Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2828076 Registered with Ofsted: 29/03/2025 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 make secure progress from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for their next stage of learning. Typically, children's communication and language develop well. Children who initially use only a few familiar words develop a wider vocabulary, confidently name animals, join in with familiar songs, choose books to share and begin to combine words into simple phrases. Children increasingly express their ideas and experiences and understand more of what they hear.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children also make progress in their physical development and become increasingly confident when moving, climbing and exploring their environment. They show pride in their achievements and are increasingly willing to try new challenges independently. Children develop the skills needed to participate successfully in the next stage of their learning, including developing their communication, physical confidence, independence and ability to engage with others. Children who face barriers to learning make progress from their individual starting points and benefit from an inclusive approach that enables them to participate fully.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children benefit from a calm, nurturing environment where consistent expectations help them feel secure and develop positive attitudes to learning. Warm and respectful relationships enable children to build confidence and resilience. For example, after independently climbing the steps and sliding down the garden slide, one child proudly clapped in celebration as the childminder acknowledged the achievement and encouraged a sense of pride in this accomplishment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Generally, children learn to cooperate, share and take turns through everyday routines and play experiences. They show kindness towards one another and confidently follow familiar routines, independently checking when it is time for snack before washing their hands and preparing for the next part of the day. Expectations are adapted sensitively to children's ages and stages of development so that all children are supported to succeed. Attendance is promoted through positive communication with families, and previous attendance concerns have been addressed promptly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, children engage positively in activities. However, they do not yet consistently sustain their engagement during adult-led experiences. At times, some children participate briefly before moving on to other play. As a result, they do not always benefit fully from the learning and experiences on offer.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children form close and trusting relationships with the childminder, who knows them well and responds sensitively to their individual care and emotional needs. This helps children feel safe, valued and emotionally secure, enabling them to grow in confidence and become increasingly independent. Children who initially require additional reassurance settle well over time, developing the confidence to explore independently while returning to the childminder for comfort and reassurance when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Typically, children's individual routines are carefully considered and adapted in partnership with parents. Effective communication ensures consistency between home and the setting, supporting children's changing sleep, feeding and dietary needs. Parents value the childminder's responsive approach and comment positively on the personalised care and support their children receive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Generally, children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They enjoy nutritious home-cooked meals and healthy snacks, brush their teeth daily and benefit from regular outdoor play that supports their physical health and wellbeing. Through everyday routines and conversations, children learn about personal safety in age- appropriate ways. They understand the importance of privacy during personal care, learn the correct names for body parts, know what to do if they become lost and begin to understand how to seek help in an emergency. These experiences help children develop the confidence and knowledge to support their own health, safety and emotional wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder has designed an ambitious curriculum that places communication and language at its heart, recognising its importance in helping children become confident learners and preparing them for future learning. Activities are carefully planned around children's interests, developmental stages and next steps, while ensuring that all areas of learning and development are promoted through meaningful play and first-hand experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, Children benefit from high-quality interactions that extend their language and thinking effectively. During story time, the childminder introduces ambitious vocabulary, including 'cocoon', 'chrysalis' and 'dragonfly'. She encourages children to discuss the illustrations, compare different butterflies and recall previously introduced words. Children confidently explain that 'ecstatic' means 'happy', showing their developing understanding of new vocabulary. The childminder weaves mathematical language naturally into children's play. Children count the spots on butterflies, compare caterpillars as 'small', 'medium' and 'large', and use number and money language as they decide how many scoops, toppings and cones they need in the ice-cream shop.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Assessment helps the childminder identify what children know and can do, so teaching is adapted to their different starting points and stages of development. However, evaluation does not yet consistently show how effectively children build, retain and apply the intended knowledge, skills and vocabulary over time. As a result, information about children's longer- term learning is not yet consistently used to inform future curriculum decisions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children benefit from an inclusive environment where the childminder knows them well and uses assessment to identify their individual starting points, interests and developmental needs. She works closely with parents to gain a detailed understanding of each child's experiences before they start and regularly reviews children's progress to ensure that learning remains well matched to their next steps. Parents contribute to this process through daily communication and termly developmental summaries, helping to provide consistency between home and the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder is committed to reducing barriers to learning and wellbeing through thoughtful adaptations to both the environment and curriculum. Following reflection, she has reduced the number of resources available at one time, creating a calmer, more purposeful learning environment that helps children remain engaged without becoming overwhelmed. Activities are adapted to meet children's differing developmental stages. For example, younger children explore sensory resources through scooping, emptying and filling, while older children are supported to develop early pattern making and mathematical thinking.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Although no children currently require specialist support, the childminder demonstrates a secure understanding of the graduated approach and has completed additional training, including special educational needs and/or disabilities and autism awareness. She works in partnership with families and seeks advice from the local authority where appropriate to ensure that children receive timely support should additional needs emerge. She also recognises that barriers to learning are not solely financial and can also be due to parents' working commitments. Therefore, the childminder ensures that children benefit from a wide range of experiences, including regular community visits and opportunities to socialise with other children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder demonstrates an accurate understanding of the strengths of the provision and a reflective approach to continuous improvement. She uses professional learning, assessment information and parental feedback to review and refine her practice. For example, she has improved the learning environment and curriculum to better meet children's individual needs, ensuring that activities are purposeful, inclusive and build on children's interests and stages of development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Professional learning is valued and informs practice. The childminder regularly undertakes training, including safeguarding, special educational needs and/or disabilities and autism awareness, strengthening her knowledge and confidence in supporting children with a range of needs. She works effectively with parents, the local authority and other childminders to share information, seek advice and broaden children's learning experiences through regular community visits and group activities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder places children's best interests at the centre of decision-making. Although no children currently receive additional funding or require specialist support, she demonstrates a secure understanding of how to identify and reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing should needs arise. However, evaluation does not yet consistently demonstrate the longer-term impact of teaching on children's learning, which limits how effectively this information informs future curriculum decisions.

