Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 114292 Registered with Ofsted: 01/10/1995 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 excellent progress from their starting points, especially in communication and language. They learn new words quickly, use them confidently during play and express their needs clearly. They join in enthusiastically with stories, number songs and conversations, showing early mathematical and communication skills. Children who face barriers to learning, including those who speak English as an additional language, achieve very well because the childminder responds quickly and provides tailored support.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop increasing independence and confidence. For example, they put on their shoes, help tidy up resources, make simple choices about their play and speak confidently about their experiences. Children develop a broad and secure range of skills across all areas of learning. They demonstrate curiosity, resilience and collaboration. For example, they talk and work together to set up activities and take turns during play. This helps to prepare them well for their next stage, including the transition to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates a culture of kindness, care and respect with clear and consistent expectations for behaviour. She responds sensitively to children's ages, stages of development and individual needs, ensuring that her guidance is always appropriate and effective. Children benefit from very warm, trusting relationships with the childminder that help them feel secure and ready to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

With a calm and consistent approach, the childminder encourages children to work together by taking turns, sharing and tidying up resources. She supports children very well to resolve small conflicts and build positive friendships. For example, she models gentle language and regularly discusses with children their own and others' feelings. Children mirror her approach in their interactions. When children accidentally hurt others, she helps them recognise the impact of their actions. Children check in with their friends, comfort them and say 'sorry' without being prompted. Children's emotional understanding is well developed, along with their empathy and social confidence. These are key skills that help children thrive in their future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes regular attendance and punctuality and works closely with families to help them understand how this consistency supports children's wellbeing, confidence and engagement in learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides care that is highly responsive to all children's individual needs. She has a detailed understanding of every child through regular communication with families, careful observations and interactions. Routines are well structured to help children understand expectations and feel confident in daily transitions. The childminder sensitively adapts routines to accommodate changes in children's needs or circumstances, consistently ensuring their welfare and wellbeing. Extremely warm, secure relationships help children feel safe and emotionally settled. Children seek comfort on the childminder's lap, smile during playful conversations and remain relaxed and engaged in their play. When children become upset, the childminder offers reassurance, helps them identify their feelings and guides them back to play when they are ready. This consistent, nurturing approach helps children recognise, express and

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

manage their emotions. This helps strengthen children's sense of emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children in making healthy choices throughout the day. For example, she talks to them about germs and the importance of handwashing, discusses healthy food choices with children and families, and prioritises daily physical activity through outdoor trips. Children also learn about personal safety, including how to stay safe near roads and water. This supports their developing awareness and confidence in managing their safety.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder delivers an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that reflects her in-depth understanding of child development and the different areas of learning. She evaluates her practice regularly to improve her teaching. The childminder draws on her training to improve how she supports children's learning and tailors her teaching to each child's starting points and interests. For example, she builds on children's fascination with diggers by discussing how they work and introducing vocabulary such as 'scoop' and 'roller' through stories and play. Daily routines teach key skills, including counting and modelling healthy habits at mealtimes.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Language development is a priority. The childminder consistently strengthens children's communication and mathematical understanding with high-quality interactions, such as narrating play, discussing past experiences and introducing new vocabulary and lively stories and number songs.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum places emphasis on children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. Children develop coordination through outdoor play, including riding tricycles, while babies practise walking on uneven surfaces. Activities such as small construction, crafts, and placing hoops on stands strengthen children's motor skills. The childminder supports emotional literacy through storytelling, conversations and sensitive modelling. She uses assessment incredibly effectively to check what children know and can do. The childminder works closely with parents and carers and adapts teaching responsively to ensure that the curriculum is inclusive for all children.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children and creates an inclusive environment where every child's needs are understood, monitored and supported. Children's needs are identified quickly through careful observations and highly effective communication with families. The childminder works sensitively with parents and carers and seeks timely advice from outside professionals. She involves health visitors and specialist home-visiting support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She monitors children's progress continually, adapting as their needs change over time. This ensures that children make rapid progress from their starting points, and barriers to learning and wellbeing are reduced early.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Adjustments are made thoughtfully. For example, the childminder acts on professional advice and adapts resources in the setting to support children's needs. Children who speak English as an additional language benefit from targeted strategies, such as consistent high- quality interactions with the childminder and hearing words and songs in their home language in the setting. This supports all children's understanding, communication and language, and wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of how to work with families to ensure that funding meets children's individual needs. She undertakes training to support her understanding of children's needs and how to support children with SEND effectively.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has a highly reflective and thoughtful approach. She makes decisions that consistently prioritise children's wellbeing and learning. She adapts routines, resources and support to meet children's individual needs, including those who may face barriers to learning or wellbeing. She nurtures children's social development and love of books through trips to playgroup and the library. Children experience daily outings to farms, parks and National Trust sites, and they engage in forest school sessions. These experiences promote children's physical development and deepen their understanding of the world.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder clearly understands the setting's strengths and areas she wishes to develop. As an active member of a childminding group, she regularly undertakes training and engages in professional discussions, using new learning and shared resources to enhance children's experiences. The childminder's excellent commitment to improvement means she selects training that is directly relevant to children's needs in her setting.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder's communication with parents and carers is flexible, open and supportive. For example, she uses the communication methods that work best for each family. Learning journals and daily conversations keep parents updated on children's progress, next steps and strategies for learning at home. Parents share highly positive feedback, showing how much they value this partnership.

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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 warm and nurturing setting. They feel safe and settled because the childminder builds caring relationships with them. For example, children approach the childminder for cuddles, reassurance and shared play. They smile, laugh and chat confidently with her and each other. This helps children develop a secure sense of belonging and feel ready to explore. Children make good progress from their different starting points. The childminder knows each child well and is mindful of those who may need extra reassurance or support. She adapts routines so that all children can participate fully.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 114292 Children enjoy a rich and varied day. They choose activities freely, moving between rooms to follow their interests and build independence. The childminder extends their learning with stories, songs and activities related to what they enjoy. For example, she helps children build diggers and name parts during construction activities. The childminder encourages children to compare the colours and characteristics of farm animals, and she discusses feelings during well-loved stories. She uses number songs and imaginative role play to support early mathematics. These effective teaching moments help children develop language and emotional understanding and build on their knowledge and skills. Children join in eagerly, show curiosity and imagination, and gain the confidence they need for their next steps, including starting school.

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About this setting

Daily outings to farms, parks and open spaces broaden children's experiences and strengthen their physical development. Playgroup and library visits support their social skills and love of books. The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance with families so that children benefit fully from these experiences. Families feel welcomed and valued. The childminder keeps parents and carers well informed through learning journals, daily conversations, and communication methods that suit each family. This solid partnership working helps children feel secure, included and celebrated in the setting.

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Next steps

The childminder 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 with barriers to their learning or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection. Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 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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