Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2790614 Registered with Ofsted: 08/07/2024 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 Strong standard

Children demonstrate very positive behaviour and attitudes throughout the day. The childminder has established a calm and respectful environment where expectations for behaviour are embedded well. Children follow routines confidently, respond well to instructions and understand what is expected of them. They are consistently kind and considerate towards one another, sharing resources and taking turns during activities and daily routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children play harmoniously and increasingly seek each other out for collaborative play experiences. For example, children explore the interactive puppets together during the 'Dear Zoo' story. They give each other time to find the corresponding animal to the puppet. These experiences help children develop friendships, communication skills and positive social interactions. Children display very good manners and respect. The childminder understands how to settle children when they are tired and need some quiet time. The children love to relax and explore books which help to settle them and manage their emotion. Children are consistently very well supported by the childminder.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children know what is happening next and move smoothly between routines and activities. The childminder speaks to the children about their day, has high expectations and praises positive behaviour to model to other children who may need further support. She understands the importance of attendance and has suitable procedures in place, including emergency contacts and follow-up systems where concerns arise, helping to promote children's wellbeing and continuity of care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are at the heart of the childminder's practice. Children are cared for in a warm, nurturing and highly inclusive environment where they feel safe, secure and valued. Children form very strong attachments with the childminder and confidently seek her out for comfort, reassurance and involvement in their play. The childminder knows the children and their families very well and responds sensitively to their individual needs, routines and circumstances. As a result, children are confident and settled and develop a clear sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's emotional wellbeing is prioritised effectively through very calm, nurturing and responsive care. The childminder helps children to recognise and manage their feelings, understand the emotions of others and develop positive strategies to regulate their emotions. For example, when children become tired or overwhelmed by the heat, the childminder responds sensitively and encourages them to recognise what their bodies need, such as taking time to rest inside and having a cold drink or water. Children respond positively to this calm and nurturing approach.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder supports children's health and physical wellbeing effectively. Children learn about healthy lifestyles through discussions and daily routines linked to healthy eating, hygiene and physical activity. Care practices are implemented consistently and sensitively. For example, children's individual sleep, feeding and care routines are respected and

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Expected standard

managed well, helping children to feel secure and comfortable. The childminder responds confidently to children's individual and unique needs and ensures appropriate systems are in place to support their safety and wellbeing. Children benefit from an inclusive environment where they are encouraged to express their needs, develop independence and build confidence and emotional security.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make typical progress from their starting points and become increasingly confident and motivated learners. All children develop secure communication and language skills and confidently express their thoughts, ideas and needs. They develop positive attitudes towards learning and enjoy exploring, investigating and trying new experiences. They sustain concentration during activities and are keen to join in and learn new things.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children increasingly play collaboratively with their peers and seek out experiences together. For example, young children explore the water tray together outside and share resources. They explore the 'puppet' animals during story time and delight as they match the correct animal with the pictures in the story book. As the youngest children independently navigate the steps to the top of the slide they confidently count, '1 2 3'. This demonstrates their understanding of early mathematics.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate that they enjoy their time exploring and playing. They are becoming independent and confidently manage routines, self-care and daily tasks including selecting resources, choosing books and starting to take off their shoes after outdoor play. These skills are embedded well and help prepare children for future learning and eventually school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder plans a curriculum that reflects children's interests, starting points and next steps in learning. She uses ongoing observation to understand what children know and can do and incorporates learning opportunities into everyday play and routines. The curriculum focuses on supporting communication and language, early mathematical understanding and physical development through a range of play-based experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports learning by joining children's play, modelling language and using familiar activities to reinforce key skills. For example, children show excitement and engagement as they explore familiar books and learn new words and phrases in the story. The childminder follows children's interests to maintain engagement and uses a range of resources, both indoors and outdoors, to support learning. Children benefit from opportunities to be active and explore, including regular use of the outdoor environment and experiences in the local community, which support their physical development and confidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

However, opportunities to consistently extend children's thinking and communication are not yet fully embedded. At times, interactions move on too quickly and children are not always given sufficient time to respond or develop their ideas further. As a result, children do not consistently deepen their learning during play and routines.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where she recognises every child as unique and values their individual needs, interests and characteristics. Before children start at the setting, she speaks with parents to gather information about their child's development, routines, interests and any additional support they may need. This helps her adapt the environment and her approach to support children's individual needs from the beginning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder builds positive relationships with children and gets to know them well. She uses her knowledge of each child to identify their needs, assess their development and provide appropriate support. She recognises barriers that may affect children's learning and takes steps to help children access the full range of activities and experiences at the setting. For example, she observes children's needs, plans specific activities to address areas of development, introduces supportive strategies, and evaluates how effective these approaches are.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder works closely with parents and the local authority to support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She seeks advice from the local authority and develops her knowledge through further reading and professional learning. She has established a range of strategies to support children's individual needs and promotes their participation and wellbeing. The childminder is in the early stages of strengthening her knowledge of inclusion, including funding options. This will further strengthen the support she currently provides for children who face barriers to their learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder reflects on her environment, practice and the experiences she provides for children. She works in partnership with, parents and her assistant to discuss ideas, share knowledge and identify areas for improvement. The childminder develops her professional knowledge, for example through courses linked to the needs of children in her unique setting. She has developed a foundation of knowledge around supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which helps her recognise children's individual needs and introduce appropriate strategies to support their learning and wellbeing. She continues to extend her understanding of strategies that support children who may face barriers to their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder carefully considers her workload and her assistants, and prioritises children's safety, wellbeing and learning. She manages her responsibilities effectively and continues to develop her knowledge and practice to provide high-quality care that meets the individual needs of all children. She ensures that her assistant receives the support and training they need to meet the needs of all children. The childminder ensures that her assistant receives ongoing coaching and mentoring.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents speak highly of the childminder and value the warm, trusting relationships she builds with families. They appreciate the constant communication, broad experiences and the progress their children make, particularly in confidence, independence and social skills. Parents describe the setting as caring, professional and flexible, and value the support they receive with routines such as potty training and transitions to school.

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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 welcomed into a calm and nurturing home environment where they feel safe and secure. The childminder builds warm and caring relationships with children and families by responding sensitively to their unique needs. This helps children settle quickly and develop confidence in their surroundings. It also supports families to know that their child is being nurtured and cared for based on their individual needs.

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

Children benefit from consistent routines throughout the day, which help them understand what happens next and support their emotional wellbeing. The childminder plays alongside children during activities and daily routines, offering reassurance and encouragement. This calm and attentive approach helps children feel comfortable and confident to take part.

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

Children enjoy a range of familiar activities that support their learning and development. They join in enthusiastically with songs, stories and play experiences, showing enjoyment as they take part in activities outside and inside. Children move confidently between activities and make choices about what they want to do. They are supported by the childminder understand the importance of wearing sun hats outside drinking plenty of water.

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

Children benefit from opportunities to be active both indoors and outdoors. They explore the environment with confidence and engage in physical play that supports their coordination and movement. Regular outings in the local community provide further opportunities for children to experience different environments and develop their social skills. The childminder promotes regular attendance, which helps children settle into familiar routines and supports continuity in their learning and development.

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

As a result, children are happy, settled and confident. They show positive attitudes towards play and learning and engage well in daily routines and activities.

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Next steps

The childminder should further develop knowledge and strategies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, especially around available funding options to reduce barriers to their learning. The childminder should build on how she supports children's thinking and communication during play and routines to deepen children's learning more consistently.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with childminder, other adults working with her and children during the inspection. She took account of written views and feedback on her setting provided by parents.

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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 - 17:00

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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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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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