Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 502705 Registered with Ofsted: 18/05/2001 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 consistently teaches children to be kind and considerate, modelling positive behaviours such as empathy, care and respect. The childminder expertly encourages turn- taking and helps children manage their emotions when they make choices during play. Children of different ages play together harmoniously, with the childminder skilfully providing timely interventions, in an age-appropriate and sensitive manner. On the rare occasions that children are reluctant to join in activities, they are supported to manage their emotions exceptionally well and are given time and space to choose when and how they would like to participate.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave exceptionally well. On the rare occasions when behaviour falls below expectations, the childminder responds with sensitivity and consistency. The 'house rules' help children understand the setting's expectations and support them to regulate their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children settle quickly and move smoothly between routines. When any children appear reluctant to enter, they are supported sensitively and with great care to help them feel secure. The childminder monitors attendance closely and provides gentle, appropriate support to families where attendance is not as strong as expected. This helps to promote consistent attendance and ensures children benefit fully from the learning opportunities available.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder knows the children exceptionally well and tailors care routines to meet their individual needs. For example, adaptations are put in place for children with limited mobility. Disadvantaged children who require additional language support receive targeted communication activities throughout the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Babies demonstrate strong attachments to the childminder, seeking her out for comfort and reassurance. During nappy changes, the childminder maintains warm eye contact, narrates the process, and responds sensitively to babies' cues. Older children confidently approach the childminder to share achievements or express worries, showing that relationships are secure and nurturing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

During snack times, children learn about healthy choices as they talk about fruits and vegetables. The childminder models handwashing and explains why it is important, helping children develop healthy routines and self-care skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

When children become upset because a toy is taken, the childminder helps them express their feelings and suggests strategies for managing emotions, for example by asking for a turn and suggesting ways to share the resources, building emotional resilience and self- regulation.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Sleep routines are fully aligned with babies' home patterns. Children who prefer to fall asleep with gentle rocking are settled in this familiar way, ensuring continuity of care. The

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Expected standard

childminder consults parents for weaning, offering a mixture of finger foods and purees while carefully monitoring allergies.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make strong progress across all areas of learning. They develop their vocabulary well and use it confidently to communicate their needs. Babies show high levels of engagement and focus as they practise new skills, such as stacking and building with a variety of resources. Children demonstrate their mathematical understanding during small- world play, using number rhymes to calculate and solve simple problems. They are articulate and eager to share their learning with visitors, talking enthusiastically about recent experiences, including exploring the life cycles of farm animals following their visit to the farm.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress from their starting points through targeted interventions. Children are well prepared for school. They are independent and confident in their approach to daily tasks. They have a wide range of vocabulary that helps them to communicate when they need help. They hold back-and-forth conversations with both their peers and adults.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a stimulating and exciting environment in which all children are supported to learn and develop well. The childminder models language throughout the day to engage in rich discussions across a wide range of topics, including those linked to ecology and the importance of conserving energy, such as turning lights off. However, at times, some children require a more targeted and specific approach to support their language development to ensure they can fully access the learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder revisits past learning during activities and links this to her teaching. She demonstrates effective practice by consistently revisiting and reinforcing prior learning, weaving this into ongoing activities to deepen children's understanding. For example, during a farm-themed activity, the childminder purposefully encourages children to select the correct number of ducks, effectively consolidating their mathematical awareness and strengthening connections to the number rhyme. However, at times, her intended learning is diluted due to the number of resources used. This reduces children's ability to remain focused on the intended outcome.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

As children arrive, the childminder warmly and sensitively supports them to remove their coats and encourages them to find the peg that matches their height. This calm and purposeful routine effectively promotes children's independence and strengthens their physical skills from the very start of the day.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder skilfully supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their families. She creates an inclusive learning environment that is thoughtfully adapted for each activity to remove barriers and maximise engagement. Resources are planned accurately to children's individual needs, ensuring full access to all areas of learning. For example, during story sessions, language is carefully adapted to meet the needs of all learners, explicitly modelling unfamiliar vocabulary and employing strategies to provide additional support for the younger children

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Inclusion Expected standard

Partnership working is effective. The childminder maintains proactive relationships with parents and other professionals to secure timely referrals and ensure that children receive the specialist support they require. Adjustments to the learning environment are implemented promptly and with clear purpose. For example, the childminder adapts spaces and resources to meet children's limited mobility on entry. These proactive and sensitive measures ensure that children can participate fully in activities, promoting inclusion, strengthening wellbeing and enabling children with SEND to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates passion and commitment to her role. She places high importance on continuous professional development and acts decisively to enhance her knowledge in response to children's emerging needs. For example, she has completed a range of specialist training focused on supporting children with additional needs. This proactive and reflective approach ensures that her practice remains highly inclusive, responsive and firmly rooted in current guidance. As a result, all children benefit from well- informed, targeted support that enables them to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works closely with other childminders and local authority professionals to share effective practice and drive continuous improvement. This collaborative approach strengthens the quality of her provision and ensures that children benefit from well-informed, reflective and up-to-date practice. The childminder could further improve her systems for identifying and addressing gaps in children's learning to help all children make consistently secure progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder invites parents to join community-based activities, promoting a strong sense of wellbeing for both families and childminders. These shared experiences strengthen relationships, build trust and enhance parent engagement. They also provide valuable opportunities for the childminder, as a leader, to identify strengths and areas for further improvement, ensuring the provision continues to develop effectively.

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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 welcomed into this home-from-home environment where they feel safe and secure. The childminder fosters independence skills, such as encouraging children to hang their bags and coats up, and allowing them to make their own choices where appropriate. The childminder's detailed knowledge of each child, gathered through positive relationships with parents, helps children to settle quickly. This promotes a strong sense of security and belonging, and children begin their day with confidence.

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Inspector:

The childminder provides a wide range of well-planned experiences that successfully broaden children's understanding of the world around them. She makes effective use of the local community to enhance learning. Regular visits to local parks, woods and green spaces allow children to explore nature and wildlife and develop physical skills. The childminder extends this learning back in the home setting to further support children's knowledge. For example, during a recent visit to a nearby farm, children observed the birth of a calf and fed the ducks before exploring their observations further in a small-world activity. This regular community contact helps children to feel a sense of belonging and respect for their local area.

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Inspector:

Opportunities for developing language are embedded in daily routines, such as breakfast time, where the childminder deliberately models vocabulary linked to positional language to support children's next steps. Parents speak very highly of the care provided and value the strong relationships the childminder builds with their children. Daily communication keeps parents well informed about their child's progress alongside useful information on topics such as internet safety.

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Inspector:

The childminder has developed strong links with the local school to ensure children experience a smooth and confident transition as they move on to nursery. Teachers share the school's newsletter with the childminder, which helps her to align activities and routines with those that children will encounter at school. This collaborative approach strengthens children's school readiness and supports a seamless move to the next stage of their education.

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Next steps

The childminder should reflect more closely on what children can do and ensure that the planning and delivery of the curriculum are fully adapted so all children receive appropriate level of support to extend their learning further. The childminder should improve her systems for identifying and addressing gaps in children's learning to help all children make secure progress.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and parents 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. Debbie Lindley

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 17:15

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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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