Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2735653 Registered with Ofsted: 12/07/2023 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

Children are making excellent progress across all areas of learning. They show what they are learning and what they have remembered through their play. For example, children successfully name and match a range of animals. They use binoculars correctly to search for birds that are far away in the trees. Children show enhanced use of language as a result of the continuous approach to communication that they receive. Children expertly use a broad range of words to express their thoughts and ideas. They engage in meaningful discussions on a range of topics, demonstrating the wealth of words they have available.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are superbly well rounded. They are developing the skills and knowledge to support future success. This includes strong resilience and emotional wellbeing. Children are making rapid, consistent and sustained progress in their learning and development. Children who show signs of falling behind receive appropriate support where needed and consequently make excellent progress from their start points.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder sets consistently clear expectations. These are regularly spoken about and role modelled by the childminder. For example, children are regularly reminded that they must be supervised in the bathroom. The childminder further explains how this keeps them safe. This highly impactful teaching means that children develop a secure understanding and respect for rules and boundaries. Children demonstrate how they feel safe and secure with the childminder. Cuddles and words of affection are used in abundance. This helps children develop kindness and empathy that supports positive relationships with others, including skills in collaborating and working together. When children have minor outbursts, their developing use of emotional literacy means these are short-lived. This means that any interruptions to learning are brief, and children quickly return to their play and learning. The childminder is acutely aware of the individual needs and circumstances of individual children

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder has set very high expectations for attendance and punctuality. Parents call ahead of their sessions to advise the childminder that they are on their way. This allows the childminder to be well prepared and ready for their arrival. It also acts as a safety monitoring tool, triggering welfare checks if children fail to arrive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder is a champion for children and consistently prioritises their welfare and wellbeing. Children learn to recognise their uniquely assigned colours, which symbolise their personal possessions, such as beakers and towels. At sleep time, children snuggle into bed with their cosy duvets and teddy bears. Each one has been carefully embroidered using the child's personal colour. Nappy changing and intimate hygiene are highly personal experiences. Children who are learning to use the toilet are afforded the utmost respect and dignity. The childminder helps them to settle on the toilet, offering kind and gentle reassurance. She tells them repeatedly to take their time. Children are reminded often to hydrate. The childminder connects these routines with healthy discussions, including how water aids digestion and toileting. Children learn about personal safety, such as placing 2 feet on the steps as they walk down to the garden.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's relationships with the childminder are sublime. Children receive warm, caring love and nurture. They show immense kindness and empathy as a result of the excellent relationship they have with the childminder. They understand a range of emotions and apply these to their play and learning. The childminder expertly weaves what children learn about feelings and emotions through everyday opportunities. For example, they talk about how the toy animals are friends. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive highly responsive care that supports their varying needs and changing circumstances. Consequently, children thrive under her unwavering care and encouragement.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children approach learning and play in a wonderfully relaxed way. The childminder has an extensive knowledge of child development. She combines this with a strong and purposeful vision to create exceptionally deep and meaningful learning experiences. The childminder fully understands what children need to learn and has crafted a curriculum where joy is at the heart of all learning. She recognises that personal, social and emotional development is of the utmost importance in preparing children for the future. Children develop essential skills, such as independence and resilience. The curriculum includes opportunities for intentional physical development. Children develop fine and gross motor skills as they manipulate dough and roll balls.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses a tremendous amount of language. Children have endless chances to hear and respond to rich language. During mealtimes, children cut their snack and count the pieces. Learning experiences consistently build and consolidate children's knowledge. They practise skills such as using tweezers to build their confidence and skill. The childminder stretches children's understanding of the world considerably. Children learn about robins and space rockets. The childminder uses assessment well to check what children know and can do. She maintains a solid knowledge of what children need to learn next and shapes every experience to extend and grow what they know and can do. She adapts teaching where necessary to support children who have identified gaps or delays in their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a consistently robust understanding of how to identify children who may be falling behind. She uses regular, accurate and purposeful assessment to monitor children's progress and swiftly recognises emerging gaps in learning. Parents are actively and meaningfully involved in their children's learning, and early discussions help to recognise where children may need additional support. The childminder shares targeted, practical activities for children to engage with at home to help develop skills they find challenging. For example, she shares the benefits of using dough to strengthen hand muscles that the youngest children need for feeding themselves.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is highly ambitious for all children and is determined that all children in her care are able to make secure progress in their learning. When appropriate, the childminder uses additional funding effectively to enrich the experiences children have, providing them with even greater opportunities to flourish. The childminder shows a secure understanding of how to support children with achievable targets that support longer-term goals. This ensures that teaching is personalised and builds on what children already know and can do.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder engages in a broad range of professional development to strengthen her knowledge of special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works proactively with the local authority, seeking timely advice and professional guidance when needed. She is alert to early signs that children may need additional help and confidently draws on a wide range of external guidance and professional networks. For example, she implements specialist advice effectively when supporting children and families through challenging circumstances. As a result, she removes barriers to learning, tailors support with precision and ensures that all children, including those who need extra help, make consistently secure progress.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates consistently high standards in all aspects of her work. She has a clear and ambitious vision that places children's wellbeing, safety and development at the heart of all decision-making. This includes her commitment to statutory duties, including safeguarding and child protection policy and practice. The childminder has an accurate understanding of the strengths of her provision. She seeks and uses feedback from parents, alongside her ongoing assessments of children's progress, to ensure that her provision consistently meets children's needs. As a result, all children receive support that is responsive to their individual circumstances.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder works extremely well with external partners, such as the local authority, to strengthen her practice. She shares examples of her provision with the wider childminder network. Although this is at an early stage, it shows clear potential for further development. The childminder is tenacious and persistent in reflecting on and pursuing her own professional development. She attends weekly training and reads to consistently develop her knowledge and skills. As a result, professional learning is used extremely well to deepen the childminder's skills and sustain high-quality teaching. Where relevant, the childminder shares her learning with parents to promote consistency between home and the setting. For example, the childminder supports parents with children's toilet training and oral health following her own learning. Parents value this and comment that the enrichment she provides extends beyond the setting, supporting children's learning and wellbeing at home.

