Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 104889 Registered with Ofsted: 04/12/1998 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 Expected standard

Children leave the childminder's care well prepared for their next stage of learning. They are confident and independent because the childminder allows children to spend time exploring and perfecting self-care routines, such as putting on coats and shoes and wiping their nose.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's communication and language skills are developing. Young children mimic the sounds that farm animals make, and older children pronounce their names correctly.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children have a positive attitude to their learning and are keen to join in all activities and routines. As well as this enthusiasm, children follow the required routines of the day. They have a good understanding of expected behaviours, such as taking turns, helping to tidy away and making sure the environment is safe for themselves and others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works closely with families to promote punctuality and regular attendance. She understands how this consistency not only supports children's learning, but also prepares them and their families for the routines that they will have to follow at school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children cooperate well in play and develop close relationships with their peers. The atmosphere is generally harmonious, with older children supporting their younger friends in tasks, such as helping them tidy up, handing out water bottles and completing puzzles. The childminder contributes to this by providing praise and being a good role model herself, which are behaviours that promote a close and nurturing bond between her and the children in her care.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children to understand her expectations for their behaviour. When young children sometimes struggle adhering to them, she is consistent in the strategies she uses. As a result, all children, including those who are new to the setting, are beginning to learn that they must treat toys and books with respect and take turns in activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder identifies areas of focus in her curriculum that are based on preparing children for their next stage of learning. For example, she understands the need for children to feel confident in social situations and provides group play opportunities in her home and at structured playgroups within the community.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder focuses her teaching on what children know and need to learn next. For example, children count out stickers in a craft activity. Once they can do this confidently, the childminder encourages them to compare sizes and discuss shapes. She understands how this sequencing provides children with confidence and a positive attitude to their future learning.

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Needs attention

Children have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills during walks and trips to local parks. They have continuous access to a safe garden area where they can explore a vast array of age-appropriate climbing and play equipment.

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Needs attention

The childminder extends children's vocabulary during play by adding descriptive language. For example, when children explore festive objects in a craft activity, she encourages them to identify that the candy canes are 'stripy' and stars 'glittery'. However, she is sometimes too quick to respond to children's needs, such as passing them objects without encouraging them to verbalise their requests.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with families from the start. This allows her to identify any potential barriers to children's learning and take swift action to minimise them. For example, she works with parents to mirror routines from home in order to support children to settle. Furthermore, the childminder provides advice and support to families in order to promote a collaborative approach to supporting children's needs. She continuously monitors the impact that her actions have on children's progress and provides focused support based on her observations. For example, the childminder creates small-group activities in her home before introducing new children to larger social activities within the community.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder establishes links with other services and professionals. She understands how close working partnerships will provide both her and families with additional support and ideas to promote children's learning and enable them to make appropriate progress from their starting points.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

There are occasions when the childminder has previously left children, for short periods of time, with a suitable household member who does not hold a first-aid certificate. This does not fully promote children's wellbeing. Children are learning to develop healthy routines and identify risks independently. They enjoy daily trips out to parks where they enjoy fresh air and physical play while also learning how to manage hazards, such as crossing roads and using play equipment.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

All children demonstrate close attachments to the nurturing childminder. They seek her out for comfort and delight at the praise she offers. For example, babies who are new to the setting are soothed by the childminder's presence and are reassured by her affection and support.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder supports children to recognise their emotions and those of their friends. She encourages them to explore the impact their behaviour, such as not sharing toys, has on how they feel and the emotions of their friends. This teaching encourages children to develop emotional fluency and empathy for others. The childminder ensures that all routines are safe for all ages of children who attend. Children enjoy sociable mealtimes under the watchful eye of their attentive childminder, who supports their understanding of appropriate behaviours. For example, children remain sitting at the table until they have finished eating and understand that this is to keep them safe.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has, on occasion, previously left children with a suitable household member who does not hold a first-aid certificate. Additionally, this individual is not known to Ofsted as an assistant, and this is a breach to the requirements of registration. This does not fully promote children's wellbeing, learning or development.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is able to determine areas of strength within her practice. For example, the childminder identifies how she has successfully supported older children to become independent and confident. She has clear strategies in place to further promote these skills in children who are new to the setting. The childminder understands how these skills are essential for children's future learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder considers the needs of individual children when exploring and adapting the organisation and structure of her practice. For example, she considers how best to allocate funding to promote attendance and provide consistency of care and learning for children.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder is focused on further developing the communication and language skills of her current cohort of children. The strategies she is using, such as role modelling language and providing narrative throughout the day, mean children are able to practise these skills. However, the childminder does not always consider how enhancing her own knowledge and skills will provide her with additional strategies to further support her teaching.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not 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 has previously, on occasion, left children with a suitable household member who does not hold a first-aid certificate. Additionally, this individual is not known to Ofsted as an assistant, and this is a breach to the requirements of registration. This does not fully promote children's wellbeing, learning or development. The childminder recognises how to rectify this, and this minimises the impact to children.

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

Children enjoy exploring this homely and safe learning environment with their nurturing and attentive childminder who supports them well. They arrive happy and excited about the day ahead, chatting to the childminder about the activities they hope to explore. Children settle swiftly into the routines of the setting. They access the wide range of resources provided by the childminder, who considers their varied interests and individual learning needs. For example, children explore books independently, and with the childminder, that are based on their current fascination with farm animals. The childminder encourages children to match the pictures with models of animals and chat about their features, developing their communication and language skills.

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

Children develop essential skills required for their next stage of learning. They cooperate well during play, demonstrate perseverance and are able to maintain focus for short periods of time. For example, children take turns well when completing puzzles. They show resilience when faced with tricky pieces, completing the task with encouragement and praise from the childminder and their peers.

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

The childminder promotes collaborative relationships with families from the start. Parents comment on the strong communication they receive about children's care and learning and how the childminder shares information about her setting. This level of communication ensures every effort is made to support children who are new to her care to settle well. The childminder promotes good attendance and punctuality. She considers each family's

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 104889 routines and needs when organising her practice, yet ensures that children's needs remain a 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

ensure that any person caring for children has completed the relevant training and can fulfil their roles in line with the requirements of the early years foundation stage statutory framework 30/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that anyone left in sole charge of children holds a current paediatric first-aid certificate. 30/04/2026

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About this inspection

The inspection started on 10 December 2025. Inspectors met with the provider on 24 February 2026 and held a telephone call on 1 April 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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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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