Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2802255 Registered with Ofsted: 18/11/2024 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

All children, including those with barriers to their learning or wellbeing, achieve extremely well across all areas of learning and make rapid progress from their starting points. They show confidence and independence as they move through the day. For example, they choose their activities with confidence, discuss their interests and home experiences with the childminder, help to prepare their snack and practise dressing themselves with dress-up clothes. Children strengthen their communication and language quickly. They voice their needs and interests with growing confidence and build on their vocabulary with activities such as naming colours, animals and sea creatures.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children build essential knowledge and skills that prepare them very well for their next stage of learning or transition to school. They are curious and highly engaged in their learning and show focus and perseverance as they play independently. They develop excellent social skills, wait patiently for their turn with activities, share resources and show resilience when exploring new challenges.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder forms wonderfully nurturing and respectful relationships with children. She is warm and encouraging in her approach and has high expectations for behaviour that are age appropriate and help children feel secure and calm throughout the day. Attendance is promoted well, and children benefit from consistent routines that are designed thoughtfully so they know what will happen next. This helps all children to settle quickly and feel safe and ready to learn. They move confidently between activities and are deeply engaged in their play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder creates an inclusive environment where all children's behaviour is supported, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to their wellbeing. For example, she uses sensory toys, visuals and yoga sessions to support children to transition calmly from one activity to another. She works closely with outside professionals to ensure that her strategies are best suited to children's needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

There is a sense of harmony in the setting. The childminder models kindness, patience and respectful interactions. For example, she uses gentle encouragement, praise and teaching through stories and discussions about sharing and taking turns. Children play incredibly well together, share resources kindly, take turns and wait patiently for activities, such as listening to their chosen stories.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are supported with a high level of care and sensitivity. The childminder forms very secure attachments with children and is highly responsive to their individual needs. She creates a warm, welcoming environment where children feel safe, valued and eager to explore. Support is adapted thoughtfully for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for those facing other barriers to their wellbeing. This ensures that children's needs are met swiftly and effectively. The childminder carefully plans the day, using activities such as afternoon yoga and sensory resources, to help children feel calm and settled. Her proactive, collaborative approach with parents and carers means children's routines and emotional wellbeing are consistently supported. Parents appreciate her thoughtful communication and daily updates through online messages and regular conversations. She works closely with

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

parents and outside professionals to ensure that every child receives the support that best fits them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children enjoy regular access to outdoor learning and enriching trips to places such as local parks, National Trust sites, soft-play areas and woodland areas. These experiences strengthen children's physical development and support emotional regulation. Mealtimes are calm, predictable and used to deepen children's understanding of staying healthy, with nutritious choices discussed with them. Children learn about self-care, such as washing germs away before eating. They are supported to manage their emotions through gentle modelling and consistent encouragement.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the curriculum and ensures that it is ambitious and inclusive for all children. She plans sequenced steps that build securely on children's different starting points. She has a clear vision for what she wants children to know and be able to do and skilfully embeds all areas of learning into the rhythm of the day. Every routine becomes a learning opportunity, from mealtimes to nappy changing, with language, independence and mathematical thinking consistently supported.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

High-quality interactions consistently support children's communication and language. For example, the childminder uses targeted support strategies, models language and introduces ambitious vocabulary. Children enjoy interactive singing sessions and cosy story times. The childminder uses excellent questioning and prompts to strengthen children's deeper thinking. Children build on their mathematical understanding, counting objects in the water tray and exploring ideas such as 'full', 'half-full' and 'more' when scooping and filling containers with rice, for instance.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children benefit from a wide range of activities in the house and garden that support their movement and muscle development. The childminder also regularly takes children on outings to local parks and woodland areas, the library and playgroups, for example. These regular trips support children's growing confidence, social skills and understanding of the world.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Gaps in learning are identified swiftly and addressed quickly. Children facing barriers to their learning or wellbeing benefit from targeted adaptations, which are regularly reviewed. This means that all children make rapid progress and are very well prepared for their transition to the next stage in their learning or school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder uses her training, experience and expertise to provide a highly inclusive environment. She has consistently high expectations for every child and ensures that all children, including those with barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, receive well-timed, targeted support. Children's needs are swiftly identified from the moment they join the setting. The childminder closely observes children and works extremely well with families and outside professionals, such as health visitors and local authority advisers, to understand each child's starting points and provide meaningful support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder is proactive in her approach, using her expertise to introduce targeted strategies as well as taking on professional advice and using suggested strategies. For example, she purchases resources to support children's sensory needs and uses visual systems to support transition times and sharing of resources. She uses targeted language strategies and carefully adapts routines to help all children move through the day calmly. The childminder continues to work closely with families and outside professionals to review support and make timely adjustments. This means that children always receive support that meets their needs and ensures that they make excellent progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership is highly effective. The childminder is driven by a clear commitment to ensuring that every child thrives. She knows her setting and the children incredibly well. She evaluates her practice continuously and makes swift, effective changes when needed to best support children's welfare, learning and development. Her strategic leadership ensures that children's needs are identified early and met quickly. This supports children's rapid and sustained progress.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Professional learning is prioritised. The childminder uses her expertise and engages in regular training through webinars, professional reading and reflective practice. She seeks further training where needed to support children's individual needs in the setting. Her commitment to continuous learning ensures that her teaching is of consistently high quality. The childminder manages her workload effectively and creates a calm, organised environment where children feel secure. Her thoughtful approach to routines, planning and communication ensures that the setting runs smoothly and that children's experiences remain central to decision-making.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent. The childminder communicates with families warmly, consistently and with genuine care. Parents feel highly supported and well informed, which strengthens the continuity of children's care and learning at home and in the setting. This also supports children's smooth transitions, such as moving to pre-school and 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 move through the day with confidence and feel settled, calm and happy in this nurturing home-from-home environment. They form warm, trusting relationships with the childminder, who knows them incredibly well. Attendance is well supported, and children benefit from thoughtfully planned routines that help them feel secure. For example, they enjoy looking at photos of their families and talking about their interests with the childminder. This helps them learn that they are unique and valued in the setting. They laugh playfully and snuggle up with the childminder while she reads their choice of books from the local

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Inspector:

Sophia Malcolm library, building their love of stories. These moments support children's wellbeing and help them to feel safe and welcomed.

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Inspector:

Barriers to learning are identified early, and children benefit from highly effective support for their communication, language and emotional wellbeing. Children experience high-quality interactions throughout the day and choose from activities that are well suited to their stage of development and interests. They enjoy exploring thoughtfully planned activities that build on their next steps, such as fishing for 'sea animals' in coloured rice and water with different- sized scoops and grabbers. They show focus as they label colours, repeat new vocabulary, count the animals and use language such as 'one more'. This helps to strengthen their small muscles, mathematical understanding and communication.

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Inspector:

Children are invited to join in with activities and enjoy chatting with the childminder about their interests and home experiences, such as strawberry picking. The childminder skilfully transforms these conversations into rich learning opportunities, which build on children's language and understanding of the world, discussing seeds, growth and how strawberries taste, for instance. Children are kind and considerate in their play. They wait patiently for their turn, share resources and respond positively to gentle prompts that help them think deeply. For example, when unsure how to answer 'why?' questions, children are supported to explore ideas and develop their reasoning. Children thrive and make excellent progress from their starting points. They show high levels of independence, confidence and enjoyment in their learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and took account of the views of parents and carers 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 : 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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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