Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2747839 Registered with Ofsted: 20/12/2023 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 build securely on what they know because the childminder understands their starting points when they join the setting. They develop age appropriate knowledge and skills as they explore materials, practise early counting and investigate the natural environment. Children grow in confidence as they follow routines and make choices in their play, supported by the childminder. Children with barriers to learning participate fully because the childminder considers their needs to help them to join in. They make steady progress across all areas of the curriculum. For example, children including those with english as an additional language make steady progress in their communication skills. This helps to prepare them for their future education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children typically benefit from the childminder's developing approach to adapting her teaching when they meet challenges. Further work on exploring different strategies to support children as they face new experiences will help them to be very well prepared for their future education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a fun and friendly environment where children feel safe and emotionally secure. She supports children to understand routines. All children, including those with barriers to their wellbeing, feel happy and ready to learn, because they know what to expect. The childminder promotes positive behaviour by modelling kindness and patience. Children learn to play alongside others, share resources and take turns. The childminder recognises when children, including babies, need reassurance and sensitively provides support. Her warm relationships help children to begin to manage small frustrations with growing confidence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes regular attendance with families, and children arrive ready to learn and take part. She nurtures children's wellbeing through warm interactions and praise when children try hard. All children develop trusting relationships that help them feel valued and understood. The childminder recognises children's different backgrounds and considers their previous experiences when offering them support. For example, she identifies children who need more help to be independent and do things for themselves. However, the childminder is not yet consistent in her approach to letting children try first before stepping in to help. The support the childminder gives children to be fully independent is not yet embedded fully at all times of the day. Further strengthening this will help all children to develop consistently positive attitudes as they learn to do things for themselves.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children experience warm, secure relationships that help them feel safe, settled and confident in the childminder's care. Babies and toddlers form strong attachments with the childminder. She responds sensitively to their emotional needs, offering comfort when they become tired or upset. These nurturing interactions support children to recognise and manage their own feelings. The childminder adapts routines for younger children. For example, she considers the prior experiences of babies when planning sleep routines. The childminder closely considers children's dietary needs and promotes healthy eating through nutritious meals. Children learn lifelong habits such as knowing which foods are good for them. They are excited to share this knowledge with their families.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children begin to understand how to keep themselves safe. The childminder teaches them how to move around shared spaces, follow boundaries on outings and use equipment safely. The childminder should promote children's independence more strategically, for example, by embedding the high expectations for children to do things for themselves, including self-care routines. More consistency with this, at all times of the day, would help all children to develop the resilience needed to thrive in their future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans an enriching curriculum that builds on children's starting points and interests. She introduces new skills gradually, and children strengthen what they know as they revisit learning in different ways, such as using rakes to dig soil. The childminder teaches children to work together to solve problems, for example, when they figure out how to build a new wheelbarrow. The childminder uses clear, purposeful language to help children understand their actions, including naming movements like 'scoop' or using mathematical vocabulary such as 'how many more?' She assesses the progress children make in activities so that all children can participate confidently and make progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder reflects regularly on her curriculum and creates action plans to drive improvement. She encourages children to think and solve problems, such as exploring soil and water in the garden. The childminder provides opportunities for children to practise early skills, including counting, mark making and following instructions, and children develop strong foundations for future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has not fully embedded how she adapts her teaching when children meet challenges, for example, when children are fearful of new experiences. Further developing how she supports children to take appropriate risks in their learning will increase children's confidence and help them to excel further in all areas of learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs quickly. She forms close relationships with families and identifies children's starting points, including those who speak English as an additional language. The childminder works closely with families to consider children's barriers to learning and to recognise when children may benefit from expert support. The childminder remains mindful of barriers to learning of all children, including disadvantaged children. She knows how to allocate funding to support children to reach their milestones, where appropriate.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder typically reduces barriers to learning through her interactions with children. She supports children with emerging communication needs and ensures that children with English as an additional language hear familiar words alongside new vocabulary. The childminder monitors children's progress closely, and her assessments help her to plan appropriate learning experiences based on individual children's interests.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder regularly completes training, including linked to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and she uses this knowledge to shape the support she provides. She engages parents in regular discussions about children's development to promote consistency with learning at home. The childminder should develop her understanding of strategies to adapt her teaching particularly for children with gaps in their learning. Building on her knowledge would strengthen how adaptations support the progress of all children over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice and uses continuous professional development opportunities to strengthen her knowledge. This includes training to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works closely with families, sharing information about children's development and listening to their views. The childminder understands how to seek external advice when needed. She typically adapts her curriculum to meet the needs of all children well. Developing a broader range of strategies will help her strengthen the support she offers, both for the children currently attending with gaps in their learning and for those who join the setting in the future.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds positive relationships with parents. She shares information with them that helps them to understand how to extend children's learning at home. The childminder values children's uniqueness and aims to provide experiences that help them feel included, confident and ready for the next stage of their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder supports any assistants that work with her to gain experience and knowledge through continuous professional development opportunities. This helps her to ensure high quality teaching across the curriculum. The childminder is continuing to identify small, meaningful adjustments that further enhance children's experiences over time.

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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 creates a welcoming environment where children settle quickly because they feel safe and emotionally secure. She responds to their needs sensitively and builds warm and trusting relationships with them. Children which foods are healthy, this helps them to learn healthy habits that support their physical wellbeing. Children enjoy their learning alongside their peers. They explore indoors and outdoors with curiosity, whether counting steps to the slide, digging in the mud kitchen or using tools to dig. The childminder teaches children how to play alongside others, modelling language and encouraging them to think, solve problems and focus on learning. All children achieve and are well prepared for future learning. For example, children hear rich vocabulary throughout the day, which helps them to develop communication skills. The childminder assesses children's development in their home languages. This helps children with English as an additional language to express their

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

needs and make progress in their speaking skills.

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

Children develop growing confidence as they engage key routines and make choices in their play. The childminder plans opportunities for children to explore their community, visiting parks and farms as well as local forests. This helps children to develop curiosity and confidence. Children feel that they belong and are included in all aspects of learning. The childminder teaches children about different cultures and languages. She reflects on their own background experiences and celebrates their uniqueness. All families feel valued. Children are happy, safe and motivated learners who make effective progress and enjoy their time at the setting.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 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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Next steps

The childminder should support children more consistently to take appropriate risks and face challenges in order to excel in their learning The childminder should use expert guidance to inform how they adapt their own teaching, especially for children with gaps with their learning The childminder should promote children's independence more consistently to help children to develop positive attitudes to learning at all times in the day.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant 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 30 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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