Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY548618 Registered with Ofsted: 21/09/2017 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 develop age-appropriate knowledge, skills and confidence across all areas of learning, particularly in communication and language, and physical development. For example, children join in with familiar songs and rhymes, attempt new words and phrases during play and follow simple instructions as part of daily routines. They are highly engaged in learning experiences, including sensory play, music and movement and outdoor physical play, where children practise climbing, balancing and running with increasing coordination and confidence. These experiences support early language, mathematical understanding and problem-solving, such as counting objects, comparing sizes and making choices during play. Children demonstrate growing independence and confidence, for example, by managing aspects of self-care, preparing snacks and dressing for outdoor play.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other barriers to learning are supported through personalised next steps and close partnership working with parents and other settings. This helps ensure that children develop skills at an appropriate pace, particularly in communication, emotional development and confidence, to engage alongside their peers, such as taking turns, joining group activities and seeking support from familiar adults.

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Achievement Expected standard

The childminder recognises that children's achievement is strongest when learning is built upon consistently across the day. Greater depth and continuity in learning would further strengthen children's readiness for their next stage of development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are cared for in a safe, welcoming environment, where their individual needs are understood and met. Secure, responsive relationships are evident between adults and children, and children demonstrate strong attachments and a sense of belonging. For example, adults greet children warmly on arrival, offer reassurance when children are unsettled and provide comfort through calm verbal reassurance and physical closeness where appropriate. Adults respond sensitively to children's cues, offering praise and encouragement, which helps children feel emotionally secure and supported. Care practices promote children's health, safety and wellbeing effectively. Hygiene routines, including toileting and nappy changing, are managed sensitively and respectfully, with children's privacy maintained. Children are supported to develop an understanding of personal care and healthy habits through everyday experiences, such as washing their

