Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY346071 Registered with Ofsted: 31/01/2007 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 make steady and secure progress across all areas of learning. They confidently recall previous learning experiences, such as exploring sinking and floating or freeing objects from ice. As they play with materials, such as mouldable sand, they make meaningful connections to past events, talking about seeing an owl at the local library several months earlier. This shows strong memory, engagement and the ability to link new learning with what they already know.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are developing strong communication and language skills. They listen carefully, follow instructions and express their needs clearly. Children are building the vocabulary and confidence they need to communicate effectively with others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are developing secure early mathematical knowledge and skills. Through play, routines and everyday experiences, they explore concepts, such as counting, comparing quantities and recognising shapes within the environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop warm, nurturing relationships with the childminder. They enjoy spending one-to-one time with her, such as snuggling up to share books on the sofa. They are eager to involve her in their play and proudly show her their creations, demonstrating the secure attachments they have formed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model, who supports children to understand expectations around sharing, turn-taking and kindness. When children want a resource that other children are using, she gently reminds them to wait and offers an engaging alternative activity. This helps children learn patience, respect and consideration for others. Her calm, consistent approach enables children to feel secure and understand what is expected of them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of promoting good attendance and punctuality. She keeps a daily paper register, ensuring children are signed in and out each day. She has an attendance policy in place and expects parents to inform her if their child will be absent. Reasons for absence, such as illness or holidays, are recorded. If she were to notice patterns of concern, she would discuss these with parents to explore whether any support is needed to overcome potential barriers to children's attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder provides children with a healthy and balanced diet. Mealtimes are calm, social experiences, where children sit together and enjoy eating alongside one another. Children are encouraged to develop independence, such as peeling their own fruit at snack time, and are offered a varied selection of fresh produce across the week. All meals are freshly prepared, nutritionally balanced and served in line with safer eating guidance. The childminder ensures children are appropriately supervised at all times during meals and that food is prepared safely and, in an age-appropriate way. The childminder promotes children's independence effectively as they learn to manage their personal needs. During toilet training, she checks in with children regularly and guides them through the process while allowing them to complete each step themselves. Handwashing routines are well embedded; the childminder counts to 20 with children to help them wash

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

their hands thoroughly and understand the importance of good hygiene.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder is effective in supporting children's emotional development. She teaches them the language of feelings, helping them to recognise and express emotions, such as sadness or anger. Children now confidently communicate how they feel and seek comfort or reassurance, when needed, showing strong emerging skills in emotional regulation.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder accurately tracks children's development from their starting points. She uses regular observations to assess the progress children are making and identifies clear, appropriate next steps that build on what they need to learn next. Since her last inspection, the childminder has become more targeted and consistent in her approach to assessment. This is evident in the progress children are making and the secure oversight she has of their learning journey.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports language development effectively, gently correcting mispronunciations by repeating words back clearly and naturally within conversation. Children have wide vocabularies and confidently share past experiences, such as describing recent family activities and recalling details, like wearing ski boots and making marks in the snow.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children's physical development is prioritised. They spend time outdoors every day, attending local groups and visiting places, such as Putney Heath, the wetlands and nearby playgrounds. Children move confidently in a range of ways, slithering like snakes, climbing safely on and off furniture and negotiating space effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

At times, the childminder can be too quick to solve problems for children during activities. For example, she may show a child where puzzle pieces go rather than allowing them time to experiment and build resilience through trial and error. Similarly, she occasionally answers questions immediately, such as why the room has gone dark when clouds pass, rather than pausing to give children the opportunity to think and reason for themselves. Allowing more space for children to explore solutions independently would further strengthen their thinking and problem-solving skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an intentionally inclusive environment, where every child is supported to achieve, thrive and feel a strong sense of belonging. Even though there are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged, inclusive strategies are embedded as part of everyday practice. Visual routines are used so that all children understand the routine of the day, what is happening now and what will happen next. This predictable structure helps children feel secure, confident and ready to engage in learning. A wide range of thoughtfully selected resources ensures that all children see themselves and others positively represented. Books include text in different languages, including those spoken at home by children in the setting. Children enjoy using the illustrations to retell stories in their own words, building confidence in their communication skills. Through books

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Inclusion Expected standard

such as 'We Are All Different', the childminder supports children to explore what makes them unique and special, promoting a strong sense of identity.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of the graduated approach, using a cycle of planning, doing, reviewing and assessing to monitor each child's progress. This enables her to identify emerging gaps swiftly and put appropriate support in place. She recognises the importance of working in partnership with other professionals involved in children's care, learning and development, ensuring a well coordinated approach if additional needs are identified in the future.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates reflective practice and routinely seeks feedback from families and children to evaluate and improve the quality of her provision. She works collaboratively with the local authority and follows any guidance they provide to further enhance her practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnership with parents is a clear strength. The childminder shares regular observations and updates through a secure online app, ensuring families feel well informed about their children's progress and any emerging needs. She communicates sensitively and constructively with parents, offering supportive guidance, when challenges arise.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder maintains effective links with other early years settings attended by the children. She checks the nurseries' weekly newsletters and incorporates their current topics into her own planning. This supports continuity of learning and reinforces children's understanding across different environments.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is committed to continuous professional development. She engages in a wide range of training to deepen her knowledge and stay up to date with changes in guidance. She reflects carefully on new learning and adapts her practice and policies to ensure they remain aligned with current expectations and best practice.

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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

The childminder provides a warm, nurturing and safe home-from-home environment, where children feel secure and valued. They explore with curiosity, confidently selecting from a wide range of accessible learning resources that encourage independence and choice. Children show pride in their achievements and express this openly, declaring, 'I am excellent' and celebrating their success with enthusiasm after completing tasks that require sustained focus. This reflects the strong emotional security and high levels of self-esteem fostered within the setting.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): EY346071 The childminder has high expectations of children and they demonstrate lovely manners and routinely use polite language, such as please and thank you. They show independence during daily routines. At mealtimes, they pour their own drinks from small jugs, feed themselves using cutlery and wipe their own hands and faces afterwards. These opportunities help children develop confidence and pride in their achievements.

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About this setting

Children have developed a strong love of books. They know the names of their favourite books and enjoy sitting or lying on the sofa to look at stories independently, using the pictures to retell familiar narratives. The childminder provides a wide range of books, rotating them regularly and sourcing new ones from charity shops and the local library to keep children's interest high. Children enjoy familiar rhymes and sing with confidence, clearly and enthusiastically.

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About this setting

Children play together extremely well and demonstrate positive social skills. They engage in imaginative role play, build shared stories and negotiate roles confidently. Their developing vocabularies enable them to express ideas, contribute to storylines and collaborate effectively. This cooperative play reflects the secure relationships they have formed and the childminder's skilful support in helping them work together.

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Next steps

The childminder should allow children more time to solve problems through trial and error before providing solutions, to develop their thinking skills and build their resilience.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and also sought the views of 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

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

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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