Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2743573 Registered with Ofsted: 26/08/2023 Registers: EYR

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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 Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points. They develop increasing physical confidence and move independently around the environment. They communicate using simple phrases to express their needs and ideas and engage in imaginative play with growing purpose and creativity.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children apply early mathematical knowledge during play. They count small quantities, recognise number in familiar contexts and begin to use language related to quantity. They explore comparison through everyday experiences, developing awareness of size and capacity.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show curiosity and willingness to try new experiences. They approach tasks with increasing confidence and demonstrate persistence when faced with challenge. They take pride in their achievements, such as completing tasks independently and participating in familiar routines.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop secure foundations across areas of learning. However, opportunities for children to explain their thinking and reasoning are not consistently evident. In addition, children do not consistently experience the full range of mathematical concepts, particularly shape, within their play.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children are developing the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children move confidently within clear and predictable routines that support positive behaviour. The childminder sets consistent expectations and explains boundaries calmly, helping children understand why rules matter. For example, she reminds children to walk indoors and explains that this keeps everyone safe. Children respond appropriately and adjust their behaviour with minimal prompting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Positive relationships underpin daily interactions. The childminder listens attentively when children speak and acknowledges their ideas, which supports mutual respect. During shared activities, children take turns and wait while others speak, demonstrating emerging self- regulation. Gentle reminders help children understand expectations without anxiety.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate curiosity and willingness to participate. They join group activities, follow instructions and remain engaged for sustained periods. They approach tasks with growing confidence and show pride in completing activities independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Attendance and punctuality are promoted through consistent communication with parents and clear daily routines, helping children settle quickly and engage in learning from the start of sessions. Children feel secure within established routines and develop confidence, cooperation and early self-regulation skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's wellbeing sits at the heart of daily practice. The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles by offering balanced snacks, fresh fruit and constant access to water. She talks with children about making healthy choices and shares guidance with families to reinforce consistent messages at home. She draws on recent oral health training to explain the importance of looking after teeth, helping children begin to understand how daily habits affect their bodies.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from regular opportunities to be physically active. They ride bicycles in the garden, play ball games and engage in movement activities that build coordination and strength. Regular outings to local parks and community groups widen children's experiences and support social confidence as they interact with others beyond the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supervises children attentively during routines, such as snack preparation and hygiene practices. She models safe behaviour and supports children to take manageable risks appropriately. Careful management of dietary needs ensures children remain safe while fully participating in shared experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are relaxed and emotionally secure. They seek reassurance, when needed, and explore their surroundings with confidence. However, opportunities for children to talk about their feelings and explain their ideas are not consistently embedded. This means children do not always develop a clear understanding of emotions or have regular opportunities to express how they feel.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum focuses on developing independence, communication and aspects of early mathematics. The childminder plans learning based on children's starting points and builds this through familiar routines and play. Daily experiences support children to practise self- care skills, such as handwashing, pouring drinks and tidying away, helping them develop independence over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder integrates mathematical learning throughout the day. She models counting during play and routines, introduces language, such as 'more, full' and 'empty', during water play and encourages children to compare size when building with blocks. These experiences provide regular opportunities for children to revisit and practise early number concepts.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

She supports communication through songs, stories and play. During story sessions, she introduces new vocabulary and links colours to emotions. She encourages children to join in with familiar rhymes and actions, supporting listening and recall. However, questioning is not always used consistently to extend children's thinking, as children are not always given sufficient time to respond. While number and measure are embedded, teaching does not consistently include shape within everyday play and interactions. This limits the range of mathematical concepts children encounter.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children learn in an environment, where their individual needs are understood and supported. The childminder gathers detailed information from parents to identify starting points, routines and any additional needs. She adapts resources and daily routines thoughtfully so that all children participate fully in experiences. Careful management of dietary requirements ensures children access activities safely without restriction.

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Inclusion Expected standard

There are currently no children identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of her responsibilities. She has completed training related to special educational needs and/or disabilities, including autism, which supports her knowledge of early identification and referral pathways should concerns arise.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses early years pupil premium funding to support children's development. For example, she has purchased targeted resources to support communication and language, including structured 'bucket time' activities. These resources provide focused opportunities for children to develop attention, listening and early vocabulary.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children explore different cultures and traditions through stories, celebrations and discussion, helping them recognise similarities and differences. Assessment and partnership with parents support children to access learning and participate confidently.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder's leadership demonstrates a clear and organised approach to managing the provision. The childminder reviews policies and procedures regularly and evaluates how effectively the curriculum supports children's learning. She uses professional development to strengthen practice. Recent safeguarding and designated safeguarding lead training have strengthened her knowledge of reporting procedures and wider safeguarding responsibilities. Mathematics training has informed how number and counting are incorporated into daily routines.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains accurate records, including accident and pre-existing injury logs, and reviews these to identify patterns and make necessary adjustments to the environment. This supports children's safety and contributes to a well-managed provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents. She provides daily verbal feedback, shares 3- monthly progress reviews and uses home learning information to understand children's experiences beyond the setting. These approaches support continuity in children's learning and care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Monitoring and evaluation do not yet consistently focus on the full breadth of the curriculum or on the quality of interactions. This means that some aspects of teaching, including opportunities for children to extend their thinking and experience all areas of mathematics, are not identified or addressed consistently through leadership oversight.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leadership provides secure oversight that supports children's safety and steady development.

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

Children spend their day in a calm and nurturing environment, where they feel secure and valued. They greet visitors confidently and settle quickly into familiar routines. Warm, responsive relationships help children feel safe, while predictable structures give them a clear sense of what comes next. Children move comfortably between activities, knowing that adults support and guide them consistently.

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

Children enjoy purposeful, hands-on learning experiences. They count steps as they walk through the home, compare which container holds more water during sensory play and use mathematical language, such as 'taller' and 'bigger', when building with blocks. In the home corner, they talk about what they are cooking and describe ingredients, developing imagination and expressive language. During story sessions, children explore colours linked to emotions and join in with familiar songs and actions. These experiences extend vocabulary and support early emotional understanding.

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

Independence forms a key part of daily life. Children wash their hands using a step stool, pour their own drinks and help tidy resources before moving to the next activity. They take pride in completing tasks for themselves and respond positively to encouragement. These opportunities strengthen confidence and self-belief.

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

The childminder adapts routines and resources to ensure children with additional needs participate fully and safely. Families contribute to learning through daily conversations and shared progress reviews, reinforcing continuity between home and the setting.

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

Children remain safe through attentive supervision and clear healthy routines. For example, regular handwashing, safe food preparation and healthy eating routines promote children's wellbeing. Children are happy, settled and eager to engage. As they grow in confidence and knowledge, giving them extended time to express their thinking will deepen their understanding even further.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 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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Next steps

The childminder should develop and consistently embed opportunities for children to learn about and explore shapes within the curriculum. The childminder should consistently allow children sufficient time to think and respond to questions to further support their communication and language development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and considered written feedback from parents/carers 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. This data is from 19 February 2026

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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. 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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