Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 204580 Registered with Ofsted: 23/05/2000 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes a calm, positive environment with clear and consistent expectations for behaviour. She generally communicates these expectations effectively, explaining to children what she wants them to do and why. Children respond well and typically follow instructions independently, demonstrating a secure understanding of routines and boundaries. This approach supports all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning and development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder uses language linked to emotions to help children understand their actions and the impact these have on others. She promotes values, such as kindness, respect and friendship. For example, she teaches children to wait their turn, listen to others and use good manners. Children generally show positive learning behaviours, including the ability to focus on play, cooperate and engage in activities. However, support is not always adapted as precisely as it could be to meet the needs of all children consistently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder builds supportive relationships. She is approachable and nurturing, offering age-appropriate praise that children understand and respond to positively. She encourages children to show consideration for others, such as using manners and helping to lay the table for their friends. The childminder monitors and tracks attendance and shares this information with parents. This supports communication with families and promotes the importance of attendance and consistent routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides a warm, safe and secure environment where children feel comfortable and cared for. She establishes responsive relationships that support children's emotional wellbeing and confidence. She consistently supports all children to recognise and manage their feelings. Children are beginning to identify their emotions and develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's understanding of health and self-care. She teaches children about hygiene, including the importance of handwashing and understanding germs. Children respond positively and wash their hands independently. The childminder supports children with toileting routines and encourages independence, helping them develop personal skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder sets clear expectations and provides guidance to help children manage their belongings, follow routines and use the toilet independently. She supports children to develop self-help skills and to understand how to keep themselves safe, for example, by recognising simple risks and following daily safety routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to develop healthy lifestyles. She promotes good hydration by encouraging children to drink water regularly and supports them to make healthy choices. Children enjoy nutritious snacks and are encouraged to try new foods. The childminder reinforces positive behaviours at mealtimes, including the use of good manners.

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Needs attention

She plans for outdoor experiences, including daily walks, which contribute positively to children's physical wellbeing and enjoyment of physical activities.

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Achievement Needs attention

Due to weaknesses in the childminder's teaching, children do not consistently build on what they already know or can do across all areas of learning. In particular, they do not develop skills in speech and language or mathematics to a sufficient depth. Children make gradual progress in these areas. Children who face barriers to their learning may be at risk of falling behind. As a result, they do not make the progress to ensure that they are ready for their next phase in learning, including school.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children benefit from a range of experiences that support their curiosity about the world around them and learn respect for other cultures and communities. They make progress in their personal, social and emotional development through interactions and praise. Children access physical development opportunities through intentional experiences, such as trips to local parks and use of garden resources, helping them to develop coordination, balance and strength.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder does not consistently build on what children already know and can do to support their next steps in learning. Although she introduces basic knowledge and vocabulary, she does not always support learning to develop with sufficient depth or purpose. For example, while children explore counting and shapes, she does not consistently extend these experiences to deepen their understanding. She does not always demonstrate secure knowledge of how to teach early mathematics, and this limits how effectively she would support children, including those who may potentially face barriers to their learning. Children do not always make as much progress as they could in this area.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder captures children's interests and incorporates these into activities. For example, she provides arts and craft resources and encourages children to create pictures of wildlife in the garden while discussing what animals live there. She offers a range of books and shares stories and songs throughout the day, helping children to develop an enjoyment of reading, including stories from different cultures.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder supports children's physical development effectively. She takes them on daily walks in the local area and nature parks, helping them to develop balance, coordination and strength. She also promotes children's personal, social and emotional development. She teaches children to share, behave appropriately and develop independence, praising their efforts and achievements.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder identifies and assesses children's developing needs and supports children with some developmental delay. However, she does not consistently act on this information in a timely way to plan and implement targeted support. Children who may face barriers to their learning are not always well prepared for their next stage of learning or transition to school.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder has a secure awareness of professionals who can support children's development, but she does not always seek this support or access available funding in a timely way. At times the childminder lacks some understanding of potential indicators of possible barriers to learning. As a result, this means they are not followed up in a timely way.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder supports children to play and communicate with their peers. However, she does not consistently apply effective strategies to model clear, accurate language and extend children's communication during interactions. This means some children do not always receive the support they need to overcome barriers in their speech and language development, and opportunities to strengthen their spoken language skills are sometimes missed. The childminder completes the required progress check at age 2, but this is not always detailed enough to help parents to support children's learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder generally evaluates the effectiveness of her provision and undertakes professional development to ensure that children are well cared for and safe. She engages in training with other childminders and updates her knowledge of safeguarding procedures and emergency protocols, which maintains children's safety and wellbeing. The childminder manages her workload carefully and considers actions to improve efficiency, including reducing unnecessary paperwork, so she can prioritise the children's needs. She should now focus more precisely on reflecting on other areas of her practice to build on her existing strengths and identify further opportunities for development. This focused reflection will help to improve learning outcomes for all children, including disadvantaged children, those previously known to children's social care and those who may face barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder establishes positive partnerships with parents and other settings. The childminder gathers key information before children start, offers settling-in sessions, communicates with parents about children's interests and routines and actively seeks parents' views and feedback. When children attend multiple settings, she shares relevant information to support continuity. These practices help children feel secure, supported and confident, and they contribute to consistent care and learning experiences across settings.

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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 enjoy their day and engage confidently with a range of toys and activities. They choose what they want to play with and ask for support when needed. Children develop confidence over time as the childminder offers praise and encouragement when they try new things and persist. For example, during toilet training, children receive reassurance and reminders about routines, such as handwashing.

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

However, children's learning is not consistently supported well enough to help them build on what they already know and can do. As children grow older, experiences do not always help them develop deeper knowledge and skills, particularly in areas such as mathematics and literacy. The childminder's interactions do not consistently support children's language development. For example, she often asks closed questions, which limits opportunities for children to develop their speaking, thinking and problem-solving skills. Some children are not as well prepared as they could be for their next stages in learning, including school.

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

Children play cooperatively with their friends and are supported to manage disagreements. When children become upset, the childminder comforts them and helps them to resolve conflicts. Children develop warm and trusting relationships with the childminder. They seek her out for reassurance and affection, which helps them to feel safe, valued and secure.

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

Children are kept safe. The childminder identifies and reduces risks in the environment and teaches children to recognise hazards, such as trip risks. Children begin to take responsibility for their surroundings, for example, by tidying away toys. They develop an age-appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

improve knowledge and understanding of how to support children's communication and language development 17/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

enhance progress checks and guidance for families to ensure children's learning and next steps are supported at home 17/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve knowledge of early mathematics and literacy to raise expectations and teaching quality 17/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve knowledge of how to promptly identify and plan effective support for children to swiftly close any gaps in their learning or development. 17/07/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 16:30

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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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Our grades explained

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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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

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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