Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY414415 Registered with Ofsted: 16/09/2010 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 Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points across all areas of learning and development. They grow in confidence when expressing their ideas, recalling previous experiences and sustaining conversations. For example, children refer to earlier outings and incorporate this knowledge into their play, demonstrating that their learning builds over time. They also show increasing independence and persevere when faced with challenges.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who may face barriers to learning continue to make progress. For example, increasing physical confidence enables fuller participation in shared activities, while developing language skills supports clearer communication of ideas and needs. As a result, children engage more confidently in play, work alongside their peers and apply what they learn in new situations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are suitably prepared for the next stage of their learning, including transitions such as moving on to pre-school. They typically demonstrate growing confidence, curiosity and positive attitudes towards learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes a calm and respectful environment where expectations for behaviour are clear. Children understand what is expected of them and typically play cooperatively, sharing resources and showing kindness to one another. Positive behaviour is reinforced through specific praise and modelling of respectful communication. Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning, sustain engagement in activities and show growing persistence when faced with challenges. Relationships are warm and trusting, enabling children to seek reassurance and re-engage confidently when needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes regular attendance and punctuality through clear communication with families, helping to establish secure routines that support children's learning. Daily routines are predictable, helping children understand what happens next. Children are encouraged to develop early independence, for example by dressing for outdoor play, managing simple self-care tasks and helping to tidy away resources. However, opportunities to promote independence are not always maximised, particularly during routines such as mealtimes and hygiene practices, where adults sometimes take a more leading role. Strengthening this further will support children in developing greater independence and self- care skills in readiness for their next stage of learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are supported through attentive and responsive care in a safe environment. Children form secure attachments and settle quickly, demonstrating they feel emotionally secure and valued. The childminder knows children well and responds sensitively to their cues, generally adapting routines and activities effectively to support their comfort and wellbeing. She helps children understand aspects of personal safety, for example, through supervision, guidance and discussion during play and daily routines. Children benefit from daily outdoor experiences that promote physical health and enjoyment, including opportunities to explore natural materials and develop coordination through active play. Mealtimes are calm and sociable, with conversations about food and drink that help children to understand healthy choices. Hygiene routines, such as handwashing after outdoor and messy play, support children's developing awareness of their health. The

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

childminder makes appropriate adaptations to ensure that children with emerging needs or barriers to learning can access activities safely and participate alongside others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for aspects of their personal care. However, opportunities for children to manage these routines independently are not always fully maximised, as adults sometimes take a more leading role. Strengthening this further will support children in developing secure, long-term healthy habits.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn and how this supports their next stage of development. The curriculum reflects all areas of learning and is shaped around children's interests while building progressively on what they already know and can do. Learning develops in a clear and logical way. Communication and language are given high priority, with the childminder modelling clear speech, introducing new vocabulary and engaging children in conversations throughout the day. Books are used regularly to develop children's listening skills and familiarity with stories and rhymes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematical understanding is developed naturally during play and routines, as the childminder highlights concepts such as quantity, comparison and pattern. Daily outdoor experiences and carefully planned opportunities support children's physical development. They build strength, coordination and confidence. Throughout the day, personal, social and emotional development underpins learning, with supportive interactions and clear expectations that encourage cooperation, turn-taking and resilience. The childminder adapts activities and the learning environment appropriately for children who face barriers to learning, including those with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she adjusts resources and positioning to support participation and physical development while maintaining children's involvement in shared play and learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Ongoing observation informs teaching. The childminder considers what children know and can do and adapts activities to reflect their differing starting points. She recognises that continuing to refine her questioning, including allowing children time to think and respond, will further strengthen children's language development and depth of understanding.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows children well and identifies emerging or changing needs promptly. She works closely with parents and carers to share observations and agree next steps, taking timely action where concerns arise. For example, when additional support is needed, the childminder adapts the environment and daily routines to ensure that children can access activities safely and participate alongside their peers. Activities are adjusted to reflect children's differing ages and stages of development, helping reduce barriers to learning and engagement. The childminder maintains high expectations for all children. She adapts her interactions during shared activities so that children remain engaged and appropriately challenged. Children's progress is monitored through ongoing observation and regular discussion with parents, and support is reviewed as needed. When specialist advice or external support are

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Inclusion Expected standard

required, the childminder seeks guidance and implements recommendations as part of a thoughtful approach to meeting special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder engages with local childminding networks and support services to strengthen her inclusive practice and keep her knowledge up to date. She understands how early years pupil premium funding would be used thoughtfully to meet children's individual needs and reduce barriers to their learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of her strengths and areas for development. She reflects thoughtfully on her practice and takes appropriate action to refine provision so that it meets children's differing needs. For example, she evaluates how activities are adapted for children at different stages and recognises that routines and interactions can be developed further to more consistently promote children's independence and allow them sufficient time to think and respond to questions. The childminder's decisions are focused on maintaining a safe, stable and responsive environment where children can learn and thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder communicates well with families and takes appropriate action to ensure that the provision operates effectively and in children's best interests. Parents and carers report clear communication and express confidence that their children are safe and well supported, particularly during times of transition.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages with local childminding networks and support opportunities to strengthen her practice. She uses these opportunities to reflect on feedback and identify areas for ongoing improvement, demonstrating a commitment to maintaining and developing the quality of education and care.

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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 experience a calm and welcoming home environment where they feel safe, settled and ready to learn. They arrive confidently and move quickly into play, supported by familiar routines and reassuring relationships. Resources reflect children's current interests, including vehicles, small-world play and sensory activities. Children remain deeply engaged inside and outdoors. Throughout the day, children explore, test ideas and build understanding through meaningful play. They experiment with tubes and vehicles, predicting what might happen and explaining why some objects will not fit because they are 'too big' or 'too small'. The childminder builds on children's experiences by linking play to outings and the local community, such as farm visits and journeys using public transport, helping children connect new learning to real life.

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

During sensory play, children explore materials such as foam and compost with increasing confidence. They scoop, pour and push vehicles through different textures, noticing how the materials change. The childminder talks alongside them, introducing new words to describe what they see and feel, and children begin to use this language in their play. Children learn alongside each other in a caring and respectful atmosphere. They share resources, show kindness and take turns during story and group times. When children briefly disengage during story time, the childminder adapts the session so they can rejoin successfully, helping all children feel included and valued. Parents and carers speak positively about communication and express confidence in their children's safety, wellbeing and progress.

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

The childminder knows children well and adapts activities to reflect their different ages and stages of development, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00 The environment supports children in fully participating, exploring safely and developing physical confidence through daily outdoor play. The childminder works closely with parents to promote regular attendance and to help reduce any barriers to learning or wellbeing from the outset. She identifies starting points and responds to emerging needs at an early stage. Children are encouraged to build independence by dressing for outdoor play, tidying resources and managing aspects of self-care.

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Next steps

The childminder should further embed children's independence during daily routines and transitions, such as mealtimes, to strengthen their self-care skills and readiness for their next stage of learning. The childminder should allow children sufficient time to respond to questions so they can think, process and articulate their ideas fully, strengthening their communication and language development.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents and 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. Local authority: Bristol City of

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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. 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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