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

hands independently, choosing appropriate clothing for outdoor play and preparing snacks with adult support. Outdoor provision is a clear strength and contributes positively to children's physical health and emotional wellbeing, with children confidently engaging in active play in all weathers, climbing, running and exploring the outdoor space.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are starting to recognise and express their emotions, and adults support them to manage feelings in a calm and reassuring way, for example, by naming emotions, offering comfort and helping children to calm themselves when they become upset. Care routines, including rest, sleep and mealtimes, are responsive to children's individual needs and preferences, supporting their comfort and emotional wellbeing. Parents report high levels of confidence in their children's safety, happiness and emotional support and value the nurturing care provided to both children and families. Leaders recognise that continued refinement of daily organisation will further enhance children's wellbeing by promoting calm, predictable experiences throughout the day.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed a broad curriculum that meets the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage. It is shaped by children's interests and developmental stages and places clear emphasis on communication and language, physical development, personal, social and emotional development and early mathematics.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is generally responsive and informed by secure knowledge of child development. Adults interact warmly with children and use modelling, commentary and purposeful questioning to build children's language, vocabulary and communication across all areas of learning. Mathematical knowledge is promoted naturally through play and practical experiences, such as counting, capacity and size comparison during sensory activities and snack preparation. Physical development and children's personal, social and emotional development are prioritised, particularly through daily outdoor play. Children climb, balance, run and explore using a wide range of equipment and are supported to take turns, manage risks and build confidence in their abilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses assessment to check what children know and can do and to adapt teaching to children's different starting points, needs and stages of development. Teaching reflects children's individual needs through adjustments to activities and resources, supporting children's engagement and participation. While opportunities to build learning progressively over time are still emerging, the curriculum provides a secure foundation for children's learning across all areas.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has established an inclusive culture, where children are known well and individual needs are identified early. Assessment is ongoing and purposeful, and the childminder can clearly describe children's strengths, interests and next steps. When concerns arise, she works closely with families to agree strategies and promote a shared approach between home and the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder reduces barriers to learning and wellbeing through reasonable adjustments. Activities are adapted so all children can take part, and tailored support is beginning to help children engage and manage their emotions. However, unclear routines and transitions can make it harder for some children to regulate their emotions and engage fully, particularly those with emerging communication needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children's progress is monitored regularly, and support is reviewed in response to how well children are developing. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of how communication difficulties can affect children's behaviour and wellbeing and engages positively with parents and other professionals. She also works alongside other early years settings to support consistency for children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of how additional funding, such as the early years pupil premium, can be used to reduce barriers and meet identified needs. This can include providing targeted resources, experiences or additional support to promote children's engagement, wellbeing and progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates reflective and responsible leadership. She has a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development and speaks openly about the decisions that shape children's care and learning. Decisions are made with children's best interests at the centre, including those who may face barriers to learning or wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are a notable strength. Families describe open communication and supportive relationships and express confidence in the care provided. For example, the childminder shares regular verbal updates and photos of children's activities, discusses children's progress and next steps with parents and responds promptly to questions or concerns. The childminder works collaboratively with parents and other early years settings to support consistency for children, particularly where there are emerging concerns. These partnerships contribute positively to children's welfare, confidence and engagement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shows a willingness to improve practice and engages positively with professional challenge. She recognises that consistency in behaviour expectations, routines and transitions needs strengthening and understands the impact this has on children's experiences. Planned actions, including reviewing routines, simplifying activities and accessing further training in behaviour management, are at an early stage and reflect an emerging approach to improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff wellbeing and workload are considered thoughtfully. Adults report feeling valued and supported, with clear communication and a strong sense of teamwork. Professional development is used appropriately to support identified priorities, providing a secure foundation for continued improvement across the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Behaviour expectations and routines are not consistently embedded. Although adults promote kindness and positive behaviour through verbal reminders and encouragement, such as reminding children to use 'kind hands' and share, expectations are not always reinforced or followed through. As a result, children only sometimes show kindness and respect towards one another and adults, and do not consistently understand boundaries or the consequences of their actions. Routines and transitions, including tidying up, snack time and moving between activities, are inconsistently structured. This leads to periods of noise and disorder, reduced learning time and some children becoming unsettled and finding it harder to manage their emotions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children benefit from warm, caring relationships with adults in the setting. Adults are reassuring and know the children well, which helps children feel settled and safe. Children often show positive attitudes to learning and are keen to take part in activities, particularly outdoor play and music and movement sessions. Attendance is stable, and leaders promote the importance of regular attendance through open communication with parents, which helps support children's emotional security and engagement.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders recognise behaviour, routines and transitions as priorities for improvement and understand the impact that inconsistency has on children's behaviour and attitudes. Planned actions to strengthen practice, including reviewing routines, simplifying activities and improving organisation during transitions, are at an early stage. Behaviour strategies are not yet applied consistently enough to support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to meet expectations and learn to collaborate positively with others.

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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

Routines and behaviour expectations are not consistently embedded in this childminding setting. Transitions between activities, including snack time and tidying up, lack clear structure. As a result, the environment can become noisy and unsettled, and some children become frustrated or upset, particularly those who find it harder to communicate their needs. The childminder recognises this and has identified strengthening behaviour support, routines and transitions as priorities for improvement.

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

Children are welcomed warmly into this childminding setting and feel safe, cared for and valued. Familiar adults know the children well and provide calm reassurance and encouragement, helping children feel settled and confident. Children enjoy their learning and take part in a wide range of activities that support their development, including sensory play, music and movement, outdoor play and practical experiences, such as preparing snacks. They are supported to develop early communication, physical skills and confidence, and children make progress from their starting points, including those with emerging additional needs. Parents describe the setting as nurturing and supportive and report improvements in their children's confidence, speech and social skills.

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

Children learn alongside their peers and adults adapt activities so all children can take part, helping them to feel included and valued. Children generally play happily together and are beginning to develop social skills, such as sharing and turn-taking. Adults support children to develop independence through everyday routines, such as toileting, handwashing, dressing for outdoor play and making choices about activities. Children benefit from positive relationships with familiar adults.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and 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 setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:15 - 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

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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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