Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY340215 Registered with Ofsted: 10/08/2006 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 show they are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their development. They make rapid progress over a broad range of skills across all areas of learning, with particular strength in communication and language. Children speak clearly and confidently, accurately repeating new words and using an expanding vocabulary in meaningful contexts. For example, they describe the texture of fruit, using words such as 'squidgy' and 'hard', showing growing confidence and precision in their speech.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children approach transition with confidence and emotional security. They talk positively about their new settings, confidently engage in role play about school routines and interact comfortably with familiar and unfamiliar adults in the community. They demonstrate increasing independence, resilience and strong social skills, which fully support their readiness for the next stage in their education.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children show high levels of self-esteem. They take pride in their achievements, persevere with challenges and demonstrate confidence in sharing their ideas and successes with others, including those who were previously less assured.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has consistently high expectations for children's behaviour, which are embedded through calm guidance and positive role modelling. As a result, children demonstrate excellent self-regulation, patience and respect for others. They communicate politely, share resources and resolve disagreements thoughtfully, supported by age- appropriate discussions that help them understand the impact of their behaviour. Children listen carefully to guidance and apply this learning independently, leading to cooperative play and harmonious relationships.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Routines are a notable strength of the setting and are firmly embedded throughout the day. Children understand what is expected of them and follow consistent routines with confidence. For example, they independently prepare for outdoor play and follow care routines before mealtimes. Even the youngest children show high levels of independence, which supports their engagement in learning. Children approach activities with enthusiasm, curiosity and resilience.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder places high importance on building secure, nurturing relationships, recognising their importance in supporting children's learning and wellbeing. She values each child as an individual, fostering strong, trusting bonds that help children feel safe and confident. Children treat others with kindness and respect.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder works closely with families to promote regular attendance and punctuality, recognising the positive impact this has on children's learning, development and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Each child is welcomed into the warm and inclusive community of the childminder's home, where they feel valued and develop a strong sense of belonging. The childminder implements a robust and gradual settling-in process, gathering detailed information from parents to fully understand each child's individual needs. To support smooth transitions, parents are encouraged to visit briefly when passing, helping children become familiar with routines. The childminder provides ongoing reassurance to families and places a strong emphasis on forming secure attachments with children, which supports their emotional wellbeing. The childminder consistently supports children to manage their emotions, swiftly recognising when they are becoming dysregulated and provides effective support to help children recognise these feelings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children to develop healthy lifestyles. Effective procedures are in place to manage allergies and food intolerances, and the childminder takes time to help children understand how allergies can affect others. For example, children confidently recall that eating bananas can make some children's skin feel 'itchy and scratchy'. Mealtimes are positive, sociable experiences, and children are encouraged to be independent. They make their own sandwiches, choosing from a range of healthy fillings, and children of all ages demonstrate impressive levels of independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Personal hygiene routines are well established. Children wash their hands independently, learning to wash germs from their hands to keep themselves safe. They use individual towels labelled with their photographs, which further promotes independence and reinforces children's sense of belonging.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates excellent knowledge of child development and uses it to design an engaging, responsive curriculum tailored to each child's needs. She observes children carefully to assess their abilities and identify meaningful next steps, ensuring learning builds securely on existing skills. Activities are thoughtfully adapted to provide targeted support, enabling all children, including those who may face barriers to learning, to make sustained progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching and interactions are consistently of a high quality. The childminder uses play, exploration and daily routines as purposeful learning opportunities and skilfully supports children to follow their own interests, maximising learning and development.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder recognises that communication and language underpin all areas of learning. Singing and storytelling are embedded throughout the day, and children enthusiastically join in with familiar songs, such as 'Row Your Boat', pretending to splash in the water and giggle as they play.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Mathematics is integrated naturally into routines and play. Children recognise numbers, explore size and weight and take part in active number games. The childminder uses effective questioning to promote problem-solving and critical thinking, helping children compare, reason and make decisions. Children also make consistent and sustained progress in their physical development through regular outdoor learning at parks and the childminder's allotment, where they learn to assess risk and understand how physical activity affects their bodies.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates high-quality practice by ensuring that all children, including those with developmental delays or barriers to learning, are fully supported and included. She uses her expert knowledge of child development to identify emerging needs early and assess the level of support required. With consistently high expectations, she adapts her teaching skilfully to remove barriers and refines her curriculum to meet individual needs. For instance, she consistently uses Makaton signing to support communication, and the childminder is highly attuned to children's emotional states, responding calmly and effectively when they become overstimulated. This enables children to regulate their emotions, engage confidently and access learning to the fullest.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents to understand behaviours and implement well- considered strategies that support children's learning and wellbeing. She knows when to involve external professionals and prepares detailed reports that ensure timely intervention and smooth transitions to school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children benefit from the childminder's commitment to inclusion and diversity. They learn about different cultures, celebrations and languages, and bilingual families are exceptionally well supported. Children confidently recall French songs, showing secure early language development. Although no children currently receive additional funding, the childminder clearly understands how it would be used to maximise outcomes for all children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a clear and ambitious drive to continually improve her provision. She is highly reflective and takes prompt action to adapt the setting to meet children's evolving needs. For example, when children find aspects of numeracy challenging, she adapts the environment and learning opportunities to support their understanding, ensuring that the provision matches their developmental stage.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Extensive professional development has given the childminder an excellent understanding of child development, which she applies effectively in her teaching, ensuring all children, including those facing barriers, achieve the best outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a remarkable approach to educating children on sustainable living. This is skillfully woven throughout her setting through a climate change plan. She uses an allotment to grow food and makes much of the equipment herself. Children learn about caring for plants, reducing waste and the impact of rubbish. The childminder models environmentally responsible practices, including reusable wipes and nappies and walking rather than driving, helping children develop awareness of sustainability.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Parents are fully informed of their child's learning and next steps through daily records. The childminder actively encourages learning at home and provides practical suggestions, such as spotting numbers in the environment, that support children's developing mathematical understanding. Parents speak very positively about the childminder, valuing the close bonds she builds and the exceptional care she provides, which helps children 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

Children flourish in the childminder's care and thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting. They form secure, positive bonds with her, helping them feel safe, valued and confident to explore. The childminder delivers a rich, ambitious curriculum, carefully tailored to meet the needs of all children, including those who face barriers to learning. Using her extensive knowledge of child development, she plans purposeful, engaging activities that promote investigation, exploration and independence. For example, children learn about the planets in the solar system and how satellites orbit the Earth. Teaching is skilfully adapted to each child's individual needs, enabling children to make sustained progress and be exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

The childminder creates an environment full of awe and wonder that reflects children's interests and bespoke learning needs. For example, children who are expecting a sibling are supported in understanding this through books and role play with dolls. Children show remarkable levels of care and empathy, carefully wrapping the dolls in blankets and ensuring they are comfortable, demonstrating their developing understanding of nurture and responsibility. Children explore water play, learning to operate containers to release water and use equipment to scoop and pour, developing their understanding of volume. Outdoor learning is a key focus, with children exploring the natural world through visits to the allotment, local playgroups, shops and community walks, helping them to integrate into their local environment.

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

The childminder places high importance on building secure, nurturing relationships with children, recognising that these are fundamental to children's learning and development. She values each child as an individual and carefully nurtures their unique character, supporting them to become the best they can be. As a result, children form strong, loving bonds with the childminder and learn to treat others with kindness, care and respect, which supports their emotional wellbeing and positive relationships.

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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, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, 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 childminder, parents 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,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

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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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