Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY299367 Registered with Ofsted: 17/01/2005 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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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has designed an inclusive, broad and balanced curriculum that prioritises children's communication, independence and readiness for school. She has a very secure understanding of child development and uses this to sequence learning through purposeful play, daily routines and repeated, shared high-quality books. Familiar stories are revisited to build children's vocabulary and understanding, while cultural experiences, such as activities linked to Chinese New Year, broaden children's understanding of the world.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Communication and language are central to the childminder's curriculum. Her teaching of the curriculum and interactions with children are of consistently high quality. The childminder extends children's thinking through skilful questioning and intentional pauses, encouraging them to explain ideas and recall key phrases during storytelling. Mathematical understanding is taught explicitly within meaningful contexts, including counting children and resources at snack time. Physical development and personal, social and emotional development are prioritised through outdoor exploration, movement activities, emotional regulation support and self-care routines.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder makes effective use of children's assessments of how well they have learned her curriculum to inform her teaching. She observes what children know and can do and adapts interactions in the moment, for example allowing additional processing time or supporting problem-solving without reducing challenge. The childminder's teaching is consistently purposeful, inclusive and embedded across all parts of the day.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make secure progress from their starting points across all areas of learning. They develop communication skills through imaginative play and small-group interactions, where they explain their ideas and listen to others. During shared activities, children respond to questions and contribute to conversations with increasing confidence. Younger children build independence as they are encouraged to answer for themselves and develop clear speech.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities access learning through targeted strategies that promote emotional regulation, confidence and participation. Children grow in independence through daily routines, such as managing personal hygiene, tidying resources and self-selecting what they want to play and explore. Across the provision, children develop age-appropriate skills in social cooperation, early problem- solving and self-care. They are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. While children's progress is typical, there is further scope to secure breadth and depth in children's knowledge and skills across the 7 areas of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children thrive in a calm and predictable environment where expectations are clearly established and applied consistently. Daily routines, including structured transitions, handwashing before snack and group tidy-up time, help children understand boundaries and move confidently between activities. Expectations are fair and appropriate to children's ages and stages of development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Relationships are warm and respectful. The childminder models kindness and reinforces positive behaviour through clear explanations and praise. Children cooperate well, share resources and play collaboratively. When challenges arise, the childminder supports children to pause, consider their actions and make positive choices. She helps children focus attention, listen to others and complete tasks, supporting the development of self- control and perseverance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The importance of attendance and punctuality is promoted through ongoing communication with families, helping children establish consistent routines between home and setting. Adaptations are made thoughtfully for children with individual needs, while maintaining high expectations for behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Opportunities could be developed further for children to articulate and reflect on their own behaviour, routines and healthy choices more explicitly, deepening their understanding of self-regulation and decision-making and further embedding independence within daily expectations.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are cared for in a warm, home-based environment where secure and responsive relationships are clearly established. They approach the childminder confidently and seek reassurance when needed, demonstrating secure attachments. Parents report that their children feel happy, settled and safe, reflecting consistent and attentive care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Daily routines support children's health and wellbeing effectively. Children learn about hygiene through discussions about germs and regular handwashing. They serve food independently, pour drinks and take part in daily toothbrushing using their own labelled equipment. Healthy choices are promoted through conversations about fruit, balanced meals and involvement in simple food preparation. Mealtimes support good manners and positive social interaction. Opportunities to further develop children's understanding of why healthy choices matter would deepen their awareness of how to look after their own physical and emotional wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Care practices are tailored to meet individual needs. Dietary requirements are met in ways that maintain independence. All children are supported to recognise and manage their emotions within daily routines.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies children's individual needs and any emerging special educational needs quickly. Generally, children's needs are met. She understands children's backgrounds and stages of development. The childminder carefully adapts her curriculum to reduce barriers to children's learning. For example, she thoughtfully models language, repeating key words and allowing extra thinking time for children to respond. The childminder seeks advice from early years advisers and speech therapists. She applies individual plans as advised by specialist to support children's learning and development. All children are supported sensitively, with partnership working to promote learning and development well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Early years pupil premium funding is used purposefully to widen children's experiences. For example, the childminder arranges for the children to attend community groups and enrichment activities that broaden their learning opportunities. Inclusive adaptations are made, so children can take part fully, such as meeting dietary needs while maintaining independence alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's progress through daily diaries, learning journals and regular discussions with families. Support is generally well targeted. However, on occasion, the childminder does not rigorously review the progress of children who face difficulties in their learning as well as she could.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of her setting, children's needs and curriculum priorities. She is committed to providing high-quality education and care for all children. The childminder clearly demonstrates an accurate view of her provision's strengths and areas for development. She recognises the importance of continuing to refine support for children with emerging needs and reviewing how progress is tracked over time. Additionally, she identifies that there is scope to further enhance children's understanding of how to manage their emotions and to build on existing checks of children's progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Systems are in place to monitor children's learning through daily diaries and individual journals, supporting communication with families. The childminder works with early years advisers and speech and language therapists to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She reflects on her practice and is open to feedback and professional advice. Consideration is given to workload and wellbeing so that practice remains manageable and consistent.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works in partnership with parents and carers. Parents are happy with their choice of childminder and value the regular feedback they receive about their child's progress and development.

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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 arrive happy and settled at this warm, home-based setting. They are welcomed by a familiar adult who knows them well and builds trusting relationships with families. Children play kindly alongside one another, and older children naturally include younger peers, for example reading stories together and offering help during play. Clear routines, tidy-up songs and predictable transitions, help children feel secure and understand what is expected. When children find this difficult, the childminder responds calmly, explains why expectations

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Inspector:

Megan Hooper matter and gives them time to regulate their emotions, so they can rejoin activities successfully.

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Inspector:

Children enjoy learning, which is woven through their day. During outdoor storytelling, children confidently recall repeated phrases from familiar books and act out key events. Indoors, they engage in imaginative role play, solve puzzles and explore activities linked to cultural experiences. The childminder extends children's language and thinking by asking purposeful questions and encouraging them to explain their ideas. Everyday routines strengthen learning further, as children count plates and cups at snack time and learn about hygiene through handwashing and daily toothbrushing routines.

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Inspector:

Children develop increasing independence by serving food, pouring drinks, tidying resources and managing their personal hygiene. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning or wellbeing are included fully in play and routines. The childminder adapts her support, including modelling language and allowing additional processing time, so children participate alongside their peers. Children feel safe, valued and confident. They develop communication skills, resilience and self- regulation that prepares them for their next stage of learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should build on existing, successful checks of children's progress to identify more clearly the further steps to take to support those children who face obstacles in their learning. The childminder should enrich opportunities for children to articulate and reflect on their own behaviour to develop a deeper understanding of their emotions. The childminder should deepen children's understanding of why healthy choices matter to support lifelong healthy lifestyles. The childminder should secure breadth and depth in children's achievement across all 7 areas of learning.

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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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,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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