Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2780720 Registered with Ofsted: 04/06/2024 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 Expected standard

Overall, children progress well in their development, and they generally benefit from teaching that supports them to build on what they know and can do. For instance, children show a growing ability to use tools safely to help prepare their food during mealtimes. They also learn an age- and stage-appropriate range of words, such as learning the names of different insects and the sounds that they make. This helps children to build on their vocabulary.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who face barriers to learning are supported well to progress in their development. For example, they show their developing social skills which enable them to become increasingly confident around new people. However, at times, children are too easily distracted by what is going on around them and they sometimes struggle to sustain their focus during their play. At these times, children are not fully supported to extend their knowledge and skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, the childminder supports children well to manage their behaviour. She carefully considers children's ages and stages of development to plan activities and experiences that provide them with opportunities to manage their feelings. For example, she encourages toddlers to take turns and share the toys. This includes reminding children when it is someone else's turn to make bubbles. Children show their understanding and ability to tolerate delay by giving their friends a turn with the activity. Children also enjoy working with others to achieve a common goal. For example, they share the resources as they, 'Fix' the roof of the playhouse together. This kind of cooperative play helps children to develop their social skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder recognises when children are struggling to manage their behaviour and she adapts the routines to enable them to express themselves freely. For example, when children become overexcited, she suggests that they go outside where they can exert their physical energy on the bikes, stepping stones and climbing frame. This supports children to learn to regulate themselves.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder is a positive role model, and she ensures that she speaks calmly to children. She encourages children to take part in the daily routines, such as tidying up after themselves when they have finished playing and helping to prepare their food during mealtimes. At times, children need the childminder's support to join in, but they eventually follow her instructions. This enables children to develop a sense of pride and belonging in the childminder's setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder works with parents to promote children's regular attendance. She has effective systems in place to enable her to promptly follow up on any unplanned absences. This helps to keep children safe and ensures that they do not miss out on learning opportunities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder has implemented and embedded policies and procedures that support children to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, she assesses risks effectively which enables her to identify, manage and reduce potential hazards to children. This includes making sure that children wear helmets when they use the two-wheeled equipment, such as balance bikes and scooters. The childminder also talks to children about risks around them. For instance, when children try to close the windows in the playhouse, the childminder reminds them to keep the windows open so that it does not get too hot inside. This helps children to develop an awareness of how to keep themselves safe.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Overall, the childminder supports children to learn to look after themselves. For example, she ensures that they have access to water at all times and she regularly reminds them to drink their water. She also ensures that children wash their hands at appropriate times, and she provides them with healthy food to eat. The childminder talks to children about brushing their teeth. However, she has not considered ways to embed this further, which does not fully enable children to have a secure understanding of good oral health.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has high expectations for all children to progress well in their development. As such, she typically implements a broad curriculum that provides children with the skills and knowledge they need to move on to the next stage of their learning. The childminder generally builds on what children have previously learned to extend what they know and can do. For example, she reads stories to children about minibeasts, which encourages children to recall a time when they observed some caterpillars turning into butterflies. Children proudly point to the pictures that they made of their caterpillars and butterflies. This inspires them to talk about what they have learned, which further supports them to develop their language skills. However, the childminder does not consistently check what children have learned during conversations and activities, which does not fully enable her to further extend

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder supports children to build on their mathematical knowledge. For instance, she uses the language of size and quantity when she talks to them, such as describing items as being, 'Too big' or 'too tall'. This helps children to become familiar with mathematical concepts. Occasionally, in her enthusiasm, the childminder does not give children time to do things for themselves. For example, when she suggests that they count the ladybird spots together, the childminder counts them for children. This does not fully provide children with opportunities to try things independently.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Overall, the childminder implements effective strategies to ensure that children's needs are promptly identified. She ensures that she regularly observes children to monitor their development. She speaks to parents if she has any concerns, and she is aware of further help that may be available to children if they are not making their expected progress. This includes support from other agencies, and additional funding that children may be entitled to. The childminder assesses the impact of any support that she puts in place. This generally enables her to determine which aspects of her practice are working well. This also helps the childminder to consider any adaptations that need to be made to ensure that children continue to benefit from teaching and support that promotes their continued development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children who face barriers to learning develop well. For instance, the childminder works with parents to support new children to settle with her when they are in her care. She ensures that appropriate information is shared, and she makes herself available to meet with children and their parents before they start at her setting. This helps children to become familiar with the childminder and quickly develop bonds with her.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder ensures that she keeps herself up to date with the requirements of registration, which enables her to implement any relevant changes to ensure that she remains compliant. She also reflects on her practice, which generally supports her to identify strengths and areas for development. For instance, the childminder has recently focused on improving her outdoor provision. As such, children enjoy spending time continuing with their learning and play in the garden.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder ensures that she continues to build on her own practice with relevant training courses. For example, she has completed training to extend her understanding of how to support children who may face barriers to learning. This has enabled her to adapt her practice so that she provides a high-quality service to all children and their families. As such, parents report that they are very happy with the childminder and that their children progress well in her care. The childminder keeps parents informed of children's progress and she gives them ideas for home learning. This helps children to benefit from consistent support in their development.

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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 develop a sense of belonging and they maintain regular and consistent attendance. They enjoy their time with the childminder, and they engage confidently with her when they need support. She responds with patience and kindness, and as such, children feel safe and have secure bonds with the childminder. This enables them to show a positive attitude and engage well in their learning.

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

Children enjoy the wealth of activities and experiences that the childminder plans for them, which helps them to thrive in their development. She carefully considers each child's age and stage of development to ensure that the learning environment is arranged to meet their needs. As such, children explore their surroundings with intrigue and fascination. They spend time acting out familiar experiences, such as going to the shops. The childminder follows their interests and builds on the activities that they have chosen to engage with. Children generally enjoy opportunities to further extend their knowledge and skills. For example, they respond to the childminder's interactions as they think about what they need to do with their 'shopping' when they get 'home'. Children relish these moments and show their thinking as they talk through what they need to do. This helps children to make sense of their world around them.

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

Children enjoy opportunities to look at familiar books with the childminder. They talk about what they can see, such as the different insects that they have been learning about. With support from the childminder, they take turns to lift the flaps in the book, which helps them to show positive behaviour with their friends. This also enables them to remain interested in the story and develop a love of reading.

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About this setting

Operating hours: Thursday,Friday : 15:00 - 18:00,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday : 08:00 - 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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Next steps

The childminder should enhance her practice further so that children consistently benefit from teaching that enables them to recall past knowledge and skills, and extends on what they know and can do. The childminder should embed children's understanding of good oral health. The childminder should provide children with more opportunities to try to complete tasks for themselves to further build on their independence skills.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder, children and parents 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 is from 27 July 2026

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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. 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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