Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY435729 Registered with Ofsted: 06/10/2011 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder displays calmness, kindness and patience. She is an excellent role model for children. The childminder has ambitious expectations for children's behaviour, which are skilfully aligned to their age and stage of development. As a result, children consistently follow daily routines, such as tidying up. Children persevere and are determined when solving problems. For example, they keep on trying when fitting toys into a box so that the lid can close, achieving what they set out to do successfully.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is enthusiastic in her approach and interactions with children. She reads stories with expression and fully joins in with children's play. This results in children also being motivated and excited about their learning. Consequently, they sustain consistently high levels of engagement in their play. Parents and carers report that they appreciate the fun experiences provided by the childminder. This ensures that children continue to attend regularly and make the most of their time at the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children play very well together with support from the childminder. When minor incidences do happen, the childminder intervenes sensitively. She helps children to understand how their actions may impact their friends. This supports children to develop high levels of respect for others and enables them to develop valuable skills for their future.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make positive progress in their achievement. They show that they are developing their language skills and talk about what they have learned. Children use a wide range of vocabulary during their play and conversations with the childminder. For example, they use newly learned words such as 'polar bear', 'wolf' and 'racoon' when talking about animals that they have been finding out about.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are well prepared for school. For instance, they begin to put on their own coats and shoes or use the toilet with growing independence. Children show that they are developing their listening skills. They follow rules or instructions well. Children sit sensibly for mealtimes and use their cutlery to feed themselves. They learn to follow routines and develop an enjoyment for learning. This ensures their readiness for the next stage of their education.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's care routines are supportive. For example, the childminder encourages children to regularly wash their hands. She supports children to take part in daily toothbrushing sessions. This promotes children's good oral health. Children regularly play outdoors to access fresh air and be active. The childminder provides healthy home-cooked meals and portions of fruit at snack time. Overall, the childminder positively promotes children's health and wellbeing. However, the childminder has not considered how to further support children, parents and carers to find out more about online safety and the appropriate use of screen time.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder knows the children in her care well. She responds quickly and kindly to their care and emotional needs. As a result, children develop wonderful relationships with the childminder. The childminder uses the language of emotions when supporting children's behaviour. This supports children to learn how to regulate and manage their own feelings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has suitable plans for children's learning. She decides appropriate next steps for their development. The childminder uses a topic-based approach to decide the vocabulary, skills and knowledge that she wants children to learn. For example, she supports children to find out about animals that live in snowy habitats when learning about the winter season.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has many interesting conversations with children as they play. She provides opportunities for children to hear and talk about books and stories. This supports children to learn new words and concepts. The childminder sensitively addresses any misconceptions that children may have. This builds on children's knowledge and further supports their learning. The childminder talks to children about their prior learning. This supports her to check children's ongoing progress and understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop their independence and self-care skills. She understands the importance of encouraging children to manage their own belongings and supports them to learn how to dress or undress themselves. Children move their bodies and are active when playing outside or during dance sessions. The childminder regularly counts with children as they play. She talks to them about shape, size and positional language. This promotes their broader mathematical learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder does not currently care for any child with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, she has a suitable knowledge of the action that she will take if she were to provide care for a child with SEND. For instance, she understands how to make appropriate referrals for additional support if she identifies that a child may have SEND.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder describes the importance of closely monitoring children's development. She works with parents and carers to identify development needs or barriers to learning. For example, she understands the impact that the use of dummies can have on children's speech development. She supports children and parents to minimise their use to promote children's speech and language development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses her experience and knowledge to develop strategies to support children who may have gaps in their development. Although these are suitable, the childminder has not considered seeking further guidance from other professionals or advisers. Widening her approach would build on the strategies that are already in place to more precisely meet children's individual needs. The childminder does not currently care for any child who receives additional funding due to disadvantage. However, she describes how she would use any additional funding appropriately, for example, to purchase resources or relevant training to support her in meeting children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps up to date with changes to the early years foundation stage requirements. She has suitable skills and knowledge, and her practice is effective. The childminder supports other adults who occasionally work with her to remain up to date with their statutory training and knowledge of their role. This ensures that children's care and learning needs continue to be met. Since the previous inspection, the childminder has made improvements to her garden space. This has improved the opportunities for children to learn and play outdoors and find out more about the natural world. However, she has not evaluated her provision to identify any further ways to extend her practice. This means that she has not accessed more targeted professional development opportunities to further enhance her provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers report positively on their children's experiences with the childminder. They appreciate her homely environment and the care and love that she provides for their children. Parents comment that the childminder communicates well about their children's daily experiences. Parents feel well informed about the progress that their children are making.

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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 enjoy attending the childminder's setting. She provides care from her warm, welcoming and well-resourced cabin in her garden. The inviting cabin offers children a safe and calm environment to play and explore. Children enjoy choosing toys to play with together at the start of each day. They excitedly gather around the window of the cabin to observe the squirrels who visit the garden. These shared experiences support children to build bonds and friendships with the childminder and each other.

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

Children make positive progress from their starting points towards the next steps in their learning. They build their confidence in holding conversations and sharing their needs, wants and thoughts. For example, children talk about what they have previously learned. They spontaneously say, 'Caterpillars change into butterflies. We read a story about this.' Children delight in snuggling up under a blanket together to listen to the childminder read to them. They show that they are developing a love of books and stories. Children develop their creativity and imagination while they dress up as animals to take part in pretend play. They take great pride in being independent. For instance, children happily gather their naptime bags and set up their own blankets when it is time to go to sleep.

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

The childminder understands the importance of promoting children's attendance. She keeps accurate attendance records and encourages parents and carers to make the most of their child's funded early education. This ensures that children continue to receive consistent care and opportunities to learn. The childminder encourages parents to contribute towards children's learning. For example, the childminder invites parents to share resources or cultural items from home. This supports children to learn more about their own and each other's faiths and cultures.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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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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Next steps

The childminder should consider how to support parents and children to learn more about online safety and making healthy choices about screen time. The childminder should consider seeking further guidance from other professionals or advisers to tailor and build on the existing support for children's individual needs. The childminder should identify further professional development opportunities to build on existing practice and continue to raise the quality of children's care and education to higher levels.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the 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 21 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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