Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 138640 Registered with Ofsted: 06/10/1997 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 steady progress from their starting points across the early years foundation stage. They enjoy learning and are motivated to explore, practise new skills and talk about their experiences. Children's communication and language development is well supported. Older children use a broad vocabulary and speak confidently, while younger children develop clear pronunciation and confidence in expressing themselves.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate positive personal, social and emotional development. They build friendships, manage their feelings appropriately and show independence in daily routines. Children develop early mathematical understanding through play and everyday experiences. They count during activities and routines and recognise shapes in their environment, using this knowledge in practical ways. For example, during imaginative play, children explained familiar routines and linked these to personal experiences, demonstrating developing language skills and social understanding. Children apply what they know across different areas of learning and build knowledge over time. As a result, they are prepared for their next stage of learning, including the move to school, and take pride in their achievements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a calm and predictable environment where children behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. Clear routines help children understand expectations and support them to manage their behaviour successfully. Children feel safe and confident, listen attentively and engage positively in activities, showing enjoyment and sustained focus. The childminder models respectful interactions and supports children to understand emotions and relationships. Children learn to express their feelings appropriately and show consideration for others. They manage transitions throughout the day well, supported by reassurance and clear explanations that help them feel settled and ready to take part.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop independence and responsibility through daily routines. Children tidy away resources, manage personal care tasks and make simple choices about their play. For example, children are prepared in advance for changes in activity, such as home time or moving between tasks, which helps them remain calm and confident. The childminder encourages positive attitudes to learning. Children show pride in their achievements, approach new experiences with enthusiasm and persevere when tasks are challenging. As a result, children develop positive learning behaviours and a secure foundation for future learning and social development. The childminder also works closely with parents to reinforce the value of arriving on time and maintaining consistent daily routines, helping children settle quickly, access planned experiences, and take part fully in the day's learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's welfare and wellbeing effectively in this nurturing, home-from-home setting. She creates a calm and supportive environment where children feel safe, cared for and emotionally secure. Trusting relationships help children to develop confidence and a positive sense of self. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their emotional needs, offering reassurance and guidance that helps them to regulate their feelings. The childminder supports children to develop healthy lifestyles through daily routines and planned experiences. Children learn about foods that help their bodies and teeth stay healthy, and parents are guided to provide nutritious packed lunches. Children are encouraged to drink water regularly and take part in cooking, gardening and physical play, which supports their physical development and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder helps children to develop independence through self-care routines and personal hygiene practices. For example, children talk confidently about visiting the dentist, brushing their teeth and making healthy food choices, showing understanding of how to look after themselves. However, there are times when handwashing routines are not fully embedded throughout the day, which means children do not always receive the same clear message about the importance of practising good hand hygiene. The childminder ensures children feel safe, supported and cared for, helping them to develop healthy habits that contribute positively to their wellbeing and readiness for the next stage of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn and why. She provides a broad curriculum that supports children's development across all areas, with a clear emphasis on personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and independence. Learning is rooted in children's interests and everyday experiences, helping them to make meaningful connections and build secure foundations for future learning. Teaching is calm, nurturing and responsive. The childminder knows children well and uses her knowledge of child development to support learning through play and daily routines. She prioritises children's communication and language development. Older children use a wide vocabulary and confidently express their ideas using a range of sentence structures. Younger children benefit from clear modelling of speech, which supports accurate pronunciation and early language development. Children's mathematical

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

knowledge is supported well through everyday activities and play. For example, children practise counting, recognising numbers, naming shapes, comparing size and length and creating simple patterns during activities such as paper-chain making, shape finding and number-focused book sharing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is delivered through purposeful interactions and well-chosen resources. For example, during a paper-chain activity, the childminder supported a child to name colours, create patterns, compare lengths, count links and solve practical problems when joining strips together, strengthening early mathematical understanding alongside fine motor skills. The childminder engages children in conversation and checks their understanding. However, opportunities to consistently extend children's thinking and encourage them to explain their ideas in greater depth are not always fully maximised.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children and knows them well as individuals. She identifies children's needs accurately and supports their learning, development and emotional wellbeing in a calm and inclusive environment. Children's backgrounds, feelings and experiences are valued, helping them to feel respected and secure. The small group size enables the childminder to adapt her approach so children receive appropriate support to take part fully in daily activities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and other professionals to understand children's experiences beyond the setting. This helps children feel supported as they move between home, school and the childminding setting. There are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) on roll. However, the childminder has completed SEND-related training and understands the graduated approach. She knows how to monitor emerging needs and how to seek advice, guidance and specialist support from the local authority and other professionals if required.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusive practice is reflected in daily routines and play. For example, predictable routines, clear explanations and calm conversations help children who find transitions or emotional regulation more difficult, so that they can understand expectations and manage their feelings. Children also learn about diversity through stories, celebrations and discussions that reflect different cultures and family experiences, supporting their sense of belonging and respect for others.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear commitment to providing a safe, nurturing and welcoming environment where children can thrive. She draws on her extensive experience to make thoughtful decisions that support children's care, learning and wellbeing. Parents value the continuity and stability the childminder provides, and long-standing relationships with families contribute to children feeling secure and settled.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder takes responsibility for meeting statutory requirements and keeps mandatory training up to date. She engages in professional development opportunities to support and inform her practice, ensuring it remains current and responsive to children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and responds positively to external guidance. For example, she has acted on previous inspection recommendations by developing indoor sensory experiences and strengthening health-focused routines, which have had a positive impact on children's engagement and wellbeing. She also uses professional networks, local authority information and online resources to inform her work. Overall, her leadership ensures the setting runs smoothly and that children benefit from well-organised provision that supports their development and readiness for 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

The childminder provides a warm, nurturing and calm environment where children feel safe, valued and confident to be themselves. Trusting relationships underpin children's day-to-day experiences. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their emotions, helping them to feel secure and ready to learn. Children are happy and settled, and they show confidence in choosing activities, sharing their ideas and expressing their feelings. The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance and consistent

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 138640 routines, helping children to build secure habits, benefit fully from their learning experiences and maintain continuity in their development.

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About this setting

Children enjoy a rich range of play experiences that actively support learning across all areas of learning. Play is purposeful and is often led by children, with the childminder joining in to extend children's language skills. For example, when children explore a dolls' house, the childminder asks questions and models language to encourage children to talk about real-life routines, friendships and experiences. This helps children make meaningful connections and develop their communication skills.

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About this setting

The childminder supports children to develop positive social skills as they learn to take turns, manage friendships and understand emotions in a supportive, respectful environment. Healthy lifestyles are woven into daily routines, helping children to build independence and confidence in caring for themselves. Children feel a sense of belonging and make steady progress from their starting points while enjoying their time in this welcoming, home-from- home setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop her questioning and interaction techniques to more consistently deepen children's thinking and encourage them to share and explain their ideas in greater detail. The childminder should develop further the support for children to understand the importance of following good hygiene routines.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

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