Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2773477 Registered with Ofsted: 18/12/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress across all areas of learning. They develop strong language skills, including multilingual vocabulary and expressive communication. Children confidently name letters and identify vegetables. They use signs from the deaf awareness programme, which strengthens their understanding of different communication methods.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children learn about the wider world through meaningful experiences. They learn about the world cup and explore countries and players. Children grow vegetables, learn about seeds and growth and explore how different cultures prepare food. These experiences help children understand diversity, community and the natural world.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children develop physical skills through gardening, yoga and ball games. They show concentration when completing puzzles and demonstrate early mathematical understanding through counting, sorting and comparing quantities. The childminder adapts activities for children with emerging physical needs and documents learning through photographs, which helps parents understand progress.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate their early literacy skills as they explore books and connect print with meaning. For example they recognise the sea creatures that they play with are the same as in the book. Children show their growing independence through self help skills such as wiping their noses and putting on their shoes.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children typically behave well and respond positively to clear expectations. The childminder explains rules in simple language. She models calm, respectful behaviour. Children copy this tone, use kind words and show care for one another. Children share resources, take turns with the childminder and negotiate during play. This supports their social and emotional development.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Routines are well established and help children feel secure. Children know what happens before snack, during handwashing and when it is time to tidy up. The childminder uses visual cues and simple explanations to support understanding. When children show reluctance, such as during handwashing, she adapts the routine while keeping expectations clear. This helps children learn that adults listen to them but still keep them safe.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show positive attitudes to learning. They engage deeply in activities such as puzzles, planting and cooking. They return to favourite experiences over time such as when they want to water their plants in the garden. The childminder offers open ended resources and allows children time to explore, which encourages curiosity and persistence. The childminder promotes attendance at the setting. Generally, children attend regularly except on rare occasions such as illness or family holidays.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's welfare and well being through warm relationships and thoughtful routines. Children seek her out for comfort and reassurance, and she responds with cuddles, gentle words and calm presence. This helps children feel safe and emotionally secure. Sometimes the childminder is unable to understand why children are upset because they haven't yet developed the emotional language that they need to express themselves. This means that it takes longer to fully understand the issue and resolve it.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Healthy lifestyles are embedded in daily practice. The childminder provides fresh fruit and encourages children to drink water regularly, modelling this herself throughout the day. Children take part in cooking activities where they cut fruits and prepare simple snacks. This teaches them about healthy choices and builds fine motor skills. Gardening projects deepen their understanding of where food comes from and support outdoor physical activity.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Toilet training is supported sensitively. The childminder talks children through the process, uses pictures and names objects they see to distract and reassure them. This reduces anxiety and helps children feel confident in managing personal care. Hygiene routines are adapted for sensory needs while still maintaining high standards.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy outdoor play and fresh air. They take part in community trips and opportunities to explore nature. They kick balls, water plants and look closely at leaves and insects. This supports physical development and curiosity. The childminder's consistent, caring responses ensure children's emotional well being is protected.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder understands her safeguarding responsibilities and takes appropriate action to keep children safe. She maintains safe hygiene routines, supervises children closely and ensures the home environment is well organised and hazard free. Daily conversations with parents support consistent care and help the childminder stay alert to any changes in children's needs.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a broad, balanced curriculum that focuses on communication, physical development and early understanding of the world. She uses environmental print, early sound recognition and rich vocabulary to build strong foundations for later learning. Children see letters and words around the home, hear them named and begin to link sounds to symbols.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is typically patient and responsive. When children explore sea creatures, the childminder gives them time to look closely and think about what they see. Children first call a creature a whale, then correct themselves and say it is a shark. This encourages careful observation and reasoning. During cooking, the childminder counts pieces of fruit and talks about more and fewer, which builds early mathematical understanding.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children take part in planting activities. Every month they are introduced to a new fruit or vegetable that they plant and tend to until it is ready to taste. They also enjoy yoga, crafts and outdoor exploration. The childminder explores curriculum ideas and brings them into her practice, such as making rice balls and exploring nutrition. Children are encouraged to sweep floors after their messy play and prepare simple snacks. This supports independence and teaches them about food and health.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder is aware of how children learn and sequences her curriculum to ensure that teaching supports the prime areas of learning before children learn how to write and spell their names.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder generally promotes an inclusive environment where children feel recognised and respected. She learns about each family's culture, routines and expectations. She then uses this information to shape daily practice. Children hear their home languages used in play and routines because the childminder learns new words from the languages children speak. This strengthens their sense of identity and belonging.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Children with sensory needs receive thoughtful adaptations. When children dislike the feel of soap during handwashing, the childminder offers cloths or wipes and explains why clean hands are important. This allows children to participate in hygiene routines without distress. When children need support with mobility, she adjusts activities and adds resources to help them practise walking safely.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder monitors children's development and speaks to parents promptly when concerns arise, including signposting to the doctor for issues such as delayed walking. The childminder works closely with parents to understand why the prime areas come first and how her curriculum focuses on communication, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. She discusses concerns early and supports families to seek additional help when needed.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder generally demonstrates effective leadership in her setting. She works closely with families, shares daily updates and discusses children's experiences at the end of each day. Parents hear about what children have been doing. The childminder updates parents about any changes such as potty training and emerging interests. This supports home–setting partnerships.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder documents children's learning through photographs. She uses these to reflect on children's progress and plan future experiences. She researches international curriculum ideas to enrich her provision. This includes ideas such as activities that promote nutrition, independence and cultural awareness. The childminder has not fully developed her use of reflective practice to identify the impact of training and research led changes to her curriculum. Thid means that priorities for improvement are not always precisely identified.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has previously worked with other providers and understands the importance of information sharing when children attend more than one setting. She works with the local authority to review her safeguarding practises. She maintains her training and knowledge in child protection matters. The childminder is considerate of the varying needs of children and the potential barriers some may have to learning. She has developed effective ways of working with parents and professionals to ensure children receive timely and responsive support that helps them to make progress from their start points. The childminder recognises that some children need some extra time to catch up and others may need targeted support.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Children arrive happily and settle quickly into play. They explore electronic toys, small world figures and imaginative resources, choosing activities that interest them. Children feed toy animals with pretend food and press buttons on electronic toys as they listen carefully to the sounds. The childminder sits closely and often describes what children are doing. She introduces new words, which strengthens vocabulary and supports early communication.

