Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2793222 Registered with Ofsted: 12/08/2024 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

Children demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning. They eagerly engage with the wide range of experiences and resources available. Children make independent choices, explore with curiosity and approach new activities with increasing confidence. They willingly try unfamiliar activities with support. Children learn to persevere when tasks become more demanding and remain engaged until they achieve success.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children benefit from activities reflecting their age, stage of development and individual needs. As a result, children make consistent progress from their starting points across all areas of learning. Every child is able to participate fully and achieve their potential due to support being adapted.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for future learning. They become confident communicators, resilient learners and increasingly independent in managing their own play and routines. By the time they move on to the next stage of their education, children have established secure foundations that enable them to embrace new experiences. Children build positive relationships and continue their learning with confidence and enthusiasm.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder establishes clear and consistent routines that help children to feel secure and confident throughout the day. She uses visual timetables and familiar music to signal transitions. This enables children to anticipate what will happen next and move smoothly between activities. Children know the daily routine well and respond positively to the structure provided.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children confidently take part in everyday routines. For example, they tidy away resources before preparing for snack time by collecting cups and plates and matching the colours correctly. They then independently choose 2 items from their lunch boxes. The childminder uses this opportunity to discuss their choices and encourage conversation. She knows children well and understands their individual needs. This enables her to provide appropriate support throughout the day.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates a calm and positive environment where children respond well to her guidance. She encourages turn-taking and sharing, helping children to develop positive relationships. Children consistently display positive behaviour that is typical for their age and stage of development. They treat one another with kindness and respect.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder encourages children to try new experiences, persevere and celebrate their achievements. Her positive praise motivates children to keep trying and supports their confidence and resilience. The childminder also implements clear attendance procedures, which she shares with parents and carers from the outset. These procedures help to establish consistent expectations. This ensures the childminder maintains an accurate understanding of each child's attendance and any support they may need.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places children's wellbeing at the centre of her practice. She creates a nurturing environment where children feel safe, secure and valued. The childminder builds warm and trusting relationships with each child. She develops a clear understanding of their individual needs and stages of development. Children confidently seek comfort and reassurance from the childminder when they need support. She acknowledges their feelings and encourages them to talk about their emotions. The childminder helps children to develop strategies to regulate their behaviour and emotions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder provides a safe and organised environment that supports children's daily care and wellbeing. She uses the available space effectively, with suitable areas for handwashing, toileting and nappy changing. Daily risk assessments help the childminder to identify and minimise hazards. This ensures children can play and learn safely. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to maintain consistency between home and the setting, particularly in relation to toileting, eating and sleeping routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles through everyday experiences. She works with parents to encourage nutritious lunch box choices and advises them to include an ice block to keep food fresh. During snack and lunchtime, the childminder sits with children, discussing their food choices and healthy eating. The childminder plans regular outdoor play and visits within the local community to provide children with opportunities for physical activity. This helps children to develop healthy habits that support their overall wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has a clear understanding of the curriculum and the knowledge, skills and attitudes she wants children to develop. She uses ongoing assessments to identify children's interests, individual needs and next steps. This ensures that experiences remain purposeful and extend children's learning. Communication and language underpin the curriculum. The childminder interacts sensitively throughout the day. She joins children's play, follows their ideas, extends conversations and introduces ambitious vocabulary. For example, the childminder has recently introduced the word 'transparent' during children's play. Parents and carers later share that their children have used the word at home while playing with bubbles. This demonstrates how children transfer new language beyond the setting.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Secure relationships help children to feel safe, valued and confident to explore new experiences. The childminder encourages them to try new activities, persevere with tasks and celebrate their achievements. She promotes sharing, turn-taking and cooperation. This helps children to build positive relationships.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Stories, songs and rhymes feature throughout the day and inspire activities that extend children's understanding and imaginations. Children's mathematical learning develops naturally through their play. The childminder encourages children to recognise small quantities without counting, compare sizes, identify colours and use number in meaningful contexts. The childminder plans the outdoor environment to provide children with daily opportunities to run, climb and balance, supporting their physical development. Children independently access resources and use them safely, including riding wheeled toys in designated areas. They care for plants, explore the natural world and discuss weather and sun safety. The childminder plans regular visits to parks, the library, soft play and a local nursing home to broaden children's experiences, strengthen community links and enrich the curriculum.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder places inclusion at the centre of her practice. She ensures that every child receives the support they need to thrive. During the settling-in period, the childminder gathers detailed information from parents and carers about each child's interests and stage of development and any additional needs. She uses this information to plan experiences that reflect children's individual starting points. This enables children to participate fully from the start.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder follows clear assessment procedures. She uses speech and language screening to identify children who may benefit from additional support. The childminder plans targeted strategies, working closely with parents. She regularly reviews children's progress to ensure that support remains effective. The childminder makes timely referrals for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and works collaboratively with external professionals. She implements their recommendations within her daily practice. The childminder keeps parents informed throughout the process. This ensures that they remain involved in decisions about their child's learning and development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The environment promotes access for all children. Child-sized furniture, steps to sinks and carefully considered layouts enable children to develop independence while moving around safely. The childminder adapts resources and activities to meet individual needs and encourages every child to persevere, embrace new activities and celebrate their achievements. This approach nurtures children's confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging. This enables every child to participate fully in daily experiences.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder demonstrates an ongoing commitment to developing her practice through regular reflection and evaluation. She has a clear understanding of what works well within her provision and identifies priorities for further development. The childminder creates purposeful improvement plans and implements changes thoughtfully. She reviews their impact to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the children in her care.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder shows enthusiasm for her role and remains committed to keeping her knowledge and skills up to date. She attends local childminding network meetings where she shares ideas and reflects on practice with colleagues. The childminder has established professional links with other childminders and arranges regular opportunities for children to meet and play together. The childminders also visit one another's settings to exchange ideas and enhance the quality of their provision. The childminder completes all mandatory training and regularly undertakes additional professional development, including recent training on supporting children's behaviour. She actively applies new learning to strengthen her practice. The childminder works effectively with other professionals, including the local authority. Her expertise has been recognised through an invitation to mentor prospective and newly registered childminders. She supports them through the registration process and helps them

