Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2781772 Registered with Ofsted: 16/05/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder's teaching of the expectations and rules in her home are fully embedded. She skilfully supports children to respect each others boundaries. For example, she makes sure they give each other enough space to play. The childminder carefully anticipates challenges for individual children. This includes creating opportunities for toddlers to share and wait their turn. The childminder consistently perseveres when teaching key messages about empathy and patience. This includes for children with gaps in their learning, who understand the childminder's clear instructions. This helps all children learn a clear understanding of right and wrong.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder's teaching of self-care and independence is excellent. For example, she consistently reminds children to be safe and healthy. Children listen well as they dress themselves, wash their hands and tidy up. They learn to be highly considerate of one another and their environment. The childminder encourages children to be sensitive, for example, she explains to older toddlers that younger children are learning. Children learn to be positive role models. Children demonstrate high levels of self-confidence and show pride in themselves when they complete tasks independently. The childminder's teaching of emotions and the impact of children's actions on others is fully embedded. She takes opportunities to teach these skills at all times of the day, including during meal times. Children's positive behaviours are fully embedded in preparation for their future lives.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children access a curriculum that is sequenced, broad and interesting. They show enthusiasm to learn as they explore activities that they feel excited about. For example, children who love playing with animals have plenty of opportunities to spend time creating stories and learning about them.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy a range of opportunities to develop good physical skills. For example, they go on walks to the park and local river, and spend time at home moving to music. Children enjoy talking about their experiences and can recall what they have learnt. Children typically make progress towards essential milestones in their development. The experiences children have help them to feel confident and want to achieve. For example, they make choices about what they want to play with and develop social skills as they play with their friends. This includes children with gaps in their learning and wellbeing. Children are well prepared for the next stages in their learning, such as starting school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder creates a welcoming atmosphere for all children. She supports children to feel confident, giving them gentle encouragement to join in. For example, when children feel embarrassed the childminder shows them that it is okay to get things wrong. Children learn to participate. They feel emotionally secure and safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder teaches children about the importance of nutrition. She provides healthy home cooked foods and talks to children about what makes them strong. All children develop positive eating habits to prepare for their future lives. The childminder creates opportunities for children to spend plenty of time outside in the fresh air. She uses these opportunities for children to learn about personal safety. The childminder adapts her policies to consider the changes circumstances of children. The childminder considers the needs of all children, including those with gaps in their wellbeing. She typically adapts her routines to support these children so that they are increasingly able to manage their personal needs. This helps promote children's welfare.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder aims to support children to gain age-appropriate skills across all areas of learning. The childminder typically teaches these skills well. For example, she teaches children words such as 'bigger' and 'smaller than' to promote children's mathematical development. Children gain an understanding of mathematical words and their meanings. They begin to use these in their play. The childminder helps children to solve problems and they develop curiosity in their learning. The childminder helps children to develop physical skills. For example, she teaches children to use a range of tools such as cutlery, musical instruments and building blocks. This helps children to gain the strength and coordination they need for the future.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder typically teaches language skills well. For example, she thinks about the words she wants children to learn and uses these in her interactions with them. However, the childminder does not yet place a consistently strong focus on developing children's speaking skills. For example, the childminder's strategies to repeat and reinforce new vocabulary to children with gaps in their learning are not yet fully embedded. At times, some children do not hear words often enough to be able to use them in their play. Opportunities for all children to excel in their language development are not embedded.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works with parents to identify children's needs. She demonstrates an understanding of partnership working to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, where appropriate. The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language. She works with families to understand how these children are progressing in their home language. This helps her to identify when children are making appropriate progress for their age.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The support the childminder gives to children with gaps in their development typically reduces barriers to learning. She routinely assesses what children can do and uses this to plan a range of well sequenced learning opportunities that build towards children's goals. The childminder generally supports children with barriers to their learning to make progress. For example, she helps children with English as an additional language to listen and understand well. However, her knowledge of strategies to help these children to develop speaking skills is limited. Her teaching of speaking skills does not yet consistently promote children's verbal communication skills. For example, the childminder does not always reinforce key vocabulary or help children to focus on pronouncing words. The adaptations she makes in her teaching for children with English as an additional language do not yet make a sustained difference to the learning outcomes of these children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her practice. She attends professional development opportunities to help her to develop her knowledge and skills. The childminder considers how to make improvements to her provision. She works with other childcare professionals to evaluate the effectiveness of her policies and procedures. The childminder adapts her procedures to respond to the changing needs of children. For example, she works with parents to support children during the morning routines when they have difficulty settling-in.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents to build trusting relationships. This helps her to get to know children to carry out her role successfully. The childminder engages with parents to help to develop her practice. However, she does not consistently ensure that her engagement with parents is closely linked to children's needs. This limits how she is able to use parent feedback to drive the improvement of her practice for all children.

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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 feel relaxed and happy in the childminder's home. They enjoy playing alongside each other as use their imagination to solve problems. For example, children create houses using blocks and think about how to make them bigger and more complex. The childminder adapts activities to follow the lead of children. For example, she introduces characters to help children to bring their creations to life. Children benefit from well planned activities and make progress towards their goals. The childminder provides sensitive support when children lack the confidence they need to join in with others. This helps children with gaps in their learning, including those who speak English as an additional language, to build social skills in preparation for their future education.

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

Children develop trusting relationships with the childminder. The childminder is sensitive to children's emotions and gives them guidance and reassurance. For example, when toddlers feel tired or overwhelmed, she gives them nurturing support. Children feel emotionally secure and safe, and they develop a strong sense of belonging. They benefit from the childminder getting to know them and their families well, including their likes and dislikes. Children engage in enriching opportunities which are closely linked to their individual interests. For instance, they learn through their favourite topics such as cooking and animals. The childminder considers children's attendance when planning her curriculum. This includes how she adapts her routines to support children emotionally. For example, she makes arrangements for children to start earlier if they take longer to settle. This has a positive impact on children's wellbeing and emotionally security. Children demonstrate high

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

levels of independence at an early age. They enjoy routines that support them to build on self-care skills in a structured way. Toddlers listen and follow the instructions of the childminder intently. Their ability to understand and follow the rules that help them to keep safe and healthy is impressive.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,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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Next steps

The childminder should explore a wider range of strategies to be able to adapt her teaching to help children with gaps in their learning excel in their development. The childminder should develop further how she embeds her interactions at all times in the day to enable children to express themselves in the most ambitious ways. The childminder should further develop how she uses feedback from parents to improve the learning experiences of all children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with 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 This data is from 13 May 2026

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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

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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