Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2816883 Registered with Ofsted: 16/01/2025 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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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder and any assistants that work with her have established a highly inclusive environment where children are valued as individuals and receive support that reflects their unique strengths and needs. They consistently identify, assess and meet children's needs through effective observation, assessment and close partnership working with parents. They identify emerging needs at the earliest opportunity and take prompt action to secure appropriate support and interventions.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder works effectively with parents and a range of professionals to ensure children receive coordinated support. They use assessment information effectively to plan, implement and review targeted provision. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make consistently positive progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder and assistants that work with her reduce barriers to learning and participation through effective adaptations to teaching, resources and routines. They use additional funding purposefully to provide targeted support and resources that enhance children's engagement, confidence and wellbeing. Children with SEND access learning alongside their peers and participate fully in all aspects of the provision.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder and assistants that work with her use Early Years Pupil Premium funding effectively to address barriers faced by disadvantaged children. They target support carefully to promote inclusion, enhance children's experiences and improve outcomes.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of their responsibilities towards children known to social care and all children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make progress across all areas of learning and develop a range of skills and knowledge through everyday experiences. They recognise colours like 'red' and 'yellow' during play and routines and show early understanding of matching and classification. Children complete simple puzzles with increasing independence, developing problem-solving skills, concentration and perseverance.

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Achievement Expected standard

Communication and language typically develop appropriately. Young children speak in short sentences to express needs and describe experiences. Children develop physical skills through a range of activities. They collect apples outdoors, improving balance and coordination, and roll balls with increasing control. They strengthen fine motor skills as they develop scissor control. Children show appropriate independence in routines. They wash hands, put on shoes and tidy away resources. They demonstrate positive social behaviour, sharing resources, taking turns and playing cooperatively. Children typically benefit from a well-planned environment and supportive interactions that promote confidence, independence and secure progress.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children typically demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and are happy, settled and engaged. They arrive confidently and separate from their parents with ease, reflecting the secure relationships they have developed with the childminder and assistants and the emotionally supportive environment provided.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show curiosity and enthusiasm as they take part in activities. They generally remain focused and motivated as they explore books and building games, learning through play. They respond well to adult interaction and typically sustain their interest for appropriate periods, demonstrating developing concentration and engagement as they count the number of items they see.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder and any assistants that work with her have established clear and consistent routines that support children's sense of security and independence. Children independently remove their shoes, hang up their coats and wash their hands before snack time. They demonstrate increasing confidence in managing their own self-care needs and understand expectations within the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children move between activities calmly and confidently, demonstrating that routines are well-embedded and understood. The consistent structure of the day supports children's behaviour, emotional security and readiness to engage in learning, including for children with special education needs and/or disabilities and children who are disadvantaged. Children settle quickly, cooperate with others as they build a castle together and enjoy their time in the setting. Attendance is supported and monitored effectively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted effectively through warm, nurturing relationships and a caring environment where children feel safe, secure and valued. Calm music plays as children arrive and settle into the childminder's care, typically demonstrating confidence as they explore the environment. Positive partnerships with parents contribute to continuity of care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder responds sensitively to children's individual circumstances. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from consistent routines, calm interactions and reassurance, which support emotional security and help them develop confidence and resilience. This is particularly evident in the progress made by children who have required additional support with emotional regulation, communication and transitions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's physical wellbeing is supported through daily outdoor play and opportunities for active movement. The childminder recognises the importance of healthy lifestyles and provides guidance to families regarding nutritious food choices. However, the childminder does not further develop communication and partnership working with parents to ensure packed lunches more consistently reflect current healthy eating recommendations. As a result, opportunities to promote children's understanding of healthy food choices and support positive eating habits are not fully maximised.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder and any assistants that work with her provide a broad curriculum. They plan experiences based on children's interests, developmental needs and next steps in learning. Activities observed supported learning across a range of areas, including communication and language, mathematics, physical development, understanding the world, and personal, social and emotional development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder and any assistants that work with her support children's communication, language and emotional development through everyday interactions. They model language, introduce new vocabulary and engage children in conversations during play and routines. Children develop their understanding through activities such as learning about the lifecycle of a butterfly, exploring colours and solving simple pattern puzzles. Mathematical concepts are embedded within daily experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows children well and use observations and assessment to support learning. They identify, assess and meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through appropriate adaptations and targeted support. This helps children access the curriculum and make progress from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching typically supports children's learning appropriately. However, the childminder does not consistently maximise opportunities to extend children's thinking through sustained shared thinking and more challenging questioning. As a result, children do not always deepen their understanding, develop their problem-solving skills, or make the best possible progress in their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder and any assistants that work with her engage proactively in professional development to ensure their knowledge remains current. Training is typically well targeted and has strengthened their ability to meet children's individual needs and support positive outcomes. The childminder demonstrates ambition for continuous improvement through engagement with professional networks, links with local schools and other early years professionals, and plans to undertake further higher-level study. The childminder monitors and supports her own and the assistants that work with hers wellbeing and workload.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leadership of inclusion is a particular strength. The childminder knows children and families well and works effectively with parents and external professionals to secure timely support for children with emerging additional needs. She identifies needs early and ensures appropriate interventions are in place. Additional funding, including Early Years Pupil Premium, is used purposefully to reduce barriers to learning and improve outcomes. Children benefit from targeted support, which contributes positively to their progress, confidence and participation. The childminder demonstrates a reflective approach to practice and responds positively to professional feedback and challenge. She regularly reviews the provision to ensure it meets the needs of all children and adapts practice where necessary. The childminder maintains strong relationships with families, who speak highly of the care provided and report that

