Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 220764 Registered with Ofsted: 09/10/2000 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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Achievement Strong standard

All children progress very well from their individual starting points, preparing them well for the next stage of their learning. They develop into confident communicators who readily talk about their interests and share ideas. For example, when discovering a camera, a child proudly announces, 'I'm taking pictures of the birds.'

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop creative imaginations, using their ideas to extend their play. As they play in the garden, for example, they pretend to stop at red lights and confidently explain that they can go when it turns green. They consistently demonstrate the ability to share, take turns and actively include others in their play. Children form friendships and learn to be kind and considerate to others.

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Achievement Strong standard

Opportunities to develop fine motor skills are well embedded. Children paint, wash cars and complete puzzles to strengthen small-muscle control. They also enjoy regular outdoor activities, including riding toys, running and exploring, which supports their physical development and promotes a healthy, active lifestyle.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children show very positive attitudes to learning. They eagerly participate in activities and demonstrate perseverance. For instance, they concentrate on filling a trailer with bricks before riding the tractor, showing determination and sustained engagement.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes consistent routines, clear boundaries and behavioural expectations. Through her gentle guidance, children learn to feel secure and understand expectations. As a result, children play alongside each other very happily, learning to share, take turns and make good choices. They listen and follow instructions, showing very positive behaviour and kindness. For example, they offer paintbrushes to friends and invite them to join in their activities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder is a positive role model and promotes good manners. She praises children's specific achievements, helping them to understand praise and take pride in their successes. The childminder and children form strong bonds. Children confidently seek comfort from the childminder, climbing onto her lap when needed, demonstrating that they have formed a trusting attachment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder actively helps children recognise, understand and manage their emotions. Children are encouraged to express how they feel in a safe and supportive environment. They are given the time and guidance they need to regulate their emotions effectively. Through calm discussion, modelling and positive emotional responses, children develop the confidence and skills necessary to manage their feelings and respond appropriately. This thoughtful approach fosters a warm, nurturing and inclusive atmosphere, where children feel secure, valued and ready to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a warm and welcoming environment and knows the children in her care very well. She regularly communicates with parents about their children's care, learning and development and uses children's interests to plan purposeful activities. This results in high levels of engagement and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places a strong emphasis on supporting children's emotional wellbeing. She is responsive to their feelings, offering comfort and reassurance when needed, and she helps children feel safe and secure in her care. By forming warm and trusting relationships, she fosters a sense of belonging, which enables children to explore, play and learn with confidence. She helps children recognise and manage their emotions by modelling calm and positive behaviour and encouraging them to express their feelings through words and play.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is sensitive to children's needs. For example, she offers snacks when children are hungry and teaches them to use equipment safely, such as when cutting fruit. Children are reminded to remain seated while eating and respond well to these prompts. The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles by providing nutritious snacks and encouraging parents to provide healthy meals. She helps children to keep themselves healthy, reminding them why they need to wash their hands before mealtimes. Children are supported to develop independence through toilet training and managing self-care tasks.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows the children well and works closely with parents to establish what they know and can do when they first start to attend the setting. This information is used to plan a broad and tailored curriculum that meets children's individual needs. Parents are kept informed of children's development through regular observations and photos. The childminder offers guidance on aspects such as toilet training and healthy eating to support continuity of children's care.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a vision for what children need to learn in preparation for their next stage, including school. Their independence is promoted effectively. Children are encouraged to manage tasks for themselves, such as putting on outdoor clothing and attending to self-care. The childminder offers consistent praise, which supports children to take pride in their achievements. As a result, children have positive attitudes to learning. They persevere and develop resilience.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder fosters a language-rich environment through meaningful back-and-forth conversations, storytelling and the introduction of new vocabulary. The childminder incorporates counting and basic concepts into activities. However, opportunities to develop children's understanding of shape and measure are not consistently embedded in daily practice to raise standards to the very highest level. Children benefit from daily opportunities for outdoor play, developing their physical skills as they use ride-on toys, push wheelbarrows and transport materials around the garden. Cooperative play, such as filling wheelbarrows with soil, supports the development of friendships and promotes children's personal and social skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress through regular observations and ongoing assessment. This enables her to identify any gaps in learning and take appropriate action. She adapts her provision to meet children's emerging needs and makes reasonable adjustments where required. The childminder makes timely referrals and works effectively in partnership with external professionals and parents. This helps ensure that all children make the progress they are capable of. The childminder implements professional advice in her practice. For example, she introduces daily visual schedules to support children's understanding of routines. Overall, this inclusive approach helps to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make expected progress from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder carries out progress checks for children aged between 2 and 3 years and shares this information with parents. Where gaps in learning are identified or children are at risk of delay in their learning, she discusses her concerns with parents and carefully monitors children's ongoing development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Additional funding is used to enhance children's learning experiences. The childminder uses resources, for example, that reflect children's interests and extends their opportunities by enabling them to attend local community groups. This supports children to build relationships with others and further promotes their personal and social development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides children with frequent opportunities to explore the local community and enjoy outdoor play. The introduction of an allotment in her garden has enabled children to care for plants and harvest vegetables, helping them understand where food comes from. The childminder plans to add raised beds to further enhance these learning opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder keeps her knowledge up to date through online courses and webinars. Her recent 'Prevent' duty training has strengthened her understanding of the risks of radicalisation and extremism. The childminder has a clear understanding of the strengths in her setting. She evaluates her provision; however, she does not yet focus her professional development precisely on areas of development to raise her provision to the very highest level.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder supports children's smooth transitions to pre-school and school by sharing information about their interests and development with the next setting. Through early identification of needs and timely referrals, she ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are well prepared for their next stage in learning.

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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. They independently remove their shoes and confidently say goodbye to their parents. The childminder's warm and nurturing manner helps children feel safe and emotionally secure. This strong sense of belonging provides a secure base from which they eagerly explore and engage in activities.

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

The childminder has a secure understanding of each child's individual needs and interests, planning activities that reflect these. For instance, when a child shows enthusiasm for

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Inspector:

Sheila Sidey vehicles, she provides opportunities to wash large toy cars outdoors and create ramps using guttering to race cars. This helps children to develop a positive attitude to learning. She thoughtfully adapts her provision to respond to children's emerging needs. This inclusive approach ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are fully supported to participate and make progress.

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Inspector:

Children benefit from extensive opportunities to play outdoors. They make regular visits to local parks, where they run, climb and build dens, promoting the development of their large- muscle skills. In the childminder's home, children access a well-resourced garden. While painting bird houses, the childminder engages children in purposeful discussions about colours. Older children confidently identify and match colours, demonstrating their understanding.

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Inspector:

The childminder promotes children's language and communication skills effectively. She engages them in sustained conversations and provides a running commentary during play. Children confidently share their ideas and describe their actions. During story time, they eagerly join in with familiar refrains and key phrases.

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Inspector:

The childminder helps develop children's independence by encouraging them to attempt tasks for themselves, offering support only when necessary. Consequently, children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and actively participate in the wide range of activities available. For example, they use spray bottles to wash cars, showing determination as they squeeze repeatedly until the water flows, demonstrating developing resilience and perseverance.

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Next steps

The childminder should focus her training and curriculum development on consistently embedding shape, space and measurement concepts in everyday activities.

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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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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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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

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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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