Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY472930 Registered with Ofsted: 11/03/2014 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has established a busy, but calm and positive, environment with well- embedded routines in place to give children a strong sense of security, helping them feel confident in what is expected. Children move smoothly between activities, follow instructions and show kindness and patience.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Relationships between children and adults in the setting are wonderfully warm and highly responsive. The adults understand each child's needs and stage of development, adjusting their approach so expectations remain realistic, nurturing and fully inclusive.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Adults consistently model emotional language, enabling children to recognise their feelings and manage their emotions. The childminder recognises the importance of regular attendance and works closely with families to promote and encourage this. Communication with families and other settings the children attend is positive and proactive, ensuring continuity and consistency.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children consistently demonstrate highly positive attitudes. They are eager to take on responsibility as they grow in independence. For example, they happily take responsibility for small tasks, such as passing cups to their friends at lunchtime, without being asked or prompted by adults. Children develop confidence, independence and a strong sense of responsibility, which equips them well for later life.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children are independent and curious learners and make steady progress across all areas of the curriculum from their individual starting points. They communicate confidently with both adults and their peers, responding to questions, sharing experiences and expressing their own observations clearly. Children develop a secure understanding of early mathematical ideas through play as they explore the world around them.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children make continued progress in their physical development and enthusiastically engage in experiences in the local community, such as village walks to feed the ducks. These opportunities help them develop an increasing awareness of their own safety and wellbeing as they learn to cross the road safely and keep a safe distance from the canal. Children demonstrate consistently positive and confident social skills.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

The childminder supports all children, including those who may face barriers to learning or wellbeing, to participate fully and make progress from their starting points. However, opportunities to consistently deepen children's thinking through interactions during play are not always fully maximised.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder successfully implements care practices that are highly effective, responsive and tailored to each child's individual needs. She knows the children well and fosters warm attachments, helping them feel safe to explore and build their confidence. All children benefit from consistent routines for mealtimes and toileting, which further support their sense of security and comfort. The childminder promotes children's physical health and safety through regular hygiene routines, discussions about healthy eating and careful supervision at mealtimes. She works closely with families to ensure that food brought from home aligns with current healthy eating guidelines.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's emotional wellbeing is supported through positive reinforcement and responsive interactions. The childminder tunes in to children's cues and adapts sensitively, for example gently comforting babies in the pushchair when they cry, celebrating small achievements, such as managing zips independently, and joining children's conversations, so they feel heard and valued. Children develop an understanding of risks and personal safety through supervised play and practical experiences, such as learning to 'freeze' when asked on village walks. Consequently, children feel safe, secure and confident and enabled to develop independence, positive self-care habits and healthy lifestyles.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder creates a stimulating, responsive environment that supports children's progress across all areas of learning. She provides a broad, well-sequenced curriculum covering all 7 areas, with a sharp focus on communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical development. She understands children's developmental stages and uses assessment effectively to identify next steps, adapting activities to meet individual needs. The childminder regularly reflects on the quality of her curriculum and teaching through observation, discussion with parents and reviewing children's progress. This helps her to identify what works well and make thoughtful adjustments to activities and routines to better support children's learning.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematical concepts, including size, shape and quantity, are embedded in both planned and child-led activities. The childminder plans engaging, interest-led experiences and models mathematical language effectively. This supports children to become confident mathematicians. For example, they confidently count up to and beyond 10, recognise numerals and identify shapes in the environment. The childminder prioritises development through structured routines, creative activities and social experiences.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows children well and adapts teaching to meet their starting points and individual needs, including those who may face barriers to learning or wellbeing. For example, she adapts group activities by providing tools, such as tweezers and scoops, so that younger children or those developing fine motor skills can participate successfully alongside older children. She explains how she would also make reasonable adaptations, such as simplifying instructions, modelling language or offering additional reassurance and support for children who may need extra support.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans purposeful play experiences to promote progress from children's individual starting points. Activities are adapted appropriately for different ages and abilities. Adults typically support learning effectively through modelling and guidance. However, this could be further strengthened by consistently identifying incidental opportunities to extend learning through additional questioning and interaction.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs through clear starting point information, regular observations and close partnership with parents. She monitors progress closely and reviews the impact of support, adapting her approach to ensure that each child continues to make progress. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those known (or previously known) to children's social care. The childminder works closely with families and, when necessary, engages with external professionals to shape support and improve outcomes for all children. However, opportunities to consistently build on children's responses through more purposeful questioning are not always fully maximised to deepen their thinking and extend learning for all children.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder places high importance on working in partnership with families. She gathers detailed information about children's interests, routines and developmental starting points when they begin attending. She maintains regular conversations with parents to share observations about children's progress and to discuss any emerging needs. Parents are encouraged to contribute their own insights about children's learning at home, helping the childminder to adapt activities and routines, so they reflect children's interests and experiences. This collaborative approach supports consistency between home and the setting and helps ensure that children receive timely support where needed.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Although there are currently no children attending who are eligible for additional funding, the childminder confidently describes how any additional funding would be used to provide extra resources, experiences or targeted support to help children access learning opportunities and make the best possible progress.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development within her provision. She reflects honestly on her practice and identifies the highly effective relationships with children and parents as a key strength, noting how well this supports children's confidence and progress. She also recognises the value of her outdoor provision, explaining that time spent outdoors and engaging in physical play shapes much of her curriculum and supports children's independence and wellbeing.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has identified specific areas for improvement and taken purposeful action. She has increased opportunities for children to learn about the wider world through community walks, weekly playgroups and involvement in local events, such as Staffordshire in Bloom. The childminder has also reviewed how space is used for younger children, ensuring that babies have more opportunities for physical development. These actions have had a positive impact, with children showing growing independence, confidence and awareness of their community. The childminder works closely with her staff, engaging in regular professional discussions, and both have completed safeguarding and first-aid training. However, some aspects of the provision are still developing meaning practice does not yet securely meet the strong standard.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children build wonderfully warm relationships with the childminder, staff and each other. They benefit enormously from a well-resourced environment and structured routines that help them feel safe and secure. They settle quickly because consistent routines promote confidence and emotional stability. Children form strong attachments to the childminder, readily seeking cuddles and interaction, which reinforces their sense of safety and belonging. These secure relationships ensure that children, including those who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, feel valued and supported, so they can engage confidently in the setting and begin to develop the skills they need for future learning.

