Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY549140 Registered with Ofsted: 01/11/2017 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 exceptionally well and take ownership of their play. They stay focused on their learning for long periods of time for their age. For example, younger children are fascinated when placing magnetic blocks together, while older children complete complex puzzles. Children concentrate and develop their problem-solving skills. This supports them to build their resilience when things do not work as they planned. Furthermore, this enhances children's growing independence as they learn to do things for themselves.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children make excellent progress in their communication and language skills. They show confidence when communicating, and any gaps in their communication skills close at a rapid pace. This helps children to be prepared for and excited about their future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates a warm and welcoming environment. She fosters close and effective relationships with children so they arrive with excitement and ready to start their day. Daily routines are predictable and run very smoothly. This helps children to feel safe and secure, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children thrive with the boundaries set. They are keen to help tidy up between transitions, for example between free play and snack time.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour. These are mirrored by any assistants she works with. This provides children with consistency and helps them to behave extremely well. Children have high levels of consideration for their friends. For example, when they want a flower that their friends have, they offer to show them where to find them so they can all have one. The childminder promotes the key skills of sharing, negotiation and collaboration. These are essential skills that children need to master as they start school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is flexible with the sessions that she offers. This supports working families to make best use of their funding. Parents understand the benefits of positive punctuality and attendance. The childminder builds excellent relationships with other settings that children attend. This provides children with consistent care in which they thrive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder and any assistants she works with establish warm and affectionate relationships with children. They have a genuine care for every child to ensure that they feel welcome and secure. Children arrive and separate from their parents and carers with ease. They are keen to join in with their friends. The childminder knows every child well and uses this to ensure that she can meet their individual needs. For example, when children wake from their naps, they sit and snuggle with the childminder. They enjoy the calm time that they spend together. This promotes children's wellbeing and enhances the very positive relationships that they build. The childminder and children talk about how they are feeling every day. They giggle as they make funny faces in mirrors and express their emotions. The childminder validates these feelings so that children know what makes them happy and sad. This benefits children with

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

barriers to their learning so that they can approach the day with a positive attitude. Children develop a love of outdoor learning and long-lasting and safe eating habits. For example, children prepare their own lunch while the childminder talks about healthy eating. This helps children make their own healthy choices. She works with parents and carers to support consistent messages at home. The childminder is very responsive to individual needs and family circumstances. For example, she is flexible and adapts children's sessions so that they can always access an environment where they feel safe and secure.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder makes strategic decisions about what she wants children to learn. There is a sharp focus on personal, social and emotional development. Children talk about how they feel at the start of every session. The childminder uses daily reflective sessions with any assistants she works with to provide opportunities to ensure that all children receive a very high-quality curriculum. They share information about children's interests and what they need to learn next. The childminder completes audits of the environment to make sure that it meets the needs of all children. She adapts teaching very carefully so that children with barriers to their learning can join in. For example, she has adapted the play room to give children more space to be physically active indoors. This means that all children play with purpose and make excellent progress in all areas of their development.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The outdoor environment is inspiring and supports children's physical development. Children spend time outside every day, where the childminder weaves mathematics into their play. For example, she encourages children to count the leaves that they find. The childminder teaches children about '1 more' and '1 less' to help them to grasp more complex mathematical concepts. The childminder and any assistants she works with use their interactions to support children's language development. Children hunt for dinosaurs and use impressive words, such as 'prehistoric'. They talk about what different dinosaurs ate and the habitats that they lived in. Younger children babble with confidence as they learn to communicate. They receive lots of praise as they discover new words. The childminder shares and celebrates these milestones with parents and carers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive excellent care. The childminder uses the secure attachments that she builds with children to identify if they need additional support. She provides strategic and targeted intervention to close gaps in children's learning and development. For example, she spends time with each child individually, playing games to support their next steps. The childminder monitors children's progress rigorously and makes referrals to professionals when needed. The childminder has an excellent knowledge of the local services available to support children. She builds very effective relationships and signposts parents and carers to any extra services. For example, the childminder ensures that children access speech and language specialists to support their language development. The childminder has undertaken extensive professional development. This has a deep focus

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Inclusion Strong standard

on improving her knowledge of how to support children with SEND. This has had a positive impact on all children in her care, especially those who have barriers to their learning. For example, she has enhanced the outdoor environment to provide sensory experiences for children to explore. The childminder supports parents by attending meetings and making quick referrals. This helps children to receive extra funding and support that they need to excel in their education.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder ensures that there is a deep culture of reflection. She carefully considers with any assistants she works with how new learning is embedded into daily routines. For example, they use Makaton to enhance children's communication and language development. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can clearly express their needs even if they have not yet acquired the language to do so.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Any assistants who work with the childminder share the same passion and dedication. They commit to reflective and purposeful professional development. For example, the childminder has undertaken extensive reading and research to improve the curriculum for mathematics. She is confident in her approach to embedding mathematics into everyday learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The assistants explain that they love working at the childminder's home. She puts their wellbeing first and ensures that they have time to balance their workloads. They praise her for the support and care that she gives them alongside children. Parents and carers' feedback echoes this view. They feed back that they are extremely happy with the care that the childminder provides. Parents feel lucky to have found her. This has a positive impact on children as they thrive in the caring environment created by a collaborative approach.

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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 thrive in this home-from-home environment. Children settle with ease due to the warm and friendly childminder and any assistants she works with. They focus on making sure that children feel a deep sense of belonging. Children are instantly calm and relaxed because of the secure relationships that the childminder establishes. Children have ample time to develop their language and communication skills. They are enthusiastic during interactions led by the experienced and skilled childminder and any assistants she works with. For example, children take part in interactive storytelling sessions with excitement. They act out the story, recalling what they know and making predictions about what is going to happen next. Children dance and sing and giggle with delight, showing how happy they are. These interactions help children to develop a love of learning that extends when they start school.

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

The childminder develops a curriculum that promotes children to explore the natural world. They practise their growing independence skills as they dress in wet-weather clothing. This means that children can play outside in all weathers and take risks with support. For example, as they climb, children learn that the steps may be slippery from the rain. Children's learning is greatly enhanced by the trips that they take in the local area. The childminder takes them to toddler groups and trips to the zoo. She uses these experiences to help children to socialise with a wide range of other children and learn about the community in which they live. The childminder teaches children about different family structures and celebrates their heritage. She ensures that every family is represented and respected. This contributes to the excellent sense of community that the childminder creates. She values every child and supports them to reach their full potential.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:30

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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 disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminders, her assistants, children and parents and carers 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

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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