Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 301326 Registered with Ofsted: 18/08/1998 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 Strong standard

Children make secure progress from their starting points because of the well-designed curriculum and effective teaching they experience. They develop secure foundational knowledge and skills across the 7 areas of learning, particularly in communication and language.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children become confident communicators. They engage in sustained conversations, recall experiences and use an increasingly broad vocabulary through stories, songs and daily interactions.

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Achievement Strong standard

All children, including those who may face barriers to learning, achieve well. Individual needs are identified early, and targeted support and adaptations help ensure that children access learning and make consistent progress.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop the physical, social and emotional skills needed for later learning. They show independence in routines, resilience in play and positive attitudes to challenge. As a result, children are well prepared for their next stage of development, including the transition to school, with the knowledge, confidence and skills needed for future success.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a strong understanding of curriculum design and the quality of teaching. She has constructed a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage. Experiences are carefully planned around what children know and can do, ensuring that learning builds sequentially over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is purposeful and rooted in secure knowledge of child development. The childminder uses children's interests to shape learning, for example, providing cultural experiences, sensory exploration and creative activities that deepen understanding and engagement.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children's communication and language development is prioritised. The childminder consistently models rich vocabulary, engages children in sustained conversations and uses stories, songs and play to extend language across all areas of learning. Mathematical language is naturally woven into play and daily routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Strong emphasis is placed on children's physical development, independence and personal, social and emotional wellbeing. Regular outdoor play, physical challenge and self-care routines are embedded.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Assessment is used effectively to understand children's starting points and tailor teaching. Activities are adapted to meet individual needs, including providing additional challenge or support where required.

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Expected standard

Overall, the curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and implemented effectively.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder establishes an inclusive culture where every child is known well and supported as an individual. The childminder is confident in identifying children's needs early, using observations, developmental monitoring and close partnership with parents to assess progress and wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Although there are currently no children with identified SEND on roll, the childminder demonstrates secure knowledge and experience of supporting children with additional needs. She has previously worked closely with external professionals, including speech and language therapists and local authority teams, implementing strategies and targeted support to reduce barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Adaptations are made routinely through differentiated activities, language modelling and tailored experiences that reflect children's interests and developmental stages. This ensures that all children can access the curriculum and make good progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Progress is monitored regularly, and support is reviewed in partnership with families to ensure that it remains effective. The childminder values collaborative working and engages positively with parents and professionals to shape children's experiences.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children attend community groups where they mix with peers from different cultures and abilities, promoting inclusion, acceptance and social confidence.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Overall, inclusive practice is embedded. Children's individual needs are understood, barriers are minimised and all children are supported to thrive.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children thrive in a warm, nurturing environment where positive relationships are at the heart of daily practice. They show that they feel safe and emotionally secure, seeking the childminder for reassurance, comfort and to share their achievements. The childminder models kindness and respect, and children reflect this in their interactions with one another.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children collaborate well in play. They learn to share resources, take turns and resolve minor conflicts with gentle guidance. Praise and encouragement are used effectively to build confidence and positive attitudes to learning. The childminder is mindful of children's ages and stages of development and adapts expectations and support accordingly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Clear daily routines help children feel secure. They manage personal care tasks, dressing and mealtimes with increasing independence. Attendance and punctuality are promoted through strong partnership with parents and consistent daily structures. At times, opportunities to further embed expectations around tidying during transitions were less consistently promoted. While children responded positively when prompted, this routine is not yet fully embedded.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, children display positive behaviour, confidence and engagement within a caring, respectful environment.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted effectively within this nurturing setting. The childminder knows children extremely well and provides care that is responsive to their individual needs. Secure attachments are evident. Children seek reassurance, comfort and support confidently, and the childminder responds with warmth and sensitivity. For example, when children have a minor fall outdoors, the childminder responds promptly, offering comfort and appropriate first aid, helping children feel secure and settled again.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are supported to develop healthy lifestyles through daily routines, such as handwashing, discussions about healthy eating and regular outdoor play. They benefit from opportunities to be physically active, manage appropriate risks and build confidence in their abilities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of safeguarding and risk management. During inspection, she spoke confidently about risk assessment procedures and how she identifies and manages hazards, both in the home and on outings.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

On the day of inspection, the garden was not risk assessed immediately prior to children going outside. However, no hazards were present, and the childminder's knowledge of risk management was secure. This minor inconsistency has been identified as an area to strengthen so that practice is consistently embedded.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Overall, children's care, safety and emotional wellbeing are supported well.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Statutory requirements are met. Policies, procedures and mandatory training, including safeguarding and paediatric first aid, are maintained and regularly reviewed. The childminder shows secure knowledge of her responsibilities in keeping children safe and promoting their welfare, speaking confidently about safeguarding procedures and reporting processes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is experienced in supporting a range of children, including those who may face barriers to learning. For example, she has previously worked closely with speech and language therapists and local authority services, implementing strategies and targeted support plans to improve communication outcomes. Strong partnerships with parents and local schools further support continuity of care and smooth transitions to school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates a clear commitment to providing high-quality education and care that improves outcomes for all children. She understands the strengths of her provision and reflects regularly on her practice. She is able to to identify some areas for further development, showing a proactive approach to continuous improvement. However, some weaknesses are not swiftly identified by the childminder, such as inconsistencies in daily practice in tidying routines and risk assessments in the garden not always being consistently implemented.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Professional development is prioritised. Training is used to strengthen knowledge, inform curriculum planning and enhance teaching and care practices. Leadership decisions are consistently child-centred, ensuring that children's safety, learning and wellbeing remain at the heart of the provision.

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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, settled and secure in this warm, nurturing, home-from-home environment. They form strong bonds with the childminder, who knows them extremely well. Children seek her out for comfort, reassurance and to share their achievements. They feel safe, welcomed and valued, and their emotional wellbeing is prioritised. For example, when children have a minor fall outdoors, the childminder responds promptly, offering comfort and appropriate first aid, helping children feel secure and settled again.

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

Children develop positive social skills and a strong sense of belonging. They learn to share, take turns and respect one another through gentle guidance and meaningful praise. They mix confidently with others at toddler groups and within the community, including children from different cultures and abilities, supporting them to become inclusive and socially confident.

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

Children enjoy their learning and achieve well from their starting points. They are curious and motivated, engaging deeply in sensory play, creative experiences and stories. They show a particular love of books, spending extended periods listening, retelling stories and discussing characters. The childminder extends their language through rich conversations, songs and questioning.

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

Children develop independence through daily routines and benefit from an interest-led curriculum, including outdoor exploration and cultural experiences. As a result, they gain the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their next steps. Children thrive in this inclusive setting, where effective care, safety systems and supportive relationships enable them to flourish.

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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen daily routines that encourage children to tidy and take responsibility for resources, further supporting independence and preparation for school. The childminder should embed monitoring systems further to ensure that daily safety checks are consistently implemented.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

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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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