Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2807599 Registered with Ofsted: 31/10/2024 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

Children make excellent progress from their individual starting points. Children develop increasing confidence, independence and resilience across all areas of learning. Those children receiving additional support make positive progress. They benefit from their learning targets being broken into manageable steps and reviewed regularly with their parents and carers. Children are exposed to consistent modelling of language and meaningful conversations throughout the day. This helps them to develop very secure communication skills.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children increasingly use a wider vocabulary. They express their ideas with growing confidence and engage purposefully in conversations with adults and their friends. Children also develop secure early mathematical understanding through play and everyday routines. They become increasingly confident participating alongside others. Consequently, children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. They develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for future success. This does not consistently help children to regulate their emotions across the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder gives children's welfare and emotional wellbeing a high priority. She creates a calm and nurturing environment. Children develop secure attachments and confidently seek reassurance when needed. For example, when children show they miss their parents and carers, the childminder offers calm reassurance and redirects them to think about the enjoyable activities that would happen before home time. As a result, children feel emotionally secure and ready to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder promotes healthy lifestyles well. Children enjoy nutritious snacks and meals and receive support to develop independence as they prepare their own food and drinks. They confidently wash their hands before eating, spread toppings onto toast, pour drinks and use cutlery independently. The childminder carefully considers individual dietary needs so that all children can participate fully in shared mealtimes. For example, she provides alternative foods for children with dietary requirements so that no child feels excluded.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from daily opportunities to play outdoors and explore the natural environment. They care for vegetables in the garden, water plants and talk about what plants need to grow. This allows them to develop their understanding of the world alongside their physical skills. Robust hygiene routines, careful supervision, safe-sleeping arrangements and effective risk assessment ensure that children remain safe while confidently exploring.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is ambitious. It reflects the childminder's high aspirations for children to become confident, curious and independent learners. Planning builds on children's interests, while ensuring that their knowledge and skills develop progressively across all areas of learning. The childminder accurately identifies what children need to learn next and adapts learning to meet their individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is consistently responsive. The childminder joins children's play naturally, extending learning through conversations, questioning and encouragement. For example, during water play, children explore sea creatures. The childminder introduces children to new vocabulary and encourages them to explain what they notice. She encourages children use their imaginations when they play, who comment this their 'water shop'. The childminder skilfully develops children's play through discussion, helping children to extend their imaginations, communication and language. Everyday routines are used well to strengthen learning. Children count while waiting for toast and cheer excitedly when it is ready. They identify colours during snack time, compare quantities as they share resources and confidently make links between their play and everyday experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children benefit from regular first-hand experiences beyond the setting. These are thoughtfully revisited through play, allowing children to recall previous learning, make connections and deepen their understanding. As a result, children are motivated learners who enjoy exploring, asking questions and solving problems. They apply new knowledge with growing confidence across different areas of learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder knows children and their families remarkably well. She identifies children's individual needs early. The childminder works closely with parents and carers and other professionals to ensure that relevant support is put in place quickly. As a result, she reduces barriers to children's learning and enables children to participate fully in the experiences she provides.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder thoughtfully adapts the curriculum and environment to meet children's differing needs. For example, she has introduced an additional water-play area to support children who prefer quieter play. This allows them to engage alongside others while building their own confidence at a pace that suits them. Children with emerging communication needs benefit from consistent singing, visual prompts and carefully modelled language. Consequently, they become increasingly confident communicators and engage more readily with adults and their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The childminder values children's families, interests and cultures. She uses photos of children and their homes to support self-registration. The childminder provides visits to the local community and celebrations of different cultures to help children develop respect for themselves, others and the wider world. Children feel that they belong and develop positive relationships with one another.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has an accurate understanding of the provision's strengths and priorities. She routinely reflects on children's experiences, reviews their progress and evaluates the impact of improvements. The childminder uses weekly reflection meetings effectively to review what has worked well. She identifies next steps and adapts the curriculum, learning environment and daily routines to meet children's changing needs. For example, the

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Expected standard

childminder has made improvements to the outdoor environment by replacing muddy areas with all-weather surfacing. This enables children to benefit from outdoor learning throughout the year. The childminder recognises that at times children need further support to manage their behaviour and is exploring ways of working to address this. The childminder has introduced a quieter routine after lunch, so that children who no longer sleep can enjoy books and calm activities and not disturb the other children while they rest.

