Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2809362 Registered with Ofsted: 09/04/2025 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 build confidence and independence for the next stage in their learning. They show good levels of engagement during rhyme sessions. Children confidently select rhymes, follow familiar routines and enthusiastically participate with actions. These activities support children's physical development while also promoting listening, coordination and enjoyment in shared experiences. Older children show enthusiasm in completing tasks independently, and younger children enjoy trying for themselves. For example, children explore play dough and use cutters to create with it. Older children demonstrate listening and attention skills well and are confident to ask questions. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. They are able to express themselves confidently and are developing firm friendships with their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder understands the importance of attendance and works with parents and carers to ensure that children are punctual. The childminder offers settling-in sessions for children and gathers information on children's care needs and preferred ways of learning. She makes reasonable adaptations and tailors children's experiences to ensure all children achieve. For example, she provides resources that help children settle and adjusts the routine to suit children's individual needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children cooperate well in play, regardless of their different ages. Older children show tolerance and understanding towards their younger friends who want to join in their play. Overall, children behave well and show that, overall, they understand the expectations of the childminder's home. However, the childminder does not consistently explain to children why they should not be doing something, and this does not give children a clear understanding of how their actions may impact themselves or others.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The childminder creates a warm and welcoming home-from-home environment, where children feel safe, secure and valued. The childminder actively promotes children's independence through well-established daily routines. She encourages children to manage simple self-care tasks, such as washing their hands before meals and after activities. These routines help children develop confidence and begin to take responsibility for their personal care. Children are confident to express when they need something, and the childminder responds to them in a calm, caring manner. The childminder is attentive to children's needs and, as such, children show good levels of wellbeing and comfort with her.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy a range of physical experiences in the outdoor area. They use equipment such as see-saws, balls and skittles, which supports their physical development and overall wellbeing. Overall, the childminder establishes a culture where children can explore their emotions and learn how to manage their feelings. She reads books and provides resources that illustrate different emotions. This helps children learn to communicate how they feel more clearly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides an inviting environment that encourages children to independently explore across all areas of learning. Personal, social and emotional development is central to the childminder's curriculum. Children form strong bonds with the childminder. They show confidence as they explore their learning environment. They are becoming increasingly independent in their self-care. The curriculum overall is ambitious for all children, including those with barriers to learning or those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the childminder does not use every interaction as an opportunity to help children excel in their learning even further. For example, when children show curiosity in a spider they find outside or when they talk about fish as they explore dough, she diverts their attention to another activity. The childminder uses ongoing assessment to check what children know and can do to inform teaching. Overall, children make steady progress from

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

their starting points and are prepared for their next stage of learning, including the eventual move to school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematics is woven meaningfully into everyday experiences, such as counting together, identifying colours and shapes, and exploring concepts such as 'full' and 'empty' during sand play. Children show engagement as they play with children across different ages. The childminder prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development, offering expectations that help them feel safe and secure. She provides varied opportunities for physical development, such as creating with chalk and play dough activities that strengthen fine motor skills well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder ensures she gets to know families well when they join so she can offer an inclusive environment. She promotes children's diversity and cultures through, for example, celebrations. She engages in discussions with children, where they enjoy sharing experiences of their home life. This helps children develop their sense of belonging. The childminder identifies children's individual needs, using her observations and close relationships with families to support her. She makes thoughtful adaptations, such as using visual stickers to help children understand routines and settle in quickly.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder understands appropriate uses of any additional funding to support children to reduce barriers to their learning or wellbeing. The childminder is aware of who to go to when specialist advice is needed and how to seek it out in a timely manner to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The childminder keeps parents and carers well informed about their children's development. She shares information about children's achievements, interests and next steps in learning, so parents understand how their children are learning. Parents value this communication and speak positively about the support they receive. They comment that their children have made progress since starting in the childminder's care and they enjoy attending.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder builds and maintains positive relationships with parents and carers. She values their role as partners in children's learning and involves them in supporting their children's development. The childminder keeps parents informed about their children's progress and achievements. This ensures that they clearly understand how their children are learning and developing. Parents speak highly of the childminder's nurturing approach.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder understands her setting well and is reflective about her priorities. Overall, she has effective oversight and actively identifies areas for improvement. However, there is further opportunity to help children excel in their learning further and support children to understand how their behaviour may impact themselves and others. The childminder shows a commitment to her professional development and attends training to strengthen her practice further. Overall, the childminder's leadership ensures that children feel secure, develop independence and gain confidence. Children benefit from consistent care, positive relationships and a home-from-home environment.

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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 settle quickly at the childminder's home, greeted by familiar routines that support them to feel safe. They move confidently through each part of the morning, excited about what comes next. The childminder has built trusting relationships with children, helping them to feel valued and develop a sense of belonging, which helps children settle with ease. Many siblings attend together, and the childminder builds long-term, positive relationships with families. The childminder is aware of the requirements of the registers she is registered on and ensures everyone in the home is suitable.

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

Children engage in their learning with enthusiasm. They show curiosity and enjoyment as they explore activities. For example, younger children concentrate as they curiously press buttons on a truck. Older children enjoy balancing skittles and using their coordination to roll the ball to knock them down. The play environment is organised well to allow children to access a range of play to support their interests, as well as their learning. The childminder discusses how she would adapt activities, for example, to support children who may have barriers to their learning. Overall, activities are planned and implemented well, and children have fun, for example, kicking balls outside and creating with sand and play dough. Children thrive in the childminder's care and make steady progress in their learning. They develop age-appropriate skills for their eventual move to school, such as independence and physical

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

skills. Overall, children behave well. They listen well and follow instructions. They understand the daily routine and what is expected of them.

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

The childminder monitors children's attendance and timeliness. She shares this information with parents and explains why this is important. Consequently, children attend on time and very regularly. This pattern helps them to achieve better outcomes in life and prepares them well for the next stage in their education, such as going to school.

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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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Next steps

The childminder should strengthen her practice to use every interaction with children as an opportunity to further their learning. The childminder should ensure children's behaviour is supported consistently, explaining how children's actions impact themselves and others.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder 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.

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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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