Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY536095 Registered with Ofsted: 21/10/2016 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and consistently follow the childminder's clear expectations and routines. They show good levels of motivation and are keen to take part in activities. For example, they independently decorate their treasure bags, sharing resources such as pens and working cooperatively alongside one another.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Older children demonstrate kindness and consideration towards younger children. For instance, when pushing a doll's buggy, children carefully move around babies without needing adult prompting. The childminder notices this positive behaviour and offers praise, reinforcing children's understanding of being kind and respectful.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are given time and encouragement to make their own choices, which helps to build their confidence and independence. Younger children select activities they enjoy, such as choosing ride-on toys outside, and are supported to make decisions, including selecting the colour toy they would like to use. This approach encourages them to play alongside each other and develop positive interactions with each other.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder recognises the importance of regular attendance and generally works with parents and carers to support this. For example, the childminder offers flexible sessions so that children can go to their own activities outside of the setting and can attend settling-in sessions for school as children prepare to move on to the next stage of their education.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children develop a secure sense of belonging and form secure attachments with the childminder. Children new to the setting settle quickly as effective settling-in sessions help them feel safe and adjust to routines, with flexibility to meet their individual needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder responds sensitively to children's care needs. For example, she recognises when babies are tired or hungry and supports them with patience, such as allowing them the time they need to settle to sleep. She understands the importance of safe sleeping and checks on sleeping children regularly. Good hygiene is promoted through daily routines, including songs about handwashing, which help children remember expectations and develop independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder encourages healthy lifestyles through a variety of experiences. She introduces children to different fruits at snack time, while babies explore new tastes and textures. The childminder works in partnership with parents by sharing what children try and offering ideas to continue healthy habits at home. Mealtimes are social occasions where children learn to wait, take turns and interact positively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Typically, the childminder supports children's understanding of self-care, such as teaching the importance of brushing teeth through modelling and practical activities. Children benefit from regular physical activity, including walks and visits to local play areas, which supports their overall health and wellbeing.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children are making some progress from where they started. However, the childminder has not put in place a strong enough curriculum that clearly meets each child's individual needs. At times, gaps in children's learning are not identified early enough, which means they do not always get the support they need straight away. This has an impact on their overall development, particularly in communication and language, where children are not consistently making the progress they should. The children are not given enough opportunities to develop their vocabulary, as the childminder misses opportunities to extend this area through their interactions. As a result, some children are not making the progress they need to help them be ready for their next stage of their education.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children do, however, develop their independence and physical skills. Babies learn to walk and hold themselves up with increasing confidence, and older children confidently zip up their coats by themselves as they prepare to go outside.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder shows a clear awareness of how children grow and develop, as well as what they need to learn before starting school. The childminder prioritises developing children's physical and personal, social and emotional skills, and these are supported effectively. However, the planning and delivery of the curriculum is not always consistent and taught well enough. In particular, the curriculum and teaching for children's communication and language development is not given enough focus through carefully planned activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Although children enjoy the environment and take part in a range of activities both indoors and outdoors, much of their learning, especially in communication and language and mathematics, happens incidentally rather than through purposeful teaching. The childminder understands the next steps in children's learning, but activities are not always planned in a way that targets these areas effectively, which impacts those who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known (or previously known) to children's social care and/or those who face other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder ensures babies' physical development needs are met. Babies are given the opportunity to practise pulling themselves up from the floor by having a range of resources to support them to be steady on their feet as they take their first steps. They are supported to climb up the slide and practise walking with their push-along toys.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder understands what older children need to achieve next, but this is not always used effectively when planning activities. While she can identify gaps in children's learning, particularly in speech and language, this does not consistently lead to planned opportunities that support children to make the progress they need. As a result, some children are not fully supported to develop their communication skills. The childminder does complete the required progress check at age 2. When she has concerns about a child's development, she shares this information with parents and encourages them to seek further support from other professionals, such as health visitors or speech and language therapists. This shows that she understands the importance of working with others to support children's development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Through discussion, the childminder is able to explain how she would adapt activities to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, these intentions are not always put into practice. Moving forward, the childminder needs to ensure that she uses what she knows about children's next steps to plan more effectively so that all children are supported to make consistent and positive progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has a broad understanding of the strengths and challenges within her provision. However, this awareness does not consistently translate into targeted professional development to enhance her teaching practice, and it is not sharply focused on the specific priorities of the children attending. She works closely with parents, sharing daily updates through an online portal and providing ideas for continuing learning at home. At the outset, she gathers useful information from parents to build an understanding of children's backgrounds and individual circumstances. She also liaises with external professionals when children require additional support, although the impact of this input remains limited due to a lack of consistent follow-up once professional involvement ends.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of the statutory requirements needed to keep children safe and ensures these are in place. She works in partnership with her co- childminder, and together they create a positive and supportive environment for children. They collaborate well throughout the day, organising activities and meeting children's care needs efficiently, ensuring that children are well cared for and supported in their daily experiences.

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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 does not consistently plan and deliver an ambitious curriculum, particularly in relation to communication and language. While children make some progress from their starting points, there is a lack of clear intent for what children need to learn in this area. As a result, interactions between the childminder and children do not always effectively support or extend children's language development. Opportunities to build vocabulary and encourage meaningful conversations are sometimes missed. This means that some children, especially those who may already face barriers to learning and/or may have special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not make the expected progress they need in communication and language before moving on to school.

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

The childminder does, however, support children to lead a healthy lifestyle. Children enjoy spending time outdoors and develop good physical skills. They are encouraged to build their independence, for example by learning to use the toilet and putting on their own outdoor clothing. During snack times, children confidently cut up their own fruit and enjoy the healthy options provided.

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

Professional development is not yet sharply focused on improving teaching. However, the childminder shows a clear awareness of the areas that require improvement and demonstrates a positive attitude towards making changes to raise the quality of care and education.

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

Children form warm relationships with the childminder and with each other. They settle well and show kindness and consideration, particularly when older children play alongside

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About this setting

younger ones. Behaviour is positive, and children share resources and create their own games together.

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About this setting

Overall, children feel secure in the environment and are developing some of the necessary skills needed for the next stage in their education, although progress in communication and language remains an area for further focus.

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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

implement a focused professional development plan that is directly informed by the needs of the children attending, identifying specific areas for improvement in teaching practice 30/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop the communication and language curriculum using accurate assessments of children's starting points, ensuring planning identifies clear, specific next steps for each child 30/06/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the quality and consistency of teaching across all areas of the curriculum by planning purposeful activities with clear learning intentions 01/07/2026

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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. Unique reference number (URN): EY536095

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About this inspection

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

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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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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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