Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY427146 Registered with Ofsted: 19/05/2011 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has high expectations for children's behaviour. Children know the boundaries, and the childminder is consistent in reinforcing these. The childminder manages behaviour in a positive way that takes account of children's different levels of understanding. She is calm and caring and uses clear explanations when talking to children. Children learn to be aware of others' feelings as well as their own. The childminder helps children to understand their behaviours and learn more about how these can impact on others. From an early age, she encourages children to listen to one another, be kind and to work together on tasks. This helps to create a harmonious environment, where children show great care for others and build positive relationships. Routines are clear, and from an early age, children learn about responsibility. For example, they help to tidy away resources after finishing with them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's positive attitudes to learning are clear to see from a young age. The childminder encourages children to persist with more difficult tasks. This helps children to become more resilient, motivated and engaged in learning. The childminder makes parents aware of the importance of regular attendance. She shares how this links to achievement and smoother transitions to school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder builds secure, trusting and positive relationships with children and their families. She is very flexible in her approach to meet children's and families' varying needs. For example, she gives careful consideration to how best to settle children in her care when they first start. She discusses and decides with parents' input the best approach for their child. This helps to establish close and reassuring bonds from the outset.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children enjoy healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. The childminder shares the most recent guidance with parents on providing a healthy balance for children. Children spend lots of time outdoors and benefit from plenty of fresh air. They walk to school as part of the daily routine and go on regular walks in the woodlands. Children learn how to walk safely and what they need to do to keep themselves safe. The childminder explains how they find the safest place to cross the road and what makes it a safe place. Children say that they hold hands and know to listen to instructions from the childminder. They recently took part in a sponsored walk to raise money for a local charity. Such experiences help children learn they can make a positive difference to other people's lives.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy their learning and persevere well when learning new skills. They remain engaged in their play for extended periods of time, given their young age. Children communicate and make their needs known to the childminder. At times, this is through gestures and actions when they cannot find the words to express what they want.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children use tools for different purposes during their imaginative play. They use a wooden knife and pizza cutter to cut fruit in half and to slice pizza. They persist for long periods and listen well to instructions from the childminder how to hold and position the knife correctly. They watch carefully as the childminder models this for them, and they are quick to want to try themselves. They show they have listened to the childminder as they adjust their grip this time around gaining more control of their actions. They respond positively to the praise they receive from the childminder and set themselves further challenges by trying to cut different fruits and applying the same learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder takes time to get to know the children when they first start in her care. She establishes where children are at in their learning journey and identifies their next steps in learning. She takes account of children's likes and interests when planning her curriculum to ensure that learning is meaningful and enjoyable for children. This helps with children's focus and attention.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of allowing children time to practise new skills. This helps to ensure that knowledge is embedded for it then to be applied in different ways across different activities. She is aware of when to step back and allow children to problem solve by themselves and when to provide support. For example, she first watches young children working together to build their towers and sees if they can figure out which container provides a secure base to build from. She then models building from the largest base up to the smallest. Children learn that their towers are more sturdy when they follow this build method.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder introduces children to new words and their meaning. She explains the action of 'peeling' a banana and shows the children how to do this. She repeats the word against the action, and children repeat this back, demonstrating they understand the connection and demonstrating this physical skill. The childminder encourages children's communication by asking them questions about what they are doing. However, when children do not always respond, she does not consider how to adapt her interactions to help further support children's communication and language.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder helps children to learn more about one another and what is important to them and their families. Parents share experiences of what they do at home to celebrate important dates in the year within their culture. The childminder is mindful of children's varying patterns of attendance. She takes account of this when planning experiences for children. This helps to ensure that all children have the same access to experiences regardless of their attendance. Visits to see the horses are planned on different days so that all children get to go and do not miss out on this opportunity.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although the childminder is not currently caring for any child with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or children eligible for funding, she demonstrates an understanding of inclusive practice, how to identify any barriers to learning and when to get professionals on board. The childminder recognises that she would benefit from seeking more professional development around supporting children with SEND to refresh her knowledge in this area, as it has been some time since she has attended training. The childminder knows what funding is available and how to access this as required.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her curriculum and the experiences she provides for children. She considers where she can further improve her practice to achieve the best outcomes for children. She works closely with other childminders and, together, they regularly share ideas and good practice with one another. She keeps abreast of developments in early years and attends training as part of her continued professional development. Overall, she has a generally good grasp of her strengths and areas where she can improve and how best to approach this.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are strong. The childminder seeks regular feedback from parents to continually build on her practice. An effective two-way flow of information helps keep parents well informed about their children's progress and how they spend their time at the childminder's home. The childminder suggests ways parents can further support their child at home, particularly how they can further promote children's confidence and independence through daily routine tasks.

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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 confident learners who thrive in the childminder's welcoming environment. They achieve well and form secure attachments with the childminder. This helps to make them feel safe and well cared for. The childminder teaches children how to keep fit and healthy and the importance of good hygiene. She talks to them about how to 'catch a cough' and how to minimise the spread of germs.

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

The childminder works effectively in partnership with parents from the start. She gathers detailed information about children's individual needs and interests. She uses this knowledge to accommodate children's familiar routines and to plan activities that build on what children know and can do. The childminder takes account of children's individual starting points and adapts her practice and her curriculum accordingly to ensure that it is relevant for all children.

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

Children concentrate well and have good attitudes to learning. They enjoy looking through photo albums with the childminder and recall the different experiences they have shared together. For example, children become excited as they recall the trip to the farm to look for pumpkins and what they did. They talk about which was the fastest slide they went on and show good recall. They smile, point to the friends they can see in the photos and name each one in turn. Children have many opportunities to develop their social skills and interactions with others. The childminder takes children to local groups, and they go on various outings, often joining up with other local childminders. Children relish the time they get to spend outdoors. They enjoy woodland walks and visits to the local farm. They go to see the childminder's horses and enjoy learning more about how to care for the horses and what this involves.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 17:00

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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 seek more professional development around supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to refresh and further strengthen her knowledge. The childminder should consider ways to adapt interactions, in order to further support children's communication and language.

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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. This data is from 25 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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