Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2778970 Registered with Ofsted: 18/03/2024 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 Strong standard

All children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, develop highly positive attitudes and make secure progress from their starting points. Even the youngest children show impressive persistence as they tackle new challenges and remain settled and content in their play. This growing confidence allows them to become increasingly secure in their own abilities. The youngest children demonstrate a natural curiosity, exploring their environment with ease. For example, they eagerly crawl towards books, showing excitement as they handle the pages and focus on the vibrant pictures.

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Achievement Strong standard

The childminder meticulously tracks children's progress through a well-sequenced curriculum, placing a sharp focus on communication and language to ensure every child builds the vocabulary and listening skills necessary to eventually articulate their ideas with clarity. Older children develop excellent communication and language skills, remaining highly engaged in learning for extended periods. They delight in listening to stories and enthusiastically join in with songs and actions. By collaborating and learning alongside their peers, they further enhance their social development and self-assurance. As a result, children successfully reach their developmental milestones across all areas. They are independent, motivated and very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder uses consistent routines and melody to signal daily transitions, creating a calm, purposeful environment. This predictable structure fosters a deep sense of security, ensuring children feel safe and behave exceptionally well. Attendance is monitored closely, with the childminder ensuring that routines support children's regular engagement in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Positive relationships are a hallmark of the setting. Through a persistent focus on sharing and turn-taking, children play harmoniously and show high levels of cooperation. The childminder's inclusive approach ensures that expectations for behaviour and routines are accessible to all. For example, using a specific song to signal nappy changes allows children to sit beautifully and wait their turn. This strategy reduces transition anxiety and helps even the youngest children develop impressive emotional regulation and self-control.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate highly positive attitudes to learning and a 'can-do' approach. The childminder uses frequent, meaningful praise to bolster self-esteem, encouraging children to persist with challenges and explore with curiosity. This is further evidenced by their development of healthy habits; children do not just imitate but understand the 'why' behind hygiene. They demonstrate the need to cover their mouths when coughing and follow independent self-care sequences, such as handwashing and using designated towels. This harmonious, song-led approach to the daily schedule ensures that children become socially aware, independent and confident communicators.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder maintains a vigilant and secure environment where children's safety is prioritised during play, sleep and mealtimes. Through consistent guidance, children develop a functional understanding of personal hygiene. They learn practical sequences, such as using tissues correctly and washing their hands before meals to stay healthy. By mastering these routines, children gain the confidence to manage their own hygiene needs, transforming these daily tasks into instinctive habits that foster genuine independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Healthy lifestyles are further promoted through well-planned snack routines where children are given autonomy in choosing which fruit they want. Drawing on the same professional training that informs her health and safety standards, the childminder encourages children to experiment with new tastes and make meaningful nutritional choices. This consistent application of professional insight ensures that healthy habits are woven into every aspect of the daily routine.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder establishes highly secure relationships that significantly bolster children's emotional wellbeing. She knows each child remarkably well, planning inclusive, engaging activities that promote physical health and allow every child to succeed. Activities are skilfully adapted to ensure full participation, fostering a sense of pride in achievement. Consequently, children are kind and considerate, frequently helping their friends and offering comfort to them when needed. This nurturing approach ensures children feel safe, valued and well prepared for their future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of child development. She monitors progress closely, identifies gaps swiftly and provides targeted support. By adapting her teaching and completing relevant training, she consistently enhances the children's learning experiences. High-quality interaction is a particular strength. The childminder consistently models language and narrates play. For example, during tidy-up time, she develops mathematical concepts by instructing children to place toys 'on top of', 'under', or 'inside' boxes while counting them back into storage.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children benefit from ample opportunities to learn outdoors, supporting their physical, language and social development. In addition to daily trips to the park, the weekly 'Wednesday Walk and Talk' encourages children to observe and comment on the world around them.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder fosters a love of literacy from a young age. She reads with enthusiasm, capturing the children's interest and encouraging them to repeat key words or link stories to their own lives. Consequently, by adapting her expectations to each child's starting point, she ensures all children make rapid progress toward the next stage of their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder maintains a secure and comprehensive understanding of how to provide an inclusive curriculum. Although there are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the setting, she demonstrates high levels of readiness to support children who may face barriers to their learning. She uses a continual cycle of assessing, planning and reviewing each child's progress, ensuring she can quickly identify any extra support needed and make timely referrals to external professionals.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses precise observation to monitor progress and identify learning gaps. Her high expectations ensure that all children, including those who may require future intervention, are well prepared for their next steps.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is committed to equality, understanding how to adapt her provision and use additional funding to remove barriers. Her practice celebrates diversity by incorporating family beliefs into daily activities and sharing books that reflect a range of heritages and cultures.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder maintains strong links with local authorities and health professionals. She proactively accesses targeted training to ensure her skills remain sharp and relevant to the changing needs of the children in her care. Through this proactive approach, the childminder ensures that all children receive the tailored support needed to make rapid, sustained progress in a respectful and welcoming environment.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is a highly reflective practitioner who consistently evaluates her provision to ensure the highest standards of care and education. By prioritising professional development, such as recent training in speech and language and nutrition, she implements targeted strategies that allow children to make excellent progress. An active member of the local childminding network, she stays current with sector changes and shares good practice to benefit the children and the wider community.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Through meticulous assessment of child engagement and a commitment to safety, she provides a stimulating, high-quality curriculum. Her dedication to ongoing learning directly impacts on the children's experiences, ensuring they remain safe, challenged and supported in their individual learning journeys.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Communication is a significant strength; parents describe the childminder as 'warm and nurturing', maintaining a 'home-from-home' environment where children form deep bonds and settle rapidly. Parents receive regular, high-quality updates, including daily photos, detailed menus and comprehensive reports for developmental milestones, such as the progress check at age 2. Parents are particularly appreciative of the childminder's 'above and beyond' approach, noting that she often checks in during evenings if a child has been unwell and provides professional documentation to share with GPs when necessary.

