Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 137991 Registered with Ofsted: 23/02/1999 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 Strong standard

The childminder is an excellent role model to children. She teaches them how to display respectful behaviour and consistently use good manners. Children are courteous and kind to one another. They show high levels of patience as they wait and share resources. Children follow the well-established routine with ease. They put toys away without prompts and get belongings ready to go outside. This further promotes their sense of responsibility.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder's approach to rarely reminding children of expected behaviour is gentle and calm. Children respond positively to her high expectations. She has established positive relationships with children where they feel nurtured and belong. Children receive consistent praise and display a sense of pride in their own achievements. This helps provide children with a safe space to confidently express their feelings.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder prioritises and monitors children's attendance and punctuality closely. She has built trusting open relationships with parents, who communicate any changes to their normal patterns. This ensures children are establishing excellent routines in readiness for school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are achieving well across all areas of the curriculum and making good progress from their starting points. They confidently communicate their wants and needs to the childminder and show good concentration in activities. Older children show enthusiasm in completing tasks independently, and young children enjoying trying for themselves. For example, children mix ingredients using spoons and cut food themselves in the role-play area.

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Achievement Expected standard

The childminder helps prepare children for the next stage in their learning, such as school. Older children demonstrate listening and attention skills well and are confident to ask questions. Children enjoy looking at a variety of books and often narrate as they play. They play with snow animals and discuss how they dive and move across the ice, further developing their literacy skills. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. They are able to express themselves confidently and are developing firm friendships with their peers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder develops trusting, attentive and positive relationships with children and promotes their wellbeing effectively. She attends to children's needs swiftly and they are instantly comforted by her. Children are confident to express when they need something, and the childminder responds to them in a calm, caring manner. The childminder is sensitive to children's individual needs and helps them explain how they might be feeling. Older children communicate emotions well, and younger children are provided with suitable visual prompts to support their communication.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Routines are embedded effectively. Children complete daily hygiene tasks well and wash their hands at appropriate times. Older children know when they are 'thirsty' and help themselves to water. The childminder provides children with healthy snacks, where conversation and the use of manners are encouraged. However, there is further scope to give children independence in making healthy snack choices and understanding their benefits. The childminder shares up-to-date guidance for parents on healthy eating. This helps ensure the lunches they provide for children are well balanced and healthy.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides an inviting environment that encourages children to independently explore across all areas of learning. She builds on what children know and can do and provides suitable challenge for older children during their play. For example, children building a single tower are encouraged to make cubes into a 3D tower. However, younger children do not always benefit from the same level of teaching. The childminder supports children's mathematical knowledge, counting throughout their play and encouraging early addition concepts. Children show high engagement as they play with children across different ages. The childminder uses observation and assessment to build on what they know using their interests.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder focuses on building children's communication by repeating and introducing new words. Children delight as they play drums and sing, which builds familiarity with language and further supports them to become competent communicators. Children develop core strength and balance as they independently hop and jump across stepping spots. Older children use pens with good control as they write their names on pieces of artwork. The childminder teaches children about nature as they go on a bug hunt in the park. She ensures that children's personal, social and emotional needs are secure so they are ready to learn.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder ensures she gets to know families well when they join, so she can offer an inclusive environment. She promotes children's diversity and cultures through celebrations and food. She engages in thoughtful discussions with children where they share experiences of their own differences. This helps children develop their sense of belonging.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates an understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She observes children closely and tracks their progress to ensure they are not falling behind. The childminder has a good awareness of steps to take to share any concerns with parents and make the appropriate referrals. She keeps her professional development up to date to ensure she has the knowledge to support any children when they arrive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has experience of supporting children who have been known to social care. She shows confidence with how to work with the local authority and in partnership with professionals. This means any children who require additional help are well supported.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is passionate about ensuring children feel safe and secure in her home. She has established superb relationships with parents. They are complimentary about her kind nature and are highly impressed with the outdoor opportunities provided every day. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure they understand what children need to be ready for the next stage, such as school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands her setting well and is reflective of her priorities. She maintains links with the local authority. She has built a strong network with other childminders to support her to continuously improve practice. The childminder is very attentive towards children's needs. However, there is further opportunity to give children independence during self-care and mealtimes. The childminder shows a commitment to her professional development and attends regular training to strengthen her practice further.

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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 provides a warm family-centred environment where children feel safe and secure. They show clear attachments by snuggling and seeking comfort with the childminder for reassurance. Children have built firm friendships with their peers and invite each other to join their play. The childminder encourages children to learn about their local community through regular walks and visits to playgroups. This supports children to develop their social skills and build new friendships.

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

Children have a variety of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They build strength and coordination as they use slides and climbing equipment in the garden. The childminder supports children to use new vocabulary and repeats words to them. They point out what they can see and finish the end of sentences, when reading an interactive story. The childminder builds children's self-esteem with consistent praise for their achievements. She shares pictures of their creativity with their parents, which further boosts their confidence.

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

The childminder builds on children's interests as they play and they make good progress from their starting points. She joins children as they pretend to make pancakes in preparation for when they cook on Shrove Tuesday. Children develop mathematical language as they role play with penguins in the snow tray. They make connections in their learning as they discuss melting ice and what penguins might eat.

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

Older children show high levels of independence as they complete self-care and hygiene tasks, such as wiping their own noses. They put on their outdoor clothes and show perseverance pulling the zips on their clothes. Children are learning how to be considerate and care for living things, as they gently pat the childminder's dog. They understand rules and routines extremely well. The childminder has a gentle approach to reminding children of her expectations. This results in children displaying excellent manners and behaviour.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 17:30

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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 provide younger children with even more challenge to extend their learning further. The childminder should support younger children's independence in self-care and take all opportunities for children to learn about making healthy choices.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with 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. This data is from 4 February 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

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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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