Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY347088 Registered with Ofsted: 27/06/2007 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, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning, make steady progress from their starting points. They are supported to acquire the skills they need for the next stage in their learning, including going to school. They develop independence and physical skills, such as putting on coats and shoes. They learn how to share and take turns.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's communication and language skills are encouraged through gentle interactions and focused attention from the childminder. She uses clear vocabulary and repetition. She encourages babbling and sound creation as she maintains strong eye contact and shows clear mouth movement. Consequently, children are excited to practise new sounds and words. Children develop a love of books and seek out their favourites. They are guided by the childminder to feel the changing textures and are shown the different colours. The childminder talks about the pictures. Therefore, children have secure foundations to build on their communication skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder knows how to ensure children develop appropriate social skills and behaviours. She uses a consistent approach to ensure children know basic boundaries. The childminder models good behaviour as she uses calm and gentle interactions. She uses praise in response to children's accomplishments. The childminder responds well to children's needs. Consequently, children feel secure in this trusting relationship, enabling them to settle and be open to learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children learn how to understand healthy choices. The childminder helps them to wash their hands and faces after eating. She gently chats about hygiene habits, helping to reinforce self-care and understanding.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of children's attendance in the setting and establishing positive learning habits. Close links with children's families ensure regular discussions are held to ensure the individual needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are included and supported throughout their day. She makes adjustments to her practice as necessary and follows predictable routines to help children to settle and feel reassured. This positive environment contributes to children's feelings of emotional security and confidence to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children experience warm and responsive interactions from the childminder. She gets down to their level, offering reassurance and encouragement as children play. This contributes to children's feelings of security and to their emotional wellbeing, leading to them being confident and eager to seek out their favourite things. The childminder's undivided attention enables children to be occupied and busy in their play, leading to higher engagement. The childminder talks to children about their feelings from an early age. She highlights when they are feeling happy, tired or a little worried. She helps children to manage their emotions and acknowledges their feelings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents to gather information regarding children's individual sleep and feeding routines. She seeks information about children's dietary needs, allergies and health when they first start. Firm partnerships with parents and carers enable her to manage children's needs safely. Regular discussions enable her to respond quickly to changes to children's emerging needs, including any health and emotional requirements. For example, the childminder is aware of the stage children are at in weaning and the introduction of solid foods. She promotes oral health in the setting, supporting children to brush their teeth. She talks about healthy teeth and food choices, reinforcing healthy habits.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder offers a broad curriculum. She knows the children's interests and develops her curriculum to reflect these. She understands how the sequencing of learning contributes to children's progress. For example, when considering children's physical development, she recognises the importance of building strength in their core muscles to enable sitting and crawling. She supports children to build on core strength with gentle exercises. When working alongside children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, she adapts her curriculum to include specific teaching that will contribute to them making progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Ongoing dialogue is interwoven through children's play. A continuing narrative is given by the childminder with sounds added to keep children engaged and encourage their listening skills and further babbling. Children's creativity is fostered through arts and crafts. Children have opportunities to experience different textures and materials and explore their senses and meet any sensory needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's personal, social and emotional development. She builds close attachments with children, making sure that they feel safe and secure with her. This means that they have the confidence to learn in a safe and supportive environment and the will to explore.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's mathematical knowledge and develops their mathematical skills through routine counting throughout the day. They attempt to copy the childminder as she counts as they hit the xylophone. Children begin to learn how to recognise numbers and letters in preparation for going to school as they walk in the local area and point out numbers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder's robust relationships with families enable her to know the children well. She is able to tailor her care and support to the uniqueness of the children and respond to their emerging needs. The childminder also works closely with other professionals to ensure children's individual learning and development needs are met. She welcomes external agencies into her home to support and guide her in her work with the children. She uses their guidance to ensure appropriate resources are provided to support children's continuing development. She has undertaken training to build on her knowledge relating to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder prioritises children's individual needs and adapts her practice as required. Her updated knowledge has led to more regular observations and assessments, which ensure children's progress is continuously monitored. She uses this information to make

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Inclusion Expected standard

changes to the activities provided and the care given. Consequently, children are making steady progress from their starting points, and the childminder knows the targets she is aiming for with children, following close consultation with parents.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her provision. She understands her strengths and any areas that would benefit from improvement. She considers the additional resources required to support children further. She seeks information from online forums to contribute to her knowledge of the early years foundation stage.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has completed some training since her last inspection to ensure her skills and knowledge remain up to date. For example, she has completed safeguarding training and training specifically targeted for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, these training opportunities are generic and not focused on what would be of most benefit to her individual professional learning needs. A more detailed analysis of her practice and the provision as a whole would support deeper reflection and a more targeted development plan.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages with parents and professionals positively, ensuring children are fully supported to thrive in her care. Parents praise the warmth of the childminder and value her work with others to support the children in her care. They are satisfied that the children enjoy their time with the childminder.

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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 are happy and content in a safe and welcoming environment. They are settled in the routine of the day, which closely reflects their home habits. Children are excited to attend the childminder's home and know their familiar toys and stories are available, contributing to their feelings of security. Children have formed strong attachments with the childminder. They recognise when they feel tired and when they want to cuddle. The childminder offers a caring and nurturing environment to which children respond well.

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

Children have access to a range of resources and learning opportunities. Children explore the local area visiting woodland and parks, gathering leaves to scrunch and feel. Children's learning needs are promoted through the range of activities provided. For example, children's sensory needs are fulfilled through an array of musical instruments and access to music and sounds.

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

Children have opportunities to access planned and purposeful activities that build on the foundations of their learning. Children are able to embed their skills and extend their learning, facilitated by the childminder's improved knowledge and understanding of meeting their individual needs.

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

This inclusive environment ensures any barriers to learning are addressed and worked upon to reduce the impact on the children. Children make steady progress from their starting points using close partnership working and support from other professionals. Children explore their environment while the childminder closely supervises. They independently reach for books and cause-and-effect toys. They demonstrate a natural curiosity. The provision suits children's individual needs and enables them to thrive. This includes those who face barriers to learning or have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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About this setting

Local authority: North East Lincolnshire

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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 target her professional development training to meet her needs more precisely to help children to excel in their learning and development and continue to focus on her improvement. The childminder should review the provision as a whole with more detailed reflection and precise evaluation to consistently focus on improvement.

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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 This data is from 5 March 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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