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Expected standard

Professional development is purposeful and directly improves outcomes for children. Following concerns about behaviour, the childminder has completed additional training, reflected on the strategies with her co-childminder and successfully embedded consistent approaches that led to positive improvements in children's behaviour. The childminder carefully evaluates new learning and adapts practice where it has the greatest impact.

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Expected standard

Parents and carers speak highly of the care, communication and education their children receive. They contribute photos and learning from home, helping to shape the curriculum and extend children's interests beyond the setting. The childminder uses these partnerships, alongside children's fascinations with topics, such as trains and animals, to plan rich first- hand experiences that broaden children's knowledge and understanding. As a result, children benefit from a continually evolving curriculum that reflects their interests while maintaining high aspirations for every child.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children understand the routines and expectations of the setting. They respond well to the childminder's calm and consistent approach. Children move confidently between activities, tidy away resources, wash their hands before meals and manage everyday routines independently. The childminder establishes clear expectations and consistently reinforces positive behaviour through praise, encouragement and gentle reminders. This helps children to understand what is expected of them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder supports children sensitively to recognise and manage their emotions and develop positive relationships. When disagreements arise, she encourages children to explain how they feel and guides them towards positive solutions. The childminder supports children sensitively to recognise and manage their emotions and behaviour. She uses calm reminders and consistent expectations to help children understand what is expected. For example, when children are loud during snack time, the childminder quietly reminds them to use a calmer voice. Children immediately respond and continue positively with the activity. This helps children to develop increasing self-control and consideration for others. Children also receive encouragement to use words to express their emotions and reminders of positive manners and hygiene during everyday routines. This supports them to understand the reasons behind the expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They concentrate well, show curiosity and persevere when faced with trickier tasks. For example, when children say they cannot do something, the childminder encourages them to keep trying. This helps children to develop resilience and confidence. Children receive some guidance and support that enables them to develop increasing independence in managing their emotions. However, the childminder has not consistently embedded strategies for all children, such as for those who need further support to understand how to share resources.

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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 arrive extremely happily and quickly settle into their play. They have warm and secure relationships with the childminder. Children know the daily routines well. They

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Inspector:

Naziha Amin confidently seek support from trusted adults when they need reassurance. The childminder takes a genuine interest in children's ideas and joins their play naturally. This helps children to feel safe, valued and develop a deep sense of belonging.

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Inspector:

Children enjoy learning through experiences that reflect their interests and curiosity. They enthusiastically create shopping lists before role-playing visits to the supermarket. Children care for dolls with kindness and empathy. They explore how vegetables grow as they water the garden and discuss what plants need to thrive. The childminder skilfully extends children's language and thinking through meaningful conversations and carefully chosen questions. As a result, children develop excellent communication skills, early mathematical understanding and rich imaginations through everyday play.

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Inspector:

Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their independence. They confidently collect their own lunch trays, pour drinks, spread toppings onto toast and put on their own shoes before playing outside. The childminder encourages children to persevere, solve problems and have a go for themselves. This helps children to develop confidence and resilience. Children behave well and are learning to recognise and manage their emotions. They learn to share with others and resolve disagreements calmly with sensitive support from the childminder. Those children who need additional support receive timely help that enables them to participate fully alongside their friends and make excellent progress from their starting points. Children benefit from regular visits into the local community, which broaden their experiences and prepare them well for the next stage in their learning.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to embed strategies that help children to recognise, talk about and manage their emotions, enabling them to develop how they regulate their emotions across the day.

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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.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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

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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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