Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 115967 Registered with Ofsted: 14/08/1996 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 because they experience a calm, well-organised environment where they can explore, practise new skills and build confidence. They enjoy activities that develop communication and language skills, such as painting, role play and shared conversations. Through modelling of vocabulary and narration of play, the childminder helps children strengthen understanding and expressive language.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop early skills in mathematics, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. They learn to share, take turns and follow routines, which prepares them for future learning. Children show increasing independence, for example, when feeding themselves, washing their hands or choosing activities.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported through close observation and regular communication with families. The childminder adapts experiences so that all children can participate fully and continue to build the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage. To strengthen children's achievement further, the childminder could enhance curriculum planning so that children secure new knowledge and skills more consistently over time.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and thrive in a calm, predictable environment where expectations are clear and consistently reinforced. They feel secure because the childminder establishes familiar routines and responds warmly to children's needs. As a result, children settle quickly and show confidence in exploring their surroundings.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop positive attitudes to learning. She teaches them to share, take turns and use 'kind hands', offering gentle reminders that help children understand boundaries and manage their behaviour appropriately. Children learn to cooperate with one another and enjoy playing alongside their peers, supported by the childminder's calm guidance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance and punctuality through consistent routines and close communication with families, helping children settle quickly and benefit fully from the day's learning. Children understand daily expectations and transitions, which supports their emotional security and engagement.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Routines are well established and support children's independence. Children confidently wash their hands, tidy away resources and make simple choices for themselves. The childminder considers children's age and stage of development when supporting behaviour, ensuring that expectations are realistic and inclusive. Overall, children demonstrate positive behaviour and attitudes, supported by nurturing relationships and clear routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear ambition for children to become confident, independent and well prepared for their next stage of learning. She understands the 7 areas of learning and uses daily routines, play and conversations with families to build an accurate picture of what children know and can do. This helps her shape a curriculum that reflects children's interests, stages and emerging needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is warm and purposeful and rooted in relationships. The childminder models language, narrates children's actions and introduces new vocabulary during play, supporting communication. She weaves mathematical ideas into activities, such as counting and comparing sizes during shared experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children's physical development is promoted through daily routines and active play. Children practise hand–eye coordination and finger strength through mark making, messy play and small manipulatives. They develop balance and coordination through walks, park visits and movement indoors and outdoors. To strengthen practice, the childminder could enhance curriculum planning so that learning is sequenced with greater precision, enabling children to build their knowledge and skills more consistently over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses observations to check progress and adapts experiences for those who need additional support. She seeks advice from external professionals when concerns arise to refine her approach.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children are welcomed into a warm, nurturing environment where their individual needs are recognised from the outset. The childminder gathers information from parents when children start, which gives her a clear understanding of their routines, personalities and emerging needs. Ongoing conversations with families help her shape daily care so that children feel understood, valued and included.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder pays close attention to children's communication and social development. She models language throughout the day, narrates play and encourages children to express themselves. This supports children who are developing speech skills, helping them build confidence and understanding. Children learn to play alongside one another, share resources and respond to gentle reminders about 'kind hands', helping them feel part of a small, caring group.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of special educational needs and/or disabilities. She reflects on guidance from the local early years team and seeks advice promptly when concerns arise. She has completed relevant training, including curriculum courses, and uses this learning to adapt routines and experiences so that all children can participate fully. Her inclusive approach ensures that children who may face barriers to learning or wellbeing are supported effectively within the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Sleeping arrangements do not yet meet children's individual needs well enough. Babies currently sleep in buggies, while some older children sleep in cots. The childminder has not fully considered how to provide a more suitable and consistent sleep environment that reflects children's ages, routines and developmental stages.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Despite this weakness, children experience warm, responsive care that helps them feel secure. The childminder builds trusting relationships through calm, gentle interactions, getting down to children's level and offering reassurance when needed. This supports children's emotional wellbeing and helps them settle quickly into daily routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children are supported to understand healthy choices. They learn to wash their hands, wipe their faces and help keep their environment clean. The childminder models these routines clearly, encouraging children's independence and confidence. She talks to children about hygiene and uses everyday moments to reinforce safe and healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder considers children's individual needs when planning care, including adapting routines for those who may need additional reassurance or support. Close communication with families helps her understand home routines and ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who may face other barriers, are included and supported throughout the day.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has not ensured that all statutory responsibilities are met. She has not maintained an accurate daily record of the hours children attend, and weaknesses in welfare arrangements, such as sleeping provision, show that some requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are not yet implemented consistently. These gaps limit the effectiveness of leadership and oversight.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is committed to providing a caring and stable environment and continues to complete a wide range of training, including safeguarding, first aid and curriculum related courses. This helps her keep her knowledge up to date. She reflects on guidance from the local early years team, including around safeguarding and special educational needs and/or disabilities, and uses this to strengthen her practice. To improve leadership oversight further, the childminder could ensure that curriculum planning is consistently precise so that intent, implementation and impact are aligned across the setting.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has a clear sense of the setting's strengths and talks openly about areas she wants to improve, such as refreshing her understanding of the 7 areas of learning. She makes decisions with children's best interests in mind and maintains positive relationships with families, who value her communication and the consistency she provides.

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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 warm, nurturing environment where they feel safe, cared for and valued. They settle quickly because the childminder knows them well and responds sensitively to their individual needs. Babies and toddlers are closely supervised, helping them build secure attachments and confidence as they explore the home. However, some aspects of care routines, particularly babies' sleep arrangements, are not consistently well considered and limit how fully children's welfare and wellbeing are supported. Children enjoy their learning. They become absorbed in sensory play, stories and activities, showing curiosity. They investigate treasure baskets, listen to the 'sea' in shells and join in with rhymes and counting. These experiences help children develop independence, communication, physical coordination and age-appropriate knowledge and skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with emerging speech and

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

language needs, make steady progress from their starting points. The childminder adapts her interactions, uses clear language and works closely with parents to reduce barriers to learning.

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

Children belong here. They learn alongside peers, are included in all aspects of the day and form positive relationships with the childminder and each other. They learn to share, take turns and use 'kind hands' through consistent modelling and gentle reminders. Families are welcomed, and their contributions are valued, helping children feel secure and understood.

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

Children thrive. They are safe, well supervised and supported in developing independence, such as washing their hands, tidying up and choosing their own books. The childminder teaches them how to keep themselves safe, for example, by crossing roads safely and listening for electric vehicles. She values each child's uniqueness and provides experiences that help them flourish, including books and resources that reflect different people, beliefs and communities. Overall, children are happy, included and achieving well in this caring setting.

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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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they meet safe-sleep guidance

maintain an accurate daily record of children's hours of attendance. 13/02/2026

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they meet safe-sleep guidance

The childminder should continue to develop practice to support more precise curriculum planning.

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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

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday : 15:00 - 18:00,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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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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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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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