Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2840192 Registered with Ofsted: 03/06/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR

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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 their very deep relationships and happiness with the childminder. The childminder is very attentive to children's needs, providing reassurance when needed and listening to children's ideas. She teaches children how to interact with their peers, sharing and taking turns. The childminder embeds manners in children's understanding, which helps them learn to be polite and respectful of others. The childminder has clear routines that support her high expectations for children's behaviour. She communicates clearly with children. This helps them understand what is expected of them, appropriate to their age and stage of development. These expectations for behaviour are very well embedded and consistent for all children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children follow routines confidently and consistently. They tidy up without reminders and manage simple tasks for themselves, such as washing their hands or putting on their sun hats. The childminder builds warm and trusting relationships with each child. She adapts her expectations for each child to match what they can manage and are ready to do. For example, the childminder gives younger children extra time, gentle prompts and practical support. She encourages older children to take greater responsibility and independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder supports families to maintain consistent routines, such as arriving on time and provides detailed advance information if the children are going on trips. The childminder promotes attendance for all children, recognising the importance of routine attendance and its impact on children's development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder meets children's needs extremely well. For example, she provides appropriate and safe sleeping arrangements and prioritises food safety during mealtimes. This helps to keep children safe throughout the setting. The childminder's policies and procedures are reviewed and adapted regularly to ensure high standards of care in response to children's varying needs. After taking part in physical exercise, children understand it is important for them to have a drink of water. Children learn they must clean their hands when they return indoors after outdoor play to stop the spread of germs. This well-embedded and consistent practice helps children understand the importance of staying safe and healthy.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop a deep understanding of personal safety because the childminder uses real-life situations to support their learning. She helps them consider risks, such as involving children in regular fire drills and promotes practical advice on how to stay safe in the sun. Children including those who face barriers to their wellbeing, learn about feelings and how to recognise their own and other people's feelings. Consequently, young children begin labelling and regulating their emotions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder consistently implements a range of resources for children that support their knowledge and understanding about oral health. Children enjoy exploring these new resources and learning how to keep themselves healthy.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, children achieve well from their starting points. They develop their motor skills effectively, building their strength and coordination in a well-resourced outdoor environment. They learn to join in group activities, listening and focusing their attention, which positively impacts the learning taking place. Children demonstrate their excellent independence as they carry out tasks for themselves. They practise pouring and measuring using a variety of mathematical equipment and make marks using coloured pencils and crayons. Older children create patterns and shapes with increasing independence and control.

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Achievement Expected standard

Generally, children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn to express themselves and develop their communication and language well. Children of all ages develop their listening and attention skills effectively. They develop their conversation skills chatting with their friends. They enjoy selecting and looking at books independently, developing their literacy skills. Children demonstrate their excellent independence as they carry out tasks for themselves. Children begin to develop their independence from a young age, which helps prepare them for future learning at school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has clear and effective systems in place for tracking, monitoring and planning learning opportunities that build on what children already know and can do. She identifies necessary changes and adaptations and incorporates them into her planning and practice to support children. The curriculum offers children exciting learning opportunities that promote thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, as children experiment with ice cubes, they observe about what happens when they put frozen cubes in the warmer water and discover they melt quicker. As they play, they move the ice cubes into a tray of colder water to make them last longer.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's language skills, such as through conversations and singing. She talks to children throughout their play, repeating and pronouncing words clearly for them to hear. The childminder knows and adapts teaching appropriately for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children's physical development is prioritised from the earliest age. The childminder understands the steps to take to help build children's physical strength. The childminder prioritises children's social skills and physical development, offering a range of tools, such as scoops and tweezers. Trips in the community help build children's social skills and understanding of the world around them.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder finds out key details about children from their parents. This includes information about children's needs, home life and development. The childminder then gathers regular updates from parents. Consequently, the care and support children receive is generally tailored to meet their needs. The childminder typically works well with parents to identify if children have any gaps or barriers in their learning or development. She is currently focusing on supporting children's speech and behaviour as she identifies this as a barrier to some children's learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder makes any required changes to ensure children are able to access all parts of the environment. On the whole, the childminder observes and monitors children's development well. She uses this to gain an understanding of what children already know, what gaps they have in their learning and what support they require. The childminder generally works well alongside other professionals, including the local childminding network. The childminder follows any advice given. This helps to ensure children receive the timely and specialist support they require to thrive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder attends training to help develop her skills in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She understands how additional funding helps her meet the needs of the children. However, the childminder is keen to access training for example in gathering evidence for health care plans, to help develop her knowledge and confidence in writing referrals for children who are disadvantaged and children with SEND even further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder has a competent overview of the setting's strengths and areas for development and makes decisions in the best interests of the children attending the setting. She recognises areas requiring improvement and acts on them effectively. For example, the childminder is focusing on extending her knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Recent training to strengthen her knowledge of how to support children's personal, social and emotional development has had a positive impact on children attending the setting, enabling children to be calm and effectively understand their feelings. The childminder recognises that strengthening her knowledge will enhance the education that children who face barriers to learning receive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder and co-childminder have a clear development plan in place. The induction process for children new to the setting is robust in order to meet the individual needs of the child starting. For example, settling-in sessions are flexible in length and frequency to best support children. This helps children to establish a positive relationship with the childminder from the start. The childminder's positive working relationships with families typically support children to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents value the childminder. They appreciate the advice she gives on accessing funding and the importance of regular attendance. They speak highly of the bonds she forms with children, and the progress children make when in her care.

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

Children and babies are happy, secure and thriving in the childminder's warm and attentive care. They settle quickly in the safe, stimulating environment where their unique interests and abilities are recognised and supported. Children develop secure relationships with the childminder, who consistently offers reassurance and encouragement. Children enjoy learning through play and take part with enthusiasm as childminder adapts activities to meet individual needs. They cheerfully collaborate on different tasks during various activities all through the day. For example, indoors they learn to listen, enjoy and join in with familiar nursery rhymes. Outdoors, they laugh and smile as they pour, measure and use tools safely to hammer shapes, showing they feel confident to explore and experiment.

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

Children develop communication and language skills as the childminder models clear words, asks open-ended questions and encourages children to describe colours and actions. Children take part in activities that develop fine and gross motor skills, imaginative play and early mathematics. They communicate effectively and with high levels of respect. The childminder understands how children learn and tailors her teaching accordingly. They benefit from rich and varied experiences that extend far beyond the home environment. Children are valued and treated as unique individuals.

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

Children learn from one another and build secure friendships. The childminder works closely with her co-childminder. They both know the children exceptionally well and they operate a key-person system to ensure they can meet children's individual needs. Sensitive guidance helps children understand expectations and consider the feelings of others. As a result, children develop confidence, independence and strong self-esteem. Parents and carers

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About this setting

Operating hours: Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

comment on how enthusiastic their children are to attend the setting and the rich breadth of experiences they receive. Parents confirm that the childminder provides support regarding accessing funding, attendance and at times of transition. Trips to parks, the zoo and community spaces enhances their understanding of the world and difference

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Next steps

The childminder should access further professional development opportunities to continue extending her skills and knowledge regarding supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, co-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 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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