Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 503849 Registered with Ofsted: 06/04/2001 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, including those who face additional barriers to learning, make rapid progress from their starting points. They develop communication skills and use an increasing range of vocabulary as they talk about their play and experiences. Younger children begin to use sounds and early words to communicate their needs, while older children confidently share ideas and take part in conversations with adults and their friends.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop important personal and social skills. They play cooperatively, include younger children in their games and show kindness towards one another. Babies and younger children grow in confidence as they explore their environment and join in with activities alongside others. They develop independence as they manage familiar routines and begin to take responsibility for simple tasks during the day. Children show curiosity and concentration as they explore activities and persevere when learning new skills. All children develop the secure foundations they need for future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes clear and consistent expectations for behaviour. Children understand routines and respond positively to guidance. For example, when children become frustrated as others try to join their play, the childminder calmly explains that everyone can share the toys. She gives children time to think and supports them to consider how others may feel. Children respond positively and continue their play together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder supports children to recognise and talk about their feelings. Younger children explore emotions through mirrors and coloured resources that help them notice facial expressions and feelings such as happy, sad or angry. Older children build on this understanding using an emotion scale and individual 'buckets'. Each bucket includes pictures and prompts that help children show how they are feeling and talk about what might have caused those feelings. In addition, the childminder supports children to develop an interest in stories and books. For example, she seamlessly links discussions about feelings to stories such as 'The Colour Monster'.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. She works closely with families to ensure children attend consistently, and she follows up promptly if children are absent. This helps children maintain familiar routines and continue to benefit from the experiences the setting provides.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children receive attentive care that supports their comfort, safety and physical wellbeing. The childminder understands children's individual needs and adapts the day accordingly. For example, she recognises when babies become tired and knows they will not benefit from new experiences at this time. She settles them so they remain comfortable and secure. Furthermore, the childminder supports children to develop an understanding of the world around them. Visits into the local community broaden children's experiences and help them learn about different people and places. Children explore different families and ways of life through these experiences and the resources available in the setting. This thoughtful approach helps children stay settled and ready to engage in the experiences offered.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Healthy lifestyles are promoted through daily experiences. At snack time, children peel and chop bananas while talking about the colour and texture of the fruit. The childminder encourages these discussions and explains that fruit is cut into smaller pieces so it is safe to eat. This learning continues during play. In the shop role-play area, children talk about foods that are good for their teeth and recall that babies drink milk or water rather than juice. In addition, older children confidently explain that they must flush the chain and wash their hands to 'wash germs away'. These experiences help children begin to understand how everyday choices support their health and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder provides an ambitious curriculum that is designed around what children know and can do. She understands how children learn and plans experiences that build knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. Communication and language are prioritised throughout the day. She models and extends vocabulary during play and group activities. For example, during shared activities, she introduces words such as 'trigger', 'pour' and 'solution' and encourages children to describe what they notice and explain their ideas. This helps children develop the language they need to share ideas and take part in conversations.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder places a high priority on children's personal, social and emotional development and physical development. The environment supports babies to develop core strength as they pull themselves up on furniture and begin to explore movement. She builds on this through vertical play. For example, she adapts the painting area so children stand or kneel while painting. These experiences help children to develop the strength, balance and coordination they need for their next stage of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses assessment thoughtfully to inform teaching. For example, she has adapted the 'development flower' assessment template to reflect the priorities for children in her care, including developing a strong sense of self, imagination and independence. She observes children closely and uses this knowledge to shape interactions and experiences throughout the day. This ensures that teaching remains purposeful and responsive to children's different ages, stages of development and individual needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where children's needs are identified promptly and addressed with clear, well-considered support. She uses her detailed knowledge of children to recognise when they need additional help to take part fully. She observes children closely and introduces targeted strategies that help remove barriers to learning and wellbeing. For example, children who need support to understand routines use visual prompts, such as 'now and next' boards and objects of reference. These help children anticipate what will happen next and take part with increasing confidence in daily activities. The childminder reviews how well support is working and adapts it where needed so that approaches remain effective and relevant to children's needs. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure children receive consistent and meaningful support. She involves families in discussions about children's learning and

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Inclusion Strong standard

wellbeing and shares practical strategies that can be used at home. This helps to create a shared approach that supports children's participation across different environments. Where additional help is required, the childminder works with other professionals and signposts families to appropriate services. Children receive timely support and are able to take part fully in the experiences the setting provides.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates clear leadership and a commitment to providing high-quality education and care. She understands the strengths of her provision and considers how it can continue to improve. For example, she identified mathematics as an area to strengthen and sought additional support. As a result, mathematical language and reasoning are now embedded naturally within children's play and daily routines.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Professional development is purposeful and improves practice. The childminder engages in process-orientated child monitoring to deepen her understanding of how children learn. She asks herself, 'are they learning or just busy?' This helps her evaluate the effectiveness of experiences and ensure learning builds securely on what children already know.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works closely with families to support children's development beyond the setting. For example, she shares recipes and practical ideas with parents to help them encourage healthy eating at home. She demonstrates a clear understanding of how additional funding should be used to support children who need extra help with their learning and development. Although she does not currently receive additional funding, she explains how it would be carefully targeted to improve children's experiences and outcomes.

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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 arrive happily and settle quickly, and the childminder knows them well. They greet visitors with confidence and invite them into their play, showing that they feel safe and secure. Older children naturally include younger children in their play and conversations. They encourage one another to join activities and celebrate each other's efforts. They play cooperatively, include one another in their games and build positive relationships. Furthermore, the childminder encourages children to talk about how they feel and supports them to recognise emotions. For example, she models simple facial expressions, such as happy and sad, encouraging babies to copy her. This helps younger children begin to understand feelings.

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

The childminder plans an environment that encourages children to explore and develop their ideas. For example, in the hospital role-play area, children look closely at pictures of X-rays and explain what they notice. They share their ideas and build on each other's thinking during play. During play with spinning tops, children laugh as they watch them spin quickly and then slow down and wobble. They move their bodies in a 'wobbly' way as they copy what they see. These experiences encourage curiosity and help children develop confidence in their learning.

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

Children develop independence through familiar daily routines. The childminder encourages them to try things for themselves while offering support when needed. For example, following messy play, older children go to the handwashing station to wash their hands before moving on to other play. She adapts routines and interactions so that every child can take part fully and feel included. For example, during group activities, she notices when younger children cannot see clearly and moves them closer so they can join in. Children manage routines with increasing independence as they move through the day.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 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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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 all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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