Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2757984 Registered with Ofsted: 15/12/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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

All children make sustained progress. They learn in a well-resourced, inclusive environment that supports all learners. Children develop their language and communication through interactive, repetitive and fun activities, including storytelling, discussions and sharing books. From the youngest age, children confidently use words to express their needs, ideas and feelings. Children retell favourite stories, demonstrating that learning has been retained over time. Children develop their small-movements skills through threading and mark making in cornflour. They climb, swing, dig in soil and mix potions in the garden. Children develop mathematical understanding through exploring nesting dolls and discussing the different sizes.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, thrive and make wonderful progress from their individual starting points. All children develop a love of learning and gain skills across the curriculum, which prepares them for their future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children thrive in a calm, organised setting where routines are familiar and behavioural expectations are applied consistently. The childminder creates a welcoming and supportive environment through warm interactions, clear daily routines for meals, naps and play and through well-managed transitions throughout the day. This helps children to understand boundaries and expectations, giving them a deep sense of security and belonging. As a result, children feel confident to participate in activities, develop independence and form positive relationships with the childminder and their friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are happy and settled in the warm, homely environment. They clearly enjoy the praise and encouragement they receive from the childminder, proudly sharing their achievements and responding positively to recognition. Trusting relationships have been built, and children are kind and caring towards one another. Older children naturally help younger children, such as helping them find their shoes before going outside to play. Children learn to play well together, take turns and share with their friends. Younger children, who find waiting difficult, are gently supported by the childminder to understand and manage their feelings while they wait for their turn. This helps children feel secure, valued and confident in their interactions with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder shares her expectations, including attendance arrangements, clearly with parents and carers. She works closely with families to help overcome any difficulties, building positive partnerships that support children to feel settled, follow familiar routines and get the most from the care and learning experiences on offer.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are cared for in a welcoming, caring environment where the childminder knows them well and understands their individual needs. She provides consistent emotional support, helping children to feel safe, valued and confident. As a result, children show resilience, independence and are able to fully engage in play and learning throughout the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Mealtimes are relaxed and sociable. Children take pride in helping to set the table and enjoy talking together about the healthy lunches they have brought from home. Healthy habits, such as regular handwashing and drinking water, are encouraged, supporting children's physical development and understanding of how to stay healthy. Children benefit from daily outdoor play, including trips to local parks, a zoo and forest school experiences, alongside other children from the local childminding community. These experiences help them to build physical skills, develop friendships and explore the world around them with curiosity and confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is attentive and responsive, offering reassurance and comfort when children need extra support, such as during settling-in periods or moments of emotional difficulty. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing, are supported in a thoughtful and individualised way so they can take part fully, feel included and grow in confidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children experience a well-designed curriculum, which is clearly sequenced and developed around their interests, what they know and what they need to learn next. The childminder is clear on what she intends children to learn, and is very creative in the way that she implements the curriculum each day.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Communication and language development are prioritised, and children hear the childminder model rich vocabulary, such as 'matryoshka doll'. She uses real objects and open-ended questions to enrich children's thinking. Children develop a love of books through their regular story sessions, and they enjoy retelling stories using appropriate and contextual language. Mathematical knowledge is embedded throughout the day. Children count beds, identify small, medium and large bowls and find numerals hidden in oats. Consequently, children develop secure mathematical understanding and apply number, quantity and measure meaningfully and in context. Children's physical development is supported daily in the garden and through regular visits to parks and forest school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children engage enthusiastically with stimulating activities, which captivate them, developing curiosity and confidence. For example, children explore play dough in the garden, pushing flowers into the dough and observing the print created. The childminder adapts her teaching effectively to support the individual needs of all children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning. She uses careful assessment to ensure that all children access the curriculum successfully. The childminder thoughtfully extends activities for children who are ready for further challenge. As a result, all children make excellent progress across all areas of learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder has created a highly-inclusive culture where all children are encouraged and feel comfortable to try new experiences. This level of confidence has enabled children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing, to make remarkable progress from their starting points. They express themselves freely and explore their environment confidently. The childminder knows children extremely well. She identifies barriers to children's learning swiftly through regular assessment and close partnerships with families. As a result, children's emerging needs are acted on early, helping to close any learning gaps.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children with SEND access the same high-quality curriculum as their friends. The childminder includes all children through well-planned, reasonable adjustments, such as specialist equipment, planned interventions and consistent support. As a result, children's independence, confidence and engagement increase rapidly. The childminder uses additional funding purposefully to provide targeted support to meet the needs of individual children. The childminder builds positive relationships with families, helping them to feel included in their children's development. This contributes to the positive experiences that children have at this setting.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership is caring and intentional, with a clear focus on enhancing experiences for every child, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is committed to high-quality care and education. Being involved in professional networks gives her opportunities to reflect on her practice, share ideas with others and help manage her workload effectively. Parents and carers are encouraged to share their views, and their feedback is valued and acted upon, helping to build solid working relationships. This positive approach supports consistent practice and positive experiences that help children flourish in their learning, development and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder attends training, webinars and professional events to keep her knowledge up to date, ensuring practice is informed by current guidance and good practice. Children benefit from a well-organised environment and consistent teaching approaches.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents are secure. Frequent communication and open discussions ensure that parents feel confident raising questions and working together to support their child's learning and development. This consistency between home and the setting contributes positively to children's progress, wellbeing and confidence.

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

Children are happy, settled and feel safe in this welcoming, home-from-home environment. They quickly build secure, trusting relationships with the childminder, which helps them feel comfortable exploring, playing and learning. Children are encouraged to make their own choices during play, helping them to develop independence, confidence and responsibility. For example, children enjoy making pretend recipes in the mud kitchen and serving their food to dolls for a tea party in the garden. These playful experiences support language development, imagination and early social skills as children play and learn together.

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

The childminder knows each child and their family extremely well. She listens carefully to children, responds with warmth and encouragement and shows genuine interest in what they say. As a result, children and their families feel valued and supported. Children confidently chat, ask questions, share ideas and enjoy talking with visitors. These positive interactions help children develop secure communication skills and build friendships. Children make significant progress from their starting points, especially in communication and language. For example, they enjoy retelling favourite stories and sharing their experiences by looking at photos of activities they have enjoyed during the week. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, are well supported through an inclusive curriculum, adapted resources and targeted next steps. This enables all children to participate fully alongside

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

their peers, preparing them for the next stage in their learning.

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

Play is purposeful, inclusive and fun. Children explore mark making using cornflour, act out stories, learn about size and number, enjoy water play, climbing and taking part in outdoor

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About this setting

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

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About this setting

Local authority: Hertfordshire adventures. The childminder extends children's learning by asking thoughtful questions, introducing new words and repeating children's language correctly. Daily routines also help children become more independent. Children help to tidy up, look after their belongings and practise self-care skills, such as setting the table, peeling fruit and using the toilet independently. These everyday experiences help children feel proud of what they can do and build confidence and resilience. The childminder promotes regular attendance so children feel confident and can continue growing and learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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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.

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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. 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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