Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY262722 Registered with Ofsted: 07/10/2003 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 good progress with their communication and language development. They enjoy reading stories and use descriptive words in their play. Children demonstrate a range of conversation skills and love to be invited to contribute to discussions. They recall key learning, such as how ice melts. Children get deeply involved in imaginative play and solve problems set for them. For example, they spend time fixing wheels on the ride-on cars.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children meet their milestones in social and emotional development. They confidently express their views, feelings and preferences and are sociable. Children demonstrate knowledge of caring for the environment and decide which materials need to be put in the recycling bin. Children have started to show their understanding of mathematical skills, such as counting and recognising numbers in the environment. All children, including those with additional learning requirements, make good progress from the start and are suitably prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a calm and positive environment. She works with parents to promote regular and punctual attendance, which helps children to settle and relax into the setting. The childminder gets to know children well and responds sensitively to their views and feelings, which helps build trust. She teaches children the language they need to express themselves and to consider others when using resources. Children ask each other politely for toys, collaborate in their play and are beginning to use good manners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder takes children's individual needs into account when supporting their behaviour. For example, she explains to older children why there are certain boundaries in place, such as taking their shoes off inside to keep the space clean. However, on occasion, the childminder does not reinforce these boundaries, which limits children's understanding of their importance. Children show positive attitudes to learning and are becoming confident learners. The childminder promotes independence and responsibility through her routine. She gives children time and encouragement to put on their own coats and shoes, and children enjoy helping to sweep up after meals and snack times.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder keeps children safe in the setting and when out in the community. They enjoy outside play, walks to other settings and visiting places of interest. The childminder teaches children how to dress appropriately for the weather and gives them time and encouragement to put on their own coats and shoes. She also teaches them how to manage their own personal care and shares information with parents to help with potty training. Children understand the importance of washing their hands to kill germs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Mealtimes are relaxed and sociable occasions with children freely engaging in conversation with each other and the childminder. Children help prepare the table with bowls, plates and cutlery and enjoy sweeping the floor, giving them a sense of responsibility. The childminder works with parents to provide healthy meals. She discusses with children which foods they prefer, which are healthy to eat and how they are good for their bodies.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has a key focus on supporting all children's emotional wellbeing, through both planned activities and spontaneous opportunities. She creates secure attachments with children and gets to know them well. Children feel emotionally safe, secure and confident in expressing their feelings to the childminder and each other.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses thorough assessments of children's learning to identify what support they need to continue to make progress. She plans effective activities that support children's development. For example, children create sensory bottles to promote their physical skills and emotional wellbeing. The childminder places a strong emphasis on supporting children's confidence and social skills and adapts her teaching to ensure that all children can learn. She helps younger children explore how characters in stories feel, while giving older children, and those with barriers to their learning, more time and space to discuss their own feelings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's curriculum is planned around themes, such as the weather. She is developing her use of simple experiments with children, such as exploring how ice melts. Additionally, the childminder follows children's interests, responding quickly to children's changing imaginative play themes and providing further resources to maintain their engagement. Communication development is well supported through stories and relaxed discussions. The childminder teaches children new words, such as 'recycling' and 'composting', and helps children learn how to respect the environment. Mathematical learning is included within the curriculum. However, at times, this area is not as well planned for. This means that children do not regularly develop a deep understanding of new mathematical concepts.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents to gather information about children's development when they start at the setting. She completes ongoing, detailed assessments of children's progress to quickly identify any emerging needs that require further support. For example, she supports children to develop their fine manipulative skills by providing a range of tools and resources. Additionally, she provides children with barriers to their learning with the resources and support they need to learn and make progress. For instance, she uses additional funding to purchase a wide range of craft materials to ensure they can fully participate in creative activities. The childminder shares information with parents and other settings so that consistent support can be provided. This enables all children to make good progress with their learning and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gets to know children well. She uses everyday interactions to discuss individual preferences and interests as well as help them understand that everyone is unique. She adapts the activities she provides effectively so that all children can participate and make progress. The childminder attends training to update her skills and knowledge. For example, she attends training that helps her meet the needs of babies and develops her awareness of children's behaviour.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and identifies areas for development. She is currently developing her curriculum to include more science-based learning to help children learn about the world around them in an age-appropriate way. However, the childminder has not reflected on inconsistencies in her support for rules and boundaries, which occasionally limits some children's understanding of behavioural expectations. The childminder has a strong focus on supporting children's social skills and language development and is proud of how confident the children are.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder attends regular training to update her knowledge and skills, including training on supporting babies with their development. She participates in local network meetings to learn about and share good practice with other childminders. The childminder quickly identifies children who need additional support with their development and ensures that their needs are met. She works in partnership with parents, professionals and other settings to share information about children to help them continue to make progress. The childminder ensures that children with additional barriers to their learning receive the support they need to get ready for the next stages in their learning.

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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 settle quickly into the setting. The childminder tailors her settling-in processes to meet their individual needs. She promotes regular and punctual attendance, which enables her to get to know children and build strong relationships with them and their families. The childminder gathers detailed information about children's development and needs from the start, which allows her to provide targeted support. As a result, all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, make good progress.

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

The childminder is calm, patient and warm and welcomes all children into her home. This helps them to feel emotionally secure. Her unhurried routines give children time to talk, explore activities and develop their skills. Children are thoroughly engaged in their learning, and the childminder quickly adapts activities to follow their interests. She teaches children the skills needed to cooperate, share and negotiate. Children enjoy playing together. Although the childminder explains the reasons for rules, she does not consistently reinforce these, which means that some children do not always understand their importance.

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

Children are very sociable and confident. The childminder places a strong emphasis on supporting children to express their feelings and provides many opportunities for them to do so. This helps them feel valued. The childminder also prioritises children's communication and language development through ongoing conversations and stories. All children make rapid progress in this area.

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

The childminder carries out regular risk assessments and reinforces safety in the setting and when out in the community. She teaches children how to keep themselves safe. For example, she explains the importance of chewing food carefully and not talking while eating. The childminder promotes children's independence, for example, by teaching them strategies for putting on their coats and washing their hands.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 17:45

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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 ensure that boundaries and expectations for children's behaviour are reinforced consistently so that children develop an understanding of why these are important. The childminder should further develop the mathematics curriculum to provide regular and purposeful opportunities for children to build a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.

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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, knows as the early years foundation stage. This data is from 26 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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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