p.6

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

Children engage in a wide range of play opportunities, such as sand play and singing. They also enjoy sharing stories, where they talk about the illustrations and pretend to be the animals they see in the pictures. Children demonstrate consistently high levels of curiosity, confidence and social awareness as they interact and play cooperatively with each other. The childminder knows the children well and uses this knowledge to provide experiences that support their development and help them make progress from their starting points. She adapts experiences and provides additional reassurance and interaction for children who require extra support, including those with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may need additional emotional support to help them feel secure.

p.6

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

The childminder provides a warm, inviting environment where children confidently make choices, develop friendships and build the personal and social skills they need for the next stage of learning and later life. Partnerships with parents are strong and supportive. Families are warmly welcomed and their contributions about children's interests, experiences and development are valued. The childminder works closely with parents to share information and identify any emerging needs, helping to ensure that potential barriers to children's learning or wellbeing are recognised early and addressed through consistent support between home and the setting.

p.6

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

Children also benefit from experiences in the local community, such as walks in the village, feeding ducks by the canal and visits to local playgroups. These opportunities broaden children's understanding of the world and support their developing social confidence. The childminder asks questions and encourages children to notice shapes, numbers and sounds in the environment. However, on occasions, opportunities to deepen children's thinking and extend their understanding are not always fully explored. Further strengthening how the curriculum is implemented through everyday interactions would help the childminder to consistently build on children's curiosity and deepen their learning.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should now make the most of incidental opportunities to deepen children's understanding and extend their learning through more purposeful questioning and challenge.

p.6

About this setting

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

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her staff and children and reviewed comments from parents during the inspection.

p.7

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.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.8

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.8

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn . Store Street Manchester M1 2WD

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9