Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY396286 Registered with Ofsted: 21/09/2009 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

All children make remarkable progress from their starting points. They build secure knowledge and skills across the 7 areas of learning and are extremely well prepared for their next stage of education. Children deepen their communication and understanding of language through the many purposeful conversations and activities they engage in with the childminder. They listen carefully and respond to questions, taking turns in conversation. Children hear and use ambitious vocabulary as they explain how to use the different functions to program the 'digital' timer while baking in the home corner. They recall and talk about characters and events in stories and develop a love of books, as they repeatedly ask to listen to more. Children use early mathematical ideas in their play and develop the physical skills they need to take part in a wide range of activities. Children are highly motivated to learn and persist when they face challenges, demonstrating a 'can-do' attitude.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children quickly become independent in their self-care, dressing, washing their hands and using cutlery competently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The nurturing childminder develops trusting, warm and respectful relationships with children. All children are happy and thrive in her care. She is an excellent role model, remaining calm as she helps young children to learn the concepts of turn-taking. She provides them with phrases such as, 'Can I have that next, please?', which children begin to use autonomously as they play together from a young age. The childminder skilfully discusses emotions with children, using books when appropriate to reinforce children's understanding of feelings. Children are kind and considerate. Older children share resources with younger children, and all children show high levels of enthusiasm to help the childminder with routine tasks.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children feel extremely safe and secure. They move confidently around her setting and choose what they play with. The childminder is responsive to children's needs, ensuring that children of all ages and abilities can access her curriculum. She is encouraging and supportive of children's efforts. This positive environment helps children to feel valued, further supporting their enthusiasm for learning. The childminder works to promote the importance of punctuality and attendance by building positive and supportive relationships with parents and carers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing is central to the childminder's intent. She builds warm and secure relationships with children, providing consistent encouragement to help them to achieve their goals and celebrate their success. This helps children to have pride in themselves. They learn to take appropriate risks in their play. For example, when negotiating a climbing wall, the childminder suggests children consider which peg to balance from to allow them to swing their leg over the wall. Children enjoy a wide range of physical activities, including dance, yoga and swimming. They benefit from daily outdoor play in the fresh air, developing their large muscles and core strength. From a young age, children learn hygiene routines, such as handwashing to keep their hands clean from germs and how to wipe their nose and dispose of tissues. The childminder presents snack times to encourage children to participate and try new tastes. They grow and

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

harvest vegetables and fruit in the childminder's garden and enjoy healthy mealtimes where they explore a wide range of fruit and vegetables. This helps children to understand where food comes from and the benefits of eating healthy, nutritious food.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder delivers a well-sequenced curriculum across all areas of learning. She thoughtfully supports each child's individual learning and development by observing their interests and needs. The childminder knows exactly what she wants children to learn. Through her ongoing assessments of children's progress, she has a superb understanding of what each child already knows and what they need to learn next. She focuses her teaching on ensuring that all children become confident, resilient, independent and kind. She prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development by providing a supportive and stimulating environment with plentiful opportunities to socialise with children in larger groups.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's physical skills are promoted particularly well. The childminder plans a wealth of activities that encourage children to develop core strength. They spend a considerable amount of time outdoors at the local woods, local parks and in the childminder's garden. Children learn life skills such as swimming. They explore music and movement in dance and listen to instructions during yoga activities. The childminder builds vocabulary into every area of learning, especially in mathematics, using language such as 'half', 'full' and 'empty' while interacting with children in water play. She consistently prioritises supporting children's communication and language skills. Children listen attentively to the childminder as she reads, and they enthusiastically request more stories. The curriculum is further enriched with experiences that provide opportunities to broaden children's knowledge and understanding

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

of the world. For example, the childminder plans visits to weekly toddler groups, as well as trips on the train to explore places of interest such as cathedrals and country parks.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder consistently monitors children's learning and development through everyday interactions, play and observation. She works closely with parents and uses highly effective strategies to keep them informed of their child's current stage of learning and development. The childminder shares ideas that enable parents to continue their child's learning at home. For instance, she shares tips from training for increasing children's vocabulary.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Gaps in children's learning are swiftly identified. The childminder implements targeted interventions that are tailored to each child's individual needs, ensuring that children make rapid progress and gaps in learning are closed. She regularly reviews and adapts the activities she provides to allow all children to take part.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works closely with other settings that children attend. She discusses children's interests, next steps and the strategies she is using for support to ensure that children receive continuity in their learning. Although no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds are currently attending the setting, the experienced childminder demonstrates an excellent understanding of how to recognise when children may require additional support and the steps to take in response.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly reflective of her practice and dedicated to her continual professional development. She keeps her mandatory training up to date and has completed a wide range of training, which helps her provide consistently high-quality education and care for every child in the setting. For example, she uses her knowledge of early speech and language development to continually assess children's communication skills. This allows her to implement targeted support when necessary. She further shares her knowledge of promoting children's speech and language with parents, allowing them to implement her strategies at home. The childminder networks closely with other childminders to share ideas and improve her practice further. She gains feedback from children and parents, which she uses to continually build on her provision. The childminder has a clear and ambitious vision for her setting, with plans to expand on the already effective outdoor learning experience

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Parents share their appreciation of the valuable support and excellent learning opportunities the childminder provides. They say she goes 'above and beyond' to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their child's learning and development. Parents confirm that their children thrive under her care.

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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

Children are settled and secure in this welcoming environment where their wellbeing and development are carefully supported. Children form strong bonds with the childminder and respond positively to her warm and caring approach. They are eager to explore the stimulating learning experiences the childminder provides and demonstrate high levels of engagement and concentration in their chosen activities. The experienced and incredibly passionate childminder works tirelessly to provide the highest-quality care and teaching for children. She is highly attentive to each child's needs and adapts her support and teaching accordingly. For example, younger children are guided in using slicing tools to cut soft fruit for snack, whereas older children use fruit knives independently to slice and chop various fruits. Children learn the skills they need to be independent and ready for their next stage of learning. They access an extensive variety of indoor and outdoor educational experiences,

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

thriving as they deepen their understanding of the natural environment through their regular trips to observe and explore wildlife.

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

Children are confident and forge positive relationships with their peers. The childminder regularly meets with other childminders, providing the children with the opportunity to socialise in larger groups with other children. Children behave well and are kind and supportive to each other. They demonstrate good manners and a readiness to help. They are resilient and persistent, overcoming challenges to solve problems. Children demonstrate a sense of pride as they announce, 'I did it' when finding the best method for transferring water across the garden. They respond well to the childminder's persistent encouragement and praise for their efforts.

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About this setting

Operating hours: 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 sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, and also any disadvantaged children and those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care who she may care for in the future.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children 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 5 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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