Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2780938 Registered with Ofsted: 24/04/2024 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 Strong standard

All children achieve consistently well across all areas of learning from their starting points. They are confident, engaged and motivated learners who show curiosity about the world around them. This is evident in daily experiences as children access resources, follow routines and apply what they know in new contexts. They make strong progress in their social development, form secure friendships and cooperate well with others. For example, older children support younger children outdoors and help them to use equipment safely and responsibly.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children confidently use a wide range of communication and language skills to share ideas and extend learning during play. They talk about bees they have observed, recall prior experiences and use a bee information poster to deepen understanding. They compare observations and apply this knowledge when recreating bees in dough. Younger children use gestures to point excitedly to puddles they want to jump in and practise vocabulary such as 'jump' and 'puddle'.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children recognise numerals linked to their age, use number language and count during play. They build strength and coordination through climbing, running, jumping and balancing. Younger children explore colour and light using translucent blocks, demonstrating cause and effect through sustained exploration. As a result, all children make strong progress and are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of learning, with the confidence, knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children demonstrate a secure sense of wellbeing and extremely positive attitudes towards learning. They confidently select resources and communicate highly effectively with all staff. Secure attachments are evident through warm, responsive interactions, including reassurance and focused attention.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The team recognises and celebrates children's efforts and achievements, and children receive carefully targeted praise. As a result, children build high self-esteem and are developing positive attitudes to learning as they learn to regulate their emotions. Consistently embedded routines ensure children understand expectations and feel secure. For example, on arrival, children independently remove and store their shoes and coats. During outings, older children demonstrate a clear understanding of safety expectations, including holding hands, listening attentively and waiting for instructions before safely crossing roads, supported through close supervision. Children's behaviour is consistently positive and well regulated, reflecting the team's understanding of their individual needs. This enables children to manage behaviour appropriately and engage confidently. Children show enthusiasm for learning, sharing ideas, experiences and questions to extend their

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

thinking. Their social skills are developing well as they are supported to share, take turns and play cooperatively, helping them form positive relationships. This supports emotional development and growing confidence in friendships. The importance of regular attendance is promoted with parents, supporting continuity in learning. Inclusion is embedded through thoughtful adaptations that ensure all children have access to experiences and opportunities. The team members consistently act as calm, positive role models, fostering a nurturing environment and encouraging respectful interactions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places children's safety, welfare and wellbeing at the heart of practice. Close supervision is consistently maintained throughout play, exploration, mealtimes and rest, ensuring children are safe, well supported and well cared for at all times. Snack times, mealtimes and naps are carefully planned and responsive to children's ages and individual needs. Children are supported to develop independence in daily routines, including thorough handwashing before eating. Older children confidently open their snack boxes and make appropriate food choices, demonstrating strong self-care skills. Healthy lifestyles are strongly promoted through daily experiences and purposeful activities. For example, children grow fruit and vegetables, including courgettes, peppers and strawberries, learning their names and developing an understanding of where food comes from, reinforcing healthy eating habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff provide children with calm, responsive and consistent care, creating a nurturing environment where all children feel emotionally secure, valued and confident. They respond sensitively to children's emotional and physical needs, using warm interactions that support belonging, trust and emotional resilience. Children who require additional support are very well included in daily routines and activities. Sharply targeted strategies such as visual prompts, reassurance and step-by-step modelling help all children adapt to change and engage confidently in a range of experiences that enrich their learning seamlessly.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The team consistently demonstrates highly effective teaching across all areas of learning. The team delivers a broad, ambitious, carefully sequenced, inclusive curriculum that enables all children to achieve and thrive. High expectations are consistently maintained for every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to children's social care and those facing barriers to learning or wellbeing. Learning is adapted to children's individual needs, interests and starting points, building securely on what they already know and can do.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

In-the-moment teaching is used exceptionally well to maximise learning opportunities as they arise. Children regularly revisit and practise skills through self-initiated play, supporting sustained concentration, engagement and independence. High-quality interactions are a consistent strength. Thoughtful questioning, planned experiences and responsive teaching extend children's thinking, curiosity and enjoyment of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Independence is actively promoted through daily routines and choices, with children confidently managing tasks such as putting on coats, washing hands and selecting activities. Mathematical learning is embedded throughout play as children recognise shapes, count and compare size and quantity. Literacy is promoted through high-quality stories, rhymes and factual books, encouraging discussion, prediction and enjoyment of reading.

