Childminder

Childminder

Unique reference number (URN): 2832937 Registered with Ofsted: 16/04/2025 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 Strong standard

Children flourish at the setting due to the warmth and encouragement of the childminder. They settle quickly and form close friendships with others. Children engage in activities for prolonged periods as they develop concentration and perseverance. They enjoy exploring with others and the challenges and opportunities for learning they find during activities. Children quickly become confident in asking questions, making comments and joining conversations. They are excited to hear what happens next in the story or to make their own predictions.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children explore in language-rich environments, and they are encouraged to listen and let others speak. The childminder uses excellent strategies such as modelling and repeating new language. Children, therefore, make pleasing progress with talking and understanding words. Children confidently access activities and resources at the setting, and engage in stimulating activities that cover all areas of learning. Children, therefore, build on what they know and can do through focused and meaningful experiences. All children develop core essential skills that prepare them for future learning. This includes children who face barriers to learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave excellently. The childminder acts as a solid role model for showing kindness and care for others. Children seek others out to build friendships and share play experiences. They support and encourage each other throughout the day, learning to share resources from a young age. Children happily take turns at being the shopkeeper or the customer. They speak politely and calmly to each other. The childminder embeds consistent routines and behavioural expectations. She clearly explains to children what the plans are throughout the day, while being flexible to their ongoing play and interests. Children feel secure in the knowledge of what is happening now and next. They look forward to each activity, and transitions between activities run smoothly. This includes children who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The childminder understands the importance of children's punctuality and attendance. She carefully monitors this, encouraging children and their parents to attend her provision via regularly sharing information on the activities that she has planned for children. Parents appreciate the regular updates, so they know what their children will be enjoying and learning at the setting.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder places a clear emphasis on supporting children's welfare, mental health and wellbeing. She is naturally calm, gentle, warm and highly receptive to children's needs. She has developed policies and procedures, which she embeds effectively to create a safe and secure space for children and families. Children settle quickly and form strong bonds with the childminder. They know they can seek support, encouragement and guidance from her, as well as find interesting challenge in their learning, and useful praise. The childminder closely supports children to recognise a range of emotions within themselves and others via stories and reflections throughout the day. Children quickly learn to self-regulate and understand how others are feeling as well as themselves. This includes children who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The childminder consistently embeds clear routines for children, who behave brilliantly. She conscientiously promotes good hygiene, as well as teaching children to develop healthy lifestyles. This includes serving themselves from healthy choices, going on regular walks and outings and washing hands their regularly. The childminder also provides a wide range of healthy snacks, creating sociable and enjoyable snack and mealtimes for children. She closely follows all guidance for supporting children's sleeping, weaning and feeding, supporting children's individual journeys effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder has excellent knowledge of how children learn. She embeds excellent learning opportunities covering all aspects of learning. Woven into activities are aspects of mathematics, such as counting and shapes, or concepts of time and measure. During a baking activity, the childminder supports children to read the scales to see when enough ingredients have been poured in. The childminder encourages children to count the eggs and spoons of flour. They then they set a timer while the cakes are cooking as a visual reminder, so children can see the numbers going down to signify when the cakes are ready for decorating and eating.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development, especially their self-regulation, by teaching children to recognise and understand emotions. Children regularly reflect on how they and others are feeling to gain a better understanding. The childminder knows each child's targets for learning and how to support them to build on what they know and can do. She plans exciting activities and consistently extends children's learning. This includes a focus on children's physical skills, which is extended during outdoor play, making marks in activities or during outings into the community.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The childminder uses effective strategies to enable children to build their skills in expressing themselves, as well as their listening and understanding. In the language-rich environments, children quickly become confident communicators. They engage with activities for prolonged periods of time, talk animatedly and make huge leaps with their communication and language skills.

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Inclusion Strong standard

During the settling-in process, the childminder obtains detailed information from parents to gain a clear understanding of each child's background, prior experiences and learning needs. This enables personalised planning from the outset. The childminder then gets to know children and their families well and is sensitive, flexible and supportive to their changing needs. She uses her excellent knowledge of how children learn to assess and monitor their progress. The childminder does this through regular observations to determine which developmental targets to set for children. She carefully plans activities that will be inclusive to all children, and thoughtfully adapts her communication, as well as the complexity of teaching, to support all children. The childminder works closely with other settings that children attend, other local childminders and the families themselves and follows advice and guidance. This supports

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Inclusion Strong standard

her to make prompt and precise adaptations for children who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing and meet all their individual needs. For example, the childminder sensitively supports children and families through difficult times and changing circumstances. She has previously used funding to provide sensory equipment for children to develop their exploratory skills and confidence in using their senses, and, thus, improve their progress from their starting points. The childminder conscientiously continues to develop her skills and knowledge in specialist areas and in using the graduated approach to support children who face barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder is highly reflective of her practice, with clear future plans for development. She has high expectations of herself, recognising her strengths and areas that she would like to explore further. The childminder is supportive of her own wellbeing, making sure she has the necessary support in place. She undertakes mandatory training and conscientiously seeks many opportunities to extend her skills and knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder gets to know children and their families very well and is highly sensitive and receptive to their individual circumstances and needs. When making decisions, she acts with their best interests at heart to support and reduce barriers for children. For example, the childminder offers support and flexibility for children and their families when they face challenging and changing circumstances. This includes children who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. The childminder also works closely with other settings that children attend, to share information and encourage participation at those settings too.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The childminder has successfully built strong parent partnerships. Parents praise the childminder for her warmth, flexibility and understanding to their changing family needs. Parents recognise the childminder's loving and caring nature and feel secure that their children are safe and cherished in her care. Parents recognise the progress their children make in their learning across all areas and highly appreciate the regular updates on what their children learn and enjoy each day. They value the wide range of activities available to their children, including the regular outdoor activities and baking.

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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 find the childminder's setting homely and inviting. They happily enter the safe environment that fosters their curiosity and exploration. Children know that the childminder understands their interests and developmental needs. They feel heard and supported, and so develop close bonds with the childminder. Children engage enthusiastically in extended learning opportunities. They choose activities independently, such as shopping in the play kitchen and making marks in the garden.

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About this setting

Children adore story times, and these often involve focused breathing and yoga. They feel confident to join in with words and actions, ask questions and make comments. Children adore every opportunity for learning. They thrive on challenges and opportunities for problem-solving. The childminder closely supports children's emotional wellbeing. When children arrive, they reflect on how they are feeling. The childminder then checks-in throughout the day, so children recognise changes in how they and others' feel. The childminder gives children the time and space to speak and express themselves. Children, therefore, feel heard and valued.

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About this setting

Children are encouraged to be independent from an early age and learn life skills, such as putting on their shoes and serving themselves food. Children behave excellently. They want to be like the childminder, who models respect and kindness. Children understand the consistent embedded routines and know what is always expected of them. They tidy up under the support and praise of the childminder. All children are well prepared for the next stage in their education, as the childminder works hard to support any barriers to their learning and encourages them to try things for themselves.

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Next steps

The childminder should sustain her work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. She should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of any disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing that they may care for in the future.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children and viewed written feedback from 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. Unique reference number (URN): 2832937

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday : 07:30 - 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

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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