Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY221520 Registered with Ofsted: 07/12/2001 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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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates a deeply embedded inclusive culture, where children and families are known very well. She identifies children's individual needs and circumstances through close daily communication with parents and ongoing observation. This enables her to recognise potential barriers to learning early and adapt practice so all children can access learning opportunities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder maintains consistently high expectations for all children and focuses on reducing barriers rather than lowering expectations. She supports families with guidance that strengthens learning at home and promotes continuity, helping children to settle quickly, engage confidently and make progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates well-established experience of working with external professionals, including speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and local authority services. She applies a clear cycle of observing, assessing, planning and reviewing support, adjusting strategies where needed to ensure they are effective. She adapts routines, timings and resources so children with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate fully alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusive communication strategies are securely embedded in everyday practice. The childminder models language, uses visual support and introduces simple signs alongside spoken words. She values children's home languages and cultural identities, reflecting these within play and interactions. As a result, inclusive practice consistently supports children's access to learning and progress.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points and are developing the knowledge, skills and confidence expected for their stage of development. Young children show curiosity and engagement as they explore their environment, interact with familiar adults and respond to everyday experiences.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's communication skills are developing well. They show understanding of familiar words and phrases, respond to simple instructions and use sounds and early words to express interest and needs. As children move, play and manage daily routines, their physical development is evident in improving coordination and control. They handle resources with confidence and manage simple tasks with support.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate positive learning behaviours, including turn-taking and sustained engagement. While progress is secure, achievement is not yet strong because routine moments are not consistently used to fully extend children's independence and skills. Children are developing secure foundations for their next stage of learning, including moving on to nursery provision.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children experience a calm and predictable environment, where expectations are clear and appropriate for their age. They respond positively to the childminder's warm and consistent guidance and show secure attachments, often staying close to her while confidently exploring play resources. Her calm tone and close presence help children feel emotionally secure and they are supported to manage their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are beginning to develop early social skills, including turn-taking and sharing, with adult support. During play with blocks and animal figures, the childminder supports children to wait, share resources and remain engaged, offering praise and modelling positive language. When children need reminders, these are given calmly and clearly, helping them understand expectations without impacting their confidence or enjoyment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Routines are well established and support children's emotional security throughout the day. Children move smoothly between play, snack, nappy changing and sleep, showing familiarity with what happens next. The childminder promotes attendance and punctuality through regular communication with parents and careful monitoring of absences, recognising attendance as part of safeguarding practice. However, while routines are generally secure some elements, such as hygiene practices, are not consistently embedded at all key moments throughout the day. This limits opportunities to further strengthen children's understanding of routines over time.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder ensures that care practices meet children's individual needs. She knows children extremely well and responds promptly to their physical and emotional cues. The childminder supports children's developing emotional regulation through warm reassurance and calm, consistent interactions. She models turn-taking during play and provides soothing reassurance during care routines to help children feel secure and settle confidently. Children show secure attachments, seek comfort when needed and remain calm and settled throughout the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Daily routines support children's health, safety and wellbeing. At snack times, the childminder encourages children to sit calmly on the mat while eating, helping them understand safe mealtime expectations. She models safe practice by reminding children not to touch knives and supporting them to use child-safe cutlery. While hygiene routines are generally well understood, they are not yet embedded consistently at all key points in the day, such as before snack time.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's understanding of health and self-care through everyday interactions. She reminds children not to put toys in their mouths and models how to 'catch your cough', supporting early awareness of hygiene and consideration for others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Nappy changing and sleep routines are calm and well managed. Children are changed sensitively with attention to comfort and dignity. Sleep routines are secure, with individual blankets, regular checks and close supervision. Children settle easily and sleep well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder designs a curriculum that is well matched to the developmental stage of very young children. She places a clear emphasis on the prime areas of learning, particularly communication and language. This supports children to build confidence, curiosity and early independence through everyday routines and play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure knowledge of early child development and implements the curriculum effectively through responsive teaching. She narrates play and introduces new vocabulary, such as naming animals, colours and body parts. The childminder supports children's early mathematical understanding, using number and shape language naturally within play. For example, counting blocks and introducing shape names when children explore mirrors. These interactions support children's early understanding of number, shape and quantity.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is flexible and responsive to children's interests and energy levels. The childminder adapts experiences when children are less able to engage. For example, suggesting singing instead of stories. She adapts practice through observation, such as adjusting resources to support children to follow instructions successfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

While teaching interactions are generally effective, opportunities to extend learning within everyday routines are not always used consistently. At times, routine moments could be used more reliably to deepen children's independence and self-care skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the context of her setting and is committed to providing consistent, high-quality care for children. Following a period of absence, she has prioritised continuity of care and her own wellbeing, supporting sustainability. Decisions are clearly made in children's best interests.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains appropriate oversight of the provision. She manages workload carefully and avoids unnecessary administrative burden, recognising the importance of balance in sustaining effective practice. This supports stability for children and families.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages positively with parents, professionals and peer networks. She attends childminding groups, maintains links with the local authority and uses professional dialogue to reflect on practice, early years reforms and inspection expectations. She understands transitions and shares information appropriately when children move on.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder recognises the value of professional development and identifies areas she would like to strengthen, such as refreshing her sign language knowledge to support inclusive communication. However, professional development is not yet consistently driven by systematic self-evaluation. Training is largely generic, for example safeguarding, rather than prioritised in response to identified improvement needs. As a result, leadership focuses more on maintaining current practice than on planning targeted development to further strengthen impact for children.

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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, nurturing and secure environment, where they feel safe and valued from the moment they arrive. Very young children settle quickly, showing strong attachments to the childminder. They choose to sit close to her while confidently exploring familiar resources. During play, children move between independent exploration and checking in with the childminder through eye contact and smiles, demonstrating that they feel emotionally secure and well supported.

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

Children develop a strong sense of belonging through predictable routines and sensitive care practices that meet their individual needs. They are encouraged to develop early independence in ways that are well matched to their age and stage. For example, by helping to carry snack items from the kitchen, recognising their own water bottles and feeding themselves during rest time. These routines are calm and unhurried, helping children feel confident while knowing support is always close by.

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

Children enjoy a range of age-appropriate play experiences that reflect their interests. They are curious and engaged as they explore animal figures, blocks, puzzles and mirrors. The childminder supports learning through warm, purposeful interactions, naming colours as children handle shapes, modelling animal sounds and introducing simple sign language, such as for 'pig', to support understanding and communication. Singing familiar songs, such as 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes', encourages children to join in physically and socially, while shared play supports early turn-taking and cooperation.

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

Children's attendance is monitored closely, and the childminder works with families to promote consistent routines. This supports children to settle well and feel secure. Throughout the day, children benefit from predictable care routines, including nappy changing and sleep times, which are managed sensitively and with attention to children's comfort and dignity. These everyday experiences help children feel settled, valued and confident as they play, communicate and learn.

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Next steps

The childminder should further embed consistent handwashing routines at key points in the day, such as before snacks and meals, to strengthen children's understanding of hygiene and self-care. The childminder should use self-evaluation more systematically to identify professional development priorities, so training is clearly planned and targeted to further strengthen practice and impact.

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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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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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