Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY396512 Registered with Ofsted: 12/08/2009 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

The childminder expertly supports children's communication and language. Every interaction is used purposefully to extend children's vocabulary, deepen their thinking and strengthen their understanding. The childminder models activities and challenges children to problem- solve for themselves. For example, when a torch stops working, he helps them to think what might have happened. This helps children develop early thinking skills as they work out what to do next.

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Achievement Strong standard

The childminder skilfully models language, introduces new words and helps children make links in their learning by drawing on the rich, stimulating environment around them. For example, when children show a fascination with squirrels, the childminder builds this into the curriculum, talking about what squirrels eat, where they live and how they climb. This supports children to understand the world around them, helping them make comparisons and consider what makes squirrels good climbers. Through this, children explore descriptive and positional language, such as 'big' and 'small', 'high' and 'low', 'tall' and 'short'. These meaningful conversations support rapid progress in children's communication skills.

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Achievement Strong standard

The childminder monitors children's development closely, completing statutory progress checks and using this information effectively to plan next steps that promote growing confidence and independence. Children make noticeable progress in their social play, communication and emotional wellbeing, demonstrating a secure impact of the childminder's well-informed and responsive practice.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children thrive in an environment where routines are securely embedded and consistently upheld. This helps children move through the day with confidence, knowing what comes next and feeling safe within familiar expectations. The calm, purposeful atmosphere encourages children to explore and engage deeply in their play. Behaviour is supported skilfully and sensitively. The childminder responds with warmth and clarity, helping children develop self-regulation skills. When children become upset, he gently acknowledges their feelings and offers simple, meaningful choices, such as selecting a favourite book or returning to a familiar activity. Children respond extremely well to this nurturing approach, showing high levels of emotional security and readiness to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Politeness is encouraged throughout the day, so children learn to say 'please' and 'thank you'. For example, when they are served lunch, the childminder models the correct words and allows time for children to repeat them. He gets down to their level to help them understand what is being asked of them. This modelling provides children with clear, positive examples of how to treat others, which develops their social habits.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes regular attendance effectively and works closely with parents to help them understand how important consistent attendance and punctuality are for their children's learning and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted extremely well. They form secure, trusting relationships with the childminder and seek him confidently for comfort and reassurance. His warm, responsive interactions help children feel safe, valued and emotionally secure. The childminder engages purposefully at children's level, using high-quality interactions to extend their thinking and support their learning. The toilet and nappy changing areas are safe, hygienic and well organised, promoting children's dignity and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

With adult support, children show confidence in daily routines and demonstrate growing independence. For example, they wash their hands before eating and learn the importance of teeth brushing to keep themselves healthy. They are supported to hang up their belongings on arrival, helping them understand expectations and take responsibility for their own things. Children are encouraged to talk about their feelings, which helps them to understand and manage their emotions. They respond positively to this support and form strong relationships with the childminder and each other.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder adapts activities and routines sensitively for children who need additional support, ensuring they can participate successfully. He provides clear guidance, so every child understands what to do, and he praises their efforts, reinforcing their wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has in-depth knowledge of child development and uses this knowledge to assess children and plan for their next steps in learning. Children benefit from a variety of free play and adult-led activities, carefully planned and closely matched to children's next steps. Children benefit from a wide range of meaningful experiences that promote early writing, problem-solving and imaginative play. They dance to music with enthusiasm, developing coordination, confidence and social skills. When children become upset, the childminder responds with calm reassurance and warm interactions, helping them feel secure and ready to quickly re-engage in learning. Children learn mathematical concepts as they compare quantities. For example, they count the number of animals they can see in a book and learn how to share out resources so their friends all have some.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Outdoor learning is a significant strength of the provision. The childminder ensures children spend time outside every day and recognises the importance of fresh air and physical activity for their health and wellbeing. Purposeful outdoor experiences are planned to extend children's physical development and curiosity. Regular visits to the local park give children the freedom to run in open spaces, climb large play equipment and practise balancing, strengthening their coordination and large-muscle skills. Joining in age-appropriate competitive games allows children to learn about the value of cooperation and fairness, and managing both success and disappointment.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is highly effective in promoting inclusion and ensuring that every child's individual needs are accurately identified and supported. He gathers detailed information from families before a child starts and uses it to create a gentle, personalised settling-in routine that helps remove early barriers to learning and supports children's wellbeing from the very beginning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Ongoing assessment is thorough, continuous and fully embedded, enabling the childminder to monitor children's progress closely and review the impact of support with accuracy. When children require additional help, the childminder makes tailored adaptations to his provision to ensure all children can participate fully in the activities. He works collaboratively with parents, professionals and external agencies to shape children's support and experiences. This partnership approach ensures that strategies are consistent, purposeful and responsive to children's changing needs. He explains how he would use additional funding to access training for himself and enrich the resources to meet children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership and management result in consistently high-quality experiences for children because the childminder's commitment to excellent care, safety and learning creates a setting where children feel secure, valued and ready to engage. Close teamwork with co- childminders and any assistants he works with ensures the day flows calmly, supporting children's emotional security and helping them settle quickly. Adults share information purposefully, so children benefit from consistent, well informed practice. When and adult notices a new interest or emerging need, this is communicated immediately, allowing provision to be adapted so children receive timely support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder continually reflects on his practice, which ensures children's needs are identified early and met effectively. He ensures children receive the right support at the right time, accessing appropriate training to further enrich children's experiences and meet their individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Strong leadership also helps any assistants he works with to develop their confidence and knowledge, which directly promotes the quality of care and learning children experience. By engaging with local authority early years coordinators and wider childminding networks, the childminder keeps practice current and effective. This continual professional development strengthens the provision, ensuring children benefit from an environment that is consistently improving.

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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

This is a setting where children receive enriching care, teaching and learning. They form secure, trusting relationships with the childminder, who is warm, welcoming and highly attentive to their needs. Consistent routines and high expectations support children to feel secure, confident and ready to learn. Activities are thoughtfully planned to reflect children's needs, interests and developmental stages. The childminder seizes every opportunity to facilitate rich, purposeful conversations throughout the day, helping children extend their thinking and broaden their vocabulary.

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About this setting

Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Through sensitive encouragement, children are superbly supported to understand rules and boundaries. They respond positively to the praise they receive, helping to reinforce positive behaviour. This creates a calm, cooperative environment in which children feel secure, valued and able to thrive.

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About this setting

Children enjoy daily outings that broaden their experiences and support their development. Regular visits to the local park help them develop a love of the outdoors, strengthen their physical skills and build confidence as they explore new spaces. Weekly trips to the library introduce them to a rich range of books and stories, nurturing early literacy, expanding their vocabulary and fostering an enjoyment of reading.

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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, his 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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday : 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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