Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): EY136344 Registered with Ofsted: 30/08/2001 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

Overall, children build appropriate knowledge and skills that will help them in preparation for when they move on to school. They learn to sit and listen to books being read. Children take a keen interest in the images on the pages and select books independently. They are supported in learning how to share and take turns with their peers. For instance, children take turns to stack magnetic blocks on top of each other. When this falls down, they work as a team to rebuild the tower.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children learn about their own cultures and those of others, for instance, as they explore foods from other cultures. They hear different languages and experience books with written words in other languages. This is particularly beneficial for children who experience different cultures and languages in their home environment, helping them to develop a sense of belonging in the childminder's care. Children begin to develop an understanding of number from an early age. They hear and repeat small numbers during their play, helping them to become familiar with counting and early mathematical language.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder embeds routines during the day to help children understand what will happen next. Children respond positively to these familiar routines and show that they understand what is expected. For example, when younger children hear the doorbell, they point towards the door and say, 'post'. They also willingly lie down on their sleep mat when it is offered, demonstrating that they recognise it is time to rest.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder talks to children about the rules and boundaries and, overall, she implements these well. This helps children understand what is expected of them, such as walking indoors and not jumping on furniture. The childminder models positive behaviours. This includes teaching children manners to learn and copy. If children do show inappropriate behaviours, the childminder helps children to understand how it may make their friends feel, encouraging them to show empathy. The childminder helps children to understand how to share and take turns. For example, she asks children to work together to post discs into toys. This encourages children to play cooperatively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder adapts her practice to meet the different needs of children. This includes providing a quiet space for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to go to be calm. This helps them to regulate their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder shares the importance of children attending regularly with parents. She understands that this helps to develop children's social interactions with others and to follow daily routines to promote their wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder implements a curriculum to support children's independence. For instance, younger children use a step stool to reach the sink to wash their hands before eating and

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Needs attention

are encouraged to use cutlery at mealtimes. The childminder provides an environment where children can select toys and resources to promote their interests. This includes providing activities that promote their next steps in learning. For example, the childminder sings songs and reads stories with younger children, helping to develop their early communication and speaking skills. She encourages older children to use magnetic drawing boards to build on their mark-making skills.

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Needs attention

The childminder provides meaningful opportunities for children to learn about caring for the environment. For example, children use litter-picking equipment to help keep their local area clean, developing an early sense of responsibility for their community and the world around them. She also involves children in the local community through visits to shops and events held in the village hall. These experiences help children build their knowledge of the local area, develop their social skills and interact confidently with a wide range of people.

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Needs attention

Generally, the childminder adapts her practice well to meet the needs of children who are disadvantaged. For example, she provides timely emotional support when children experience changes in their home circumstances, helping them to feel secure and maintain their emotional wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Overall, the childminder uses observations and assessments to identify if children have any gaps in their learning. She implements strategies to support children, such as helping them develop their speaking skills. The childminder knows to make referrals to other professionals to support children's needs. This contributes to children making progress before they move on to school. The childminder liaises with other agencies to promote the care and safety of children who are known to social care. She develops her professional knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This includes building on her understanding of how to identify the different traits of children who may have autism. The childminder supports children to develop their communication and language skills. This includes providing children with opportunities to see and hear words in the languages they

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder effectively uses additional funding that some children receive to meet their individual needs. This includes purchasing climbing equipment to support younger children's physical development, such as to climb steps.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder does not ensure that children are supervised appropriately during mealtimes to minimise the risk of choking. For example, she does not consistently position herself so that she can observe children while they are eating and respond promptly if a child shows signs of silent choking. Additionally, when younger children's nappies are changed, other children are in the same area. This does not provide them with privacy during this personal intimate care routine. The childminder supports children to learn how food grows. Children help her to grow and pick fruit and vegetables in her garden. The childminder supports parents to provide nutritious lunches for their children to promote healthy eating. She engages older children in discussions about recent visits to the dentist. This helps children recall their experiences and deepen their understanding of the people who help them to keep their teeth clean and

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

The childminder helps children to learn about their emotions and feelings. For instance, she uses books to show children different facial expressions and talks to them about how others may feel. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to regulate their emotions. This includes providing them with a space where they can be calm.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder does not ensure that her oversight of any assistants she works with are supported to meet their roles and responsibilities regarding all aspects of children's safety and welfare needs. For instance, she does not ensure that children have privacy when toileting or that they are supervised appropriately when eating.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder helps children to learn about their local community. This includes taking children to shops and cafes. Children have opportunities to mix and interact with a variety of people, helping to develop their social skills. Before children move on to school, the childminder takes them to visit the school to meet their teacher and experience the environment. This contributes to supporting children's emotional wellbeing before they move on. Information is shared with teachers about children's learning and development, helping teachers to understand children's abilities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder reflects on practice with any assistants she works with at the end of the day. These discussions contribute to promoting her assistants wellbeing. She identifies that further opportunities are needed to support older children's understanding of technology. She extends her professional development. This includes attending training courses to develop her knowledge of how to provide children with open-ended resources to promote their imagination and creative skills. The childminder shares information she gathers from training with any assistants she works with. This helps to build on their knowledge of how to support children's development.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder shares information with parents about their children's care and learning. She adapts her practice to meet children's different family circumstances, ensuring that all of the children's main carers receive the same information. This includes sharing photos of children engaged in activities and information about any incidents or accidents they have had. The childminder supports parents to continue their children's learning at home. This includes offering them story bags to use with their children to support their communication and language skills.

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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 safety is not always promoted well enough. This means that the childminder may not identify the signs of choking quickly enough to respond promptly and keep children safe. Additionally, younger children are not consistently provided with appropriate privacy during nappy changing. This does not fully promote their dignity or respect their personal care needs.

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

Children demonstrate that they feel comfortable in the childminder's care. They confidently move around the space offered, selecting toys and resources to promote their interests. Children show positive relationships with the childminder. They sit on her knee to listen to stories and learn how to interact positively with their peers. Younger children begin to understand how to take turns when they play with toys. They work together to build and construct, showing their hand-eye coordination and developing their concentration. Information gathered from parents when children first start helps to tailor the curriculum to build on what children already know and can do. This includes helping younger children and those who are disadvantaged to develop their physical skills as they begin to cruise along furniture and begin to walk. Children have the experience of watching caterpillars grow into butterflies, learning about life cycles. They answer questions to encourage their thinking

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

skills and to recall events from memory. For instance, children confidently recall visits to the dentist, remembering learning about looking after their teeth and proudly talking about receiving a sticker. Younger children use familiar objects from home to support their emotional wellbeing, such as when they are tired or need comfort.

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

Children's attendance is monitored. If children do not arrive when expected, the childminder contacts parents or other emergency contacts to find out the reasons why. This contributes to promoting children's welfare.

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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

ensure the oversight of any assistants practice meets the safety and welfare needs of all children 07/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure children are supervised appropriately while eating 02/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that the privacy of children is considered during toileting, including nappy changes. 16/07/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant 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 setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 17:30

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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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