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

communication is effective and consistent. Parents describe children as happy, settled and making good progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder uses feedback from parents, alongside professional reflection and ongoing assessment of children's learning, to evaluate and improve practice. She continually refines provision to enhance outcomes, ensure children's needs are met effectively, and maintain a nurturing and inclusive environment. This sustained focus on improvement supports children's wellbeing, engagement and progress across all areas of learning.

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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 enjoy a warm, welcoming and inclusive environment where they are safe, secure and valued. They arrive happily, separate confidently from their parents and quickly become engaged in play and learning. Positive relationships with the childminder help children develop a sense of belonging and emotional security. Children demonstrate confidence in exploring their surroundings, making choices and interacting with both adults and their peers, happy to see each other.

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

Children typically make progress from their starting points and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for future learning. They communicate their ideas, participate in conversations and build vocabulary through daily experiences. Young children recognise colours like 'blue, that matches the sky', count to four during play and use early mathematical language naturally as they describe what is 'longer' or 'shorter'. They develop physical skills as they complete puzzles, manipulate small objects, roll balls, explore outdoors and move confidently around the environment. Children increasingly manage their own self-care needs by removing their shoes, hanging up their coats, and washing their hands independently.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from targeted support that helps them participate fully in the life of the setting. Children develop confidence, form positive relationships and learn alongside their peers. Those who initially found communication, social interaction or transitions challenging show increasing engagement, emotional regulation and independence.

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

Children behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. They cooperate with one another, tidy away resources together and understand the importance of being part of a team. They demonstrate kindness and good manners, regularly using 'please' and 'thank you' during interactions. Children persevere when faced with challenge and show curiosity about the world around them.

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

Children typically thrive because their wellbeing is prioritised. They benefit from daily outdoor play, consistent routines and attentive care. Effective safeguarding arrangements, close partnership working with families and targeted support for individual needs help ensure that children remain safe, happy and able to flourish during their time at the setting.

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Next steps

The childminder should further develop teaching practice by using more ambitious questioning and interaction techniques that encourage children to think critically, solve problems, share ideas and extend their vocabulary. The childminder should work more closely with families to improve the nutritional quality of packed lunches so that food provided consistently supports children's health, wellbeing

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants 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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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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