Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 255645 Registered with Ofsted: 29/03/1994 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 consistent progress across all areas of the curriculum. They communicate effectively with adults and each other, answering questions, sharing experiences and expressing their thinking clearly.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children progress well in their physical development, they enjoy outdoor play as they develop their own sense of safety and wellbeing. They demonstrate confident and valuable social skills with older children showing care and consideration for younger peers. Children enjoy rhyme and music sessions at a local library, which builds their growing confidence and communication and language skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

While adaptations to teaching do not always maximise children's progress, the experiences and skills children gain in the childminder's setting effectively prepare them for school and lay strong foundations for future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has established a calm, positive environment with clear expectations for behaviour. Kindness, respect and cooperation are consistently modelled, and children show care and consideration for one another during play. The childminder tailors guidance to each child's age and stage of development, offering gentle reminders, such as 'Use your words please', to support children to understand and manage their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Well-embedded routines help the day run smoothly and enable children to feel safe and secure. Snack time is carefully organised, promoting hygiene through handwashing and toileting routines. Children sit together, use open-top cups and are encouraged to try new foods, developing both good habits and social skills. The childminder monitors closely, with follow up on any unexplained absences, to safeguard children's welfare.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave very well. They are well mannered and demonstrate consistently positive attitudes to learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder uses care practices that are highly effective, responsive and tailored to children's individual needs. The childminder knows children well and builds warm attachments, enabling them to feel safe to explore and develop confidence. All children benefit from consistent routines for toileting and mealtimes, which further supports their security and comfort. Children who are toilet training receive sensitive guidance, gentle reminders and regular opportunities to 'have a try'.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's physical health and safety through hygiene routines, discussions about healthy eating and close supervision during meals. She ensures food brought from home meets dietary guidance and monitors any concerns with parents.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing through positive reinforcement and responsive interactions. Children develop an understanding of risks and personal safety through supervised play and activities that encourage safe exploration, for example swinging on the monkey bars in the local park and crossing the road safely on visits in the local community.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a broad, well-sequenced curriculum covering all 7 areas of learning. She has a sharp focus on children's communication and language skills, their personal, social and emotional development and their physical development. She understands children's developmental stages and uses assessment effectively to identify next steps for learning, adapting activities to meet children's individual needs. Mathematical concepts, such as size, shape, speed and quantity, are embedded in both planned and child-led activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's development through structured routines, creative activities and social experiences. However, at times, she is too quick to step in, completing tasks for children rather than encouraging them to have a go and so become more independent. The childminder recognises this as an area for development and is striving to provide more opportunities for children to have a go at things themselves.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans purposeful activities and experiences to support each child's progress from their individual starting points. However, there is sometimes too much focus on the intended outcome rather than the skill being developed. That said, children remain generally well engaged and build confidence in their abilities as they develop some of the essential skills they will need for later life.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs through clear starting point information, regular observations and close partnership with parents. She monitors progress closely and reviews the impact of support, adapting her approach to ensure each child continues to make progress. Although there are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or known (or previously known) to children's social care on roll, the childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of how to support them if they were to attend. She describes the effective use of any additional funding to provide equitable experiences and enhance learning. The childminder works closely with families and, when necessary, engaged with external professionals to shape support and improve outcomes for all children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a very clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development in her provision. She reflects honestly on her practice, particularly in promoting independence and allowing children to take the lead in their learning during planned activities. She is actively working to provide more opportunities for children to take greater ownership of tasks and direct their own learning, while fully acknowledging that this is not something she is finding easy.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shows clear professional responsibility by actively engaging in training and making effective use of local authority support. This proactive approach, combined with organisation and a commitment to ongoing development, contributes to a safe, well-planned environment that supports children's learning and progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parental partnerships are a significant strength and contribute positively to children's well- being and progress. The childminder acts in all children's best interests, ensuring personalised support and timely referrals where needed.

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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 build warm, nurturing relationships with this warm and loving childminder and benefit enormously from a predictable environment that helps them feel secure. They settle quickly because consistent routines promote confidence and emotional stability. Children form strong attachments to the childminder, readily seeking cuddles and interaction, which reinforces their sense of safety and belonging.

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

Children engage in a wide range of play opportunities, such as role play and construction. They also enjoy rich story sessions, where they talk about pictures, predict events and link stories to their own experiences. Children demonstrate consistently high levels of curiosity and social awareness, often helping one another and negotiating roles during play. Weekly playgroups and shared mealtimes actively promote socialisation and positive eating habits.

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

The childminder provides a warm, inviting environment, where children make choices, develop friendships and build the personal and social skills they need for the next stage of learning and later life.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday : 08:00 - 04:30

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Next steps

The childminder should further encourage children to attempt tasks themselves to enable them to develop learning resilience, grow in confidence and become increasingly independent. The childminder should focus more on the skills children need to develop rather than the intended outcome during adult-planned activities to allow all children to consolidate learning at their own pace.

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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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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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