Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2789170 Registered with Ofsted: 30/07/2024 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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children know their routines well. The consistent use of the 'tidy-up song' helps children take ownership of their environment and learn daily routines. Children have embedded this routine so well that they actively transfer these skills to their home environment, independently singing and tidying away their toys for their parents. This shows a high level of engagement and developing responsibility.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder and her assistants act as effective role models. They demonstrate good manners through polite interactions. For instance, the childminder responds with 'You're welcome' when children thank her. Staff actively immerse themselves in activities, modelling a positive attitude towards all learning opportunities. As a result, children are eager to join in. Children work together to build towers, demonstrating turn-taking skills. Older children display awareness of their younger peers. When younger children approach the activity, the older children include them by handing them bricks so they can join in.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Attendance is actively promoted by the childminder. She understands her families' unique arrival routines, offering flexibility to accommodate parents' changing needs. This reduces barriers to children accessing their learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

From a young age, children are taught about good hygiene and demonstrate increasing independence. The childminder notices and responds swiftly to children when their nappies need changing. She asks children's permission prior to doing so, talking to babies and making eye contact consistently. Babies are involved in their routine. Children have opportunities to express their feelings in a safe way. The childminder is keen for children to learn about healthy lifestyles. Children have lots of opportunities to get fresh air and be physically active as they play outside on bicycles. The childminder works with parents to prepare meals that are healthy and balanced.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder follows children's individual needs well. She has secure knowledge of safer sleeping practices to help keep children safe when they are resting. Children know the routine and lie down to rest. They settle immediately in a calm, nurturing environment. When children wake from their sleep, they are given comfort and support from the childminder before they go off to play. Children demonstrate high levels of emotional security and positive social behaviour within the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are learning about their emotions. The childminder is redeveloping her skills and talks to children about feeling 'happy', 'sad' and 'angry'. She is looking at using visual signs to support younger children in understanding their emotions and feelings.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder gathers key information from parents and carers to help establish children's starting points. This information enables her to support children effectively to achieve their

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Needs attention

next steps. She carries out regular observations and uses assessments to establish what children need to be learning next. This results in her making swift referrals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need to thrive in their development. The childminder has knowledge of the referral process and has supported children through a referral for speech and language early intervention. This ensures all children have opportunities to meet their potential.

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Needs attention

The childminder has knowledge of her community, its needs, and how she can best support disadvantaged children. For instance, additional funding is used to differentiate resources. This ensures all children can participate in all activities. Furthermore, funding is used to purchase nutritious ingredients, ensuring that all children receive a freshly cooked meal daily.

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Needs attention

Overall, the childminder understands the importance of providing high-quality childcare for all children and, as a result, children, including those who face barriers to their learning, make progress from their starting points.

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Achievement Needs attention

All children typically make progress in their learning from their starting points. They happily learn and sing songs with the childminder, showing their knowledge as they recall parts of the song when it is their turn to sing.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children learn how to take care of themselves. They learn why and how they should wash their hands after using the toilet. Children strengthen their large muscles as they pull themselves up on furniture to stand. They master the skill of balancing before they learn to walk. Children learn to grip and turn the dials on the play stove during role play. They strengthen the small muscles in their hands and fingers before they transition to holding a pencil to make marks.

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Achievement Needs attention

Older children demonstrate their mathematical knowledge as they count to 10 and talk about shape and size. However, younger children are missing out on the same rich, mathematical experiences as their older peers. They lack consistent opportunities to explore early number concepts, shapes and sizes at a level appropriate to their stage of development.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder has returned to practice following leave. She has focused on children's communication and language and their personal and social skills due to the needs of the children. However, mathematics is not yet fully embedded in the curriculum. Older children count to 10 and recognise some numbers visually. Young children play with bricks and shapes. However, the childminder does not guide and extend children's natural curiosity about shapes, sizes and patterns. The childminder places animals in a sensory tray. Children find these activities highly stimulating as they search through hay and dried flowers to find the hidden animals. The childminder supports children's language skills well, differentiating her approach to support each child's age and stage of development. For example, she models descriptive language such as 'soft', 'crunchy' and 'hard', encouraging young children to repeat words. Older

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

children are encouraged to develop sentences as they learn the differences between zoo and farm animals.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children enjoy a range of exciting activities. They show a keen interest in expressive arts and design. The childminder provides opportunities for children to develop their imagination as they create storylines with their peers. To support this, the childminder teaches children about emergency services, dentists and doctors through role play.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The childminder embraces diversity by teaching the children about different languages. She integrates single words, such as 'hello' and 'goodbye' in Polish, into daily routines. The childminder works closely with other childminders. This provides opportunities for all children to socialise in larger peer groups and meet children from different backgrounds and cultures.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder has recently returned to practice. She has completed all required training. She is dedicated and places all children at the heart of her decision-making. The childminder understands the setting's strengths and areas for development. She uses feedback from parents and other professionals to further improve her provision.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder works with assistants. She implements clear processes in place for safe recruitment and staff supervision. Assistants speak highly of the childminder and the support she provides. This impacts positively on the quality of care and education children receive.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Partnerships with parents are inclusive and highly effective. The childminder works sensitively and successfully with separated parents. She shares information through daily updates and progress reports with both parents individually. The childminder provides whole-family support. She regularly signposts parents to external services to support them with finances, health, and early help resources. This approach ensures that families receive the targeted intervention and assistance they need to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The childminder implements a curriculum with a focus on children's communication and language and their personal and social skills. However, mathematics is not yet fully embedded into the curriculum. This is due to the childminder recently returning to practice and redeveloping her 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 access a broad range of learning opportunities across all areas of learning. However, they do not experience a full range of mathematical opportunities. Children love coming to the childminder's setting. They confidently leave their carers behind as they say 'hello' to assistants and friends. Children show they feel safe as they independently explore resources. They demonstrate a sense of belonging. Older children share their ideas of play with one another. They invite younger children to play with them. Children develop positive social skills and make progress from their starting points. Children have formed exceptionally strong bonds with both the childminder and her assistants. This is demonstrated as they confidently approach staff for comfort and affection throughout the day. The childminder responds with warmth and sensitivity. She provides gentle physical touch and reassurance as she settles the children down to sleep, ensuring

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

Children excitedly engage in games where they have to find pictures of animals and shapes on a large floor mat. Children learn about direction as they place their right hand on a star and their left hand on a snake. They remain engaged in these learning experiences for periods of time. Children recall their learning as they identify and name illustrations.

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

Children have a love for books. They engage in conversations with the childminder, talking about what they see and the different characters. Children are fully engaged, showing good listening and attention skills as they learn new language. They confidently return to the bookshelf throughout the day to bring books to staff to share with them. The childminder uses children's and parents' feedback to identify books and stories of interest to the children. This forms her planning and next steps.

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

Children's attendance is a priority. The childminder makes it easier for children to attend regularly. She offers flexible sessions for parents, around their needs.

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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 action by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

Improve the curriculum for younger children's mathematical development to provide consistent, age- appropriate learning experiences that help children to progress well in this area of learning. 18/09/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, assistants, parents 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 : 07:30 - 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

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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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