Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 104662 Registered with Ofsted: 22/12/1995 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 make secure progress from their individual starting points across all areas of the early years foundation stage, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who achieve highly because of the precise and targeted support they receive. Children rapidly gain the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for the next stage of their education. Transitions are thoughtfully planned, from the moment children join the setting through to their move to pre-school or school, ensuring that every child feels secure, understood and ready for change.

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Achievement Strong standard

All children, including those with SEND, make notable progress in every area of learning. Their communication and language skills develop particularly well. Purposeful, well-timed interactions enable children to build rich vocabulary, deepen their thinking and express their ideas with clarity and confidence.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are highly motivated learners who thrive in a curriculum that is expertly sequenced and rigorously planned. The childminder builds on what children already know with precision, enabling them to embed and extend their understanding over time. Children show high levels of curiosity, focus and determination. They engage enthusiastically in challenging tasks, such as ordering numerals, recalling number rhymes and solving simple problems.

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Achievement Strong standard

During daily routines, such as snack time and tidying up, children show kindness, responsibility and growing independence. They cooperate with one another, make thoughtful choices and take pride in contributing to the setting. By the time they leave, children are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage of learning, equipped with secure communication skills, emotional security and positive attitudes that set the foundation for continued success.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children build warm, trusting and positive relationships within the setting, which helps them feel secure and ready to learn. They respond well to praise and encouragement, showing pride in their attempts and achievements. As a result, children's confidence grows, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who benefit from tailored reassurance and consistent routines that help them engage fully.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate positive attitudes as they explore a calm and purposeful learning environment. Well-established routines enable them to move between activities with ease, showing confidence and independence. Children with SEND are supported through step-by- step guidance, helping them manage transitions successfully and participate alongside their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children show consistently respectful and considerate behaviour. They understand routines and boundaries, which helps them cooperate well with others and manage their feelings effectively. Their manners are developing impressively. For example, children respond politely at snack time, saying 'Yes, please' when offered more food. Children adapt confidently as their needs change. They benefit from the flexibility and responsiveness of the environment, which helps them attend regularly and feel secure throughout the day. Children with SEND are particularly well supported, with adjustments made promptly to ensure that they remain settled, included and able to thrive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are given the highest priority. They form warm, secure attachments with the childminder, who responds to their needs with genuine sensitivity and care. Even the smallest changes in children's emotions are recognised and addressed promptly. A quiet, calming space is available for children who need time to rest, regulate or reset. Children are taught about consent in an age-appropriate way and understand that they can ask for a cuddle when they want comfort or reassurance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

All areas of the setting are maintained to a high standard. The environment is consistently safe, clean and well organised, helping children feel protected, valued and confident to join play and learning with enthusiasm.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from daily access to outdoor play, as well as enriching experiences such as visits to the library and local gardens. These opportunities are used thoughtfully to support children's physical development, curiosity and confidence in the wider world.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's physical health is promoted through well-established, embedded routines. Healthy food choices are encouraged and shared with parents. Children wash their hands independently and have their faces wiped after eating as part of positive, respectful care routines. Their privacy is maintained during all aspects of personal care, supporting dignity and trust.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