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

develop their provision. The childminder also maintains positive partnerships with parents and carers, sharing regular updates through emails and an app. Parents receive information about their children's next steps in learning and ways to support learning at home. Their feedback consistently highlights the quality of the provision and the progress their children make.

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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 arrive at the setting with enthusiasm. They settle quickly because the childminder welcomes each child warmly and responds to their individual needs and interests. Children develop trusting relationships that help them to feel safe, valued and ready to explore their environment with confidence. As children become familiar with the daily routines, they make independent choices about their play, select resources for themselves and take increasing responsibility for their learning.

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

The carefully planned indoor and outdoor environments provide a wide range of opportunities for children to investigate, create and imagine. Outdoors, children eagerly explore the mud kitchen, mixing flour, coloured water and other materials to create imaginative recipes. They experiment with different textures, fill and empty containers and use a variety of utensils to extend their ideas. The childminder joins children's play with thoughtful questions and comments that encourage curiosity, introduce new vocabulary and extend conversations.

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

Indoors, children immerse themselves in imaginative role play at an ice-cream parlour. They take turns serving customers, choosing flavours, handling play money and counting coins. These experiences encourage cooperation, mathematical thinking and communication. Children negotiate roles, solve problems and share ideas. The childminder recognises opportunities to build on children's interests. This helps children to remain engaged while developing perseverance and a willingness to try new tasks. Children learn that mistakes form part of learning and proudly celebrate their achievements.

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

Throughout the day, children express their excitement as they play and eagerly invite adults to join their activities. Sensitive interactions from the childminder support language development, sustain their concentration and deepen their involvement in play. Parents and carers describe the setting positively. They appreciate the warm relationships that their children form. Parents report that their children look forward to attending. The childminder promotes regular attendance. This helps children to continue to benefit from consistent routines, secure relationships and meaningful learning experiences.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and read written testimonials from parents during the inspection.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:30

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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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3

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. 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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