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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 flourish in this nurturing and inclusive childminding setting that parents describe as an extension from home. The childminder creates a calm, secure environment where every child feels deeply valued, enabling them to settle quickly and develop a sense of belonging. By building close, trusting relationships, the childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing, fostering a space where they cooperate well, show kindness and form genuine friendships. This social harmony allows children to feel safe and motivated to explore their surroundings with confidence.

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Inspector:

Natasha Wood The childminder has an expert understanding of each child's unique needs and interests, which she uses to plan purposeful, high-interest activities. By drawing on local experiences, such as visits to a farm, she creates a curriculum that is both relevant and engaging. Every activity is skilfully adapted to ensure that all children have full access to the curriculum. This inclusive approach ensures that every child, regardless of their ability, is supported to thrive and flourish.

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Inspector:

Communication and language are prioritised, with the childminder using talk, songs and stories to drive steady progress from each child's starting point. She skilfully incorporates gestures and visual clues to bridge gaps in understanding and grow vocabulary. For instance, during song time, she uses visuals to model mathematical concepts such as 'big' and 'round' while counting fingers. These well-planned interactions ensure that children become confident communicators with high self-esteem, providing them with the essential skills they need to achieve and secure the best start in life.

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Inspector:

The setting is underpinned by robust systems and oversight that ensure children remain safe and well cared for. The childminder monitors attendance closely and follows up on absences promptly, demonstrating a commitment to the children's welfare and consistent learning. Through familiar routines and clear expectations, children develop the independence and self-care skills necessary for their future education. By balancing a highly personalised curriculum with rigorous safety processes, the childminder ensures that all children make excellent progress and are well prepared for their next steps.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to access professional development opportunities to maintain her high standards and stay refreshed on evolving best practices, ensuring her practice remains aligned with current best practices for the benefit of the children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with parents, children and 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.

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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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