Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY276413 Registered with Ofsted: 22/12/2003 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 achieve extremely well with the childminder because their individual needs are understood and met. Next steps are clearly identified for each child, and all adults involved in the provision are aware of these targets and work consistently to support them. Strong partnerships with parents underpin this inclusive approach. Families describe the setting as a 'home from home' and highly value the childminder's warm, personalised care. They appreciate the time she takes to understand their children's backgrounds, routines and preferences, ensuring every child feels recognised and respected.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are fully involved in their learning because activities and expectations are sensitively adapted. This inclusive approach gives children a strong sense of belonging. They show growing independence, confidence and positive attitudes as they gain independence and learn self-help skills.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's development is understood through regular, accurate assessment. Adults use this knowledge to connect learning and plan precisely what children need next. For example, the childminder uses children's interest in animals to help them develop their vocabulary, making sounds to copy the noises they hear and name the animals with growing confidence. They explore books, investigate carefully chosen resources and take purposeful visits to the zoo. These rich, connected experiences help children build secure knowledge over time and move forward confidently in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children form exceptionally strong and trusting relationships with the childminder and any assistants who support them. The childminder engages purposefully at children's level, using high-quality interactions to extend their thinking and help them make meaningful links in their learning. She consistently models positive behaviour, reinforcing expectations calmly and sensitively throughout the day. Children are supported to recognise and name their emotions, which strengthens their self-esteem and helps them to manage their feelings and behaviour. The childminder gives children time to process questions and instructions, offering patient encouragement. As a result, children feel highly secure and respond positively, seeking comfort and reassurance when needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Routines are well established and understood. Children confidently prepare for outdoor play by recognising their jackets and finding their shoes, demonstrating growing independence. Adults are nearby to support, allowing children the time to develop their self-help and independence skills. There is a constant flow of conversation between the childminder and children, helping them to build vocabulary and listening skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

For children who require additional support, the childminder adapts her practice to ensure they receive the right level of guidance. She adjusts activities and routines sensitively so that every child can participate successfully and understand what is expected of them. The childminder promotes the importance of good attendance and punctuality, following up any absences promptly.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's wellbeing is prioritised in this calm, caring and well-organised setting. They respond positively to the clear routines and consistent expectations that help them feel secure and confident. Adults help children to understand and manage their emotions. For example, for children who find transitions difficult, adults name their feelings and explain what will happen next so they feel prepared, understood and ready to move on. Children learn to cooperate as they tidy away resources together, developing a shared sense of responsibility and community.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Adults support children to learn how their bodies feel when they climb, run or rest. Daily trips out help children learn about keeping safe, such as holding hands near roads and waiting for the green man. Children learn the importance of handwashing and healthy eating as adults help them build lifelong healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Transitions are smooth and predictable. Simple cues, such as a tidy-up song, help children move calmly between activities and understand what is happening next. Children who are still learning these routines receive patient, consistent guidance. The childminder explains expectations clearly and offers warm encouragement, helping children to take part and learn new skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder delivers a well-planned curriculum that captures children's curiosity and builds their knowledge securely over time. Carefully arranged activities engage children, prompting rich conversations about animals, colours and fruits. Children count ingredients as they cook in the role-play area, strengthening their understanding of mathematics and quantities.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder introduces new vocabulary with purpose and celebrates children's attempts to use it, which strengthens their language development and confidence. Learning is thoughtfully woven across different areas. Children refine their hand–eye coordination as they build towers with adult support and encouragement. They develop balance and rhythm during music activities and strengthen their large motor skills through regular outdoor play. The childminder responds sensitively to children's communication. When younger children babble or point, she names objects clearly, recognising this as an important stage in early language development. Story times provide valuable opportunities for children to learn new words and explore new sounds.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Mealtimes are treated as valuable learning opportunities. Children learn that lunch boxes belong to different friends and begin to understand routines, ownership and social expectations. This becomes a highly social part of the day, filled with conversation, praise and encouragement. All adults involved in the provision offer children choices throughout the day, giving them time to think, make decisions and express their preferences. These interactions promote independence, communication and early self-regulation, while also reinforcing children's understanding of healthy habits and respectful social behaviour.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children make excellent progress. The childminder provides a wide range of appropriate and engaging learning opportunities that meet their individual needs. She takes great care to gather detailed information about each child's starting points, interests and personalities, enabling her to understand them extremely well. Ongoing observations help her identify how children are developing, how they interact with activities and with one another, and where additional support may be needed. She keeps clear, detailed records of children's achievements and uses these effectively to plan meaningful next steps. Children take part in activities that interest and challenge them, supporting strong and sustained progress. The childminder consistently updates her knowledge on how children learn through local and national training.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children are eager to attend and show high levels of involvement in their play. For example, with support from the childminder, they take managed risks in their play as they move through the garden space, developing their strength, balance and coordination. Their communication and social skills develop well because the childminder adapts her interactions and expectations sensitively to meet each child's needs. She ensures that every child is included, valued and able to participate fully.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership and management have a strong and direct impact on children's experiences because the childminder, co-childminders and any assistants they work with work closely together to ensure every child's needs are understood and met. Daily handovers and ongoing conversations with parents mean all adults know each child's family context, routines and emerging needs, allowing them to respond quickly so children feel secure and settled.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnership working with the local authority strengthens the support children receive. By engaging in funding trials and multi-agency projects, the childminder ensures that children benefit from early identification of needs and timely access to specialist guidance. Her reflective approach and commitment to ongoing training mean that her practice is continually improving to meet the needs of all children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Children benefit from a confident, well-supported team. The childminder encourages any assistants she works with to develop their skills through regular training and is attentive to their wellbeing, enabling them to provide calm, consistent and nurturing care. Regular reflection on children's learning helps the team plan purposeful next steps and maintain a strong focus on progress. As a result, all adults contribute effectively to children's development, ensuring sustained, meaningful progress for every child.

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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 knows each child extremely well and uses this deep understanding to create a nurturing, stimulating environment where children thrive. The atmosphere is warm, calm and highly engaging, enabling children to explore with confidence and experience real joy, curiosity and wonder in their play. Activities are thoughtfully organised to reflect children's interests and provide rich, varied opportunities that promote rapid progress across all areas of learning.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): EY276413 The childminder ensures all children can access a wide range of age-appropriate resources that support their progress effectively across all areas of learning. Children make confident choices about their play, and the childminder skilfully guides them through gentle encouragement, clear explanations and sensitive interactions. Even the youngest children develop important early skills as they engage in meaningful, enjoyable activities that promote curiosity, independence and sustained involvement. For example, a well-resourced role-play area allows children to immerse themselves in imaginative scenarios, helping them develop language, social understanding and problem-solving skills, as they act out familiar experiences and explore new ideas.

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About this setting

Children attend local stay-and-play sessions with the childminder, which helps them to develop confidence in socialising with other children. They also enjoy regular walks in the local area, along with visits to the library and the park. Children learn to look after the planet through engaging, hands-on experiences that help them understand how their actions make a difference. The childminder introduces simple, meaningful activities such as recycling, composting and growing plants. Children begin to recognise how to care for their environment and develop early habits that support sustainability.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance 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 children who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her co-childminders and assistants 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Wednesday,Thursday : 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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