Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY436399 Registered with Ofsted: 24/02/2012 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children form close bonds with their nurturing childminder, who has a good understanding of what children like to explore and do. The childminder places an emphasis on monitoring children's attendance. She works very closely with parents and carers to promote children's attendance and places a high importance on children's welfare.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has clear expectations for children's behaviour. For example, she models positive behaviour and listens and responds to children with respect. The childminder understands that she must support children to be polite and respectful to each other. For example, she takes children to local playgroups so they can practise consideration for others when taking turns and sharing resources that may not be theirs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is knowledgeable and very adept about when to stand back and watch and when to provide sensitive, timely support. For example, when a child is struggling to achieve something they have set out to do. This gives children the opportunity to learn perseverance for themselves. They can fully adopt a positive attitude to learning, where they feel proud of their own achievements and hard work.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder makes time to understand each child and their family's needs from the very start. For example, she gathers key information about children's health, medical conditions and dietary requirements to support their wellbeing. Children form secure and trusting relationships with the nurturing childminder and enjoy their time with her. The childminder demonstrates that she must talk to children about how they are feeling. She provides opportunities to show them that they can learn about different feelings and uses books to support them to articulate their emotions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages healthy habits effectively. She understands that she may need to provide more support and guidance for parents, if they supply foods that may compromise children's overall good health. Hygiene and care practices take into consideration the personal needs of children of all ages and children learn the routines and practices that keep them clean and safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages all children, but particularly those who are older, to understand the risks that may be posed from digital technology. She understands that she must teach children how to make positive choices that help keep them safe online.

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Achievement Needs attention

The childminder does not yet use assessment effectively enough to ensure that she can confidently say what children know and can do. She has not fully embedded her understanding of the early years foundation stage 7 areas of learning. This means that she cannot plan accurate next steps for children that will help them to make progress in every area of the curriculum. Additionally, the childminder does not model the correct use of language and encourage new vocabulary. The childminder has made some accurate notes about children's starting points, but without a confident understanding of what children need to achieve next, this limits their ability to make the progress that they are capable of.

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Achievement Needs attention

The childminder shares information with parents about their children's day while in her care. She relays messages to parents about what their child likes and dislikes and other key information. For example, the childminder shares achievements that their child has made some progress in specific areas.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder has positive intentions for children's learning and understands that all children should have equal opportunities and access to a high-quality learning environment. Therefore, she has implemented colourful resources and considered activities for each age range to explore. The childminder has made some age-appropriate books available for young children, to promote a love of reading. However, she has a limited understanding of how to best encourage new skills during simple interactions, when she is directly playing with the children. For instance, the childminder understands appropriate strategies to support children's communication and language. However, despite this, she often asks children too many closed questions and does not model a wide range of vocabulary that will help to develop children's speech. Additionally, while the childminder can explain her knowledge of mathematics within her curriculum, she does not show that she can

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

demonstrate this through her interactions with children.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum encourages children to practise skills in physical development, for example children have regular outings outdoors and have a wide range of resources to play with, like sand, water and a ball pond. This gives children the opportunity to develop their love of movement and promotes an active lifestyle. The childminder is aware of children's individual backgrounds and ensures that she encourages them to understand and reflect on their similarities and differences and what makes them unique. This contributes to children being positive about their personal, social and emotional development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder is not confident in her knowledge of the local arrangements for the assessment of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder must improve her understanding to ensure that children receive effective support from other professionals. She will then be able to adapt and change to children's emerging needs, drawing on and implementing specialist guidance when necessary. This will ensure that any children who may face barriers to their learning can receive tailored, high-quality support that promotes their learning and development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has a good understanding that children should have access to equal opportunities and that she is responsible for working with parents and other professionals, to reduce potential barriers to learning. Additionally, the childminder understands the various funding that is available to support children who are at a disadvantage. However, the childminder lacks confidence in her knowledge of child development, the educational programmes and how to use assessment effectively to ensure children make good progress. This hinders children receiving the appropriate support they need and means that any gaps in learning may not be quickly identified.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is qualified and experienced and has completed many training courses. However, these are not current and up to date. For example, she does not know about the early years foundation stage expectation to ensure a formal progress check for children at certain stages in their development. This is a vital step in helping children to make progress from their starting points. The childminder has a vision for improvement, but at times this is overly ambitious and the childminder should prioritise the requirements that are appropriate to her own childminding provision. For example, gaining a better understanding of child development, to ensure that children can make the progress that they are capable of.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has accepted support from local authority advisors. She has responded to the actions set and now meets the requirements in relation to safeguarding. The childminder is reflective of her practice and has effective policies and procedures that help to keep children safe. For example, she implements effective risk assessment and ensures that children are supported well to fully explore a learning environment that is free from danger and hazards. The childminder takes an organised approach and shares information about her setting well, with the families that attend.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder demonstrates that she can make decisions based on the best interests of children, particularly those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known (or previously known) to children's social care and/or those who face other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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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 helps children to settle quickly when they arrive at her warm and spacious home. She has prepared a learning environment that is appealing, so children enjoy the various resources available to them, and are happy to say goodbye to their parents. The childminder knows the children she cares for well. She recognises when they need to have a sleep or when they are getting hungry. This supports them to feel nurtured and settled with the childminder.

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

Children explore the learning environment well. For example, those who are learning to walk enjoy navigating their way through crawling and attempting a few steps. The childminder praises and encourages them to keep trying. Later, they investigate exciting toys that sing songs and light up. However, the curriculum for children is not yet fully embedded. The childminder has not yet gained a secure knowledge of child development and, therefore, does not always use this purposefully to plan children's next steps in development.

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

The childminder knows each child well as an individual and can demonstrate her understanding of how she will meet the needs of those children who may be considered as disadvantaged. The childminder has a sound knowledge of what children already know and can do. However, the childminder does not make the most effective use of her assessments of children's development to plan targeted learning opportunities that support their next steps.

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

Children enjoy outings and the childminder understands that children need daily fresh air and visits to the local environment. For example, she takes them to the local parks and playgroups, so that they can begin to socialise and learn about the world around them.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday : 08:00 - 19:00

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

develop your knowledge of child development so that you can provide a more varied range of learning opportunities and high-quality interactions for all children 01/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

strengthen your understanding of assessment and the statutory progress check that ensures that swift and effective support is given to all children 01/04/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to the childminder 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.

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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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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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