Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2794176 Registered with Ofsted: 24/07/2024 Registers: EYR

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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

Typically, all children, including children who face barriers to learning, achieve well from their individual starting points. At times, some younger children do not always engage in learning. For example, during story time children sit for a long time. The childminder does not personalise learning for younger children during this time, so they do not maintain their attention and listening. Older children respond to questions about story events. They identify fruit, such as a tangerine, and say, 'It is sweet.' They name fruit and repeat new vocabulary. Children sing songs and rhymes. This helps children develop communication and language skills. Children, including younger children, understand and follow instructions. When staff say, 'Can I have the mango please?' children get up and bring the mango. Children develop skills that prepare them for their next stage of learning and school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children use positional language and confidently count for different purposes throughout the day. This helps children develop mathematical knowledge. All children enjoy action rhymes that involve large movements. They are motivated and join in with enthusiasm. Children jump up, run and lie down, and all children go up and down the stairs. This helps strengthen their large body muscles.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder establishes routines that support children to develop positive attitudes and behaviour for learning. Children, including those who face barriers to learning, typically sit and listen during circle time sessions, when the childminder is talking. Occasionally, children become disengaged when learning is not correctly matched to their age and stage of development. The childminder uses songs to support transitions between learning. For example, they sing a tidy-up song. This prepares all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to learning, for what is coming next.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children form lovely, caring bonds and attachments with the childminder. They know whom to go to when they seek reassurance. All children behave well. The childminder encourages children to be polite, take turns and use 'kind hands' when they play. She praises children for their efforts, to reinforce positive behaviour. This supports children to form secure relationships and play collaboratively with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder speaks to parents about the benefits of regular attendance. She informs parents about learning and visits that are taking place. This helps parents understand how positive attendance impacts children's learning, so children attend at their agreed times.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder establishes routines that support children's welfare and their mental and emotional health. She encourages children to develop positive hygiene habits and independence through well-established daily routines. For example, children wash their hands before eating and use the potty or toilet in privacy. The childminder reminds children that 'toilet time is private time'. This helps children understand the importance of personal hygiene, respect their own privacy and develop an early awareness of keeping themselves safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder shares expectations of healthy lunch boxes with parents when children register. She checks lunchboxes daily after registration. This supports children to eat well- balanced, nutritious meals. The childminder teaches children about healthy foods. She plays the 'healthy eating lunch song' for children to listen to while they eat. This helps children think about the type of food they eat and adopt healthy lifestyles. Children who used to be reluctant eaters when they first joined now eat and enjoy their food. The childminder supports children's physical health. She encourages children to rest when they are tired. She helps children to engage in physical activities, indoors and outdoors, that strengthen and develop large muscles, for example performing body actions and climbing outside.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children to calm down when they feel upset. She removes children from the activity and talks to them using a calm tone. Children point to faces that show different emotions, to let her know how they are feeling. This helps children to manage their feelings independently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans a stimulating curriculum around books such as 'Handa's Surprise'. This encourages children to talk about fruit and animals, and explore cultural traditions. At times, the childminder does not personalise learning to meet the age and stage of younger children, so some children lose interest. The childminder sings a 'good morning' song with children to start the day. On occasion, when the childminder asks children questions, she answers for them and does not give them enough time to respond. This does not encourage children to talk about what they know.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the childminder supports children to develop communication and language. She sends 'Global Gus', a toy animal, home with children. This impacts communication between home and her setting positively and encourages children to talk about things they do with their families.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, the childminder counts with children throughout the day. They sing number rhymes and action songs and count fruit in stories. The childminder interacts well with children to support learning. For example, she asks, 'How many fruit did we see in the story?' This practice supports children to be motivated and maintain attention, so they achieve from their different starting points. The childminder uses props, such as fruits, to tell children stories. This helps to capture children's interests, in particular children who may face barriers to learning. The childminder encourages children to name fruit and introduces new vocabulary, such as 'guava'. This helps children to extend their vocabulary and learn about fruit around the world. The childminder supports children to stand and sing action songs that encourage them to strengthen their large body muscles. This encourages children to be active and

