Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2742519 Registered with Ofsted: 05/09/2023 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 secure progress from their starting points as they develop knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. They grow in confidence in communication and use an increasingly wide range of vocabulary during play and daily routines. Children confidently recall and name different dinosaurs, such as Triceratops and Stegosaurus, following interest-led learning experiences. This demonstrates how they retain new knowledge and link learning to their interests.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children also develop their physical control through regular opportunities for mark making, manipulative play and other practical activities. They show increasing independence as they choose resources, manage small tasks and take part in daily routines. The childminder adapts learning experiences to meet children's individual needs, ensuring that activities are accessible, engaging and motivating for all. This helps all children, including those who may face barriers to learning, to gain the skills needed for their next stage of development, including their move to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave well. The childminder creates a calm, positive and nurturing environment with clear and consistent expectations. She builds warm and respectful relationships with children, helping them feel secure, confident and ready to learn.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Predictable daily routines support children's confidence and emotional security. Children respond well to these routines and follow instructions appropriate for their age and stage of development. For example, they listen carefully and help to tidy away resources when asked. They show a developing sense of responsibility and take pride in contributing to the daily routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder encourages children to play cooperatively and develop positive attitudes to learning. She offers gentle guidance to support turn-taking and help children resolve minor disagreements. As a result, children learn to respect one another, maintain focus and remain engaged in their play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Communication with parents is used effectively to support consistent routines and positive behaviour. For instance, the childminder promotes regular attendance through ongoing dialogue with families, ensuring children benefit from familiar daily structures. She adapts her approach to meet children's individual needs, providing targeted support where necessary. Over time, this helps all children develop self-regulation, positive behaviour and the skills needed to interact successfully with others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children receive attentive, consistent and highly responsive care that meets their individual needs. The childminder builds secure and nurturing relationships with children, helping them feel safe, emotionally supported and confident. She responds promptly to children's cues, offering reassurance, encouragement and guidance, which fosters a strong sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children to recognise and manage their emotions through calm interactions, gentle explanations and everyday conversations. She helps children understand kindness and how to care for others. For example, children demonstrate developing empathy when discussing ways to help people, who may be unwell or in need of support.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's health and wellbeing are promoted through clear daily routines. The childminder maintains a clean, well-organised environment that supports both safety and good hygiene. Children follow established hygiene practices, such as washing their hands before meals, and enjoy healthy snacks, which help them understand positive food choices.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder also teaches children how to keep themselves safe during play and daily routines. She plans care routines carefully and adapts them to children's ages and stages of development. She works closely with parents to ensure continuity of care, understand each child's individual needs and reinforce positive habits. This thoughtful approach ensures that all children, including those who may face barriers to wellbeing, feel secure, supported and able to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder delivers a broad and enriching curriculum across all areas of learning. She aims for children to become confident, independent and motivated learners, who are well prepared for their next stage of education. The childminder places a clear focus on communication and language. She uses purposeful and engaging everyday interactions to extend children's vocabulary and support their confidence in expressing themselves.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder knows the children exceptionally well and uses ongoing assessment to plan activities that build on what they already know and can do. She uses clear questions and prompts to encourage children to talk about their play, recall what they have learned and solve simple problems. For example, she encourages children to listen carefully to sounds in words, prompting them to recall words that begin with 'ch', helping to strengthen early language skills and communication.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children develop early mathematical skills through play as the childminder encourages them to count, compare and recognise quantities in practical activities. They benefit from regular outings that reflect their interests. For instance, children visit places, such as the Natural History Museum, where they explore topics that excite them, including dinosaurs. These experiences deepen engagement and broaden children's knowledge of the world.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children also explore a wide range of materials and play experiences, including malleable play and outdoor activities. The childminder skilfully sequences learning opportunities so that children build knowledge and skills progressively over time.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder creates a thoughtful, nurturing and highly supportive inclusive environment, where she gets to know each child and their family exceptionally well. She gathers detailed information from parents when children start and uses ongoing observation to identify children's individual needs and next steps. This enables her to respond promptly and effectively, where additional support may be required.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure and reflective understanding of how to support children, who may face barriers to learning or wellbeing. For example, she adapts activities by introducing sensory elements, such as using tactile resources to support children with visual impairments, ensuring all children can access experiences alongside their peers. She keeps her knowledge up to date through professional training and reflective discussions with colleagues.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works closely with parents to review children's progress and maintain consistency between home and the setting. She understands the importance of working with external professionals, such as speech and language specialists, when needed, to provide targeted and enriching support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children benefit from the childminder's highly effective use of assessment to monitor their development and plan appropriate next steps. This helps them make secure progress and ensures they feel valued, included and fully engaged in daily experiences.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder keeps children's wellbeing at the centre of her practice. She organises her provision carefully, creating a well-structured and welcoming environment that helps children settle quickly and engage confidently in learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

She reflects thoughtfully and consistently on her practice, maintaining a clear focus on meeting children's individual needs. The childminder organises her provision effectively to support consistent routines and positive learning experiences. This ensures that decisions about the setting are purposeful and remain focused on improving outcomes for children. Assessment is used effectively to inform planning and daily interactions, helping learning to build progressively on what children already know and can do.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works collaboratively with other childminders to share ideas and enhance her practice. She engages in ongoing professional development, including keeping her safeguarding training up to date, to ensure her knowledge and skills remain current and relevant.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Positive partnerships with parents help to foster continuity in children's care and development. Her reflective and highly committed approach ensures that all children benefit from a secure, supportive and stimulating environment. Children are encouraged to explore, learn and develop confidently, knowing they are valued and well cared for at all times.

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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 in the warm and nurturing environment that the childminder creates. They show that they feel safe and secure as they confidently explore the well-organised space and independently choose resources that interest them. Children form close relationships with the childminder and with each other. For example, they gently support their friends at arrival times, going over to them saying, 'Can I have a hug?' and 'Let us go and fix the puzzle.' This helps to ease transitions into the childminder's home and ensures all children feel that they belong.

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About this setting

Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Children enjoy their learning and engage with curiosity in stimulating activities that build on what they already know. The childminder uses everyday interactions to extend children's communication and language skills. She encourages them to name objects, describe what they see and solve simple problems. As a result, children develop confidence in speaking and listening and remain engaged for sustained periods.

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About this setting

The childminder knows the children well and uses her understanding of their development to support their next steps. Children make steady progress from their starting points. They develop independence through daily routines, such as selecting resources and receiving appropriate support to manage their personal needs. This helps to prepare them for their next stage of learning, including moving on to pre-school or school.

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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 disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and the 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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

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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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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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