Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY265335 Registered with Ofsted: 15/07/2003 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 Expected standard

The childminder establishes calm, predictable routines that help children feel safe, settled and ready to take part in daily experiences. Expectations for behaviour are clear and securely reinforced. Children respond well to guidance and show positive attitudes to play and interaction. The childminder models respectful language and good manners throughout the day, including at snack times and mealtimes, so children learn how to listen, respond and behave considerately towards others. She works closely with parents to support regular attendance and start times, helping children benefit from continuity and familiar daily structure.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes positive social development through warm relationships and secure attachments. Children are encouraged to take turns, share resources and cooperate in play. For example, during local community coffee morning sessions, children interact with other adults and children and practise greeting others, sharing space and using polite words. This supports growing self-control and engagement. Clear boundaries and gentle reminders help children understand what is expected.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder uses praise and encouragement to reinforce effort and participation, which builds children's confidence and motivation. Children are generally engaged and willing to try activities. However, the childminder's evaluation of how well behaviour strategies work across different situations is not yet fully systematic. This means small refinements to strengthen consistency, particularly when activities change or when children need additional support to sustain attention, are not always identified as quickly as they could be.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's welfare and wellbeing effectively through a safe, welcoming home environment where children are cared for attentively. She maintains secure hygiene routines and supports children to manage their personal care appropriately for their age, such as handwashing before meals and after outdoor play. The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles through nutritious meals and snacks, daily fresh air and regular physical activity. Children benefit from a secure approach that prioritises first-hand interaction and play.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing through warm, responsive relationships that help them feel secure and confident. She knows families well and works closely with parents to ensure continuity of care for children and their individual health needs. For example, she promotes good oral health by discussing children's diets with parents and reinforcing healthier choices at the setting, alongside positive role modelling at mealtimes. Children also benefit from frequent local outings that help them develop confidence in the wider community and enjoy active experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder makes thoughtful adjustments to help children who need additional support access the environment safely and comfortably. Children are supervised closely and have opportunities for rest and quiet time when needed. However, the childminder's evaluation of the impact of some wellbeing strategies is not yet fully systematic. This means that small

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Needs attention

refinements to strengthen consistency, particularly when children's needs change, are not always identified as quickly as they could be.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder is well organised and renews and updates the required training as appropriate. She identifies the strengths of her provision, such as the relationships she has with families. She understands the areas she wants to improve further, such as continuing with her professional development. She understands that focused professional development supports her knowledge and confidence to promote outcomes for children even further. The childminder is reflective in her practice and is keen to continue learning to provide the best experiences for children. Decisions are made with children's interests in mind and to support all children, particularly where they may have learning barriers or be otherwise disadvantaged. For instance, the childminder plans training to promote her understanding of special educational needs and /or disabilities, as she knows this may help support children with specific learning needs. However, she does not always evaluate the impact of training,

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

professional development or external advice on day-to-day practice. Improvement planning is not always precise about what will change, how impact will be checked, or when it will be reviewed, to ensure that improvements are embedded and sustained over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder knows families well and provides stable leadership as the main practitioner in the setting. She works closely with other professionals to help her provide support for children when needed.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children do not yet achieve as well as they could because their development is not always assessed precisely enough to identify what they need to learn next. As a result, activities are not consistently planned to build on children's individual starting points, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. When children begin to make slower progress, support is not always adapted quickly or sharply enough to help them catch up. Consequently, some children do not develop their knowledge and skills in some areas as securely as they could. Children are not consistently able to build on what they already know and can do. Their knowledge and skills do not build securely or consistently across all areas of learning, and some children are not as well prepared for their next stage of learning as they could be.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children enjoy their time at the setting and take part positively in play, conversation and first- hand experiences. They build confidence through warm interactions and individual support, which helps them join in with activities. For example, children develop vocabulary and understanding during regular community outings, such as bus journeys and visits to local shops and parks, where they hear new words.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder's curriculum is not yet planned and delivered well enough to reflect children's individual learning needs, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. While she offers a suitable range of activities and experiences, the childminder does not always pinpoint the key knowledge and skills children need to gain next or shape teaching closely enough around these. As a result, learning steps are sometimes unclear and teaching does not build carefully on what children already know and can do.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder adapts resources, provides individual help when needed and follows advice from external professionals. However, teaching approaches are not always adjusted when children's learning levels change, and planned experiences do not always have a clear learning purpose. Professional development has increased her knowledge, but this is not yet reflected clearly in day-to-day curriculum decisions, which reduces the impact on children's progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder provides varied first-hand learning opportunities through play, outings and conversation. She places strong emphasis on interaction and avoids screen-based activities so children learn through talk, stories and practical experiences. For example, she uses turn-taking counting games, where children and the adult alternate numbers in sequence to build early number knowledge alongside listening and communication skills. This helps children stay involved and practise key skills during shared activities.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder does not yet use assessment information precisely enough to shape learning that is closely matched to what children need to learn next. Although she observes children and checks their progress, this information is not used well enough to plan sharply focused next-step experiences or to provide targeted teaching. This slows how quickly gaps in learning are reduced, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder provides attentive one-to-one support and makes practical adjustments to improve access and participation. However, the childminder's review of support strategies and their impact is informal. Training related to special educational needs and inclusion has not yet been fully embedded into day-to-day curriculum planning. As a result, inclusive intentions are not always supported by clear planning and review that improve outcomes for children.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The childminder promotes an inclusive environment and knows children and their families well. She gathers detailed starting information and adapts routines, resources and support so children can take part. She works with external professionals to support children with additional needs and follows specialist advice. For example, she prepares personalised small-world resources and themed books based on children's interests to encourage interaction and early communication. This helps children engage and feel secure.

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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

The childminder provides a warm, familiar and nurturing environment where children form close attachments and grow in confidence through caring interaction and daily routines. Children are welcomed positively and settle into familiar patterns of play, care and outdoor experiences. They enjoy regular outings and fresh air, which support their wellbeing, social awareness and physical development. The childminder knows children and their families well and works with other professionals when extra help is needed. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive caring individual support and adapted

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Inspectors:

resources so they can take part. For example, personalised small-world toys and themed books linked to children's interests are used to encourage engagement and early communication.

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Inspectors:

The childminder notices when children's progress slows. However, what she knows about children's development is not always used precisely enough to shape what they learn next. Some activities are too general, including those provided outdoors, so learning does not always match children's needs and progress varies. The childminder keeps children safe and promotes healthy lifestyles through outdoor play, providing healthy food and suitable hygiene routines. Children behave well and develop independence. Reflection takes place, but improvement checks are not organised well enough to strengthen the childminder's teaching and children's learning over time.

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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

assess children's development accurately and use this information to plan activities to match what children need to learn next 12/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

plan and deliver a curriculum that is well matched to children's individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities 12/05/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents 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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About this inspection

The inspection started on 29 January 2026. Inspectors returned on 5 May 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Rizwana Nagoor Tracey Murphy

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 19:00

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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

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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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