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder uses developmental milestones to identify the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She shares children's development with parents and signposts them to seek help from professionals. This helps to ensure children receive the support they need. However, the childminder's partnerships with professionals are not yet embedded. She does not always work with them to develop consistent strategies to meet children's needs more precisely. The childminder supports children who struggle to engage. She encourages parents to seek advice from health professionals to reduce barriers children face. The childminder supports children who may face barriers to learning to improve attendance. She offers a flexible approach that supports parents, so children attend at different times throughout the week. This helps children make progress. Children who start with no words now speak confidently to others. The childminder suggests

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Inclusion Expected standard

flashcards to send home to support children there. This helps to support children's communication and language development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder supports children to settle confidently when they first attend. She gathers important information from parents about children's needs, interests and likes. This helps her build positive relationships with children from the start and ensures they experience a smooth transition into her care. For example, she supports children to complete a handprint as a keepsake for parents. The childminder updates parents throughout the day, so they feel reassured that children are settled and happy. Parents stay to support children who do not settle well. The childminder assesses what children know and can do as soon as they join, to identify children's individual starting points. She uses what she knows about children to support learning. The childminder chooses resources that reflect children's cultural backgrounds, so all children feel a sense of belonging.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for children. She uses strengths and areas for development to improve the quality of her provision. For example, the childminder identifies her desire to develop confidence in early years. The childminder communicates effectively with parents to share information about children's progress and development. This helps parents support children at home. Parent partnerships are positive and communication is effective. Parents reflect on the progress children have made since attending the childminder's provision. The childminder supports parents of children who are due to start nursery. She communicates with parents about children's development and supports parents to understand the transition process.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder supports her assistants to have the skills and knowledge that help them to feel confident in their roles. She ensures they complete mandatory training. The childminder knows their strengths and encourages her assistants to lead areas they enjoy, for example arts and crafts. The childminder encourages assistants to gain professional qualifications, so they have a deeper knowledge and understanding of supporting all children to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has identified that she would like to further develop professional knowledge and expertise to support her in her role as a childminder. The childminder includes assistants in planning, so they feel valued and included. This helps them to work as a team to support the needs of the children. Her assistants say that they feel supported to do their roles and manage their workload. The childminder signposts training that staff need to do or would find interesting. This helps to create a culture of continuous learning where everyone feels motivated.

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

Children arrive happily and separate from their parents and carers at the door. They greet the childminder and settle quickly. Children form warm, close attachments with the childminder. They feel safe, and seek reassurance when they want a cuddle or feel upset. This helps children feel secure and cared for. Generally, all children, including those who may face barriers to learning, develop attention and listening skills that prepare them for their next stage in learning. For example, most children listen and engage in storytelling. They talk about characters and events. This supports children's communication and language development. At times, younger children do not fully access learning that involves sitting for long periods, such as combined story time and singing. In these moments, learning is not matched to their age and stage of development and children do not engage. Children join in with enthusiasm during action songs and rhymes that involve using large

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

body muscles, such as 'sleeping lions'. During these activities, children laugh excitedly to show their enjoyment for learning. All children develop skills that prepare them for their next stage of learning and school, such as turn-taking, counting, sharing, being kind and playing collaboratively.

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

Children regularly visit the library and other places of interest, such as museums and markets, to support learning. They learn about the world they live in and the local community. Children particularly enjoy their trips to the local forest school, where they learn outdoors. Children enjoy their time with the childminder. They engage in a wide range of experiences, including cooking, that help them develop skills across all areas of the early years curriculum. Children are keen and motivated to attend. Their parents and carers welcome the flexible approach that helps them to bring children at their agreed times. This helps to remove barriers children face and supports them to achieve from their different starting points.

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

The childminder celebrates children's cultural heritage. They share books and customs that represent children and their families. This helps children and their families to feel welcome and celebrated.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 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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Next steps

The childminder should consider children's age and stage of development so learning is suitably matched to children's individual needs. The childminder should develop partnerships with other agencies to strengthen her professional knowledge and expertise, to deliver more consistently high-quality early years practice.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, children 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. This data is from 8 June 2026

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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. 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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