p.6

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

Children experience a calm, nurturing atmosphere where they feel secure. They join in with a programme featuring deaf children and a deaf presenter, copying signs such as 'thank you'. This helps them recognise that people communicate in different ways and builds early respect for diversity. Children return to this programme regularly, showing sustained interest and enjoyment.

p.6

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

Daily routines are predictable and help children feel safe. Before snack, children wash their hands. In the moment adaptations to teaching allow children to remain engaged in learning and build confidence. Children enjoy snack time and talk about the fruits they are eating. They count pieces with the childminder, copy her counting and begin to compare who has more or fewer pieces. Many children speak more than one language at home, and the childminder learns new words from these languages. Children hear their home languages used in play and routines, which strengthens their sense of identity and belonging.

p.6

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

Outdoors, children explore the garden with enthusiasm. They water plants, investigate pots and look closely at leaves and stems before planting seeds. They roll balls, kick them across the grass and take part in simple yoga sessions. These experiences support physical development, balance and coordination, while also helping children learn how to calm their bodies. Children behave well, share resources and concentrate during puzzles and cooking, showing that they feel safe and motivated to learn.

p.6

Next steps

The childminder should develop her use of reflective practice to evaluate the curriculum and identify clear priorities for improvement. The childminder should strengthen children's emotional literacy so they can express their feelings with greater clarity.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, parents and children during the inspection.

p.6

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

p.6

About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 16:30

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.7

Our grades explained

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.

p.7

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.8

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.8

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

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 .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8