Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY339421 Registered with Ofsted: 01/11/2006 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 develop their early language skills. Babies explore a wealth of sensory resources and babble along while the childminder introduces simple vocabulary. Babies listen intently to the childminder and offer their ideas through gestures and sounds. This helps young children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, become confident communicators in readiness for school. Babies show great strength in their hands as they grasp and investigate small soft brushes. They develop their muscle and movement skills. For instance, they confidently crawl and reach for objects of interest, which helps strengthen their core muscles for later walking. Babies learn to feed themselves and use their water cups at mealtimes. This helps them develop early independence and self-care skills. Overall, children make progress from their own starting points in readiness for their eventual move to nursery or school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has developed warm and nurturing attachments with the children. She mostly plans her environment according to the ages and stages of the children she cares for. As such, babies are curious about their environment and know the childminder is close by for reassurance if they need it. This helps them to feel extremely safe and secure.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder plans her environment for children to learn to take turns. She skilfully gives children ample time to explore the various sensory items. She role models to babies how to put a cooking hat on as she puts it on her head and encourages them to take turns as they pull the hat on their head. The childminder is respectful of children's choices and praises them for their achievements. Even the youngest of babies babble and smile with joy.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has systems in place to record children's attendance and promotes the importance of regular attendance with parents from the outset. This establishes clear expectations of children's behaviour and supports them to develop consistent routines, further enhancing their wellbeing and readiness to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children thrive in the care of the nurturing childminder. She carefully plans settling-in sessions with parents to gather detailed information about babies' care routines and children's likes and dislikes. This helps the childminder to closely follow the care routines of children's home lives. As such, babies are very settled and often snuggle in for cuddles, demonstrating they feel safe and secure.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder skilfully plans her environment to help babies' physical development. For instance, she ensures that babies can access various resources that interest them and considers how to further their physical development. As such, babies pull themselves up and start to cruise around the furniture. She gently talks to babies and ensures that the area they are learning to walk in is clear of resources. This helps keep children safe. Furthermore, the childminder plans regular outings to local parks. This helps them develop their large-muscle groups in readiness for later walking.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports babies' health very well. She gathers information about the stages of weaning babies are at and also their sleeping patterns. The childminder is vigilant and monitors babies' feeding and sleeping well. She supports children's emotional development effectively through the use of stories, songs and daily interactions, which help children to recognise, express and manage their emotions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mostly, the childminder sequences her curriculum well and focuses on children's physical and personal, social and emotional development. She uses the children's interests linked to their previous experiences. This fosters children's engagement and curiosity. However, sometimes the childminder has too many resources for the children to choose from. This means she is not able to precisely focus on what it is she wants children to learn. Overall, the childminder uses regular assessments to help her focus on children's next steps in learning, making adaptations within her curriculum for children who may face barriers to learning. This helps all children, including children with special educational needs/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder's teaching is warm and responsive, with a strong focus on communication and language. She uses simple counting during everyday routines. The childminder plans many trips and outings to broaden children's experiences. She takes them to local museums and toddler groups. Babies have ample opportunities to develop their muscles in readiness for later learning. Older children regularly walk to pre-school. This helps them develop a positive relationship with exercise. Furthermore, she uses these opportunities to teach children about road safety. This helps children learn how to keep safe. These activities help children understand their community, develop social skills and learn about the world around them.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is passionate about inclusion and provides support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She takes time to get to know the children and families she cares for. She uses observations and regular assessments to monitor for any gaps in children's learning and development. The childminder has experience of caring for children with communication delays. She has worked with other professionals and made adaptations within her curriculum. For example, she has introduced a box with interesting items for children to explore. This helps promote conversation and interactions with the children, supporting their growing vocabulary.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and shares ideas to support children's learning at home. This helps promote a consistent approach to their care and learning. Parents report on the childminder's dedication and care. The childminder knows how to apply for any additional funding that children may be eligible for to help target any potential barriers to their learning. Furthermore, she undertakes training to further her knowledge and understanding. This helps support the children she cares for to make progress in their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is experienced and reflective about her setting. She demonstrates a secure understanding of her strengths and areas for development. The childminder has a robust knowledge of the early years foundation stage. This mostly helps her plan for children's next steps in their learning and development. The childminder completes mandatory training, such as safeguarding and paediatric first aid, to ensure children's safety and wellbeing. She has a network of childminders who share information with each other. However, the childminder recognises she has yet to fully explore wider professional development opportunities that could deepen her knowledge on how to further enhance her curriculum to help teach children about online safety. That said, since her last inspection, she has improved her knowledge on how to support children's communication and language. As such, she has skilfully designed some resources that she uses with children to help them

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are strong. The childminder shares regular updates, support and advice, including how parents can extend their children's learning at home. She knows how to work with other professionals. This ensures that there is a coordinated approach for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder has developed relationships with the local pre-school. This helps her to share information in readiness for children's eventually move to school.

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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 flourish in the highly nurturing care of the childminder. The childminder invests time in getting to know each child and their family. This helps her share her expectations for children's regular attendance. The childminder plans settling-in sessions to meet the needs of the children. This helps her to identify their starting points and care routines. It supports babies and children to feel safe and secure as they transition into the childminder's warm and welcoming home. The childminder uses regular assessments to identify and address any gaps in children's learning and development. As such, all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are fully included and supported. This helps all children thrive in their development in readiness for later learning.

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

Children's wellbeing is at the heart of the childminder's practice. She is responsive to the care of babies and their unique needs. The childminder is skilful and adapts her interactions to support babies' communication and language development. Babies are immersed in sensory boxes, songs and rhymes throughout the day. The childminder introduces single words to build babies' early vocabulary. As such, babies snuggle in with the childminder as they explore the different sensory items. The childminder supports babies' emotions and praises them of their achievements through her calm mannerism. This helps develop babies' sense of belonging and helps promote a 'can-do' attitude to learning. The childminder skilfully weaves mathematical language and early counting into everyday routines and teaches children the importance of oral hygiene.

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

The childminder is passionate about children developing their social skills. She plans a wealth of regular outings to local attractions, parks and toddler groups. These experiences help children understand their community and the wider world. As a result, children flourish, becoming confident communicators and enthusiastic learners, well prepared for their next stage of education.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 16:45

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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 develop her knowledge on how to embed online safety within her curriculum to further support children's learning. The childminder should continue to review the organisation of her environment so that she can precisely focus on what it is she wants to teach children.

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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 20 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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