Guest, Beth

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2756899 Registered with Ofsted: 15/01/2024 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 Expected standard

Children make appropriate progress from their starting points. Children who are initially less confident are supported to develop confidence and participate more fully in activities and interactions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop independence and physical skills over time, including increasing confidence in using equipment and exploring their environment. They also develop communication and language skills, such as naming objects, responding to questions and using emerging vocabulary during play. These skills support children's readiness for their next stage of learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Partnership with parents supports children's progress. The childminder shares strategies that promote consistency between home and the setting. This contributes to improvements in children's development and wellbeing, including aspects of daily routines.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children develop the key skills they need to continue their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children to behave appropriately for their age and stage of development. She provides clear and consistent expectations and uses positive interactions to guide behaviour. For example, she encourages children to help tidy away resources and acknowledges their efforts to help them to understand expectations and develop a sense of responsibility.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop positive attitudes to learning. They engage in activities with interest, show curiosity and interact with others, sharing resources and playing alongside their peers. This supports the development of social skills and cooperation.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Routines are established and adapted to meet children's needs. Children follow familiar routines, such as handwashing and snack times, while flexibility is provided for those not yet ready to participate. This nurtures children's sense of security and inclusion.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's attendance using an electronic system, which she also uses to communicate with parents and share information about children's experiences. She records when children arrive and leave, and keeps track of attendance patterns. This supports her awareness of children's attendance and engagement with the provision.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children are supported to develop an understanding of boundaries through consistent approaches. These are continuing to develop for all children.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear intent for children to develop confidence, independence and social skills. She plans experiences based on children's interests and provides opportunities for them to explore and develop skills through play. Activities are designed to support a range of areas of learning, including communication and language, physical development and early mathematical understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's language development through her interactions. She introduces descriptive words as children explore materials, such as commenting on textures and actions, and encourages children to name objects and express their ideas. She responds to children's communication and builds on this through conversations, which supports the development of vocabulary and confidence in speaking.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematical learning is supported through everyday play experiences. Children explore concepts such as counting, filling and emptying containers, recognising patterns and understanding size and quantity as they engage in activities. These experiences help children to develop early mathematical understanding in a practical and meaningful way.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder uses her knowledge of children to adapt her teaching. She recognises children's next steps in learning and supports their development at their own pace. There is scope to develop how children's next steps are built upon across the 2 sites used by the childminder.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment, where children's individual needs are identified and supported. She uses ongoing observation to recognise emerging concerns and monitors children's development over time. The childminder works in partnership with parents to share information and promote consistency between home and the setting. Less- confident children are supported sensitively and engage more readily in activities and interactions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder adapts her provision to reduce barriers to participation. Activities are planned to be accessible across a range of different ages and stages of development, allowing children to engage in ways that reflect their uniqueness. For example, children explore materials in different ways depending on and building upon their current abilities, supporting inclusive participation.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder has experience of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and understands how to adapt her provision to meet differing needs. She identifies when children may require additional support and demonstrates an understanding of working with parents and, where appropriate, other professionals to support children's development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides guidance to parents that supports children's development and wellbeing, helping to promote consistent approaches.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not ensure that the care children receive on domestic premises is organised well enough to consistently meet their needs. Arrangements for supervision and the organisation of the home environment do not fully support children's welfare, when care takes place there. As a result, children's wellbeing is not consistently assured in the domestic setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder mostly operates from non-domestic premises. These are well organised and children enjoy a wide range of learning experiences. They benefit from a caring and nurturing environment, where their individual needs are considered. The childminder adapts routines, including those for eating, rest and personal care, to reflect children's differing needs and stages of development. This supports inclusive welfare and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children form secure attachments and seek reassurance when needed. They are confident to explore their environment and return to the childminder for comfort, which supports their emotional wellbeing and sense of security. The childminder supports children to develop independence in managing their own needs, such as accessing water, washing hands and participating in care routines. This helps children to develop an understanding of their own health and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder works in partnership with parents to ensure consistency in care routines, which contributes positively to children's overall wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has not considered all the measures needed to ensure that children's care and wellbeing are consistently maintained, when working from her home. As a result, leadership and oversight are not fully effective in this part of the provision, and children's experiences are not consistently assured when care takes place on domestic premises.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder knows the children well and spends significantly more time working with them on non-domestic premises. Effective policies are in place there to ensure children's learning and care needs are well met. However, the childminder has not considered all measures needed to ensure this is the case when working from her home.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder reflects on her practice and uses observations and feedback from parents to adapt activities and routines in response to children's needs. She engages in professional development, including working towards a relevant qualification, which supports her knowledge of child development. She communicates effectively with parents and shares information about children's experiences and development. There is scope to further strengthen how this supports a consistent approach across both sites. The childminder considers her own wellbeing and draws on support from others she works alongside.

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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's welfare and wellbeing are not consistently assured when care takes place on domestic premises, as the childminder has not fully considered the measures needed to support children effectively in this part of the provision. The childminder spends most of her time working with children on non-domestic premises, where arrangements are well established. However, the procedures for caring for children on domestic premises do not ensure the same level of consistency.

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Inspector:

Children are happy, settled and confident in this inclusive environment. They form secure relationships with the childminder and show a strong sense of belonging. For example, children confidently move between play and seeking reassurance, returning to the childminder for a cuddle before continuing to explore independently.

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Inspector:

Children enjoy their learning and engage in activities that reflect their interests. For instance, children show sustained interest in books about jungle animals, confidently naming animals and sharing these with others. They also explore sensory materials, such as paint and rice, demonstrating curiosity and enjoyment as they pour, scoop and experiment.

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Inspector:

Children make appropriate progress from their starting points. They develop independence as they confidently access resources, tidy away toys and follow routines, such as handwashing and snack times. For example, children independently go to wash their hands after messy play and sit together at the table waiting for their food. Children develop communication skills as they name objects, such as identifying an octopus during water play, and use language, like 'sprinkle' when exploring materials.

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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 action by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

review and improve the organisation of care on domestic premises so that children's welfare is assured at all times 20/05/2027

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents, 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.

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About this inspection

The inspection started on 16 April 2026. It was paused in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. The inspectors returned on 20 May 2026 to complete the inspection. Arianna Saccente

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 09:00 - 16:30

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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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