Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 560094 Registered with Ofsted: 13/03/2000 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 Strong standard

Children benefit from high-quality interactions in the childminder's nurturing environment. They access various resources to suit their individual interests to become curious learners. Older children help younger children to follow instructions in their play. Children cooperate extremely well with others and know how to express their feelings and emotions when needed.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children make secure progress across all areas of learning, including those children with additional needs, and benefit from adjustments to activities. They become confident communicators and enjoy singing and sharing their ideas during group times. Children enjoy celebrating their achievements and thrive on regular praise. This helps children to develop a positive attitude in their learning, including their own abilities. Children confidently demonstrate independence skills as they make transitions in their routine. For example, children show enthusiasm to eat and help prepare their own snacks, becoming well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is highly responsive to children and creates a respectful environment that settles children very quickly into her care. She helps children to communicate their needs. For example, she regularly checks in and asks children questions, giving them time to respond and make requests. The childminder forms strong bonds with children and has high expectations for their behaviour. Children demonstrate positive interactions with one another. They deeply engage in play and learn how to take turns. Older children help younger children to reach for resources and help locate where they belong. This helps children to regulate their emotions and positively support one another during play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates clear processes to support children's attendance. She shares her policies and procedures with parents from the very start to develop expectations. She works closely with parents and families to offer early support and necessary adaptations to minimise barriers to children's learning and punctuality. Children benefit from their time in the childminder's care, and this reinforces a positive impact on children's development and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder works in close partnership with families to understand children's care and comfort needs. She establishes routines that reflect children's individual wishes, building a strong sense of security. For example, children learn to identify their personal needs and develop confidence to follow good hygiene practices. Children know when to wash their hands and the impact this has, developing their self-care skills. The childminder helps to build children's confidence to take responsibility and pride during tasks. Children learn to collect their shoes and coats before they go outdoors. The childminder gives precise, targeted support for all children's individual ages and abilities. Children learn how to feed themselves from a young age and set up for snack time independently. The childminder encourages children to make choices and is highly responsive to their needs. This helps children to feel valued and listened to when they share

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder prioritises children's health and wellbeing. She creates music sessions to help children exercise. Children develop a positive sense of self as they express themselves through movement and music. The childminder helps children to develop a positive understanding of their health and to recognise the impact of adopting a healthy lifestyle.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides a well-balanced curriculum that is sequenced across all areas of learning. She provides a well-resourced environment that is thoughtfully planned for all children. The childminder introduces mathematical concepts to children from a young age. She consistently builds on what children know and can do, to help them make steady progress in their learning. For example, children learn to count in order, and use their fingers to help guide their thinking. This gives children the confidence and understanding to make links in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children show a love for singing. They take deep interest in group games and enjoy playing 'something in my box'. Children show excitement to name objects inside the box and have turns to explore resources. For example, children talk about sounds that musical instruments make and how they can create what they hear. This helps children to engage in meaningful conversations in their learning as they listen and respond enthusiastically.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children show high levels of concentration throughout play. They predict what will happen next when they press buttons. Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills and strength. This helps children to develop a positive attitude to their learning and become resilient in their play.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates an environment for all children to feel a real sense of belonging. She collects information about children early on in their development to create strategies that are targeted to their individual needs. She demonstrates great attention to detail and makes every effort to ensure that all children access a well-sequenced curriculum. This helps children to make significant progress in their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder carefully plans how to make effective use of funding and how this will have a positive impact on children's learning needs. The childminder works closely with other professionals to have the greatest impact on children's outcomes. She works effectively in partnership to support all children in her setting.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder consistently evaluates children's needs and enhances their development and wellbeing through targeted training. For example, she learns how children can communicate in various ways and adapts teaching to strengthen her practice. The childminder values each child and their individual identity. They show enthusiasm in their play and embrace one another.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder prioritises a deep commitment to her own professional development. She is highly reflective and understands how all children develop, in order to adjust and increase her skills. This significantly improves outcomes for children. She is proactive with accessing specialist help and providing children with targeted support. This has a significant impact on children's progress and their individual needs from the start.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has strong partnerships with parents. Parents talk about the positive experiences they receive. They discuss the efforts that the childminder makes to communicate about their children's progress and their time spent at the setting. This information-sharing supports parents to feel valued and build trusting relationships with the childminder.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder prioritises an active partnership with other professionals in the local authority, which has enabled her to participate in recently launched language support training. This has had a significant impact on children's communication and language. This highly contributes to the early identification of speech delays and how to respond swiftly to all children's needs, helping them to continue to make progress.

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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

The childminder warmly welcomes children. They arrive happy and ready to start their day. Children remove their shoes and coats as they enter the childminder's home and know where they belong. The childminder creates a home-from-home environment that is well resourced and spacious to engage children's interests. Children enjoy role play. They use their imagination to bake a cake and select the tools they need. Children experiment with their ideas, sparking conversations about what they expect to happen next, such as a cake rising in the hot oven.

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

Children learn facts about penguins and their habitats. They recall prior learning and talk about how many eggs penguins lay and the hatching process. The childminder plans a highly engaging curriculum where children develop a positive attitude to learning. Children's interests are consistently included and they make active choices of what they would like to do. This helps to build purposeful learning that considers their individual needs. The childminder takes time to help children manage their emotions and feelings. She acknowledges children when they express themselves. This helps to reinforce children's personal and emotional development and feel safe and secure.

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

Children explore their physical skills in various ways. The childminder supports children with a rich range of outdoor learning opportunities, such as trips in the local community and to the zoo. Children learn about the world around them and what makes them unique. They enthusiastically move to music and sing songs with joy. The childminder demonstrates actions and children copy them with pride. This instils confidence in children's abilities and a sense of belonging. The childminder has high expectations for children's learning and plans activities to maximise all children's experiences.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:15 - 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 sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of any disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, they may care for in the future.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and parents 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 22 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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