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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 happily and confidently, settling quickly into the warm and welcoming environment. They develop secure relationships with the childminder, who knows them well as individuals and provides reassurance, encouragement and praise that helps them feel safe, valued and emotionally secure. Children confidently explore the environment, independently choosing resources and deciding whether to join adult-led activities or continue with their own play. Overall, children enjoy an ambitious curriculum that is centred on meaningful first-hand experiences and builds on their interests and developmental needs. They eagerly participate in songs, stories and conversations that extend their thinking and language. For instance, during a singing activity, children excitedly select props from a song bag, confidently identifying familiar nursery rhymes, such as choosing a sheep for 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' and a spider for 'Incy Wincy Spider'. They enthusiastically joined in with the actions and

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

songs, demonstrating enjoyment, confidence and secure recall of previous learning.

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

Children are curious learners who confidently share their own experiences and make connections with the world around them. They proudly talk about feeding ducks with 'corn and bread' with their families and discuss holidays they have enjoyed and different foods they have tried. These conversations help children develop confidence in expressing themselves and contribute positively to group discussions. Children develop increasing independence through familiar daily routines. They know when it is time to wash their hands and independently ask the smart speaker what time it is to check whether it is snack time. They confidently wash and dry their hands before making healthy choices from the selection of fresh fruit available at snack time. Children cooperate well, happily sharing resources, taking turns and celebrating one another's achievements.

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

Children benefit from stimulating indoor and outdoor experiences that support their physical development, confidence and wellbeing. They climb, balance, investigate sensory resources and explore natural materials with enthusiasm. Daily opportunities to learn outdoors, alongside regular visits within the local community, broaden children's experiences and help them become confident, resilient learners who are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Next steps

The childminder should continue to refine the curriculum by strengthening the evaluation of how effectively teaching helps children build and remember the intended knowledge and skills over time. The childminder should continue to develop teaching strategies that capture and sustain children's engagement during adult-led experiences, enabling all children to participate fully and maximise their learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders 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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