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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 clearly belong in an environment where they feel safe, welcomed and valued. The childminder provides warm, responsive interactions from the moment children arrive. Children run towards the childminder and respond with huge smiles and cuddles. The childminder establishes clear boundaries and explains safety rules. For example, children understand which areas they may access and those that are just for the childminder. This helps children understand the reasons behind rules, helping them feel secure. Children are encouraged to share ideas and ask questions as they play. For example, when making shapes with dough, the childminder encourages children to compare the heart and moon. This provokes thinking about how they see the moon at night and spotlights the positive attitudes and enjoyment children have towards their learning.

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

The childminder offers nurture and love in abundance, fostering strong emotional connections and positive relationships. Children, regardless of their circumstances, are supported to thrive through consistent routines, strong safeguarding practices and nurturing care. The childminder promotes children's wellbeing through nutritious meals, support for oral hygiene and calm, home-from-home sleep times. Children hear consistent praise and encouragement from the childminder. She uses mindfulness strategies, such as controlled breathing, to help children manage their emotions and develop patience. Children receive incredibly attentive care that enables children to flourish emotionally, socially and developmentally.

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

The childminder is incredibly ambitious in her vision. She believes that, 'Life is a complex, magical space, with many opportunities for children.' The commitment to a safe and secure environment lays the foundations for the childminder's vision to come to life. Children are eager and ready to learn. This is enabled through the childminder's meticulous assessment of children's start points and their engagement with highly thoughtful and personalised learning experiences. The childminder has accurately promoted the essential skills that prepare children for a highly successful future regardless of their background. Furthermore, parents describe the childminder as an 'additional grandparent', whose love and compassion stands out, and they can see that their children are flourishing. They feel valued and know that their contributions are welcomed. They commend the childminder's approach to attendance and understand the importance of preparing children for school and beyond.

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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 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 12 December 2025. Inspectors returned on 29 April 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.

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About this setting

Operating hours: 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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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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