Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 300259 Registered with Ofsted: 14/09/1992 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 typically make progress in all areas of their learning and development and are well prepared for their next stage of learning. They develop their language, independence and social and physical skills. All children learn and develop confidently in a calm and nurturing environment. Children demonstrate effective conversation skills. They talk excitedly about the birds they have been watching in the trees outside. They offer their binoculars so that the childminder can see the magpies' nest. Children gain expressive arts and design skills that allow them to explore imaginatively and creatively. They proudly display their creations in their individual scrap books, which they take home and share with their parents. Children recall activities and trips they have enjoyed with the childminder, which are featured in their scrap books. As a result, they confidently begin to build social skills in preparation for

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Achievement Expected standard

school. Children demonstrate their physical skills as they access the garden and go on walks into the local community and at local toddler groups.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder implements appropriate expectations for behaviour. She acts as a role model. For example, she encourages children to use appropriate language and helps them learn to share and take turns. Children demonstrate friendly, cooperative behaviour and play together with confidence as they explore the environment. As a result, all children understand the rules and boundaries. Children are respectful towards the childminder and each other. They listen carefully and participate well in daily routines. This supports calm and predictable transitions throughout the day. The childminder generally considers children's different ages and stages of development, communicating her expectations. She offers gentle reminders, modelling appropriate behaviour and adjusting support so that all children make typical progress in their learning. Children support each other to tidy away resources they have finished playing with. They are well mannered and considerate towards

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

their peers. Children approach activities with enthusiasm and feel secure within the routines of the setting. The childminder promotes punctuality and regular attendance through these routines, helping children feel safe, valued and supported. She promotes confidence, self- control and positive attitudes to learning in all children who attend.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's welfare and wellbeing effectively. She quickly builds warm, responsive relationships with children through well-organised settling-in procedures. These help children to learn about their own personal safety. As a result, children recognise, express and manage their emotions, helping them develop a secure sense of wellbeing. Children explore the environment confidently and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Children rest and sleep when they are tired, supervised by the childminder, who ensures that they are safe and comfortable. The childminder gathers information about children's dietary needs, allergies and health when they first start and works closely with parents and carers to manage these safely. Children enjoy a variety of nutritious home- cooked meals and snacks that introduce different tastes and textures to promote healthy eating. The childminder supports children's independence and life skills effectively. Children

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

learn to use the toilet independently and follow good hygiene routines, including washing their hands before meals. The childminder promotes oral health and encourages families to register their children with a dentist.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum covers all areas of learning and development. The childminder uses accurate, ongoing assessments of what children know and can do to tailor her teaching. She works with parents to understand each child's needs and assesses children's knowledge through purposeful interactions. The childminder typically identifies gaps in children's learning and adapts her teaching accordingly. For example, she completes the statutory progress check at age 2 as her starting point to seek multi-agency support and interventions. The childminder has high expectations for children based on their ages and stages of development. She uses purposeful interactions to develop communication skills. The childminder speaks clearly, repeats key words and phrases and gives children plenty of time to respond. However, there is further scope for her to introduce and revisit new vocabulary more consistently to help children build and practise a wider range of words over

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children's physical skills are developed through everyday activities and routines. For example, older children confidently use pens and pencils to be creative. They develop their core strength and fine motor skills and confidently use cutlery independently at mealtimes. Mathematics is taught explicitly through planned activities. As the childminder shares books with children, they independently count the farm animals in the picture. The childminder asks them to find written numbers in the book, and they confidently identify and name the written number.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop warm, positive relationships with their peers. This enables children to develop a positive sense of themselves and how to get along with each other.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands how to identify children who may have delays or gaps in their learning. She has extended her knowledge of how best to support children who may have developmental delay by accessing online training. The childminder takes account of children's starting points to support her in deciding how to support children best. The childminder knows how to implement and review effective plans for children's individual needs. This also helps her to inform any adaptations to her curriculum to support children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder knows the children well and typically has a secure understanding of their individual needs. Overall, this helps her to recognise where there may be emerging gaps in children's learning and development and what action she may need to take. For example, the childminder knows how to use additional funding appropriately to support children who may be at a

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Inclusion Expected standard

disadvantage. She understands the importance of liaising effectively with other professionals to put specific plans in place to support children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of statutory requirements and is committed to continually improving the quality of education and care she provides. She is reflective and keeps informed about the changes to the early years foundation stage. The childminder networks with other local childminders and knows how to seek support from the local authority early years advisers and other agencies. The childminder builds effective partnerships with parents and carers. Parents praise the warm and caring environment that the childminder offers their children. They report that they feel involved in the care and teaching provided due to the childminder's effective communication. This allows parents to support the children's learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and gathers feedback from parents and children. However, processes for evaluating the provision are not yet sharply focused on achieving the highest possible standards across all areas of practice and teaching. Despite this, her commitment to professional learning and strong partnerships with families contribute positively to children's experiences and outcomes.

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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 demonstrate that they are settled and confident in the childminder's home. They show they feel safe and ready to learn as they play and interact with others. Children greet visitors confidently and excitedly recall the birds they have been watching nesting in the garden. The childminder values children's individual characters and plans carefully to promote children's progress to prepare them for the next stage in their education. She takes pride in building secure and respectful relationships with children, which supports them to feel safe and secure in her care. The childminder provides an environment that helps children to feel welcome and settle quickly. She gets down on children's level, joining in and modelling play. For example, when children are completing a jigsaw puzzle, she sits alongside them, offering guidance when they request it. She uses lots of praise and encourages children to keep persevering to find the correct piece of the puzzle. As a result,

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

children display high levels of engagement and independence and are confident to 'have a go' and solve problems for themselves.

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

The childminder knows the children well. She works with parents and takes time to settle children into her setting. As a result, children settle quickly and develop secure attachments with the childminder. The childminder has built open communication with parents. She follows up on any absences and encourages parents to return their children to the setting as soon as possible, helping to maintain consistent routines. The childminder does not currently have any children on roll with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Despite this, she knows how to meet the diverse needs of all children and has previously made appropriate adjustments to her planning and curriculum to accommodate differing needs. Overall, children achieve well and make steady and typical progress from their starting points.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday : 08:00 - 16:30

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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 strengthen strategies to help children learn and practise new words and extend their vocabulary. The childminder should focus professional development towards areas that offer the greatest potential for improving expertise to strengthen teaching and interaction even further.

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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 20 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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