Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2818104 Registered with Ofsted: 09/01/2025 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 Expected standard

Children achieve from their starting points. Children with barriers to learning, such as those new to the setting, generally develop confidence and resilience as their bonds with the childminder blossom. They make choices in their play and show such focus as they enjoy playing. For example, as children play with water and different pots and cups, they splash and giggle and repeat this again and again.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are confident and seek support when they need it. Babies point to activities they would like, and the childminder is swift to meet their needs. Children benefit from consistent expectations and praise. They respond well with smiles and joy as their efforts are celebrated. Children receive effective support to develop skills and knowledge that prepare them for their future learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's achievements and progress in mathematics are not consistent, as the range and frequency of the mathematical vocabulary children hear are varied. Children typically develop their physical skills. However, babies do not receive frequent opportunities to practise and refine their gross motor skills to best support progress.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder creates a positive learning environment. She has high expectations for children's behaviours and attitudes. The childminder reinforces these gently and consistently. She narrates on children's play well. Babies gaze at her as she speaks about trains moving round the track. As the train stops moving at the station, the childminder says 'stop'. Each time the train moves back to the station, the children look at her expectantly, waiting for her to say 'stop'. This supports children's communication and language skills well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show confidence as they play and learn. Babies new to the setting play happily and gain reassurance regularly from checking in with the childminder, sometimes with a smile or a cuddle. The childminder understands the importance of children attending regularly and promotes this well with parents and carers. She typically supports children's independence to grow. For example, as children enjoy playing with toy vehicles and cannot make the wheels on a bike move, the childminder models how to do this, and children then practise, repeatedly spinning the wheels.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder creates a safe, warm and inviting environment. Children settle quickly. Babies new to the setting are remarkably confident and explore toys with interest and focus. The childminder has comprehensive handovers with parents and carers. She finds out about the quality of sleep children have had, how they are feeling and if they are fuelled with breakfast for their busy day ahead. This promotes consistency in care. The childminder supports children's emotional development well. She is responsive to children and meets their wellbeing needs well. The childminder helps children to notice their own needs, such as indicators they need the toilet. However, this is not consistent. For instance, the childminder does not promote children's understanding of healthy habits, such as handwashing, at points of the day it is needed. This does not develop children's self-care skills well.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy daily outings with the childminder. They experience regular walks to the beach, visit local play parks and attend story times at the local library. The childminder supports children's emotional wellbeing to grow as she builds relationships with children that help them to feel secure and build attachments. The childminder has procedures in place to promote safe sleep. She helps babies new to the setting to settle swiftly to sleep using soothing methods familiar to them. The childminder checks children regularly as they sleep and re-energise, ready for more play and fun.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has a clear curriculum intent. She prioritises promoting children's self- confidence and building their personal, social and emotional development. Children enjoy a rich range of activities and experiences in all areas of learning. The childminder builds bonds with children that develop their engagement and wellbeing. She monitors children's progress well. She uses assessment to plan how she will build on what children already know and can do.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children's language development well. She introduces new vocabulary as she plays with farm animals with children. The childminder clearly and slowly names animals repeatedly to build children's understanding of these words. However, she does not consistently support children's early mathematical skills to develop as they play. She does sing number songs with children, and they enjoy it when the childminder quacks like a duck each time one swims away in the song. However, she does not teach early mathematical concepts clearly and directly as children play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder promotes children's early literacy skills well. She shares stories frequently and builds on children's interest in books as she speaks with them about the pictures. The childminder supports babies' physical development well. She builds their confidence to walk as she holds their hands and encourages their stepping and balance. However, the childminder does not promote children's physical development as well as when they play with activities of their choosing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder knows the children in her care well. She builds positive relationships with families that promote children's learning and development. The childminder works effectively in partnership with parents and carers. She provides support and guidance to help build on children's learning and development. The childminder typically seeks information from parents when children start with her, which helps her to build on children's current learning and promote their interests.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is responsive and adaptive to children's needs, and this promotes children's wellbeing. For example, when children start in her care, she tailors settling-in sessions so they meet the needs of children and their families. This personalised approach helps children to quickly feel comfortable and confident in the childminder's care. The childminder does not currently care for any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, she demonstrates her knowledge of effective monitoring of children's development. The childminder recognises the importance of swiftly identifying children's needs and seeking early help. She shows a clear understanding of how additional funding should be used to best support the progress of children in receipt of it.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder prioritises helping children to feel safe and secure. The relationships she builds with them are positive and respectful. The childminder builds partnerships with parents and carers to support children's learning, development and wellbeing to grow. She provides daily handovers that are thorough and promote continuity in care. The childminder informs parents of how she has met their children's care needs, as well as sharing highlights of the day and children's individual achievements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder's curriculum typically provides children with activities and experiences that prepare them for their next stage of learning. She understands the need to keep her skills and knowledge up to date. The childminder interacts with other local providers to reflect on her practice and further develop her knowledge and skills.

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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

The childminder welcomes children warmly and settles them well. Children who are new to the setting receive reassurance and nurture. This helps them to build their familiarity and trust in the childminder's care. The childminder knows children's interests. She uses this knowledge to provide learning activities that children enjoy and engage with. Children enjoy a curriculum that is balanced and considered and features regular outdoor learning in nature. Children clearly feel safe and secure.

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

The childminder interacts frequently with children. This promotes their engagement and interest in activities. The childminder models kindness and respect for others and the environment. She helps children to develop sharing skills. The childminder models sharing, turn-taking and treating others with care. Children's learning experiences are full of language. The childminder models words well for children as they play and repeats them to build children's familiarity with them. For example, as children build towers with bricks, the childminder repeats 'oh oh' each time the tower collapses, and each time she does, babies beam in delight. Children enjoy regular story times and are excited to help turn pages in a book.

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

The childminder monitors children's attendance. She promotes the importance of children attending regularly with their parents and carers. When children are absent, she quickly contacts parents to check on the health and wellbeing of children. The childminder offers support so children can return as soon as they are well again.

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Next steps

The childminder should further promote babies' physical development.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 16:00

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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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Age range of children at the time of inspection

The childminder should develop children's self-care skills further. The childminder should extend babies' early mathematical skills.

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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

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

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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