Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY310500 Registered with Ofsted: 04/07/2005 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 make rapid progress from their starting points and build the firm foundations of knowledge that support their future learning. Their progress in communication and language is especially clear. Children who face barriers are developing language and communication skills through consistent and targeted support. They are beginning to use new words with growing confidence, responding to familiar stories and engaging with visual prompts that help them make sense of the world around them.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are extremely well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. They are curious, confident learners who engage deeply in activities linked to their interests. They develop independence through routines such as self-registration, handwashing, choosing snacks and practising dressing skills. They show determination and resilience during activities, such as matching story props to numbers on bean bags. They concentrate for extended periods and take pride in their achievements, smiling and clapping when praised for matching the correct number.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children benefit from incredibly positive and supportive relationships with the childminder. The childminder supports children's confidence and wellbeing while setting clear, age- appropriate expectations that reflect each child's individual needs. Children's voices are genuinely valued. For example, they are encouraged to make choices about activities and whether to play indoors or outdoors. This gives them meaningful ownership of their learning. The childminder also helps children understand expectations by consistently modelling kindness, respect and positive interactions. She offers warm encouragement and purposeful praise when children follow routines. Children listen attentively, follow simple instructions and take pride in helping to tidy up. This builds responsibility and independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children learn to take turns, collaborate and use good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'. They have regular opportunities to practise these important social skills during outings such as playgroup and library visits.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder places importance on attendance and works closely with families to establish regular routines. She communicates daily with parents and knows to monitor patterns and discuss the value of consistent attendance with families. Where concerns arise, she records these carefully and would seek advice from outside agencies if needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are at the heart of the childminder's practice. Policies and procedures are reviewed and adapted regularly, ensuring that families remain well informed and children's needs are consistently met.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder builds a strong, detailed understanding of each child through careful observations, assessments and close partnership with families, supported by daily communication such as messaging, contact books, learning journals and regular conversations. This ensures that she can tailor support very well.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is highly responsive to the varying needs and changing circumstances of children and families. She adapts routines sensitively, including sleeping and mealtime arrangements. She notices when children lose engagement, offering choices that help them feel valued and secure. Her warm, nurturing interactions help children recognise, express and manage their emotions. This supports secure attachments and a strong sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Well-structured routines promote healthy habits and self-care. For example, children wash their hands, wipe their faces and begin to dress themselves with growing independence. The childminder actively supports families in providing nutritious and varied lunch box options and provides rich opportunities for physical, emotional and social development. Children learn about health and personal safety through age-appropriate guidance and daily outdoor experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides a high-quality, inclusive curriculum that meets all 7 areas of learning. She thoughtfully plans activities that build on children's interests, starting points and stages of development. Teaching is adapted sensitively for children who may face barriers, and learning is sequenced very well. New knowledge is introduced in small, meaningful steps, such as teaching colours gradually and strengthening this through matching games, vocabulary building and linked outdoor activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Communication and language are prioritised. The childminder's warm interactions with children are rich in modelling, narration, questioning and repetition. Story times are highly engaging, with expressive reading and props to support understanding. She provides books that match children's interests and current learning, helping them develop their vocabulary and a love of reading. The childminder includes mathematical learning consistently in play and routines, including counting, number recognition and language, such as 'one more'.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children benefit from activities that support their physical, personal, social and emotional development. The childminder is nurturing and calm, with clear expectations and consistent routines that promote confidence, independence and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

She skilfully uses assessment to check what children know and can do. Her observations and discussions with families inform next steps and support children's excellent progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where children's needs are identified quickly and accurately. She has high expectations for every child and understands the steps needed to respond to emerging or changing needs. She is proactive in developing her knowledge and has completed a wide range of relevant training. She also seeks support to strengthen her offer for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She knows how to use funding well, linking any spending directly to children's needs. The childminder reduces barriers to learning and wellbeing through thoughtful adjustments, professional advice and targeted strategies. For example, to support communication and language, she uses visual resources, rich interactions, songs, engaging story times and clear modelling. She also encourages language development at home by loaning books linked to children's interests. These approaches are purposeful and help children make rapid

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Inclusion Strong standard

Partnerships with parents are a clear strength. The childminder shares children's progress through conversations, messages, photos and learning journals, and parents contribute comments that shape next steps. She monitors progress closely through observations and discussions and reviews support with confidence. She evaluates the impact of strategies and knows when to seek further professional advice if children's progress slows.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement. She adapts well to changes, always focusing on providing the best care and education for all children. For example, she actively improves her knowledge of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). She seeks help from outside agencies to collate her SEND information and share it with families. She also provides targeted support for children with language needs, showing her strong commitment to inclusive practice.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Building excellent partnerships with parents is a key strength. The childminder communicates effectively through daily conversations, contact books, texts, photos and learning journals. This helps parents understand more about their children's learning and development and how they can support them at home. Parents appreciate her warm, patient approach and clear communication, which supports children to thrive and transition smoothly, such as when starting school.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder's reflective leadership drives high-quality provision where children thrive and make impressive progress. She seeks out relevant training and works closely with the local authority to understand and respond to each child's unique needs. This commitment continually strengthens her teaching and ensures that every child receives the tailored support they need to thrive.

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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 day is filled with light-hearted joking and shared laughter, helping children relax and settle quickly. Children experience a warm, joyful and nurturing environment where they feel genuinely valued. For example, the childminder uses familiar routines and comforting soft toys and displays photos of their adventures to create a homely atmosphere where children feel safe and at ease. Children show this through their confident interactions, excited giggles during peekaboo games and seeking cuddles and reassurance when needed.

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Inspector:

Sophia Malcolm All children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, make rapid progress. The childminder expertly tailors the curriculum to their individual needs and starting points. Activities are thoughtfully linked to children's interests, such as exploring colours while playing football or labelling animals and their colours while playing with a farm set. The childminder skilfully extends language, modelling vocabulary like 'blue butterfly', and gives children time to listen and think about and answer questions. This supports children to extend their ideas and communicate clearly.

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Inspector:

Children show deep curiosity during interactive story times with props. They challenge themselves to match numbered beanbags, strengthening their early mathematical understanding. All day, children develop their independence. For example, the childminder encourages them to choose their activities, help tidy up and manage small tasks themselves. These rich experiences help children sustain attention, develop confidence and build the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps.

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Inspector:

The childminder consistently supports children to share activities, take turns and use good manners. Outings to parks, libraries and playgroups broaden children's social experiences and help them build positive relationships. Families are welcomed warmly, with daily communication that ensures that parents feel informed, valued and involved. The childminder promotes the importance of attendance and supports families to establish consistent routines.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of those who may face barriers to their learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection. Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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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About this setting

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

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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.

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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.

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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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