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Expected standard

Creativity flourishes through imaginative play, music and mark-making. Adults model ambitious vocabulary, use skilful questioning and implement a total communication approach, including gestures and visual prompts, to strengthen communication and language. Rich experiences beyond the setting, including visits to parks, libraries, duck feeding and local activity centres, enhance children's understanding of the wider world.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is at the heart of the setting's practice. The team is committed to ensuring every child is valued, supported and able to access learning opportunities that meet their individual needs. Strong partnerships with parents and carers ensure a detailed understanding of each child's strengths, interests and any additional support needs. This shared approach promotes positive outcomes and sustained progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff know the children exceptionally well and use ongoing observations and assessments effectively to identify and respond to emerging needs at the earliest opportunity. A secure understanding of the graduated approach underpins practice, ensuring timely support for children's changing needs. Predictable routines and responsive strategies help children develop confidence, independence and a strong sense of belonging. Where children require additional emotional support, targeted strategies promote engagement, wellbeing and inclusion. Consistent routines and sensitive support help children feel safe and secure, particularly during transitions and changes in activity.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The setting has embedded a total communication approach, including gestures, visual cues and spoken language, to support early language development and ensure all children can communicate and participate successfully. As a result, children make remarkable progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their move to school, developing resilience, independence and social skills. Staff draw on their knowledge and experience to maintain inclusive practice and demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous professional development. They have a clear understanding of where to access specialist training, and they seek advice from external agencies when appropriate.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder places children at the centre of decision-making. She successfully shapes an ambitious curriculum around children's interests and needs and is committed to securing the best outcomes for all children. This includes focusing on vulnerable groups and those facing barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Overall, the childminder demonstrates a sound awareness of the setting's strengths and areas for development and evaluates them effectively. She proactively assesses the impact of improvements through parental feedback and children's views, and by tracking the progress children make. However, governance and engagement with shared settings and future schools are not yet prioritised as a key area for improvement and therefore require clearer focus within the development plan. The setting has not yet developed and embedded consistent strategies to actively engage these partners or established secure systems for timely, structured information sharing. The childminder should develop partnership working with shared settings and future schools that children will attend by introducing innovative strategies and strengthening collaborative communication channels. This will ensure a consistent two-way exchange of developmental information, supporting

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

seamless transitions and building on the progress and achievements children have already made.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates strong professional learning, engaging in ongoing development and research to improve practice. Staff receive proactive support through reflection, modelling and clear expectations, promoting consistency and wellbeing. The childminder works highly effectively with wider professionals and other childminders to share effective practice. She demonstrates a clear understanding of how to access and use funding, including pupil premium, to reduce barriers. Children thrive in a well-organised environment, supporting independence and exploration. Outdoor improvements have strengthened learning opportunities in all weathers, enriching learning opportunities even further. Parents are highly engaged and extremely positive about communication, feedback and care. The setting maintains strong community links and parental involvement, ensuring families are well informed and engaged in their children's learning and development and

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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 feel safe and secure within this highly nurturing home-from-home setting. The team has established warm, respectful and consistent relationships with all children. Together, they create a calm and supportive environment in which children thrive, form strong trusting attachments and confidently seek reassurance, comfort and support when needed. Children's voices are consistently listened to and acted upon. For example, children choose activities, decide whether to extend or change their play, and select resources for creative or outdoor exploration. This promotes independence, autonomy and growing self-worth.

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

Children build positive, caring relationships with one another, showing kindness and empathy. This helps them feel they belong, contributing to a calm and inclusive environment where all children are valued. For example, younger children support older peers by helping with fastening outdoor clothing, while older children choose to sit alongside younger children on swinging beds, sharing quiet moments as they observe and listen to birds. These interactions strengthen social and emotional development.

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

All children achieve exceptionally well across learning and development. They access stimulating environments indoors, outdoors and in the local community. Children are highly curious and explore with enthusiasm. They observe insects, feed ducks at the lake and investigate planting activities, watching seeds develop over time. They also explore movement and perspective, such as blowing bubbles in the wind or peering through webbing as they swing. These experiences help children make meaningful links and deepen understanding through hands-on exploration.

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

Communication, independence and emotional understanding develop very effectively through consistent adult interaction. Staff model language carefully, helping children to extend vocabulary, share ideas and communicate confidently. Children show resilience and determination, persevering when tasks are challenging. This prepares children well for their

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): 2780938 next stage of learning, including school readiness and independence. In doing so, they achieve growing confidence and success as learners.

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About this setting

Children experience a calm, secure environment where consistent routines and sensitive transitions support their confidence and engagement. They actively explore and revisit experiences linked to their interests, building independence and focus. Each child receives tailored support matched to their individual needs and next steps in learning. Well- established routines and high expectations help children feel secure and settled. As a result, children make sustained progress from their starting points, supported by inclusive practice that ensures all children achieve, belong and thrive and are well prepared for their next stage of learning and future progression to school.

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Next steps

The childminder should develop partnership working with shared settings and future schools that children will attend. The childminder should strengthen the identification and prioritisation of key areas for development so that effort is even more sharply focused on the most impactful actions, ensuring sustained improvement and continued positive outcomes for children's learning, development and wellbeing. The childminder should ensure continued improvement in the setting's overall successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, parents, families 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. Type: Childminder

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About this inspection

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

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 .

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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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