Alcidas, Bianca

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2840871 Registered with Ofsted: 11/06/2025 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 make suitable progress from their starting points. Young children develop increasing confidence in exploring toys, joining activities and interacting with others. They develop communication and language skills through regular chats, repetition and sensory play experiences. Children begin to use simple words and respond to familiar vocabulary. They develop early social skills, such as taking turns and playing alongside others.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their small muscles and control as they handle objects, use paintbrushes and sprinkle rice. They build strength and coordination as they join in with music and movement activities. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities enjoy learning and participate fully in the setting. Children make progress in confidence, communication and social skills, developing the knowledge and skills that support their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes a calm and nurturing environment where children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, show they feel secure. Relationships between the childminder and children are warm and caring. Children seek comfort and reassurance confidently and respond positively to the childminder's praise and encouragement. The childminder helps children begin to understand their feelings and behaviour through simple explanations and guidance. She responds sensitively when children become upset and supports them to settle quickly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has appropriate expectations for all children's behaviour that reflect their ages and stages of development and individual needs. Children are gently supported to learn simple routines, including sharing toys, taking turns and using polite manners. The childminder plans activities based around children's interests, supporting them to develop positive attitudes to learning. Children are keen to join in and show enjoyment in their play. They remain engaged in activities for extended periods.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works positively with parents and carers to establish routines around attendance, healthy eating, the use of dummies and sleep. She encourages punctuality and maintains regular communication with families when children are absent or unwell.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Warm relationships and attentive care practices are established. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive thoughtful support that helps them participate confidently in daily experiences. The childminder provides a safe and welcoming environment where children form attachments and feel emotionally secure. She responds quickly to children's care needs and adapts routines appropriately to support their comfort and wellbeing. Parents trust the childminder and are grateful for the affection she shows to children. The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles through nutritious snacks and advice to parents about healthy lunch boxes and sleep routines. She encourages regular physical exercise through dance and outdoor play, for instance. Hygiene practices are implemented appropriately. For example, the childminder cleans resources regularly and supports handwashing routines. She helps children develop independence in managing their

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

personal needs. The childminder encourages children to feed themselves and remains vigilant about potential choking hazards during snack times.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder is alert to potential risks to children. For example, when using communal areas for outdoor play, she ensures they are suitable. Additionally, she teaches children why it is important to wear high-visibility jackets and stay within a designated area. Inside, she teaches children to sit carefully on chairs and talks to them about the dangers of climbing. This helps children start to understand about keeping themselves safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Planned activities reflect each child's interests and stage of development on the whole. The childminder uses observations to identify suitable next steps in learning for each child. Overall, she provides an appropriate curriculum for children that focuses on key areas of learning. However, she does not consistently plan activities that match how young children learn. For example, she points to posters and asks young children to name objects, such as fruit. As a result, children miss the chance to make links to real-life context or experiences and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of developing children's speech, and they hear repeated vocabulary through play, songs, books and daily routines. Babies understand that dummies are only for nap time and when upset.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder teaches social skills and independence through routines. Children say 'thank you' and learn to feed themselves, for instance. The childminder names emotions and offers comfort to help children begin to understand their feelings. The childminder introduces simple mathematical language, such as shape names and positional words, during play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides music to enable children to move and freely express themselves. This supports their physical development and imagination. Outdoor play helps children develop their large muscles and engage in exercise.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates a welcoming and inclusive environment where children and families feel valued. She gathers detailed information from parents and carers when children start, including about home languages, routines, interests and individual needs. This generally helps children settle securely and helps the childminder plan activities that support individual next steps in learning and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder identifies emerging needs appropriately and works closely with parents to help children access learning experiences successfully. She demonstrates a positive commitment to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she researches information to support families and teaches independence skills in smaller steps, where needed. Parents speak positively about the childminder's caring and accepting approach.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's development through observations and regular discussions with parents. She uses this information to review support and plan suitable next steps in learning. The childminder builds links with local authority advisers and other professionals to strengthen her knowledge further. She reflects thoughtfully on how to continue developing her inclusive practice as her provision grows.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides a caring and inclusive environment for children and families. She generally understands the strengths of her provision and reflects on areas she wishes to develop further. She has appropriate ambitions for children's care, learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder engages positively in professional learning. She has completed safeguarding training and additional courses linked to safe sleeping and supporting children kindly. She demonstrates an interest in developing her knowledge further, particularly in relation to special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has undertaken training around the early years foundation stage and child development. However, she does not consistently plan activities that match how young children learn and deepen their understanding.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are positive and supportive. Parents value the childminder's regular communication and advice, for example, to help minimise the use of dummies. She shares information with parents about how dummies can impact speech development. The childminder has started to build links with local schools and meets with other childminders to share ideas to strengthen her practice.

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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 are welcomed into a warm and caring home environment, where they quickly build trusting relationships with the childminder. Young children settle with reassurance, cuddles and familiar activities, such as sharing books or exploring sensory play. Children develop confidence because the childminder knows their routines, interests and care needs well. She uses this information to help develop children as special and unique individuals. The childminder supports children to develop their social skills. She encourages children to play together and share toys.

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

Parents and carers feel welcomed, valued and included in their children's care and learning. They value the nurturing support their children receive and describe the childminder as caring, approachable and inclusive. The childminder promotes regular attendance and punctuality. Parents communicate well with her when children are absent or unwell.

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

Children enjoy learning through play and hands-on experiences. They eagerly return to activities, such as scooping and pouring rice, exploring objects and joining musical and dancing activities. The childminder supports children's communication and language development through regular conversations and repetition of familiar words. She names objects, colours and animals during play and daily routines. The childminder gathers information from parents about what children already know and can do. She uses this information, alongside her observations of children's interests and development, to plan suitable next steps. This helps children make progress and develop skills needed for their next stage in education.

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

Children are supported to develop healthy routines and increasing independence. The childminder promotes healthy eating, hygiene and regular outdoor play. Children are safe and secure because the childminder remains vigilant about risks, including choking hazards.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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. The childminder responds quickly to children's care and emotional needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are welcomed and supported sensitively.

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Next steps

The childminder should further develop her knowledge of how young children learn. The childminder should provide more opportunities for children to learn about the world around them.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents, carers 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. This data is from 7 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

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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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