A personalised approach is maintained as the needs of children and families evolve. The needs of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are identified and responded to without delay. The childminder works closely with other settings that children attend, ensuring a sense of continuity and consistency across their care and learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder plans a highly coherent and well-sequenced curriculum that matches children's interests, prior learning and stages of development. She provides rich, purposeful experiences that build meaningfully on what children already know and can do. As a result, children make sustained progress, securing knowledge and skills over time. Learning is skilfully adapted to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included and experience success, with adaptations that reflect a deep understanding of individual need.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children develop a secure understanding of the world around them through thoughtfully planned opportunities. They learn about cultural celebrations, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year, exploring these festivals through high-quality books, stories and carefully considered activities that broaden their awareness of the world around them. Visits to local parks, libraries and community spaces extend children's learning beyond the setting, helping them develop confidence, curiosity and a sense of belonging within their community.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children are provided with frequent, well-structured opportunities to refine their fine motor control. They use scissors, pencils and a range of tools with growing precision and confidence, supported by engaging provocations such as tuff tray challenges that encourage purposeful manipulation and control.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Role-play experiences, such as collaboratively creating a café, spark children's imaginations while enriching their vocabulary. Children confidently name foods and use precise language such as 'grate' and 'prepare' as they engage in sustained play.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder consistently supports the development of communication and language. She expertly models new vocabulary, asks open-ended questions and creates frequent opportunities for meaningful conversational exchanges. Every interaction is deliberately used to extend children's thinking and language. For example, when children shared their excitement about resources discovered in a tuff tray, the childminder sensitively extended the moment by encouraging them to count and compare quantities, deepening their mathematical understanding.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Every child is meaningfully supported in the setting. This ensures that all learners are able to participate fully and experience genuine success. Activities are skilfully adapted so all children can join in and experience success. There is a clear and purposeful focus on developing children's communication and language skills. The childminder models simple words and short phrases with clarity, and key vocabulary is intentionally repeated throughout activities. This consistent approach allows children to communicate their needs, follow routines and confidently join in play with others.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Routines are flexibly adapted to ensure that children feel settled, included and emotionally secure. The childminder uses calm and responsive interactions that support children to take turns, share and respond positively to their friends. Through these well-considered experiences, children's confidence, self-regulation and emotional development are consistently strengthened.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children's progress is carefully monitored through regular, purposeful observations. Emerging needs are swiftly identified, and timely, targeted support is planned that helps children continue to make sustained progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified, and plans are written and followed to support their development. The impact of this support is regularly reviewed and adapted when needed. The childminder seeks advice from external professionals when needed and has sought professional development to improve her practice. The childminder works effectively with parents to ensure that information about the children is shared effectively. Children develop the skills they need for future learning and participation in group activities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children with SEND are quickly recognised, with tailored plans created, implemented and systematically reviewed to ensure that they remain effective and responsive to each child's development. The childminder seeks advice from external professionals when appropriate and actively pursues professional development opportunities to further enhance her practice. Partnerships with parents are well established, ensuring that meaningful information is shared and used to support children effectively.

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Inclusion Strong standard

As a result of this high-quality, inclusive provision, children develop the essential skills, confidence and readiness needed for future learning and successful participation in group activities.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder provides purposeful leadership that underpins the high quality of care and education within the setting. She has a secure understanding of her responsibilities under the early years foundation stage and uses this knowledge to organise routines with clarity and consistency. Her established expectations create a calm, predictable environment in which children feel safe, secure and ready to learn.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

She delivers a well-sequenced and carefully considered curriculum that responds closely to children's interests and stages of development. Activities are meaningful, ambitious and designed to help children build their knowledge and skills over time. The childminder reflects regularly and thoughtfully on her practice, making purposeful improvements that continually strengthen outcomes for all children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnership working is a clear strength. The childminder works closely with parents and carers, who speak positively about the high levels of communication and support they receive. She seeks professional advice promptly when needed, ensuring that children benefit from coordinated and effective support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is committed to ongoing professional development. She engages in regular training, including on safeguarding and special educational needs and/or disabilities, and participates in local childminding forums that help keep her knowledge current and practice well informed. Safeguarding is embedded in daily routines. She follows procedures rigorously, remains alert to concerns and ensures that safeguarding arrangements are robust and secure.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Children flourish in a safe, nurturing and well-organised environment where they develop confidence and independence and make rapid progress across all areas of learning.

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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 provides a warm, responsive and nurturing environment in which every child feels genuinely valued. Children's individual needs, interests and abilities are skilfully recognised and purposefully supported. Children have a secure and caring relationship with the childminder. This has a positive impact on their emotional security, enabling them to learn and play with curiosity and growing independence.

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

Children show high levels of engagement and are confident and engaged learners. The childminder offers a rich and thoughtfully planned range of activities for children to explore.

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About this setting

For example, children show clear excitement when playing in their 'pizza shop', confidently naming the ingredients and taking payment.

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About this setting

Children are confident communicators. The childminder narrates play, repeats words clearly and asks open-ended questions. Children play positively together and show interest in one another, helping to create a sense of belonging.

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About this setting

Children consistently display positive behaviour and show respect and positive attitudes to learning. Their physical development is actively promoted through well-planned outdoor experiences and visits to the local community. Children enjoy purposeful imaginative play with each other, such as taking on the roles of shopkeeper and café customer. Early mathematical understanding is continuously developed, as children confidently count, recognise numerals and sequence numbers during play.

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About this setting

Parents share that the childminder provides highly effective support during settling-in periods and during times of transition. Children feel safe, secure and emotionally ready to learn. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, reach age-appropriate milestones and are supported to thrive in the setting.

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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 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. Unique reference number (URN): 104662

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,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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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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