Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2820266 Registered with Ofsted: 29/01/2025 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

Children make good progress from their starting points. The childminder has a secure understanding of child development and accurately identifies children's next steps in learning. She monitors children's progress carefully and uses this information to plan experiences that help children build on what they already know and can do.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage in their learning. They become increasingly confident communicators, recall previous experiences and apply what they have learned in their play. For example, children remember growing sunflowers and talk about visits to the seaside as they confidently share their ideas. Parents value the progress their children make, particularly in communication and language.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from the childminder's calm and consistent approach. She is always available as children play, helping them to feel secure and understand what is expected throughout the day. Clear and familiar routines help children know what comes next. They confidently choose where to play, move purposefully between activities and remain engaged in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well because the childminder has clear and consistent expectations that are appropriate for their age and stage of development. Her calm and responsive approach helps all children, including children with barriers to learning, to participate successfully in routines and activities alongside their peers. She supports children to take turns, share resources and develop positive relationships. Gentle reminders, such as 'kind hands', 'on your bottom' and 'slow down', help children understand what is expected of them while maintaining the calm atmosphere within the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder encourages children to become increasingly independent through everyday routines. Children choose resources, wash their hands, chop banana for snack, use cutlery and learn to put on their own shoes, while the childminder gives them time and encouragement to succeed for themselves. These daily opportunities help children develop confidence and prepare them well for the next stage in their learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder places children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of her practice. She gets to know children and their families well and uses this knowledge to provide care that responds to children's individual needs. Children develop warm and trusting relationships with the childminder because she is attentive, nurturing and consistently available to comfort, reassure and encourage them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder is responsive to children's changing needs throughout the day. For example, she recognises when a young child becomes tired and sensitively adapts the routine so the child can rest. Children learn healthy habits through everyday routines. They wash their hands before eating, enjoy healthy snacks, spend time outdoors each day and develop increasing independence as they learn to manage their own personal care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder promotes the welfare and wellbeing of all children, including children with barriers to learning. She works closely with parents and seeks advice and support when needed to help ensure children receive the care they need. As a result, children are settled, emotionally secure and confident to explore their environment and engage in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has developed a curriculum that is rooted in the foundations of communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical skills and she reflects on what she wants children to know and learn next. She accurately identifies children's starting points and next steps in learning and uses these to plan meaningful experiences that build on children's interests and stage of development. For example, children explore an 'under the sea' theme through water play and small world activities, where they learn new vocabulary, such as 'octopus'. Children recall visits to the seaside and use language and actions to explain their ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Communication and language are woven throughout the day. The childminder joins children in their play. She understands children's emerging language and repeats back words and phrases so that children know they are understood and hear the correct pronunciation. As children build sandcastles, they excitedly recall travelling on an aeroplane and visiting the beach. The childminder uses songs, rhymes and repetition to promote children's language development. Children eagerly join in, communicate their ideas and develop their vocabulary.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder makes good use of children's play, everyday routines and regular outings to extend learning. For example, children count as they play, practise their physical skills while balancing and climbing, and recall previous experiences, such as growing sunflowers, as they proudly share their artwork. Daily visits to the local school, parks, farms and woodland areas provide meaningful opportunities for children to explore the natural world, develop their physical skills and build on what they already know.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder welcomes all children and values each child as an individual. She gets to know children and their families well and understands the needs of children, including those with barriers to learning. She gathers information from parents and through her observations to identify children's starting points. She follows children's interests and routines to plan care and learning that meets their individual needs, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She monitors children's progress carefully and adapts her care and teaching to help every child make progress. For example, she uses her knowledge of children's starting points and next steps to provide activities and interactions that support each child's stage of development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands the needs of families within the local community and seeks advice and support for children when needed. She has developed positive links with other professionals and fellow childminders to help ensure children receive appropriate support. She recognises the importance of helping children learn about the wider world and reflects on her practice. She recognises that resources and experiences could more consistently promote children's understanding of different cultures, beliefs and communities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a secure understanding of her role and has created a welcoming setting where children and families feel valued. She has a good understanding of the local community and the challenges some families face. This helps her tailor the support she offers, for example by promoting healthy lunchboxes, encouraging families to access health services, including dental care, and adapting routines to help keep children safe and well during periods of hot weather. She has developed strong partnerships with parents, who value the care, guidance and support that she provides.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands children's learning and development well. She accurately identifies children's starting points, monitors their progress and works effectively with parents and other professionals to help children make good progress. She has established positive links with other childminders and values opportunities to share ideas and seek advice to help meet children's individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects thoughtfully on her practice and identifies priorities that will further improve children's experiences. She recognises the need to broaden opportunities for children to learn about different cultures, beliefs and communities through a wider range of resources and experiences. She also recognises the importance of continuing to develop her own professional knowledge and skills to further strengthen the quality of her provision.

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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 are warmly welcomed into the childminder's home and confidently leave their parents to come into the setting on their own. Even the youngest children separate happily and eagerly begin to explore. They quickly choose from the well-organised range of resources and move freely between activities indoors and outdoors, showing curiosity and confidence in their surroundings.

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

Children feel safe and secure because the childminder knows them well and responds warmly to their individual needs. She recognises their interests, routines and stages of development, helping them to feel valued and confident. For example, she notices when children need reassurance or rest and adapts her care accordingly.

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

Children communicate with confidence and enjoy conversations with the childminder throughout the day. They eagerly share their experiences, remember previous visits and use new words as they play and look at books together. The childminder listens carefully, repeats children's emerging language and introduces new vocabulary, helping children to express themselves and build their communication skills.

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

Children develop independence throughout the day as they make choices about their play, take turns and manage everyday tasks for themselves. For example, they confidently choose resources, wash their hands, chop fruit for snack and return their own water bottles after drinking. Daily outings and regular visits within the local community broaden children's experiences and help them develop an understanding of the world around them.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 07:30 - 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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Next steps

The childminder should explore further opportunities for children to learn about different cultures, beliefs and communities by broadening the range of experiences that reflect the wider world. The childminder should continue to develop her professional knowledge and skills to further strengthen the quality of her provision.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, 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. This data is from 29 July 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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