Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY412371 Registered with Ofsted: 09/06/2010 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 demonstrate mathematical skills during play. They identify halves and quarters when they cut their toast. Furthermore, they discuss quantities and count pig puppets when reading stories.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress at appropriate rates in all areas of learning from their starting points, especially with their communication. Children chat throughout the day and learn a range of new words to help develop their ability to hold conversations. Children enjoy books and retell elements of a story they read with the childminder. For instance, they use fans to blow down the houses they build from different materials. This helps them make predictions and use their knowledge learned from stories while increasing their confidence in speaking.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are prepared for their next stages in learning, such as toileting and their eventual move to school. They independently practise handwashing, clearing their plates and tidying up. This helps them build responsibility.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children know the routines of the day. They say, 'We do our teeth after washing our hands.' Children clean their teeth confidently, accessing their own toothbrushes, towels and toothpaste. Children behave well and generally know how to manage their feelings and actions. Children are kind and use manners when they ask for something. The childminder uses some strategies, such as positive praise, to help children understand how to share and play cooperatively. However, occasionally, some children are not fully accepting or understanding these rules and become upset during play. This occasionally leads to disputes between friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children seek cuddles when they are tired or upset. They have established good relationships with the childminder, which helps them settle quickly. The childminder models care and respect for others, which helps the environment remain calm and comforting. She has implemented systems to help support a positive environment. For instance, when children sign in at the start of the day, they identify the emotions they are feeling at the time. The childminder helps children discuss feelings and develop more positivity during the day. The childminder helps parents understand the importance of consistent attendance and its impact on children's development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children learn about a range of foods that help them grow healthily. They choose their own nutritious snacks and meals while learning about the benefits of different foods, such as how oranges contain vitamins that help us when we have a cough or cold. Children learn to make positive choices in their diets. Their health and hygiene are supported throughout the day to protect their wellbeing. Children learn to wipe their noses and wash their hands regularly to remove germs. As a result of the childminder's knowledge of each child, her routines are effective and meet the unique needs and preferences of the children. The childminder understands how to help children develop core strength and movements from a young age. Children know that when they are tired, they can seek a quiet place to rest or seek cuddles from the childminder to help them calm down. The childminder is aware of behavioural support strategies for any children who may struggle with regulating their

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

emotions and how to remain calm and patient with them. This helps children feel safe and settled. The childminder regularly assesses risk in her home and makes sure that it is safe for children to explore. Additionally, children learn to tidy up items from the floor so they do not trip over them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder follows the children's lead during play, which helps them make choices and continue to make progress. She adjusts plans and teaching, based on her assessment of children's progress, to help extend learning during games such as matching and peg boards. The childminder helps children develop in a range of areas of learning, such as shapes, colours, patterns and sounds. In general, children persevere with activities they enjoy, showing good concentration skills. However, occasionally, the vast number of toys available distracts the children. This deters them from the focused learning intended for them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children practise their physical skills indoors by using tunnels and tents they can crawl through and hide in. The childminder helps develop children's spatial awareness and uses words such as 'through' and 'on top' when playing. Children access the outdoors regularly to further their mobility and help them learn in the fresh air. They go on walks in the community and to parks and local groups. This supports children's social and emotional development well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands how to adapt her provision to help support children who may face barriers to their learning. She assesses children's individual needs so that she can support their development, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring that they too can make expected progress in her care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder tracks children's learning from the start, using her knowledge of expected milestones. She knows how to respond to children's learning needs and seek support as soon as possible. She works well with external agencies and undertakes training to help enhance her knowledge and interventions for children. The childminder has a secure awareness of how to identify and support children who may have additional learning needs or SEND. All children continue to make progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works with other settings that children attend to share information and ensure that all children's needs are met between both learning environments. This helps children's progress to continue, and gaps in development can be addressed in cooperation. The childminder understands how to use additional funding if she receives it, depending on children's individual needs and backgrounds. She has started to increase her skills and knowledge about children with SEND to help her recognise and respond to their needs even more swiftly. This is to help her shape the support she offers for all children and continue to help them meet their expected milestones in learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her skills and addresses any gaps in her knowledge quickly to help support children's needs. For example, she has undertaken training to enhance children's speaking skills and support children with communication delays in their learning. This helps children continue to make progress through the use of targeted plans that are shared with parents. Additionally, the childminder works with other settings to help children's learning to continue cooperatively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder shares ideas and developments with other professionals to help extend her knowledge and setting even further and provide more experiences for children. For example, she is planning to use a shared allotment area to develop some forest school activities, which extends opportunities for children who love to learn outdoors.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has streamlined her written work to help her spend more time with children and balance her workload. Furthermore, she has recently undertaken training that has refreshed and broadened her knowledge in child development. This has helped her implement further educational opportunities and make informed decisions as to how she will improve her setting to suit the needs and outcomes for all 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 are happy and content in the childminder's home. They feel secure and understand the routines of the day. Children are settled and confident to explore and choose their favourite games. The childminder supports children at their chosen activities, helping them engage in meaningful play and learn new knowledge. She uses a wide range of new words, such as 'catastrophe', to help broaden children's language.

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

The childminder has formed trusting relationships with children, and they settle quickly. She provides children with a wide range of resources that support all areas of learning and help them meet their expected goals and developmental milestones. Children make progress from their starting points and acquire skills that help them prepare for the next stages of learning, such as independence, self-care and confidence. They express themselves throughout the day and know their needs and views are valued. Generally, children play well together and are kind and helpful. They collect the changing mat for the childminder when it is time to change nappies and take pride in this responsibility. Children sign themselves in when they arrive and choose an emotion that matches how they feel each day. This promotes independence and helps the childminder identify each child's unique needs and provide them with individual emotional support.

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

The childminder ensures that children remain safe in her home and that her provision suits their individual needs. She knows how to seek support and tailor her practice to help all children thrive, including children who face barriers to learning or have SEND. The childminder evaluates her setting and seeks external expertise to increase her knowledge, embed new interventions and even better support the children in her care. She understands the importance of encouraging all children to attend and works with families to ensure that they share this same goal for consistent learning.

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About this setting

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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Next steps

The childminder should organise and adjust the environment and planned activities to better support children in remaining focused on intended play, helping them engage and extend their skills. The childminder should strengthen behaviour strategies to support all children to consistently understand rules, boundaries and the impact their actions have on others.

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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. This data is from 19 January 2026

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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. 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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