Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2801246 Registered with Ofsted: 11/10/2024 Registers: EYR

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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 generally make progress from their starting points. They develop the essential knowledge and skills to support them further. Children communicate their needs confidently. They engage in conversations and explore a wide range of resources. Children demonstrate increasing confidence and problem-solving skills. They engage purposefully in activities that build their coordination, language and social development. Children show pride in their achievements, use positive manners and respond positively to the environment around them. For example, when children give others a toy, they reply unprompted, 'You are welcome'.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children talk about their experiences, explain their ideas and use language to express thoughts and preferences. They begin to compare quantities and use mathematical language during everyday play. Typically, children are able to recall from previous learning. For example, during activities, they are able to match colours that they have already learned.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. The childminder uses clear expectations such as kind hands, sharing, turn-taking and being kind to friends, in daily practice. The childminder models calm and positive behaviour, which children mirror in their interactions with peers. When conflicts arise, she uses distraction, gentle explanations and offers alternatives to help children resolve issues independently. Children show kindness by sharing toys, offering choices and supporting one another during play. The childminder nurtures children to regulate their emotions through warm reassurance and guidance. This helps children to express their feelings confidently and safely.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Typically, children are familiar with the daily routines. They demonstrate an understanding of what is expected of them and develop independence skills. For example, children follow familiar routines with confidence. They understand transitions, such as nappy changing and snack times, and respond appropriately to the childminder's guidance. This contributes to a calm and orderly setting, where children feel secure and able to engage in their learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from consistent attendance, which supports their learning and development. The childminder works with parents and carers to prioritise children's attendance adapting sessions when needed. Secure relationships with parents help them to understand the importance of regular attendance. Their feedback confirms the positive impact this has on their children's progress and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing through genuine conversations, cuddles, praise and positive encouragement. Children confidently explore their environment, join in with songs and interact positively with each other. The childminder adapts routines and activities to meet children's individual needs. In general, she ensures all children are included and able to participate successfully. As a result, children feel happy, secure and emotionally supported within the childminder's home setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children follow routines and enjoy balanced and nutritious lunches. The childminder uses mealtimes as interactive learning opportunities and encourages children to talk about what they are eating. She closely supervises children throughout the day to ensure they remain safe during play, meals and sleep. However, the childminder does not consistently embed children's personal hygiene practices. This means opportunities to strengthen children's understanding of health care are not consistent.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder actively promotes children's physical development physical development through daily opportunities to run, climb and move freely in both indoor and outdoor spaces. The childminder also provides daily outings where children can be physically active and enjoy their environment, such as visits to local parks and open spaces. As a result, children build confidence, strengthen their coordination and develop their physical health and emotional resilience.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum offers a broad and balanced approach across all areas of learning. Communication and language underpin daily routines. The childminder promotes children's speaking, listening and vocabulary through lively conversations, stories and rhymes. Children confidently recall familiar songs and use new language in their play, naming animals and imitating their sounds. The childminder weaves mathematical language naturally into activities. For example, when attempting to fit a can into the play kitchen, children comment that it is 'too big'. This shows their growing understanding of size and spatial awareness.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development. She responds sensitively to their individual cues, offering reassurance and modelling language that helps them express how they feel. For instance, when children say they are 'sad', the childminder acknowledges their feelings. She guides them calmly towards strategies that help them to feel better. This supports children to develop confidence and an understanding of themselves and others.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder knows each child well. She uses daily observations to identify their next steps and shape meaningful learning opportunities. In general, the curriculum and teaching are responsive and children, including those who are at a disadvantage. The childminder observes children and adjusts activities in real time to ensure children's learning is meaningful and purposeful. Children benefit from a rich balance of structured learning and child-initiated play, moving freely between indoor and outdoor spaces. The childminder plans daily experiences that extend children's learning beyond the home environment. The childminder uses regular visits to the playground, opportunities to see the horses and trips to local places of interest to enrich children's understanding of the natural world. These promote children's physical development, curiosity and understanding of the world around them.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder provides a typically inclusive environment where she celebrates and values children's individuality. She gets to know children well and holds generally high expectations for their learning. This enables children to make steady progress from their starting points. The childminder completes progress checks for children age between 2 and 3 years effectively. This helps her to identify emerging needs, highlight strengths and recognise where additional support may be required. However, the childminder does not yet understand all the specific strategies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, she does not consistently give children extra time to help them express themselves and reduce frustration.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder responds to children's emerging needs with personalised approaches. This includes providing calm areas, sensory experiences and adapted routines. Settling-in procedures are inclusive and flexible. The childminder offers quieter days and items from home. She provides opportunities for parents and carers to share detailed information about routines, preferences and cultural backgrounds. The childminder values children's home languages. She learns key words and uses books and flashcards to support children's communication. The childminder works closely with parents and carers to address any concerns around their children's behaviour, share observations and agree beneficial approaches. She promotes positive partnerships with parents to enhance children's learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates appropriate strategic leadership. She has a clear commitment to providing a nurturing, well-organised and home-from-home environment. The childminder has an accurate understanding of the strengths of her provision and areas requiring further development. However, the childminder does not yet use regular reflection and evaluation to help her identify priorities that will improve children's experiences. This includes strengthening her knowledge of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands her statutory responsibilities and ensures that safeguarding, risk assessment and required documentation are completed effectively. She manages her workload well and maintains routines that support her wellbeing and the smooth running of the provision. Recent changes to the organisation of the learning environment have had a positive impact. For instance, the childminder has created clearer spaces that promote children's independence and purposeful play.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's wellbeing and learning through positive relationships and regular communication with families. However, she does not embed this in practice consistently to support healthy practices. Parents and carers speak positively about the nurturing relationships their children develop with the childminder. The childminder understands the importance of supporting children's transitions to school. She shares information with teachers and parents.

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

Children experience a warm, welcoming and nurturing home-from-home setting. They benefit from the childminder's calm and attentive approach. This helps them to settle quickly and feel secure throughout the day. Children are highly engaged in their play, which is planned around their interests, next steps and developmental stages. They choose activities independently, which is supported by resources being clearly labelled and accessible. This promotes children's independence and decision-making. Children explore a range of creative and imaginative experiences, such as water play and sensory animal-themed trays. This helps children to develop creativity and learn about the world around them.

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

Children receive gentle guidance and clear explanations that help them understand how to share toys and take turns. For example, when their friends want to join in with cutting, children offer another pair of scissors so everyone can participate. Indoors and outdoors, children move freely between well-organised spaces that invite exploration and purposeful play.

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

Children learn to think of others and begin to work out solutions together. They share resources with the childminder's calm guidance and play cooperatively. For instance, children take turns pretending to be the driver the driver in the train they create from chairs. Children carefully fill and empty containers with water. They show competent levels of concentration being careful not to spill any. Children have many opportunities to investigate, especially in the childminder's garden, where they explore sensory resources, such as sand and water.

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

In general, the childminder provides freshly prepared meals and ensures health care routines are followed. This supports children's understanding of how to look after themselves. Children thrive because they are supported, listened to and encouraged. They achieve well in an environment that celebrates their individuality and promotes their best start in life. The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance. This supports children's learning and continuity of care.

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Next steps

The childminder should consistently continue to make all necessary adaptations to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder to consistently ensure children's personal self-care practices are followed.

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About this setting

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

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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.

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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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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