Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 135832 Registered with Ofsted: 24/02/1995 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 benefit from a sequenced curriculum that, overall, helps them develop skills for the future. All children develop a love of books, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They feel textures in hardback books to help build on their sensory development. Older children have favourite books and recall parts of stories from memory. This shows their confidence and communication skills. However, when children show an interest in recognising the sounds of letters in their name, they are not supported to understand how to say them phonetically, in preparation for learning when they move on to school. Children develop confidence when they use larger equipment, such as tricycles, in the childminder's garden. They use their feet to pedal and show age-appropriate balance and coordination. Children have access to resources to meet their differing needs. For example, some children use inset puzzles, while others attempt to complete board puzzles

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Achievement Expected standard

with more pieces, encouraging their concentration.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour. For instance, she has rules in place that include supporting children to share. She explains to children that if they show kindness to others, they should receive it back. Generally, this helps children to understand what is expected of them and promotes positive relationships between the childminder and children. The childminder helps children to understand similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, she talks to children about how some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) may show different behaviours.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children listen and follow routines effectively, such as when the childminder asks them to tidy away toys. This helps to give them a sense of responsibility. The childminder understands the importance of routines for children, especially children with SEND, to help them understand what happens during the day. Therefore, if children do not arrive when she expects them, the childminder contacts parents to find out the reasons why. This is so she can monitor children's attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Prior to children starting, children are invited to attend settling-in sessions. This helps them to know the childminder and form secure attachments with her. The childminder adapts these sessions to meet children's individual needs and preferences, to help promote their emotional wellbeing when they separate from parents. The childminder implements children's routines from home, helping them to feel secure in her care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to understand that certain foods help them to be healthy. Children have opportunities to clean their teeth in her care. This contributes to promoting children's health. Children are reminded to wash their hands after using the toilet and coming in from outdoors but not before they eat snacks. Therefore, this practice is not embedded consistently to develop children's understanding of the importance of handwashing to further promote their health. The childminder adapts the environment and her interactions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to meet their individual needs. For example, she provides them with safe spaces where they can be physical, such as to run and jump. This helps them to regulate their emotions. The childminder talks to children about their emotions so they can identify and name their feelings. Children are supported to understand how to

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

promote their own personal safety. For instance, the childminder talks to them about asking owners before stroking dogs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder observes and assesses children's development when they first start and throughout their time with her. This helps her to identify what children need to learn next. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive more targeted support to meet their needs. For example, the childminder prioritises a safe environment where children can be themselves.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder focuses the curriculum on supporting children's communication and language skills. For example, she holds back-and-forth conversations with children. She uses single words for children who need support to develop their speaking skills. However, the childminder does not fully understand how to support children to learn the sounds of letters of the alphabet when they show an interest in this. This means that the support some children receive for their language and literacy skills is not highly effective to help them to be extremely well prepared for school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop their mathematical skills. For example, she helps them to identify how, if some written numbers are turned around, they can represent 2 numbers, such as a 6 and 9. All children are supported to play well with others, including those with SEND. For instance, the childminder asks them to play ball games together, encouraging them to be physically active.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder quickly identifies children's emerging needs when they first start attending. She uses information gathered through her assessments of children's development to identify any delays. The childminder uses her knowledge of meeting the needs of children previously with special educational needs and/or disabilities to put targeted support in place to meet their individual needs. This includes working in partnership with other professionals and parents to put measures in place in preparation for when children move on to school. This includes sharing written summaries of children's development. Overall, the childminder adapts her practice to meet children's needs well. For instance, she purchases equipment that children can jump on when they need to be physically active. This helps children to regulate their emotions. The childminder supports children to understand about their own and others' cultures and beliefs. This includes talking to children about foods from other

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Inclusion Expected standard

countries and where family members live.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands how to spend any additional funding children receive. She explains how this may include purchasing resources to meet their individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Since the childminder's last inspection, she has moved house. She carries out risk assessments in her home and garden and uses equipment to help promote children's safety in her care. The childminder manages her wellbeing effectively. She shows calm behaviours herself, which results in children being calm around her.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has the best interests of children in mind, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For instance, she shares information about children's development and individual needs with teachers to help them be ready for children when they move on. She invites teachers into her home to see the children, helping them to become familiar with the adults who will be caring for them.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and identifies how to continually improve children's experiences. For example, she researches information online to extend her knowledge of how to support children with SEND. She plans to continue developing her knowledge in this area and understands how children's needs can vary. However, her reflections have not identified how to embed children's language and literacy skills and to embed children's understanding of the importance of following consistent hand-hygiene routines to promote their health.

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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 show that they are happy to arrive at the childminder's home. They confidently select toys and resources to play with, promoting their interests. All children show positive relationships with the childminder, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, they go to the childminder for cuddles of reassurance and comfort. The childminder listens to children's views and responds appropriately. For instance, when children ask for a clean spoon to use in sand, the childminder provides this for them. She is quick to identify the needs of children with SEND, such as when they want to play indoors, to help them feel valued. Children with SEND receive the support they need to meet their care and learning needs.

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

The childminder gathers information from parents, when children first start attending and thereafter on a regular basis, about their routines and abilities at home. This, along with her own observations and assessments, helps her to identify how to plan and support children's individual learning. Children who speak English as an additional language benefit from hearing words from the childminder and their peers in their home language and English. This contributes to supporting their understanding of words. Children are further supported to develop the skills they need for the future. This includes implementing an effective curriculum to support children to complete tasks by themselves. For instance, older children put on their shoes before playing outdoors. Children are supported by the childminder to take account of the views of others and to solve problems. For instance, when they play with toy train track pieces, they listen to the childminder when she suggests putting them in a

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

certain place. Children discover that some pieces do not fit as they had hoped.

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

The childminder shares with parents the importance of regular attendance, such as how it keeps children in a routine, helping them in preparation for their move on to school.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:30

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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 her knowledge of how to provide consistency for children's language and literacy skills in readiness for school. The childminder should consistently support children to understand the importance of following hand-hygiene routines.

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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

The childminder has moved home since her last 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 29 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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