develop confidence, responsibility and awareness of safety while fostering independence. The childminder ensures that practices support children's safety and wellbeing effectively. She provides healthy snacks and supports parents and carers with advice about providing nutritious lunch boxes. This promotes good dietary habits and children's wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows children well. She collects information from when they first start at her setting. The childminder uses this information to plan activities that she knows children will enjoy. This helps children to settle quickly and supports the development of positive relationships, laying strong foundations for their personal and social development. Through ongoing observations and assessments, the childminder sequences her curriculum carefully so that learning builds over time. For example, the childminder provides activities to strengthen children's hand and wrist muscles. Outdoors, children begin with push-along cars, progressing to balance bicycles and later use pedals, which shows how the childminder plans for their increasing physical skill and confidence. All children continue to make progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses modelling, an ongoing narrative and open-ended questioning to build children's vocabulary and communication during everyday play. She adapts teaching for children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities with visual prompts, simplified instructions and sensory resources used to support their understanding. The childminder introduces mathematical ideas naturally, such as comparing sizes, filling and emptying containers and counting during routines. Children use words that they remember during play, such as 'biggest' and 'smallest'. The childminder provides disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities with additional adult guidance. Regular assessment of children's progress allows the childminder to provide targeted support, ensuring that all children achieve their full potential.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's needs accurately and provides support that is appropriate and responsive. She uses regular observations to monitor children's development and identify any changes or emerging needs. Training linked to behaviour and emotional regulation has strengthened her practice. For example, the childminder has started to use tools, such as emotion cards and simple visual prompts, to help children to communicate their feelings and regulate their emotions. In addition, she understands how she can use additional funding to create calm spaces for children to regulate their emotions. These strategies are having a positive impact on children's confidence and emotional wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to gather information about children's backgrounds, routines and developmental history. She is alert to signs that a child may need additional help and takes early action by discussing concerns with parents and, where appropriate, engaging with external professionals. The childminder monitors the impact of support closely, reviewing interventions and making adjustments to reduce barriers to learning or wellbeing. Partnership working with families supports consistency between home and the setting. This helps children to feel valued and able to participate fully in daily routines and learning opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of her strengths and areas for development and takes purposeful action to improve outcomes for all children. She regularly reflects on practice, identifies priorities and implements strategies to address areas for improvement, including supporting children's emotional development. The childminder makes decisions in the best interests of all children, particularly those who are disadvantaged or with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She actively seeks advice and guidance and works with other professionals. This ensures that children receive tailored support and equitable access to the curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Professional development is a priority for the childminder. She attends training to strengthen her skills to support children's communication and emotional wellbeing, which has a direct impact on the quality of care and learning. Overall, the childminder is responsive to children's needs and is focused on continuous improvement. This creates an environment where children thrive. The childminder works closely with schools to share information about children's progress, routines and individual needs, ensuring continuity of care and learning during transitions. This collaboration enables children to settle quickly and experience a seamless progression into school or other settings.

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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 experience a calm, welcoming and supportive environment where they feel safe, secure and valued. From the moment children arrive, they build trusting relationships with the childminder and the other children. This fosters a strong sense of belonging. The childminder provides a wide range of purposeful activities that support children's development across all areas of learning. For example, children explore indoors and outdoors, developing their early physical, language and thinking skills through play. Children enjoy scooping porridge oats into containers and declaring, 'It is full up' when they get to the top. They use bug catchers and tweezers to capture pretend insects and show increasing skill as they twist and turn lids on pots. Children use new vocabulary as they play, such as

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Inspector:

Tracy Hopkins describing the slippery texture of worms as 'disgusting'. These activities capture children's curiosity and help them to enjoy learning at their own pace.

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Inspector:

Daily routines, including children washing their hands, preparing for lunch and putting on their shoes or coats, promote independence and self-care. Children move around the home and garden with ease, benefiting from warm and attentive interactions and careful supervision that ensures their safety. The childminder encourages children to make healthy choices, understand simple safety rules during play and take increasing responsibility for themselves. This helps children to develop the skills they need for the next stage of learning. Children's social skills flourish as they share, take turns and communicate confidently with others. The childminder adapts activities to meet the needs of all children, ensuring all children make steady progress from their starting points. Children develop confidence, resilience and a love of learning that prepares them well for school. Families are welcomed as partners in their children's learning. The childminder values their contributions. This helps

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Inspector:

children to feel fully included and supported to thrive.

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Next steps

The childminder should take decisive action to tackle barriers to attendance to establish positive routines and enhance children's attendance in preparation for school. The childminder should ensure that children are supported to understand the expectations and consequences of their behaviour, helping them to make positive choices consistently.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the 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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About this inspection

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

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About this setting

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

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About this setting

Local authority: Nottinghamshire County Council

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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

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

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

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