Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 225797 Registered with Ofsted: 03/06/1997 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 are making progress in their communication and language skills. Children are becoming good communicators, sharing their wants and needs. They enjoy using new words taught in their play and enjoy repeating words from stories read to them. Children are developing a love of reading. They enjoy accessing a range of books available at the childminder's home. Older children enjoy retelling familiar stories, and younger children enjoy turning pages and talking about the pictures in the book. Typically, children listen to stories well and take turns to hear their chosen story.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop turn-taking skills and patience, which helps prepare children for their next steps, including school. They practise independence through daily routines and enjoy responsibility at a young age. Children work as a team in the childminder's home. For example, they work together to prepare the table for lunch. This collaborative working helps children build secure foundations for the future.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are learning to get along with others. The childminder models sharing, and children copy her. The childminder encourages children to wait their turn when wanting a toy other children have. Children frequently go out and about in the community where they have opportunities to socialise with others and to further build on their social skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children follow the expectations set out by the childminder. During tidy-up time, children enjoy working as a team, cleaning the floor after a messy play activity. Children sweep up using a dustpan and brush and put the rubbish in the bin. The childminder models alongside older children while supporting younger children to sweep into the dustpan. This collaborative approach supports children to respect and gain a positive bond with the childminder. Children are also becoming independent at a young age. Children learn to be actively involved in helping. They put toys away where they belong and help fold messy play mats with the childminder. Children are developing their understanding of responsibility and teamwork.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes punctuality and attendance by working closely with parents to establish clear expectations around this.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are learning about personal safety. The childminder talks about risks when children are playing and during daily routines. For example, the childminder talks to the children about the dangers of the hot tap when washing their hands. Children are learning to keep themselves safe. She also teaches children how to use tools safely, such as cutting with scissors. Children take safe risks.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder gathers information from parents to support children's individual care needs, and she adapts her routines to support children's sleep patterns. The childminder encourages children to independently manage their personal needs. Children wash their own hands and self-feed, and older children manage their own toileting needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Working with parents, the childminder offers flexible settling-in periods. Children settle quickly and confidently, accessing the toys and resources readily available. Children feel confident to ask for help, and the childminder is responsive to their needs. The childminder supports children's emotional development well. She offers cuddles and reassurance when children feel upset. She also talks through feelings with older children to help develop their emotional understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans purposeful activities to support children's communication and language development. She actively encourages back-and-forth conversations. The childminder also follows the children's lead to further support their development. For example, when older children show an interest in chopsticks, the childminder revisits a familiar book about different celebrations and children learn about differences and similarities in how they celebrate special events.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically adapts to the needs of the children through her interactions. She builds on children's knowledge, skills and understanding. For example, she revisits a favourite library book about arctic animals and extends children's vocabulary by naming the animals and their features. The childminder helps children to remember and embed new learning. Generally, throughout, the childminder develops children's mathematical language and understanding. She models counting skills when counting steps on the stairs and encourages children to compare sizes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Physical development is also a priority. The childminder provides plenty of opportunities for children to develop their muscles. The childminder uses daily outings to the park to allow children to build physical skills such as running, climbing and balancing. Indoors, the childminder encourages children to pinch and squeeze using different tools, such as tweezers. This also helps to strengthen hand-eye coordination.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers vital information from parents to support the needs of all children before they start at the setting. She implements changes when necessary to her practice. She also typically adapts her interactions and plans activities to support all children's learning and development. She uses her prior training to accurately assess children's learning and implement appropriate next steps. The childminder completes regular observations and assessments to monitor children's development effectively. She shares the progress check at age 2 with parents and external professionals.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although there were no children on roll at the time of inspection with special educational needs and/or disabilities, the childminder is confident in the steps she would take to support their needs. She knows to share any concerns with parents in a timely manner to support

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Needs attention

possible referrals. The childminder has a secure understanding on how to apply for additional funding and what it should be used for.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Partnership working and two-way sharing of information are not effective. The childminder does not share information with other settings that children attend to provide a full picture of children's learning. The childminder has recently gained information about what children learn in other settings, but this has been primarily driven by the parents providing this information rather than the childminder actively seeking it. Additionally, the childminder does not share information about how parents can support their children's learning at home.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder knows the children and their families well and uses this information to plan meaningful learning experiences for children. For example, she knows what interests the children and invests in resources to support their attention, language skills and early mathematics. The childminder takes account of children's individual needs and circumstances and ensures that arrangements are effective for settling new children into the setting.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder reflects carefully on her practice and recognises there is scope for further improvement, such as better information-sharing about children's learning. She keeps up to date with mandatory training, which ensures children are safe and secure at her home. There is clear potential to develop her professional expertise even further.

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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 have formed close bonds with the childminder, and they happily access the provision provided. The childminder has the children at the heart of her planning. She plans activities around children's interests to support development and sustain their attention. For example, children enjoy working with their peers to match cards of their favourite characters. Children learn to work together to reach a shared goal. The childminder supports children to understand how to play with others. For example, during minor disagreements, the childminder sensitively reminds children to use their 'gentle hands'. The childminder has established a positive environment where children thrive from daily embedded routines. For example, children enjoy lining up to wash their hands for lunch and after toileting. Children learn and follow good hygiene routines.

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

Children have a positive attitude to learning. Children develop their smaller muscles well through spooning and pouring, using a variety of resources. When young children find it difficult to scoop, the childminder models how to succeed. Children show pride in their achievements after trying again. They are building their confidence and resilience to navigate future challenges. During the activity, children access an assortment of animals, tools and numerals. Children repeat words that are carefully planned by the childminder, building on their vocabulary. Children learn about changes in materials. For example, they explore the feel and texture of a messy play material, and the childminder models and talks about how the material changes from thick to thin when playing.

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

The childminder gathers information about children's care, likes and dislikes from parents before children attend. She uses this information to replicate children's home experiences into her provision, to support children to settle and initially provide consistency in care. However, the childminder has yet to establish ongoing effective partnership working with parents and any other settings children may attend. Consequently, there is no two-way flow

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About this setting

Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR of information about children's learning and development to help parents support their progress at home.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

establish an effective two-way flow of information with parents/carers and other providers where children may attend 18/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop partnerships with parents by providing information on how they can extend their children's learning at home as part of a consistent approach to learning. 18/03/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents 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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 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

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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