Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2743176 Registered with Ofsted: 14/08/2023 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 Strong standard

Children make consistent progress from their starting points and securely remember what they have learned. For instance, they recall specific details from past activities, such as using a carrot for a snowman's nose. Children who initially struggle to settle quickly develop confidence and enter the setting eager to learn. This emotional security underpins effective development in communication. Children who started with limited vocabulary now use sentences confidently to share their ideas and initiate play.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children benefit from adults who prioritise emotional wellbeing, which helps them to feel settled and confident. This supports a clear understanding of children's development and learning needs. Assessment information, including the progress check at age two, is used effectively to understand children's starting points and to identify when additional necessary support may be needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Adults hold high expectations for behaviour, which children meet consistently. The childminder and any assistants she works with act as polite and courteous role models, nurturing a positive culture of respect. Attendance is high, reflecting children's enthusiasm and secure relationships in the setting. This positive culture encourages resilience and a 'can-do' attitude.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

When children face challenges, such as a difficult puzzle, adults encourage them to problem-solve independently rather than stepping in immediately. This helps children to develop confidence and pride. They smile with delight and say 'I did it!' when they succeed. Clear routines develop independence. Children understand the daily flow well. They tidy away toys before transition times, demonstrating good self-control.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

This understanding of expectations extends beyond the setting. On outings, children know exactly what is required of them and remain close by to help keep themselves safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's physical and emotional wellbeing receives high priority across the setting. The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles through nutritious snacks, and children discuss foods they enjoy, such as cucumber and carrots, exploring different sounds and textures as they eat. The childminder supports parents with healthy eating, providing appropriate advice and guidance on weaning and introducing solid foods for babies. Children take part in oral health activities, using their own designated toothbrushes.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder manages intimate care routines, such as nappy changing, with sensitivity in a separate area, helping children begin to understand personal boundaries and privacy. The childminder responds consistently to children's non-verbal cues, offering reassurance and comfort when they appear tired or unsure. The environment offers a calming space for rest, and the childminder carefully supervises sleep routines, remaining present with sleeping children to ensure their safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children learn to take risks and build physical confidence, for example when they navigate the balance beams in the outdoor area. Older children manage their own personal hygiene and dressing with increasing independence, showing that self-care routines are well established.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that covers all areas of learning and builds on children's interests and home lives. She teaches effectively, adapting activities in the moment to follow children's lead. For example, she uses spontaneous events, such as the sound of passing aeroplanes, to connect learning to children's personal experiences of travel.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder extends children's understanding through purposeful conversation. She models appropriate vocabulary to broaden children's language, helping children distinguish between concepts such as 'paws' and 'hands'. The childminder weaves mathematics naturally into play. For example, she hides numbers in sensory trays outdoors to introduce early symbols and explores rhythm indoors by encouraging children to count taps on wooden sticks.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder supports children's physical development effectively. She encourages large movements as children practise throwing and catching balls. The childminder and any assistants she works with also support the development of fine motor skills. For example, they encourage children to use pencils to make marks on clipboards and use cutters to roll and tear play dough.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder and any assistants she works with nurture a strong interest in books. They bring literacy to life by encouraging children to link story characters to sounds, such as recognising that 'T' is for 'Troll'.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder and any assistants she works with show dedication to ensuring every child is welcomed and valued. They identify and meet children's diverse needs effectively, using sensitive settling-in procedures that recognise and respect the parents' role. For example, a private space is provided for parents to stay and feed their babies, which supports a smooth transition from home.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder support children who are naturally shy. She uses specific strategies, such as a 'big voice' game, to playfully encourage children to develop confidence in group situations. The environment is adapted to include children at different stages of development, for example floor spaces are arranged so that babies can explore safely alongside older peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder and any assistants she works with apply their training effectively to provide step-by-step support for children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They adjust the pace of their interactions to give children sufficient time to think and respond, helping to ensure that those who need longer to process information can contribute fully.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is an effective leader who seeks out professional development and collaborates with other professionals to ensure her teaching remains current and well informed. This commitment to continuous learning is supported through a clear system of professional coaching. The childminder and any assistants she works with regularly observe and support each other to refine teaching activities, which helps to improve practice over time. The childminder and any assistants she works with are fully up to date with all essential training, including safeguarding procedures.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder actively supports families. She has built strong relationships with external organisations, such as the local Early Help Hub, to help coordinate support when needed. She continues to develop her expertise through specialist training, helping families to access appropriate services in a timely way.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents are strong. The childminder provides accessible updates via a secure digital platform, including daily summaries of activities, photos of key learning moments and information about children's next steps. Transitions to school are planned carefully. The childminder shares progress information with the new teachers and supports children to become familiar with their new school environments, such as walking past the playgrounds, helping them to feel confident about the next stage of learning.

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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 benefit from a nurturing and welcoming environment. They form secure bonds with the childminder and any assistants she works with, who work closely together as a team. A sense of belonging runs through daily routines. For example, children independently fetch their own slippers to get comfortable before story time, showing their confidence and sense of security. This confidence extends into the local community. Children benefit from regular visits to social settings, such as local cafes, where they interact with others, make independent choices and order their own food, which helps prepare them for life beyond the setting.

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Inspector:

Josie Cumiskey Children show curiosity through a curriculum that encourages outdoor exploration. The outdoor cabin and garden offer rich opportunities for children's daily play and learning. Children move smoothly to the indoor environment to rest, coming together for shared meals and sleep routines. They explore changes in the environment, engaging with ideas such as why trees sometimes produce lot of fruit, as adults introduce the concept of a 'mast year' to deepen children's understanding. This interest in nature continues at home, for example through initiatives such as a sunflower planting competition, helping to link learning between the setting and home.

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Inspector:

Children show care and kindness towards one another. Older children often act as role models, gently holding hands with younger peers. Younger children respond positively, showing enjoyment and celebrating their friends' achievements. Leaders support children to build confidence with different sensory experiences. For instance, during snowman-building play, they guide children to use sticks as tools to explore new textures, allowing them to take part at their own pace before touching the snow themselves. Children demonstrate that they are happy, confident and keen to learn, for example as they independently use balance beams and take part in conversations during play.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the leader and her assistant 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 setting

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

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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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